Copy Cat
20 November 2013
My author friend, Ally Shields, http://allyshields.com/1/post/2013/11/excerpt-from-my-nanowrimo-project.html, had a genius idea. We are both busy writing as fast as we can to fulfill the goal of finishing fifty thousand words on a novel for the month of November. The National Novel Writing Month. She shared a wonderful bit from her new YA. So maybe, I could share a bit from the novel I’m working on.
The Thirteenth Sister (current title, but I’m open to suggestions) is a supernatural Young Adult novel. It begins with Lilith who becomes the first Bain Sidhe, and her former tutor, the High Daemon Abdon Mallack. who has become Lilith’s enemy.
And that’s all I’m saying. Except here’s an excerpt.
Lilith’s armed guard galloped to the crossroads. Abdon stepped out of the cursed tree’s shadows. The guards’ horses reared away, and the soldiers drew their swords. Lilith reined in her mount.
“Perfect.” Abdon threw back her hood. Inches from the horses’ muzzles, she morphed into her full daemonic eight-foot height. With a blink she shot black lightning, scorching every guard to shifting cinders. “To me,” she said calmly. Each man died cursing, and with their curses, their un-shriven hell-bound souls became hers.
“Ashes to ashes.” Abdon’s heart-splitting cackle signaled her daemon legion. Out they crawled from under bush and rock.
Lilith’s horse reared as flashing claws and gnashing teeth swiped at the animal. Lilith, not so much as a flicker of fear creasing her face, bent and whispered into her horse’s ear. The roan stood still. “Let the horse go,” she said slipping out of her saddle and to the ground. Her ivory hand still gripped the reins. She glared at the daemons, and they shuffled back.
Abdon shrugged and flicked her talons at her daemons. “Let the beast pass. My daemon slaves, you will feed well and on anything you choose when my Daemon Kingdom is begun.”
Lilith rubbed the horse’s muzzle as she walked it to face the castle. “Go home.” She slapped its rear. Ears pinned flat the animal raced away, showering Lilith in black clods.
Abdon laughed. “No loyalty in the horse, eh, Lilith?”
Not looking at Abdon, Lilith dusted the dirt from her robes.
Impatient now, Abdon plowed through her milling daemons and strode toward her former pupil. She held her talons up pointing at Lilith. “By the Olc, I take Lilith’s soul. By the destruction of Lilith’s soul, I begin the Humanus Infernum.” She stretched to her right, and a golden sword, singing ear-bleeding tones, flashed into her paw from under the High Daemon’s nightmare cape.
Still calm, Lilith said, “Humanus Infernum. You call forth the Daemon Kingdom?” Lilith frowned, then her brow smoothed. “Abdon? It’s you, is it?” She pointed at the Daemon’s screeching blade. “And with Fionn’s singing sword. I take it he’s dead, for the blade’s song has lost its harmony.”
“Of course.” The High Daemon nodded smiling. “I am proud you show no fear. You are everything I trained you to be. But still, I marvel that you recognize me in my High Daemonic form.” Her claws tightened on her weapon, and she took a swing.
Lilith stepped away from the sword’s arc. “Abdon, for ten years you’ve been closer to me than my own mother. Wouldn’t I always know your voice, even in Hell?”
“Speaking of which.” Abdon cut the blade again, this time carving glowing runes through the leaden air. “As her tongue has spoken, I bind Lilith to the Hell Kingdom.”
From the folds of her sky blue cloak, Lilith drew out a silver dagger. She slashed through the gilded patterns Abdon’s knife had written in the air. “I too have a gift from Fionn, but not one I killed to own. He gave it freely saying, ‘To defend yourself when the time comes.’”
Abdon stepped back, slitting her eyes at her former pupil. “I shall begin again. Your little knife can disrupt the rituals only as long as you have the strength to wave it. You will tire, and I shall win.”
“I think not. You were too good a tutor.” Lilith smiled. “I hope a daemon does not take offense at being called good.” She pulled out a tiny glowing vial and began to chant.
“What is this? I taught you no spells. Your peerless education never included the slightest thing magickal, good or Olc. You can have no defense against me. I am Abdon Mallack, High Daemon of Hell and now Mistress of the Daemon Kingdom, bringer of the Humanus Infernum!” Her roar sent her minions scuttling back into the corrupted earth.
“By the Olc, come out here!” she screamed at her cowering army.
Lilith circled behind Abdon. The High Daemon whirled around watching.
“As you’ve bragged so often, Abdon, you educated me too well. You taught me to think and to learn on my own. I know full well how to protect myself on this both my birth celebration eve and All Hallows Eve. I found the legend of the High Daemon who would claim the earth and rule with the Humanus Infernum. You will not sacrifice my soul to form your kingdom.” She finished her circle and smiled.
Abdon laughed. “Had I birthed you myself, I could not be more proud. But I know you and your soft soul. You cannot slay me, even to save yourself. You are mine.” She tried to step forward, but her legs would not move. “What?”
Lilith pointed at Abdon’s feet and the soil’s white glow. A light-ring bound Abdon’s taloned hind paws. For a moment the earth held firm, and then the High Daemon dropped ankle deep into the collapsing circle.
Kath- Abdon and Lilith’s ‘mother’ who wonders if anyone wants to know what comes next?
