James gagged, again and again, but couldn’t stop and throw up. “Why are you doing this,” he rasped. “Why are you–”

The Immortal never answered. The needle went in, out, and in the assassin’s heart. The icon took shape: blue as black, the damned kingfisher. James’ dragon raged around inside him, trying to thrash loose, but the thrall had ordered him to be still. James’ teeth rattled in their sockets. His magic rattled in his bones.

“Fuck you,” he snarled finally, and had nothing else to say.

“Black Dragon” continues to get stranger and darker, and so do the Immortal’s tasks for James. I had no plans for this part of the story to come out this way. This is what happens when you pants for Nano season. Guess I’ll add “horror” and “magical realism” to the genres.