"De-de-de-demon!" Keller sputtered, stumbling backwards until he tripped over his feet and fell to the ground, landing in an undignified sprawl on his backside, staring up at the scaled, horned, twisted demon in horror.
"Khal'ix, nûn!" The demon said, sounding insistent as it raised a menacing fist.
"Young master!" Cabrin shouted, drawing a heavy-bladed utility knife from its sheath at his waist and dashing forward as fast as he could to put himself between the demon and his master's only son. "Run!"
"Nēl kārlum, zātpāra!" the demon snarled, stepping forward and lashing out with speed that felt impossibly fast for a mishapen demon as large as this one. One moment, it was still several paces away, the next, its oversized hand clutched a fistful of Cabrin's cloak and tunic, effortlessly lifting him off the ground as the demon scrutinized him with greenish eyes with a serpent's elongated pupils.
