CHAPTER 199 - The Group Vs. the Corpse Queen.

Mala's voice dropped into a guttural mutter.

"…weak…? You… called… me… weak…?"

Her stitched-together frame twitched.

A sound like bones snapping and silk tearing echoed as her mouth stretched too far, splitting at the corners, revealing rows of yellowed teeth behind her normal rows of yellowed teeth.

"I'll… show… you… weak."

Alex leaned toward Raven.

"Hey, uh… don't people usually swell before they explode?"

"…Only when they've had Clara's soup," Raven muttered.

Clara elbowed him lightly.

But the joke died when Mala's form started growing. 

Not in a magical poof. Not in some elegant demon queen evolution.

No.

Mala burst.

Her body convulsed—stitches snapping, fluids oozing—and her flesh expanded like rotting dough. 

Her back arched as a second spine tore free, wrapping like a centipede around her shoulders. 

Her arms split, then reformed, then split again.