Free The Spook’s Revenge: Book 13 (Spooks) by Delaney Joseph Page B

spook’s primary weapon was more suited to dealing with this threat. So, leaving the hero sword where it was, I seized my staff, released the blade at its tip, ran straight towards the witch and stabbed downwards, piercing her back directly over her heart and pinning her to the ground. She had no time to scream, but I felt her body twitch beneath my staff, and she gave a little gasp.
    I knew instantly that she was dead: the inner certainty I had of where she was simply ceased. It went out like a light. I wondered if it was the soul or life force I could detect? Whatever it was, I knew that I’d put an end to her.
    I fumbled for my tinderbox and lit the candle-stub I always carry. I looked at the dead witch, holding the light close to her face. I was almost certain that she was one of those who had fled after the attack the previous day. That made me wary. Perhaps the other one had come back too?
    I listened, but could hear only the sighing of the wind. My new ability to sense things at a distance no longer alerted me to any immediate danger. Those I pursued were some way ahead; I knew that they had still not broken camp. Nevertheless I didn’t want to take any chances, so I extinguished the candle, gathered my things together, and continued steadily west.
    Just before dawn I sensed that the witches were moving again, but by now I knew that I was within a few miles of them. They were still out of sight, but my objective was to get close without being detected, and then, once night fell, move in quickly. My new ability seemed to be refining itself and getting stronger as I used it. I felt certain that even in the dark I would be able to go straight to the leather sack containing the Fiend’s head, retrieve it quickly – fighting only if necessary – and then make my escape.
    My only fear was the sea to the north, which was quite close now. At times I spotted big ships, their sails billowing in the wind. The danger was that the witches would rendezvous with one before I could intervene.
    But they turned south, not north, heading inland towards the hills and taking me completely by surprise.
    Less than an hour later, at the point where they left the road, I found their tracks. Puzzled, I followed them; I was no longer running, for I was exhausted.
    How could they possibly manage to reach Ireland by heading away from the sea? I asked myself. It didn’t make any sense.
    I was following a narrow road, just as badly rutted as the main one that had led westwards. Once again I walked on the grass to the side. The land was beginning to rise; I could see wooded hills ahead and high mountains behind, with snow atop the highest, even though it was still autumn.
    After a while I found myself in a dense wood where most of the trees had already shed their leaves. I was wary of another ambush and moved some distance away from the road. It was just a precaution – I was confident that my new ability would provide me with an early warning of any threat. It was as if, like a witch, I could long-sniff future danger.
    Then the trees gradually changed, until I was tramping through a forest of tall conifers. I reached the summit of a hill and saw that the land fell away before rising again.
    It was then that I glimpsed something in the distance. It stood on the summit of the next hill, rising high above the trees at the end of the muddy road.
    It was a dark tower, and the sight of it filled me with unease.

MY ENEMIES HAD already disappeared inside, and now the Fiend’s head was in there too.
    I studied the tower. Built from big blocks of grey stone, it was an impressive structure, perhaps twice the height and at least three times the girth of Malkin Tower, but square, with a flat top but no battlements. Strangely, high up on the side of the tower there was a wide balcony and a tall pointed door.
    It had no moat, but any attacking force had only one point of access: a narrow flight of stone steps – two hundred of them or more – which led