It was close enough to touch.
Its mouth hinged wrong, like a broken doll's jaw. Its grin was carved too wide. Black eyes locked on her like she was something that it had been waiting to play with.
Joints bent backwards. Tattered rags of what might once have been a jester's outfit clung to its frame, bells jingling with every movement.
"Little vessel, built to break,
The dark king's children need to wake."
Her hand rose. She didn't raise it. Maddox did, his flame moving through her. Gold fire erupted from her hand and slammed into the creature.
It started chanting in a child's voice, even as its body burned.
"Play with me, little vessel… just like your mother did."
The creature started tearing at its own face with manic delight, peeling off chunks of skin in wet sheets while giggling.
Then its face changed into her mother's.
"You promised me you wouldn't shift. Now your father sold you."
Her mother started to scream as the fire burned her.
