The Stone Demon

Nineteen





Strong hands hooked beneath her arms and lifted her up—then kept on lifting. Her whole body rose into the air. Donna froze, holding herself rigid for several moments before her instincts kicked in. She shrieked and thrashed wildly, watching in horror as the cold earth became more and more distant. Newton-Navin seemed very far away, and it had all happened so quickly she could hardly even begin to process it.

“Stop struggling,” a familiar voice said in her ear. “I’ve got you.”

Xan?

“But … how?” She could barely speak as the wind rushed past her face and froze her cheeks. Her mind seemed stretched too tight, almost as though it might snap. She honestly believed she was good at handling crazy shit, but this could be one step too far. One giant crazy leap too far, even for her.

Her legs swung out and hit tree branches, and she gasped.

“Hold still. I’m not very good at this yet.”

“Xan, what happened to you?” Her teeth hurt in the cold air each time she opened her mouth, but she couldn’t help it. Xan was flying!

“What do you think?” he asked.

“I … I don’t know. I can’t see you.” She tried to twist in his arms, but it was impossible.

“Just turn your head to the side.”

Donna glanced left and then right, very carefully, trying not to break Xan’s concentration. She could see the arc and swoop of wings as they gained altitude, moonlight flashing on the metallic edges and razor-sharp tips.

They looked beautiful. But they also looked deadly, like weapons.

Xan wrapped his arms more firmly around her. She could feel the warmth of his chest pressing into her back.

His voice was filled with joy. “I’m flying!”

Confusion made her head spin, adding to the sense of unreality that already had her off-balance. Not to mention the fact that she was flying above Ironbridge. “How did Maker do something like this so quickly?” It didn’t make sense; her own operations had taken weeks. Even months.

Xan held her more tightly. “They’re not real, not yet. This is just a prototype that Maker’s working on. They’re not organically attached or anything, it’s just a harness—but it’s a step in the right direction.”

Donna knew she should feel happy for him, but she’d just lost Navin and there was still so much to do.

“Where to, my lady?” he asked.

“Take me to the Frost Estate,” she said. That was where she could confront Simon—and hopefully find a way to get Newton out of Nav’s body. After all, he was the Magus’ pet demon. Surely he’d know what to do.

“Your wish is my command,” Xan said.

She gritted her teeth against the cold air rushing at them. She would make Simon free Navin.

They began to fly lower, heading back into the tops of the wintering trees. Donna’s heart lifted even as their altitude dropped.

“Thank you,” she breathed, thinking that Xan wouldn’t hear her.

“You’re welcome,” he replied, his lips so close to her ear that she felt the warmth of his breath.

She could hear the smile in his voice. This was just so incredibly … wild. She couldn’t comprehend it. How could she? They were holding a freaking conversation while flying over the Frost Estate.



They landed after what seemed like only minutes, and Donna wished they could have flown forever. This was one of those times when she knew it was totally inappropriate to be focusing on how romantic something was—what with the fate of world hanging in the balance and all—but, honestly, how could it not be considered romantic?

Xan had literally swept her off her feet. Swooped in at the last moment and whisked her out of harm’s way. Not that she’d really needed rescuing. For one thing, she believed she could take care of herself. For another, she didn’t truly think that Newton would have hurt her. It wasn’t just that the demon was wearing Navin’s face, or the hope that Nav could influence Newton’s actions in some way. Donna just had a feeling that, for all his bluster and bravado, the demon wasn’t all bad.

For a demon.

Xan took her hand and they knocked on the door of the mansion. Donna knew that everybody would still be there, preparing for war, but she had a plan. A plan which she hadn’t exactly thought through and that could have potentially fatal consequences. But she already had almost all of the ingredients she needed to make the Philosopher’s Stone, and she wasn’t going to fail now.

One more night before dawn—before Imbolc and Demian’s deadline.

Rachel opened the door, but the expression on her face wasn’t one of happy greeting. Her mouth was set in a grim line as she pulled them inside.

“Where have you been? The Demon King is here.”

Donna’s heart thudded. “He’s early. We still have time.”

“I know,” her mother replied. “I think he’s just playing with us, but he’s been asking for you.”

Xan tried to restrain her, fear clouding his eyes.

Donna touched his face with one gloved hand. “He won’t hurt me,” she said. “Let’s just get this over with.”

A voice called out from behind them. “Did you forget something?”

She stopped in her tracks, then turned around. Very slowly.

“Newton. What a pleasant surprise this is.”

Nav’s face reflected the demon’s displeasure. “You left me behind.”

Donna smiled. “I do believe you’re pouting.”

Newton leaned against the door jamb. “I never pout. Luckily, I know how to travel fast—even in this clumsy body.” He hooked his (Navin’s) thumbs into the pockets of Nav’s familiar red and black biker jacket. “Nice jacket, though. Maybe I’ll keep it after everybody dies.”

Demian entered the hallway from one of the rooms off to the side. “Lovely place you alchemists have here,” he said, his tone conversational. “Ah, Newton. How good to see you again.”

“And you, Majesty,” Newton-Navin said. He didn’t sound all that sincere to Donna.

The Demon King raised his eyebrows and waved them all inside. “Shall we?”



Donna stood in the center of the Blue Room and stared at the gathered alchemists: at her family, her friends (even if one of them was currently possessed by a slightly unhinged demon), and finally at Demian’s cruel beauty. She’d had enough. War was almost upon them, and there were only a few hours left before the Demon King’s deadline.

Quentin Frost stood beside Simon, watching her with concern. Maker had finally joined them and was sitting in his wheelchair, looking old and tired. Aunt Paige’s face was white as bone, as if she believed the end of the world was pretty much upon them right that very second. And her mother … Rachel actually seemed calm. Her gray eyes were also filled with pride. Miranda stood further back, with a small group of alchemists whom Donna didn’t know.

Newton-Navin was watching her with a predatory, almost feral gaze. “What are you thinking, little alchemist?”

Donna laughed bitterly. “Even though you’re not really Nav, you seem to know me the best.”

Newton raised Navin’s eyebrow. “He’s still in here, princess. I’m just not letting him speak. He really is quite upset … ”

“He’s not the only one. I had hoped that Simon could undo at least one crappy thing he was responsible for.”

The Magus scowled. “I am not responsible for the Shar-

ma boy breaking into my laboratory—again—and actually letting a demon, of all creatures, take over his body. You’re on your own.”

Demian took a step forward. “Newton will be home soon enough.”

Xan caught her gaze, steering her away from Simon, Demian, and from all the others in the room. “Donna, there must be a way around this. You always find a way.”

“I used to think I could do anything if I put my mind to it,” Donna replied in a low voice. “Now? I’m not so sure. I need to get into the Otherworld to find the Gallows Tree, otherwise everything I’ve done so far will be for nothing.”

“If you give up, what kind of message does that send?” Xan nodded in Demian’s direction. “To him, I mean.”

“Who said anything about giving up?” Donna ignored everybody else and stepped into Xan’s arms. She reached up and kissed him, holding him close and tracing the curve of his lips with hers. His temporary wings closed around her, shielding them from the room full of people.

Donna wondered if he knew she might be saying good-

bye.

Xan’s mouth opened against hers. He tasted of tobacco and mints. He tasted of the sun, and she pressed herself closer, trying to lose herself in his warmth, wanting to shut out the rest of the world if only for a moment. His hands cupped her face and he made a sound in the back of his throat. Donna wanted to hear him make it again so she kissed him harder, put more of herself into it and tried to tell him everything she wanted to say with a single kiss. This was her moment with Xan, just in case. Just in case her plan didn’t work.

Yeah, it was a reckless plan, but wasn’t that what Queen Isolde had said about her? Something about how Donna was unpredictable. Chaotic. Something about a death wish. Fine, she thought. Let me hold tightly to all of that and use it.

She pulled away from Xan and looked once more into his now-glowing eyes. Their inhuman inner light shone viridian-bright and she tried to smile. Turning her back on him, Donna walked to the center of the room.

Xan looked ready for action, but she refused to involve anyone else in this hopeless quest. Not any more. She was still missing two of the ingredients needed to make the Stone, and it was time to do something about it. She knew what she had to do. Of course, knowing it and doing it were completely different things, but she had to try. There wasn’t anything else left.

She was done playing nice. Now she was playing for keeps.

Donna felt something new shift inside her. It was like a creature unfolding its wings in her heart, testing them for strength before venturing into the sky. A little like Xan and his quest for wings … but maybe she could find her own somewhere deep within.

Her fingers curled around the hilt of the Ouroboros Blade, where she had slipped it inside her coat pocket. She was glad for her gloves. Glad that she didn’t have to feel the tug on her soul as her fingers gripped the cold, carved bone.

Maker tried to get out of his chair.

Demian moved toward her as she whipped out the blade, but he was too late. They all were.

Donna wrapped her other hand around the hilt, lacing her fingers together for a better grip, and plunged the wicked black blade deep into her gut. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips as she fell to her knees.

If she had to die to save the world, then that’s what she would do. She could only hoped that she survived it.

The first thing she felt was pain.

And then there was nothing.