Excerpt:
Rawhead had already regained his feet by the time Thaniel had the charm-string ready, his heart trip-hammering against his ribs and cold sweat slicking his hands. No mark showed on the creature's face from the bullet, but he was certainly enraged. He lunged again, bellowing mindlessly, and Thaniel threw himself aside as the enemy thundered toward him. But Rawhead had moved faster than Thaniel had credited, and his dodge was clumsy. One foot snagged the other, and he felt himself trip. He lashed out with the charm-string as he fell, praying that fortune was with him.

This time, it was.

He crashed to the ground, Rawhead missing him by centimeters, and the charm-string snagged on the creature as he passed. It tore free from Thaniel's hand, wrapping itself loosely around the body of his enemy, and as he rolled he felt the wave of force wash over him that was the Wards flaring into life. There was an animal howl of fury and pain, and then Thaniel was up and ready once more.

In the steely moonlight between the gaslights, the charmstring lay on the floor, blackened and smoking faintly. Of Rawhead, there was no sign.

"Thaniel!" came the cry, and there was Cathaline, appearing from a side street with Carver, attracted by the sound of gunfire. Two others, Crott's men, were with them.

Thaniel blinked, realizing by the fading intensitiy of his wych-sense that Rawhead really was gone. A moment later, he was rushing to the lady, whom he had all but forgotten. The others reached him as he crouched by her bloodied form to check her pulse.

"Are you all right?" Cathaline panted. "What was that you — "

"Never mind me," he said sharply. "She is still alive. There is hope yet. The chackh'morg has not been completed while she still lives."

"Get her help!" Carver barked at one of Crott's men. The pair of them ran to comply.

Thaniel was beginning to shake now, the adrenaline leaving his body and making him weak. Cathaline crouched next to him and put an arm around him.

"It's was Rawhead," he said quietly.

"Rawhead?" Cathaline asked.

"When I was a child, late at night, when the lights were out…" he said. "If I had to visit the bathroom, I had to walk along the dark landing."

"I know," said Cathaline. "You can't look over your shoulder more than twice."

"They used to sing it in the playground," he said. "Rawhead close behind you treads, three looks back and you'll be dead."

"But close your eyes and count to ten, and Rawhead will be gone again," Cathaline finished.

Thaniel laid his hand over his face. "How could he be here, Cathaline? He is not real. Stories of Rawhead go back long before the wych-kin came. How could he be here?

He heard the thread of Carver's shoes behind him before she could reply.

"Thaniel," came his puzzled voice. "Where is Alaizabel?"

Thaniel felt a flood of ice wash out from his heart. In the heat of the chase, he had forgotten her, assuming she was right behind him. Now he realized that he had not seen her the entire time he had been fighting Rawhead.

Alaizabel.

She was gone.