"What hit the floor?"
"I didn't see anything."
"Look how deep those marks are. Would you survive that?"
The Daemon beside the speaker shook his head.
Farther down the terrace, someone laughed in excitement.
"That's the Heart Reaper for you. You won't even see what kills you."
Simon stood beyond the ruined slabs, his eyes slightly narrowed.
He looked from the claw marks to Joren.
Something enormous crouched beside the Heart Daemon.
It had a swollen, headless body supported by two long arms. Each hand ended in five hooked black claws. Small, useless legs dangled beneath its belly.
A closed seam ran from the stump of its neck to its groin.
As Simon watched, the seam opened.
Teeth lined both sides.
"That's an ugly bastard."
Joren's grin widened.
"Bone Eater."
He pointed at Simon.
"Kill him."
The spirit drove its claws into the floor and hurled itself forward.
