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“Thoughts?” I said, retreating to a safe distance

“It doesn’t mind our company,” Chance mused, “but it doesn’t trust us yet”

“Hoe gain its confidence?” I asked Greydusk

The demon lifted a shoulder “I’ve no idea If you’d asked, I wouldn’t have ius trap”

“But you’re our guide”

“To the city I can’t be expected to know the solution to every obstacle”

“Fair enough Then would you check how thoroughly it blocked the path?” I asked the demon

“Certainly”

The Gorder didn’t object when Greydusk left the lair, going back the e’d come So it definitely was a hoard issue Soht about that, Chance sank down against the opposite rock wall

At ed “What? I’m tired”

“Yeah, it’s been a hell of a day”

When the dee coickal intervention to clear it”

“Is that a possibility?” I asked

Greydusk nodded “But not all demons would be able to cast such a spell”

“Who could?”

“The Saremon”

“Could they also create a us trap?”

“Yes, but that spell can also be bound in a trigger object and released”

“So any deers on htful

“Basically,” Greydusk confirmed

Chance sighed “That doesn’t help us figure out who’s after us”

“That’s not the iet out of here” I tried the approach again, but the Gorder roused at once andsound

“You called it,” Greydusk said thoughtfully “That i it?”

I laughed at the notion Why would this beast listen to me? But it orth a shot In fact, it was the only idea we had

Chasm of Despair

I moved toward the tunnel The Gorder roused, ready to snarl, but I drew on h ave my voice an odd burr “You trust me You love me You knoould never hurt you or your hoard”

It gave a questioning trill, and Butch yapped The effort of holding the chared backward I motioned for the others to follow er I can do this

To my vast relief, Chance and Greydusk slid past Butch followed

“Stay,” I told the lizard-worm as I exited

To e as I led the way through the channel, which sloped up toward the surface I shook all over in reaction I let the ht of Sheol I scrambled out of the hole and waited while Greydusk sue

“We must hurry,” it said

Well, obviously I cast the demon an evil look as it filled our ride with Klothod Shudder I’d never get used to that

In short order, we got ain The plain descended into a valley that was framed on two sides by rocky bluffs Dark, red-veined rock didn’t rese I’d ever seen on earth; it was like diabolic marble

Greydusk followed aze and said quietly, “Don’t let it touch your skin”

Since the carriage hizzing along at a crazy, jarring speed, that wasn’t probable But still, I asked, “Why not?”

“This is called the Chasm of Despair for a reason”

At those words I took a closer look over the side and saw that bones littered the ground here Their posture was…disturbing, as if soainst the cliff for a rest, and then just never ht, and a chill rolled through me There was an insidious power in this place, one that sapped inner strength and hope and h it was too much trouble to try

Chance wrapped an arrim By the look in his eyes, he felt it too I leaned into hiht in Peru had been a foe I could fight How do you combat cursed demon rock? Yeah, exactly

I squeezedi vehicle Because clearly ere doo I did mattered My mother had died, and I couldn’t help her I’d hidden like a coward My father, shit, he left ages ago, probably because he saorthless I should’ve let Shannon perish in Kilmer because at least it would have been faster than what awaited her in the hands of the demons

Heaviness spilled through me, dark as blackberry wine, and I listed, ready for everything to stop The futility, the struggle, the failure—I wanted it all over There was no hope No purpose No point I threw e, but Chance was there He caught me