The Fire King Read Free Page A

formed into a line across the lane, their knives held ready before them. This meant Emily and the others were caught in a slowly constricting vice, with Black Annis and Jenny Greenteeth approaching along the path from the right, and Katerina’s gang unmoving to their left. Emily glanced at Jack and William. On an unspoken signal they all took a few steps back, leaving the lane altogether and sheltering between two of the deserted shacks.
    â€œWhat’s going on here?” Emily whispered to Corrigan. “How can they all see you?”
    â€œWhat are you asking me for?” replied the piskie. “I have no idea.”
    Jack frowned at him. “How can you not know? This is your history, isn’t it?”
    â€œNot mine. I only came to London in the eighteen hundreds.”
    â€œWhere were you then—now, I mean?” asked Emily.
    Corrigan shrugged. “All over. Eire. The mainland. Doing the bidding of the Cornwall Spinster Queen. There were other battles to fight.”
    â€œStay back, Annis!” called Katerina. “You know we can hurt you.”
    Black Annis smiled. “I don’t think so, poppet,” she said. “Times are changing. We’re taking London back.”
    â€œNot if we have anything to say about it,” snapped Katerina—rather bravely, Emily thought.
    â€œOh, but you don’t have anything to say about it. You and your little gangs are finished. I’m going feed you all to young Jenny here. She needs a good meal, don’t you, Jenny?”
    â€œI do, Black Annis. Their fear makes me all shivery. I like to eat their screams.”
    Black Annis fondly stroked Jenny’s seaweedlike hair. “Of course you do, poppet. That’s all they’re good for.”
    Emily looked over her shoulder, searching for a way out. But their hiding place backed straight onto a wall of earth. If they wanted to get away, they would have to leave their cover and head back onto the lane. Emily turned back …
    â€¦ and saw something that made her blood run cold.
    â€œBehind you!” she screamed without thinking.
    Katerina and the others whirled around.
    Stalking out from a small lane that ran between the sheds on the other side of the road were three … Emily wanted to call them dogs, but they were too big to be dogs. They were the size of small ponies, black wolflike creatures with eyes the color of congealed blood. They slunk out from the alley, huge muscles bulging and rippling beneath dark, matted fur. Heavy black chains were wrapped around their necks, the chains disappearing back into the dark lane from which they had appeared.
    â€œWhat are they?” whispered William fearfully.
    â€œThe Hounds of the Great Hunt,” said Corrigan, in a worried voice.
    As he talked, one of the hounds tried to leap ahead, but there was a sharp tug on the chain and it jerked back, snarling into the air.
    â€œWho’s holding—,” began Emily. But she didn’t get a chance to finish, because following the hounds were three massive horses. One was white, one was black, and the other was a deep crimson. Sitting on the backs of these horses were three knights, each wearing armor matching the color of his steed. The Crimson Knight held the chains that were attached to the hounds. The Black Knight held a long metal lance, while the White Knight held a massive spiked ball hanging from the end of a chain. He swung the chain in lazy circles, the spiked ball whistling through the air.
    â€œCorrigan?” said Emily in a trembling voice, unable to tear her gaze away from the massive horses and the knights. “Who are they?”
    Corrigan nervously licked his thin lips. “The Three Riders,” said the piskie. “Huntsmen. And if they’re here, then
    she isn’t far away.”
    â€œShe? Who are you talking about?” asked Jack.
    â€œThe Morrigan,” said Corrigan quietly, his voice filled with foreboding.