The Tales of the Wanderer Volume One: A Book of Underrealm (The Underrealm Volumes 4) by Garrett Robinson (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

was already searching for signs of me. Just then, Yue and I came rushing around the corner of the building. Relief must have been obvious on my face as I ran and embraced her, for Mag gave a cold smile.

“Were you worried about me?” she said tonelessly.

“I should have known better,” I said, looking at Biter’s corpse. “You got one, then.”

“And you? I saw it come for you, but I was distracted.”

“I killed it,” I told her. “Or rather, we did.” I motioned towards Yue, who came to us, frowning.

“The others?” she said.

“All inside,” said Mag. “Only three left now. It will be harder to fight them in an enclosed space, but I think we can do it.”

Yue’s eyes widened, and she looked up at the house. “Why risk it? Burn them instead.”

Mag looked at me, frowning. “That could work. Unless they escape the flames.”

“We will surround the house.” Without waiting for another word from us, Yue turned to the townsfolk, who had gathered a few paces away. “Torches! Throw them into the building and onto the roof! Burn it down! And guard it against their escape!”

They obeyed her at once, flinging their torches at the building in great, fiery arcs. Some bounced from the walls or rolled off the roof, but many flew in through open windows or rolled to a stop on the shingles, which began to smoke and smolder. Soon, what looked like a dozen small fires burned through the house. Smoke began to leak out from the windows of both floors.

Yue strode to the front door, which still hung open, and turned to face us. “We three should spread out and guard the easiest exits,” she said. “We cannot let them escape. Hopefully the cauldron keeps them busy enough that—”

We had no warning. There was a shattering cry, and then, faster than a blink, pallid, clawed limbs shot out of the doorway. They seized the back of Yue’s armor and dragged her into the house before she could even scream.

We did not stop to think. We rushed in after her. It took Oku a moment to brave the flames, but after a few furious barks, he charged in behind us.

By the time we got inside, the vampire had already vanished from the front room. The left and right doors were both open, giving no clue as to where it had gone. Smoke made the room hazy, and the flames licking at the outside of the building lit our way.

“I do not hear her,” I said. “Which way do we go?”

“Split up,” said Mag, her voice still a monotone. “I can trust you to stay alive if you take Oku with you?”

“We shall see. Oku, tiss.”

The wolfhound ran by my side as I darted to the right and through the door, sword in one hand and an arrow in the other. I did a quick search, looking behind the furniture, but found nothing. Suddenly Oku eyed the door to the next room and started bristling. I heard a sharp cry.

That was good enough for me. I ran and threw my shoulder into the door, and it burst open.

There on the floor lay Yue. Above her crouched a vampire—the final, unnamed one. She had one of its arms by the wrist, barely keeping it away from her face. The other hand was clamped over her shoulder, and the claws were digging into the armor. The vampire hissed and drooled, gobs of its saliva dripping onto Yue’s face, which twisted in pain from the creature’s grip.

Oku snarled and attacked. His teeth penetrated the vampire’s leg before the creature could react. It shrieked and released Yue’s shoulder, but she did not slacken her grip on its other hand.

I shoved my sword through its back. It reared up, screaming in pain, and I jammed my arrow into the back of its neck. Its scream cut off at once, and its free claws scrabbled at its own throat, trying to pluck out the deadly dart. Yue shoved hard, and the vampire fell sideways off her, wide, black eyes spinning in their sockets. As we watched, it curled up on itself, its skin going black.

“Are you all right?” I said, helping Yue to her feet.

“Shoulder, and the smoke,” she said, coughing heavily. “But I will survive. Mag?”

“Looking for you as well. We split up.”

“That was idiotic.”

I raised my eyebrows. “My apologies, constable. We would have consulted you on the rescue plan, were you not the one we planned to rescue.” I pulled up my shirt, covering my mouth against the smoke, which was growing ever thicker. Flames were now licking at the edges of the room’s window.

Yue ignored my words. “The vampires were going mad,” she said. “They were tearing the place apart, trying to get at the chamber beneath the house. But their claws seemed unable to penetrate the floor. I do not know why. It looks like simple wood.”

“Enchanted, likely,” I said. “Many mysteries, and little time. Come. Let us find Mag.”

We ran towards the back of the room, where another door would lead us to the back of the house. I lifted the latch and pulled on the handle.

THOOM

An explosion launched me backwards. I struck Yue, and we both came down hard on the floor. Oku yelped and scuttled away. I pushed up on my elbows, groaning. The back room roared with flames. They had gathered, waiting for a fool to come and open the door, and I had proven to be just such a fool.

“Mag could have been in there,” I grunted, struggling to my feet.

“If she was, she is dead,” said Yue, taking my arm. “But I think she is smarter than that. Come. To the other side of the house. If she lives, she will need us.”

Together we ran back the way I had come, circling around the house the long way.

When I ran right, Mag went