Page 83 of Tattered Huntress
Iyanked myself away from Humphrey. He looked into my eyes, registered what I was thinking and his expression twisted. ‘You fucking idiot, Daisy,’ he muttered.
I shrugged. Yeah, maybe. ‘I guess it’s not the money I want,’ I told him. ‘It must be the thrill of the hunt that I enjoy. And now I’ve hunted you down.’
Humphrey snarled. Before I could stop him, he leapt backwards and grabbed Eleanor while the strange, intricate, red shapes swirled across his skin again.
Hester and Otis shrieked with terror and abandoned their position on my shoulder in favour of flying at high speed out of the room before they had to face Humphrey’s disturbing blood-magic powers for a second time.
‘Hugo!’ I yelled.
Hugo wasted no time in extricating himself from his overjoyed team, and I felt the rush of power as he flung a burst of magic straight at Humphrey. I followed it up with one of my own. Three of the Primes did the same, not understanding what was happening but determined to follow Hugo’s lead, whatever it was.
Each one of the bolts of brutal magic slammed uselessly into some sort of invisible wall around Humphrey. The strange powers he was tapping into had grown since the previous night on Cramond.
I sucked in a breath and drew Gladys. Humphrey roared in anger and held Eleanor in front of him as a shield. ‘You bastard!’ she yelled, writhing against him and kicking back with her heels in a vain bid to free herself. ‘You’re using blood magic!’
Was I the only person in the world who’d never heard of fucking blood magic? How did Eleanor, of all people, know of it?
Sir Nigel strode forward. ‘Let her go, Bridger,’ he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
Humphrey, however, wasn’t playing ball. ‘I don’t think I’ll do that. Not yet.’
The two doormen from outside skidded to a halt beside me and their jaws dropped. I guessed this sort of thing didn’t often happen in the Royal Elvish Institute.
I held Gladys tightly with my good hand and brandished her at Humphrey in what I hoped was a threatening manner. He barely blinked; instead, he gazed around the room, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation. Eventually he nodded as he apparently came to a decision. ‘I have the Loch Arkaig gold,’ he declared. ‘I will return half of it to you, Sir Nigel, in exchange for my safe passage out of this building.’
‘You don’t have the gold,’ Becky burst out. ‘You’re a shit treasure hunter! How would you have it?’
Humphrey looked at Hugo and raised a questioning eyebrow. Hugo nodded grimly. ‘He’s got it. But I reckon he’s also the only person here who believes that gold is worth more than a life,’ he drawled. ‘No deal, Humphrey. You’re not getting out of here.’
Humphrey laughed. ‘Oh, I think I am.’
I decided that the trouble with posh people was that therewas far too much talking and far too little action. I sidled to the left, skirting behind the shocked group and aiming to position myself behind Humphrey. As I did so, the same choking black cloud of dangerous magic he’d conjured up on Cramond started to swirl at his feet. Eleanor yelped and tried to jerk away but he was still holding her fast.
‘Instead of only killing poor Eleanor,’ Humphrey cackled, ‘I suppose I’ll have to kill all of you.’ With that single, ominous statement, a tendril of the smoke snapped out in Sir Nigel’s direction and wrapped his neck in a stranglehold.
Hugo snarled then leapt towards the gigantic fireplace and reached above the mantelpiece for the hanging swords. With one tug he grabbed them, one in each hand. Then he turned to face Humphrey yet again.
Sir Nigel was already on his knees, his face turning purple. Several of the Primes were trying to help him, using both magic and brute force in an attempt to pry away the tightening smoke ring from around his neck. They didn’t appear to be succeeding.
Hugo advanced. ‘You won’t escape, Humphrey.’
‘I’ve already beaten you once. Are you so keen to try again, Hugs old chap?’
Hugo replied by swinging one sword expertly towards Humphrey, followed in quick succession by the other one. ‘Dear fellow, be careful!’ Humphrey protested. ‘You almost took off Eleanor’s ear!’
On cue, Eleanor began shrieking. ‘Let me go! Let me go, you bastard!’
A second snaky black section of the cloud spat out in Hugo’s direction. He dodged it once, twice, but it was obvious he couldn’t stay out of its path for long. Humphrey laughed coldly and started dragging Eleanor towards the door. ‘Come along, my dear. I think it’s time we made our exit.’
She continued struggling. ‘Stop it! Humphrey! Stop it!’
I took another step until I was finally in the right position behind Humphrey’s back. Gladys was already humming, eager to draw blood. I looked to my right and caught Hugo’s eye as he fended off the black smoke. I gave him a meaningful look and raised Gladys. We couldn’t delay if we were going to help Sir Nigel.
Thankfully, Hugo understood. He jerked his head to the side and I nodded once in agreement. I mouthed a silent countdown. Three. Two.One.
Hugo sprang upwards, jumping over the smoke tendril with both his swords raised. Eleanor squeaked in terror as Humphrey thrust her in Hugo’s path, more than prepared to let the blades kill her if that was what it took to ensure his escape. But he hadn’t been paying enough attention and he hadn’t realised I was behind him. It was easy to underestimate a low-elf junkie – but it wasn’t smart.
I pulled Gladys backwards then, with as much force as I could, I rammed her forward, tip first. She slid into the space between Humphrey’s shoulder blades with a sound that I could only describe as a squeal of joy.
