Kari released Zalkar’s aura, letting it fold back into her as she neared the top of the stairs; she didn’t want that to give her away, either. She took in a quiet, deep breath and held it, and she slid to one knee on the second step down. She leaned on the steps, laying down along them so she could get a good view into the upper room. The door to the left of the stairs’ top was open, and Kari angled her head so she could glance in with one eye but keep out of sight.
Emma was there, standing at the far end of the large, open second floor. She was looking out a window next to the ladder to the bell tower. If she sensed Kari’s presence, she gave no indication. Kari couldn’t see Turillia anywhere. If the succubus was in the room, Emma would surely give some clue—unless they were working together. Kari kept her breathing steady and leaned farther to get a better glimpse of the room.
She could see the entire room except for its near corners, sparse as it was. There was a mat and blanket along the east wall for Emma’s bed. There wasn’t much else in the room, as if the place had been gutted when it was abandoned. Still, there were no footprints and no sign of Turillia’s passing or presence. Kari slid back around the corner and out of sight, and she glanced down the stairs at her own light footprints. Were the footprints outside Emma’s? If so, it would mean Kari had sprung the trap on the wrong demon and foiled her own plan.
But no; there’s no footprints at all. Either of them would have left footprints, so where did Turillia go after she climbed in the window?
It didn’t make sense. Kari sighed and pulled the manacles from under her cloak. This trap was going to net her a demon, one way or another. She trusted the manacles that had subdued Ciceria would do the same to Emma. Kari just had to get close enough to put them on the mallasti girl. Kari considered whether it might be easier to approach Emma in friendly tones, and then try to get the manacles on her. The only other option was to sneak up behind her and do so. Either way, it was risky. Emma hadn’t been surprised when Turillia tried to sneak up on her in the graveyard.
Kari weighed her options.
Ultimately, she decided the old, creaky floor of the upper level was likely to give her away in either case. She stood straight and entered the upper room and took only a moment to check the near corners for any sign of Turillia. Still there was no trace of the half-succubus. Kari kept Zalkar’s power close to the front of her mind; though she didn’t project it outward, she kept it firmly in place should Emma turn and unleash a magical attack. Kari tucked the manacles in a cloak pocket, ready to draw them out and slap them on the mallasti girl, if she got close.
Emma acknowledged her presence after only a few steps. The mallasti girl turned her head to the side, and Kari got a glimpse of her glowing orange eyes again. Emma didn’t say anything and didn’t turn to face Kari. She went back to looking out the window while Kari closed the remaining distance between them. For a moment, Kari thought perhaps she had Emma figured wrong, and that the mallasti girl wanted to speak to her.
She realized her error when she got closer and Emma whirled on her, the same way she had with Turillia.
The mallasti girl held up one clawed hand, the fingers splayed outward, palm facing Kari, though she didn’t extend her arm right away to unleash an attack. “You fool,” the mallasti girl said with her strange accent. Her eyes were intense, though her expression was impassive. “Not only have you led her right to this one, but you have walked straight into her trap.”
Before Kari could even ask what she was talking about or turn to see if Turillia had been hiding close by, Emma unleashed a lightning bolt. Kari pushed back against it with the strength of her faith, but the bolt tore through her barriers and then passed through her body, and Kari’s legs buckled. Like the lightning bolt in the graveyard, it hit Kari like a whip-crack to the heart and drained all the strength from her body.
It wasn’t a typical shock spell; Kari’s wasn’t in total pain, simply limp and powerless. Zalkar’s power and Kari’s faith had done nothing to deflect the attack, and Kari wondered if it was because she had collapsed the aura, or because her willpower wasn’t strong enough compared to Emma’s. Kari got onto her side, facing Emma, but didn’t have the strength to even get to her knees yet. She was completely at Emma’s mercy. Worse than that, the blue glow of Zalkar’s symbol filled the room, and Kari’s worst fears came to bear.
No…
Turillia’s wicked laugh announced her presence before Kari ever saw her. There was one possibility she hadn’t thought of until now: If Turillia only needed a small dose of Emma’s blood, their entire rivalry and battle could have been for show. It was possible Turillia had attempted the same bargain with Emma that she’d tried with Kari, and she’d offered to let the mallasti girl serve her rather than be a slave to her current master. Circumstances seemed to prove otherwise, but lying on the floor, completely at the mercy of two demons, Kari had no idea what to expect.
The succubus stepped over the fallen demonhunter and approached Emma, who backed up to the window. That eased Kari’s tensions, though not by much. Turillia regarded Kari for a second and let forth another chuckle before she turned back to the mallasti. “I knew you would kill her for me if I just bided my time,” Turillia said.
She must be speaking the common tongue for my “benefit,” Kari thought.
“Leave her out of this. She is still of use to the master,” Emma returned.
“Ah, but who will manipulate her once I’ve killed you and sucked every drop of blood from your body, Emmalikas?” the succubus returned with her fanged grin.
“Even should this scheme of yours succeed, if you kill this hunter, you will draw the eternal ire of the master. And you greatly overestimate your abilities if you think this one will be so easily slain,” the mallasti said.
Kari shut her eyes as Emma lifted a clawed hand and unleashed another bolt of lightning. Kari waited for the following thunderclap, but none came.
Turillia laughed, and Kari opened her eyes to find the succubus unharmed. Emma remained impassive, but the mallasti was concerned that Turillia had shrugged off yet another powerful arcane attack. Turillia turned back to Kari and her grin grew wider. “But her power is fleeting!” she mocked Kari. “You are so stupid! Everything you think you figured out was because I allowed you to. You are nothing but bait… meat on the hook to attract the true prize. Now, you are better than bait. You are a hostage and a bargaining chip, to be sold to the highest bidder when I claim my place.”
The half-succubus turned back to Emma and took a threatening step forward. Emma held up a hand and pushed her back with a gesture. “Cease your struggles, Emmalikas,” Turillia said, and the succubus paced over toward Kari. She produced one of her long, straight blades, and put it to Kari’s throat. “Give me what I want, or I will kill this demonhunter and let the penalty of failure fall upon you. Since she is more important to the master than you, I expect you will make the correct choice. But even if you flee, I will hunt you down and kill you. You cannot hide from me anymore.”
“If you kill her, the master’s eyes will fall upon you,” Emma countered. “The severity of this one’s punishment will not mitigate his anger toward you.”
“I will be a king by then, protected from him by our laws,” Turillia purred. “Or did you believe I undertook this gambit without regard to the possible consequences? I have built toward this for years, and I will not let some slave or her pet demonhunter stand in my way. This is your only chance to die comfortably, Emmalikas. I will cloud your mind and drain you painlessly if you submit to me now. If I have to chase you… you will feel every drop of blood leave your body, until your inevitable death.”