Page 57 of The Dagger and the Flame
The beast reared up, doubling in height as it shook itself free. It stood on Ransom’s chest, crushing him into the floorboards. He kicked out as the creature’s jaws unhinged, revealing the blackened hollow of its throat. That smell came again – barrelling into Ransom with such force it made him retch. He bucked and thrashed, pinned to the floor like a helpless moth.
‘Ransom?’ He heard his name through the swarm of shadows. ‘What in hell’s teeth is going on up there?’
The creature pitched forward, sinking its fangs into his shoulder. A scream ripped from his chest, taking the last of his breath with it. Blackness swept in, and Ransom knew if he closed his eyes, he would never open them again.
There was a crash and then an almighty hiss as the room exploded with firelight. The monster roared as it leaped off Ransom. The darkness went with it, the entire room flaring into focus. There were flames everywhere, bottles smashing and whiskey roaring as it went up in smoke.
‘Move!’ Lark yanked Ransom to his feet. ‘It’s coming down!’
Nadia was in the doorway, with a rag over her mouth. Anempty oil lamp swung from her hand. No prizes for guessing where she had thrown the first one. Ransom found his footing, and the two men stumbled towards her, their eyes on the monster as it lurched for the open window. It paused on the sill, and in the split second between flame and shadow Ransom glimpsed the ghost of a face. The remnants of what the monster had once been.
No, notwhat.Butwho.
A gasp stuck in his throat.
Lark stiffened in surprise.
And then the beast was gone, leaping from the window and disappearing like a breeze into the night. Smoke filled the room, the flames reaching so high they licked the ceiling.
‘Run!’ Nadia dragged them from the room as a beam fell and sliced the bed in two. The staircase was crumbling, the smoke so thick Ransom couldn’t see through it. He covered his mouth with his sleeve and followed Lark and Nadia all the way down to the bar, where the ceiling was caving in.
They made for the exit, wheezing and coughing as the smoke spat them out onto the boardwalk. Lark tripped over a barrel and nearly face-planted on the ground. Ransom caught him by the collar, pulling him up. Nadia sank into a crouch to catch her breath while Ransom squinted into the night, looking for the monster. But the world was dark. His Shade was spent.
‘It’s gone,’ said Nadia, rolling to her feet.
Lark looked down into the rippling water, as if he was expecting to see a face in the waves.
She pulled him away. ‘Don’t. We’ve already played with fire tonight.’
Behind them, the tavern roared and crackled, spitting smoke into the sky. Ransom could hear people shouting in the distance. The nightguards would be here soon, for all the good their quivering chins and paltry swords would do against a monster.
Still, the Daggers had to get out of here.
‘Did you see its face?’ said Lark, falling into step with him.
Ransom shuddered at the memory. He was still trying to make sense of it. ‘I hoped I’d imagined it.’
Nadia looked between them. ‘What was it?’
‘Not what,’ said Lark. ‘Who.’
She jostled him. ‘Stop talking in riddles.’
‘It was Kipp,’ said Ransom. ‘Thethingthat attacked me was Kipp.’
Nadia stopped walking. ‘You’re wrong.’
He tugged her on. ‘I wish I was.’
Lark’s face was as grim as his own. It was the truth, plain and terrible. They hadn’t come upon a creature in the Lucky Shell, but a man, who had somehow been changed into a monster. When the light had flared and the shadows flickered, Ransom had glimpsed a face he once knew. Lark had seen it too. They had found Kipp, after all.
‘He didn’t flee the monster, Nadia. Hebecamethe monster.’
The silence yawned as all three of them tried to untangle the mystery.
They reached the end of the boardwalk and headed for the Rascalle, taking cover under the awning of Florian’s Emporium. The nightguards were already on their way. Ransom could hear the clatter of hooves, saw lanterns swinging in the distance.
Nadia wrapped her arms around herself, her voice quiet. ‘If that thing really was Kipp, then that means all these monsters… they’re just…’
