Winter's Light by Mj Hearle

‘He’ll be here soon. Any minute actually.’
    Sidaris chuckled at that. ‘Wonderful! I can see why he chose you. You’re plucky. Such a rare quality these days. Most people are so lost in their own apathy they almost give themselves to us willingly.’
    Winter shrugged. ‘I’m not lying. Blake’s coming and wouldn’t be happy with the way you’re threatening me,’ she added, sounding as forbidding as she possibly could given the circumstances.
    ‘Hush now.’ Benedict began to slowly walk around the driftwood. ‘I’d wager the favourite son of Ariman has fallen. Why else would you call out his name every night? Besides, I can see the pain in your eyes. Blake’s not coming.’
    Winter didn’t bother protesting anymore, instead she desperately searched for an escape route. She’d played in this reserve many times as a kid and knew how easy it was to get lost.
    Or to hide.
    A loud cheer suddenly rose up from the beach behind the trees, causing Benedict to pause in his advance. Almost immediately there was a popping sound followed by a droning whine, rising in pitch. Suddenly the night sky exploded with vivid blues and reds. Jules’s friends had finally set off the fireworks. With Sidaris and Benedict’s attention distracted by the commotion, Winter took off in a mad dash for the treeline. By the time she heard Sidaris’s frustrated cry of ‘Benedict!’ she was already out of sight.

Chapter 10

    Her lungs burning with exertion, Winter paused a moment to catch her breath. Adrenaline had lent her unexpected speed and she’d made significant progress, weaving through the trees, not holding to any particular direction but zigzagging haphazardly, hoping her trail would prove difficult to follow.
    Apart from the blood rushing in her ears, she couldn’t hear anything except the distant sound of music from the party, and below that the whispering ocean. Some laughter floated down to her on the night breeze, highlighting the nightmarish surrealism of the situation. Not far away her friends were celebrating the last day of school, and here she was potentially facing the last night of her life.
    Right. She needed to figure out exactly where she was. To get a higher perspective of the area, Winter chose the sturdiest looking tree and began to climb. It was hard work but soon she’d climbed high enough to make out the faint glow of the party’s bonfire in the middle distance. She was much closer than she’d thought. A brisk run would carry her there within minutes. There was no sign of the Demori moving through the shadows below, but Winter was still reluctant to move. She felt safe up here. Hidden.
    Suddenly, there was a soft creaking sound as the branch beneath her feet bowed slightly.
    ‘Gorgeous night, isn’t it?’ Sidaris whispered into her ear.
    Crying out in fright, Winter lost her grip and pitched forward, crashing through some of the thinner branches on her way to the ground. Bruised but otherwise unharmed, she awkwardly tried to scramble away as Sidaris nimbly jumped down after her.
    ‘My, my, my, you are a delight! I can’t remember when I last had so much fun.’
    Winter flipped over onto her back as she heard his footsteps. Terror had called forth the Sight and as he lent closer, she noticed something different about his appearance. His Occuluma had lost its intensity, the twin emerald flames dwindling to dull embers. Thanks to Blake, Winter knew what this change signified – the fainter the Occuluma, the closer one was to death. The Demori didn’t have long to live. Neither, it seemed, did she.
    ‘It wouldn’t be proper for me to continue without Benedict,’ Sidaris said, adopting an intimate tone. ‘But now I have you all to myself I’m suddenly feeling less generous.’
    Winter gulped, trying to avoid looking at Sidaris’s eyes. ‘I think y-you should wait for him,’ she stammered. ‘There’s plenty of me to go round. I couldn’t live with myself knowing I came between two close