Demon Day by Penelope Fletcher (best novels in english .TXT) 📕

Ro shrugged. “Whatever.” He jerked hishead to the wires to remind me that I was supposed to be creatingus an opening.

“Can’t we go through a gateagain?” I asked.

Ro shook his head. “They might know weused it. They’ll patrol the entry points in case we try to use oneagain.”

It made sense. The Clerics would notrisk us getting back so easily. Since our exit hadn’t beenscheduled no doubt they would have posted guards anyway, but withmy disappearance they would know I had inside help, and would leavenothing to chance.

Without thinking about it too much, Ifocused my energies, and sent my magic to the wires. They unraveledand pinged apart leaving a small tear big enough for us to crawlthrough. The edges cooled but the color slowly faded back to deepred confirming the current still flowed. Had I ripped the entirefence in half no doubt the klaxon would go off – I would havebroken the circuit completely – but this way the electricity stillhad a path to flow through, and the surrounding area remainedblessedly silent. Ro went first, then Tomas, and I shimmied underlast. I closed the tear with an easy thought tossed over myshoulder.

Between Ro and Lex’s knowledge of theslums, and mine of the upper dwellings, we managed to plot anobscure path back through the human city that steered clear of theSect Temple. We raced through the upper dwells, holding our breath,and praying we would not be seen. The maintained homes abruptlybecame dilapidated huts as we crossed over into theslums.

Ro visibly relaxed the deeper into hischildhood home we travelled.

The shack structures werepredominantly built from wonky wooden frames filled bybreezeblocks, and covered in plastic. Piles of rubbish were clumpedtogether under huge overflowing dumpsters every twenty paces or so,and the rats that squeaked and scuttled across the floor made megrimace. Bats darted overhead and I shivered, they were worse thanravens. I was not sure when bats were introduced to this region,but I knew they were not native. They had adapted to the climateand were bloody huge, bigger than crows and incredibly intelligentwinged creatures.

A young girl rummaging around in apile of junk, paused, peered at us then grabbed a three leggedchair and trotted off, clutching it to her like a lifeline.Scavenging was the slum lifestyle, and if you were not good at ityou wouldn’t survive. No doubt the young girl had plans to tradethe smooth wood and seat fabric for food. She had looked painfullythin and I hoped she was able to barter for enough to keep hergoing for a few weeks.

The slum dwellings held a mish mash ofold and new human cultures and several colorful walls of art caughtmy eye as we briskly walked down the main street. It was busierthan the upper dwells, and running would draw too much attention.Most people who saw us had their own troubles, and turned theirback when their eyes landed on Ro. His broad shoulders andconfident gait were intimidating, but the hard expression on hisyoung face – evaluating every dark shadow for danger – was warningenough that he was not be to messed with.

Tomas kept his head down. Alex waswedged between Ro and me, arms wrapped around her middle and backhunched. With my glamour on I looked human, horrifically scarred,but human nonetheless, and my lack of dress was nothing out of theordinary here.

It was quiet. The darkness shieldedus, and we kept close to the walls, avoided passing too close tothe fire drums that spat ash and small specks of burntwood.

An old man dressed in rags andcrouched on the pavement, boney hands shoveling noodles into hismouth, happened to glance up. His wooden bowl clattered to theground. His eyes went wide as he took in Lex’s inhuman appearance,and his toothless mouth gaped.

Humans born here were a creamy tan inskin colour, and generally had hazel eyes and dark hair, like Ro. Atall, chalk-white girl with translucent hair and electric blue facemarks was something outlandish to behold indeed.

The old man heckled at us, and a quicklook over my shoulder showed him hobbling after us, craning hisneck trying to get a better look.

Tomas cursed and stopped. He spun onhis heel and sped faster than the human eye could see back to theold man. He clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him into theshadow of a building. It was quiet again. Tomas ran back to us andmotioned us on. I considered asking him if the old man lived, buttruly, I did not think I could stomach the truth.

Ro stopped at a self-contained hutwith large white handprints across the fencing cutting it off fromthe street. Ravens circled overhead and I frowned. It was late forthem to be out flying, and why over this shack?

A malnourished goat was tied to awooden post, and a steel wire cage was stuffed with clucking hens.The place felt wrong, and I noticed mice scurrying as far away aspossible to avoid passing too close. A wildcat, fur glossy andblack, meowed at us from on top of the fence, and leaped over ourheads to land silently on the ground, disappearing into an alleywayopposite.

I was wholly disturbed. “Where thehell are we?” I demanded.

Magic slid over my skin in an odd way.Usually I reached to magic and called it to me, but here magicsliterally hung in the air, waiting to be absorbed. I took anotherstep toward the shack and tendrils power slipped through my body,cold fingers pushing through me, peering at who, and what I was.The invasion was nasty and I hissed.

Tomas muttered under his breath, tooka step back.

Ro slid a humored look at the vampire,fighting a smile. “Papa Obe is tied to the Loa. He can helpus.”

I had heard the name before, but likeso many had brushed it off. The Sect was supposed to haveeradicated the Vodoun years before.

“He’s a Bokor,” I said,swallowing hard.

Ro chuckled darkly. “No. He’s morethan that.”

“He calls on the spirits ofthe dead. I didn’t understand how that could be possible before Iknew about the Source, but I’ve heard Voodoo is different to normalmagics.” I felt panicky. My nature