ItCP42

## Chapter 42

**Chapter 42** of **Into the Crooked Place** follows **Karam** again.

## **Full Version**

KARAM’S HEAD CRUNCHED AGAINST the cavern floor. The shadow demon hurled itself at her. It bit and clawed, drawing a long line from her temple down to her collarbone.

She yelled out to Arjun and he fumbled with the light charms in his hands, whispering spells Karam could barely hear over the creature’s growls. And then, after it was about to kill her, Arjun finally thrust out his arm and a blast of light swept over the demon.

It burned through what little flesh the creature had and it flung onto its hind legs, letting out an ungodly screech.

“How do we kill it?” Arjun yelled.

Karam arched her blades above her head. “You don’t kill a shadow demon. You just make it regret being alive in the first place.”

“How do we—”

Karam charged toward the creature, knives cutting and swiping through smoke and bone. Its blood sprayed across the walls, and it roared before clamping down its jaw and baring its teeth.

When it slammed into her a second time, Karam was ready. She grabbed the shadow demon, hands slipping through its smoky torso and fumbling until she latched onto the mounds of its spine.

She flipped the creature over her shoulder, bringing them both to their backs. Karam’s hands wrapped around its neck and it gnawed at her arms, thrashing its claws to try to cut ribbons across her stomach.

Karam didn’t loosen her hold.

“Now!” she screamed.

Arjun summoned another ball of light. Larger than the last and as scorching as Saxony’s flame.

The creature cried out, writhing and thrashing as it tried to escape. But Karam’s grip held firm and the smell of burning ripened the air. Within minutes the creature’s cries ceased and its mangled body singed into the cavern floor.

Karam let go and the creature whimpered.

Arjun pulled her to her feet and she felt that familiar rush of adrenaline that came with being alive. Of knowing she’d won.

“*Hei reb*,” Arjun said, slinging Karam’s arm over his shoulder. “That was something.”

“First time seeing a demon?”

“First time seeing you.”

Karam leaned against him for balance and her breath slowly returned, but the joy was short-lived.

Out of the shadows, a slow growl echoed.

Karam and Arjun stumbled back, his grip tightening on her waist.

Then another rumble.

And another.

The light blinked in Arjun’s hand as the demons’ breath carried over to them.

Karam could just about make out their forms in the darkness. Could see teeth glimmer in the reflection of what little light they had left.

There must have been a dozen of them.

A dozen demons.

“Now what?” Arjun whispered.

“Try not to die,” Karam said.

“That’s your plan?”

He squeezed his hand and the light protruded a little farther, keeping the snarling demons at a distance.

“That’s Plan B,” Karam said.

“What’s Plan A?”

“Run.”

Karam pulled herself from Arjun’s arms and sprinted for the cavern door with him hot on her trail. The creatures scurried after them. Arjun threw light charms as though they were knives, scattering the creatures that crawled along the walls and ceiling.

Their howls were hungry.

“Run faster!” Karam screamed over her shoulder.

“You try keeping these things off our backs and running at the same time!” Arjun yelled.

But his pace quickened and Karam smiled.

Karam spotted the door ahead and steeled herself, pressing her feet that much harder into the ground before throwing herself forward that much quicker.

Her shoulder rammed against the door and it lurched open, sending her careening out onto the other side.

Arjun followed, slamming the door shut behind him.

Karam forced herself to her feet and threw her weight against it alongside Arjun, keeping the creatures at bay.

Arjun screamed out a slew of words that sounded equal parts spell and swearing. Karam hoped it was magic to seal doors and make sure they could never be opened again. This seemed like a good enough guess, because the banging soon ceased and Arjun stepped away from the door and collapsed onto his knees. He sighed in relief.

Karam slid down the barricade and caught her breath.

In the distance, there were screams and thunderous rumblings.

The war was waging and they had missed its start.

“Nice moves,” Karam said. “For a Crafter.”

Arjun laughed into his hands before dragging them over his head and taking in another long exhale. “You too,” he said. “For a runaway.”

Karam got to her feet, shakier than she would have liked.

Arjun offered his arm, but Karam shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to let herself give in to the pain of her injuries. It was the time to make sure their enemies were the ones who suffered.

The war was only a few feet away.

As soon as they rounded the corner, out of the burned trees that hid the doorway and past the crumbling stone that shielded them, there was death.

Their army was bloodied and broken.

Screaming and lunging and dying, while the Kingpin’s soldiers advanced endlessly. His armies tumbled from the drawbridge and seemed to spurt from the air itself. And magic. Magic hurtled through the wind.

They were wrong. *Spirits damn*, they were wrong. The Kingpin didn’t have a few Crafters locked away; he had an entire legion, fighting like they would lay down their lives for his cause.

And they were winning.

“Arjun,” Karam said. “Say the spell.”

Her knives were primed.

“We haven’t been given the signal,” Arjun said.

Though he was gripping his fists, squeezing hard enough to draw blood.

Above, the skies roared with his anger and rain fell down on them all.

“Do it now,” Karam said.

She ran forward, not waiting for his reply. Launching herself into battle.

Her wounds seared, but she tried her hardest not to stop. People were relying on her. Karam cut and sliced and threw herself at the Kingpin’s soldiers. Knocking them down like pins.

She didn’t know how long it took—seconds, or maybe minutes—but when Arjun said the words, Karam heard. Even from the other side of the battlefield, where she somehow found herself. She heard Arjun’s voice through the wind and felt the ripple as time braced itself.

The barrels exploded.

Karam ducked, knees hard against the shore, fingers plugged into her ears as the island screamed. The ground shook. The wind hardened to rock.

Around them, the realms stopped.

Karam stood.

Their army was breathless and half-dead, but they were smiling.

She looked at the battlefield.

At their enemies, frozen in time.