by Linsey Hall
My skin chilled.
He raised the fiery pumpkin and hurled his burning cargo straight at our heads.
5
For a split second, I stood frozen, seeing only the massive headless horseman and the burning pumpkin that hurtled toward me.
Then I snapped out of it and lunged left, diving behind a headstone. Maximus jumped on top of me, shielding me with his body. The pumpkin slammed into the headstone, and the thing exploded, sending shards of stone flying through the air. One hit me on the leg, leaving a slice that burned like hell.
Maximus was off me in a second, and I followed, peering up from behind the ruins of the headstone. The horseman thundered toward us, only forty yards away now. The horse’s footsteps made the ground shake, and the man held another burning pumpkin in his hand.
“Ah, crap.” I stood, ready to lunge again.
“We need to get that horse,” Maximus said.
How? I looked around, searching for any kind of weapon that wouldn’t involve getting close. My range with my potion bombs was usually about twenty yards. I didn’t want to get that close.
My gaze landed on the river. I looked at Maximus. “I’ll slam him off the horse. Can you conjure a net and catch him?”
“I can.” He looked back at the headless horseman, who was about to ride between two big trees. “Good plan.”
The horseman hurled the pumpkin, and I dived left as it flew for me, a burning orange bomb that looked like a nightmare version of Halloween. I skidded in the dirt, narrowly avoiding the bomb that exploded into the ground, sending up dirt and old bones to rain down upon me.
The horseman was almost through the trees.
This was my moment.
I called on the magic deep within me, dredging it up so I could smash him off his horse. The power surged through my belly, rising up in my chest and out through my limbs. As he rode between the two huge oaks, I commanded the water in the river to rise.
At the same time, right as the Headless Horseman passed the tree trunks, Maximus conjured a giant net that suspended itself between the trunks like a spiderweb.
I forced the water out of the river and toward the horseman, using the skills I’d practiced on stage. They came easier now, and the water shot up, a spear of liquid that slammed into the horseman’s chest.
He roared, his big body flying backward off the horse. He slammed into the net, breaking it free from the trees as he flew. When he plowed into the ground, the thing wrapped around him, tangling him up.
For good measure, Maximus conjured another net, this one weighted down by stones. The thing appeared in midair and fell down on the horseman.
“It won’t hold him long.” Maximus sprinted toward the horse, which was careening toward us. The beast had been running so furiously that it hadn’t seemed to notice his master flying off.
Or, more likely, he didn’t like his master and just kept running.
With skilled grace, Maximus grabbed the horse’s bridle and swung up into the saddle. Clearly, he’d done a lot of horse riding back when he’d lived in ancient times.
He nudged the horse with his heels, and the animal galloped toward me. Maximus leaned over and reached down. I grabbed his hand and jumped. He swung me up behind him in a move so practiced I almost laughed.
How the hell had we just managed that?
“Yah!” Maximus commanded, nudging the horse again.
The beast picked up the pace, galloping away on massive hooves.
I turned, spotting the horseman as he rose to his feet and flung off the nets. Another pumpkin had appeared in his hand, and he threw it at us.
I called upon the river again, forcing the water upward and driving it toward the pumpkin. It smashed into the flaming bomb, and the thing exploded, sizzling in midair.
“Almost to the bridge!” Maximus shouted.
“Hurry!”
The horseman conjured another pumpkin, and another, hurling them in quick succession. He was faster than I was, and I missed the third one he threw.
“Duck!” I screamed.
Maximus bent low over the horse, and I followed. The pumpkin whizzed over us, narrowly avoiding the horse’s head, and plowed into the ground in front. The earth exploded up in flames, and the horse jumped it, neighing his displeasure.
When we cleared the other side, I spotted the bridge. The horse’s hooves slammed onto the wooden planks as we began to cross.
Oh, thank fates.
Two pale white figures stood on the other side, partially hidden by a large tree.
“Do you see them?” I shouted.
“What?” Maximus’s head moved as he looked, but before he could speak, a wall of flame appeared in front of us.
The horse shrieked and rose up on two legs. My heart thudded.
The bridge beneath us began to shake violently, and I looked down at the water. Jagged rocks cut through the water below, which had begun to boil. I turned around. From the other side of the bridge, the Horseman ran at us.
Shit. My stomach churned as the stallion bucked.
The flames in front of us flickered, and through them, I caught another glimpse of a pale white figure.
Wait a second…
The flame wasn’t hot. We were so close to the massive wall of fire that I should be burning up. But I wasn’t.
“Ride through!” I screamed. “It’s an illusion! Natalia and Olga are on the other side.”
Maximus laid his hand on the horse’s neck to calm it, and somehow, it worked. The animal lowered itself to four feet, then charged. I turned back to find the Headless Horseman, and spotted him almost on the bridge. He sprinted onto it, his footsteps so heavy that they shook the wooden surface even more.
I called upon the water again. Every time I did so, it became easier. I pulled forth a massive wave, slamming it into the bridge and knocking his feet out from under him.
Then the flames swallowed me. The world turned orange and red, but it was no hotter, thank fates.
The horse thundered toward the other side, onto a narrow road winding through a twisty old forest. I spotted the two illusionists still standing near the large tree, their faces shocked. Before they could move, I pulled a couple of potion bombs from the sack strapped to my back.
One after the other, I hurled the bombs and smashed them into the pale figures. Blue liquid exploded against their chests, my best sleeping potion, and the two women collapsed backward.
“That’ll keep them out of our hair for a while,” I muttered.
The stallion came to an abrupt stop, bucking wildly.
“Dismount,” Maximus said.
The cue from the horse was clear. I scrambled off, Maximus following much more gracefully, and the horse galloped away, heading down the twisty path.
Maximus turned to me. “I can’t believe I just rode through fire.”
I grinned. “I guess you trust me.”
“I must.”
White wisps zipped in front of our faces, the magical cameras catching every moment of our connection.
I scowled and swatted out. “Damned things.”
“Ignore them.” Despite his words, Maximus gave them a withering glance. “Let’s get a move on. The fae are back there still. I spotted their magic. But the wolves could be ahead of us.”
He was right. I nodded and started forward, headed down the path. It was narrow and made of dirt, while the forest that surrounded us was full of gnarled old trees. Occasionally, I spotted something random like an armchair or an old table and lamp.
“We must be in the living room,” I said.
A fat black cat dozed beneath a tree near the path, a bowl of cat food at its side.
“At least the witch takes care of her cats.”
The cat opened yellow eyes and hissed at me, but was too lazy to get up. We continued on. My skin prickled with nerves as we walked, my every sense alert.
Up ahead, a section at the side of the path glowed. We slowed as we neared, and I realized that it was a do
orway. I edged up to it and peered inside.
It was an old kitchen, and inside, two wolves lay on the ground near the sink, wrapped up in something that looked like toilet paper. I blinked, my gaze darting around the kitchen. It landed on a mummy—one who looked like he’d stepped out of an old horror film.
The mummy’s black eyes fell on me.
“Run!” I sprinted past the kitchen door.
Maximus was no dummy—he didn’t need to be told twice.
He sprinted alongside me, his pace quick, and we thundered down the path away from the kitchen. One glance behind showed the mummy standing in the glowing light of the door, staring after us.
He didn’t pursue, thank fates, no doubt figuring he had enough to handle with the two wolves he’d caught.
Finally, when the mummy was out of sight, we slowed.
Panting, I looked at Maximus. “This place is wild.”
“Good entertainment, though.”
“Seriously.” I searched the path ahead of us, realizing that it looked like it ended. “Come on.”
I hurried forward, my heart leaping when I finally spotted a set of stairs. “Jackpot.”
They were rickety and old, but they went upward, and that was good enough for me.
I stepped onto the first stair, and the wooden boards shrieked.
“So much for stealth,” Maximus said.
Together, we hurried up the stairs, reaching a landing that curved around behind us.
I turned, and my jaw dropped. “Holy fates.”
The upstairs was just as big as the downstairs, but this was all open space with wooden bridges crisscrossing the emptiness below. A maze, almost.
“We need to find another set of stairs, straight up to the attic,” Maximus said. “They’ll be somewhere along the edge, I imagine.”
He was right. The space was so big that it was hard to see the edges, especially with the mist that was now rising up from below. We’d have to navigate this weird maze to find the next flight of stairs.
A growl sounded from our left, low and deep. The hair on my arms stood up, and I turned, my heart lodged in my throat.
There was another bridge to our left, about fifteen feet away. Upon it, a massive hound crouched. He was huge—at least seven feet tall at his shoulders. He had to weigh hundreds of pounds. Red eyes blazed, and his lips pulled back from fangs as he snarled.
My stomach plunged and my voice quavered. “Niiiice puppy.”
The hound just growled more, and I was one hundred percent sure that we were looking at the Hound of the Baskervilles. Sherlock would be glad to know we’d seen his dog.
Me? Not so much.
“Run!” The word squeaked out of me, and I sprinted away, straight down the bridge and into the mist. Maximus thundered behind me, and the dog growled louder.
A massive thud shook the bridge beneath our feet, and I turned, catching a glimpse of the beast behind Maximus.
It had jumped onto our bridge!
“Get in front of me!” I darted to the side.
“No!”
“Do it!” I put every bit of command into my voice. Dumb man didn’t want to put me between him and danger, but I was the one with the potion bombs.
His footsteps didn’t speed up, and he was probably planning on some hand to hand with that beast from hell. “Fine, then. Catch!”
I dug into my bag of potion bombs and grabbed a super sleeper. It was even stronger than what I’d hit the illusionists with. I tossed it over my shoulder, a nice high arc that he could catch. I glanced back in time to see him snag it out of the air, then whip around and chuck the thing at the hound.
His aim was perfect, and the glass bomb shattered against the beast’s chest. The creature roared and slowed, but didn’t stop.
Damn it.
Too strong. He wasn’t a real dog, that was for sure. He was at least half magic, maybe all, a complicated dark magic spell that would make him impervious to a lot of my potions.
But it had slowed him, so it had kind of worked.
“Here’s another!” I lobbed another potion bomb at Maximus, which he caught and threw.
Once again the beast only slowed, but at least it didn’t jump on us.
The bridge ahead veered left and right, and I took the right, following instinct more than anything else. We sprinted through the strange maze, searching for any kind of stairs to lead us up and out of the mess.
My lungs burned and my muscles ached. I glanced behind, catching sight of the hound, still keeping up. He cut through the mist like a freight train, powerful legs carrying him along despite the colorful potions that were splattered on his chest.
There was no way we would find the stairs with him on our tails. Not before we were exhausted and out of potion bombs, at least. And when that time came, we’d be doggie chow.
We needed another way out of this.
I looked around, frantic for an answer, but saw only the bridges, cutting endlessly through the wide-open space. They were narrow and rickety, and below, there was nothing but open air. Occasionally, if I looked down at just the right moment, I could spot the graveyard or the twisty little forest. I saw no bursts of blue fae magic, which meant they might already be headed up the stairs.
What if the hound was chasing us when they arrived? They’d dart right past and find the stairs.
We definitely needed another way.
A wild plan popped into my head.
No, it was crazy.
But was it?
Up ahead, our bridge ended right at another. We could turn left or right, but there was nothing ahead except air. Below, I could feel the river. The water called to me, strong and fierce.
Perfect. “We’re going over!”
“What?” Maximus shouted, shock in his voice.
“Jump over the edge and trust me.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Not about this! Jump straight down, not out!” We were almost there. Just ten feet away, and going fast. There was no more time. Maximus had to follow.
I called upon the river, dragging up as much water as I could manage and praying it was enough. I could see it in my mind’s eye, rising up as a thick column, right below where we would jump. With any luck, we’d jump right into it.
I reached the edge of the bridge and leapt over the railing, the air whooshing by my body. I couldn’t help the fear that made my stomach drop as I fell. Maximus followed, plummeting behind me. The dog sailed overhead, jumping far out into the air the way four-legged animals generally did.
When the water caught me, elation surged. It closed over my head, cold and shocking, and I began to kick up immediately. It was just a narrow column of water—I didn’t want to mistakenly pop out the side of it and start falling through the air again.
I collided with Maximus while shooting for the surface, and together, we made it up. My head burst through, and I gasped, looking around. We were still high up in the air, the column of water like a deep swimming pool. I forced it up some more, carrying us to the level of the bridge above.
With trembling muscles, I climbed onto the bridge. Maximus followed, soaking wet.
I flopped onto my stomach and peered over the edge as I commanded the huge column of water to return to the river. Once the last of it had crashed back into place, I spotted the hound.
He sprinted across the graveyard, chasing one of the ghosts.
Panting, I grinned. “Looks like he’s okay.”
“That was impressive.” Maximus stood, shaking some of the water off like a dog.
I nodded my thanks, but he was right. That had been wild. I was getting really good at this water stuff. Warm pride filled me.
On shaking legs, we inspected our surroundings. With the hound no longer distracting us, I spotted a wall to the left.
I pointed. “Let’s go that way.”
Together, we tromped across the bridge toward the wall, dripping as we went. Man, being wet sucked.
When we neared the wall and I
spotted a narrow staircase, I grinned. “I think we’re close.”
As we ascended the stairs, the lights began to dim. Each floorboard creaked underfoot, and I couldn’t help wincing at the noises.
Tension plucked at every nerve ending as we climbed, the stairway longer than a normal one. But then, everything in this house was weird.
White wisps flitted around our heads as we climbed, and I smacked them away. The scent of dust and mildew grew stronger as we reached the top of the stairs, and when I stepped out into the attic, I was almost disappointed.
It looked just like a normal attic—full of old furniture and boxes. Except when I looked closer, it was pretty damned creepy. To the left was a collection of old dolls with missing eyes—nope, no thanks, not for me—and to the right were four paintings of children in which the feet looked like they were moving.
Pale light gleamed from the ceiling, though where it came from, I had no idea. It glittered on the dust motes in the air, making them sparkle like diamonds.
“Hello?” I called out in a low voice. “Ghost in the attic?”
Only once I’d spoken did I remember that we didn’t know if the ghost was friendly.
Eerie silence echoed.
There was no response from the ghost. I hoped we were in the right attic. With our luck, there would be multiple attics. And they’d be filled with poltergeists.
6
“Let’s look around,” I said. The space wasn’t huge. Just about the size of a normal house, really. But there were nooks and crannies to be explored.
My heart thudded in a low beat as we began to search the attic. The whole place had a creepy feel to it, enough to make the hair on my arms stand on end. Each creaking floorboard made me jump, and I remembered that this was why I didn’t like horror movies.
At one point, I nudged a box with my feet, and a squeak sounded from inside. A familiar squeak.
“Romeo?”
The raccoon’s head popped out, and he grinned toothily. In one hand, he held an old postcard with a frayed edge. Poppy’s head stuck up next to his, and she was wearing a decrepit old flower behind her ear. No doubt something she’d found up here.
