Page 67 of Daemon Master

Shadowlash howled, retreating several paces. It recovered quickly, its shadowy armor and tendrils reforming, yet Adrian’s mind raced. The paralysis from Tremorfist’s roar must’ve interrupted Shadowlash’s concentration on its technique long enough for them to hurt it. If they could repeat the feat while prepared to strike…

Trying not to think too hard about the overwhelming stupidity of what he was about to do, he broke his Fusion with Heartrender. His body reformed in the clearing beside her.

Ignoring Heartrender’s spike of alarm, he shouted, “The roar!” Tremorfist turned to regard him, cocking his head. “Boost yourStunning Howlas much as you can! Then—”

A terrible weight slammed into Adrian’s side, driving him to the ground. Concern from both Heartrender and Lockrod flooded his consciousness, along with a searing pain. He struggled to stand and found shadowed aether pinning him in place.One of Shadowlash’s tentacles.More black tendrils writhed toward him, and his daemons threw themselves in the way to intercept.

He gritted his teeth. This wasexactlywhy he’d melded with Heartrender in the first place!

A deafening roar reverberated through the clearing, loud enough to shake his bones and momentarily blot out his hearing. The shadowy tentacle pinning him flickered. As soon as the pressure vanished, he rolled to the side despite the agony that assaulted his chest.

Forget about me!he sent through his bonds.Attack!

Staggering to his feet, he turned to see if his daemons had listened. Perhaps sensing his intent, Heartrender had abandoned the tentacles coming for him to ravage Shadowlash’s flank alongside Tremorfist. Lockrod, however, hesitated, glancing between him and their foe.

Quickly, Lockrod,Adrian sent.I need you to trust me. Give Tremorfist your rod. Now!

Lockrod’s hesitation morphed to determination. An instant later, anUnbendable Rodmaterialized in Tremorfist’s giant grip. To the daemon’s credit, he reacted swiftly to the gifted weapon, brandishing it like a cudgel as he brought it down atop Shadowlash’s skull.

All at once, the shadows encompassing the daemon winked out. The terrible beast, bane of Adrian’s existence since their first meeting all those months ago, collapsed to the trampled earth.

Tremorfist didn’t relent, driving several more blows home. Neither did Heartrender—not until Shadowlash curled into itself, mewling pitifully in defeat.

Wincing as he expelled a relieved breath, Adrian checked his chest. Thankfully, nothing felt broken—at worst, a few bruised ribs his aether should have no trouble mending during their return to the Enclave. He joined Heartrender and Lockrod as Seymour unmelded beside Tremorfist, glaring at their defeated foe.

Even in its present state, Shadowlash possessed more than enough aether to resume the battle, yet it made no move to rise. Had it lost the will to fight?

Adrian opened his mouth to intervene on Shadowlash’s behalf, then slowly shut it as memories of Souleater assailed him. The wild daemon might be cowed for now, but nothing stopped Shadowlash from ambushing them later. Or worse—following them back to the Enclave and attacking the people there who lacked the means to defend themselves.

Instead of ordering the killing blow, however, Seymour grunted and kneeled beside the slumped daemon, offering his hand. Shadowlash stared at it for a long moment. Then, it leaned forward and rested its chin in Seymour’s palm.

The watcher grinned. “There’s a good girl. You put up one doozie of a fight, I’ll give you that. But I don’t blame you for being scared or confused. Not after losing your bond the way you did. Still, I bet it’s good to be free, huh?”

Shadowlash chuffed, its tongue lolling out of its fanged mouth. Adrian could scarcely believe what he was seeing.I might actually die of shock, he thought dazedly.

“If you want to be left alone, we won’t stop you,” Seymour continued. “You’re strong enough to make a life for yourself out here. With that technique of yours, you could probably even cross the Bulwark to the Untamed Wilds beyond.” He paused, a hint of uncertainty marring his features. “But, uh, if you’re interested in another arrangement…”

Spirits above, Seymour was trying tobondthe beast! Adrian didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. The sheer audacity of it would’ve shocked him, but he’d seen how the spirit-cursed watcher had wrestled Tremorfist into submission. Maybe this was his modus operandi.

“I thoughtIwas the one with a weak spot for daemons?” Adrian muttered.

“Maybe I’ve been spending too much time withyou,” Seymour shot back. His voice grew more serious. “Seeing you with Lockrod has me longing to finally replace Willowrush.”

“With a daemon that’s tried to kill me thrice and you at least once?”

“I admire her tenacity. Besides, that wasn’therfault, was it? The first two were at Kali’s command, and I suspect this last was mostly self-defense. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been hiding in that bush, nor surrendered so easily.”

Adrian frowned. The watcher might have a point, but that didn’t mean he had to admit it. “How do you know the daemon is ashewithout bonding it?” he asked instead.

Seymour shrugged. “I just do.” Shadowlash let out a low growl. The watcher grinned, turning back to the daemon. “Right you are. It’s up to you, not either of us. So, what do you say? Are you up for a new adventure?”

Surely, Shadowlash would refuse. How could it—she—not after their tumultuous history? To his utter astonishment, however, the daemon bobbed her head in a clear expression of assent.

Seymour nodded as if he’d expected nothing less. “Very well. Let’s do it.”

The watcher forged his aether into the runic symbols of the true bond and allowed the magic to sink into Shadowlash’s flesh. Like their other daemons, her body grew rigid. Though she didn’t collapse, she trembled at the unfamiliar aether roiling through her.

Seymour winced, rubbing his head.