The royal city of Port Cressida has a new King.
Casper Ashe.
After spending years chained to the floor of a dungeon, haunted by visions of a beautiful woman, Casper is finally free. As Port Cressida's new King, he has two priorities: restore peace t...
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The Mountain Road
Sophie Reese
My first ten seconds on a motorbike was enough to convince me that I never wanted to ride a bike again. Jacques sped off the estate and head down the road with no headlights. I couldn't see anything, but I felt every bump and pothole. I clung onto Jacques' waist and remembered what he had told me about being a good passenger. I followed his movements, trying to mirror him as he leaned forwards and back with the bends and dips of the road. I wondered what would happen if I accidentally leaned the wrong way. Could I knock the bike off balance? Would Jacques lose control and slam into a pine tree? I imagined the hundreds of demons wandering the mountainside slowly descending upon my remains like wild animals picking at roadkill.
I closed my eyes and tried to silence the 'what-if' voice inside me. This could end in disaster, but then it might lead to the breakthrough that was so desperately needed. I couldn't allow myself to succumb to sad thoughts and worries. Too many people were counting on me to put this right.
The bad road evened out the further we travelled down the mountain and the snow started to clear. Jacques switched the headlights on, allowing me to see the road better. Jacques' must have really good night vision to drive without headlights. I imagine the only reason he switched them on was so that other traffic could see us coming. I envied Jacques with his night-vision eyes. I couldn't see shit in the dark. I hadn't been blessed with that gift, although when I was fighting the Wendigo, there was a moment before I killed it when something inside changed. I remember the blackness suddenly lifted and I could see everything around me with piercing clarity. I also knew in my mind what I had to do to kill the demon. There was no hesitation or fear, I just plunged my hand into his chest and drew the lightning down from the sky to burn its heart in my hand. After that, everything went back to normal and ever since then I've wondered, how the hell did I do that?
I hoped that I wouldn't be called upon again to kill another demon tonight. Hopefully, the thorns in my pocket would keep me safe until I returned to the safety of the lodge.
We carried on travelling for what felt like an hour but was more likely thirty minutes. We veered off the main road, down what appeared to be a maintenance road to a building site. There were signs dotted along the road, warning us to turn back but Jacques kept bike going forward, all the way up to a security point and barrier.
He slowed the bike to a standstill and instructed in a low voice, "Don't say anything, let me do the talking."
A watchman exited the small wooden sheltered and raised a flashlight towards us.
"Where you folks headed?" He enquired.
"St Lucretia's market. I've come from the royal hunting lodge to return this wench to her pleasure house," Jacques replied.
My eyes widened in shock and it took everything inside me not to elbow Jacques' in the back.
The watchman directed his flashlight at me and smirked, "Oh, did you have a good time entertaining the prince and his fine lords? Would you like to come to entertain me in my little shelter? I bet you want a real man after dealing with those perfumed pricks."
