On the Edge Part 25

When he came outside, William was leaning against the porch next to Declan, who sat in the gra.s.s. Rose was chewing George out for something. Jack went over to Declan and sat by him.

aHow long have you known?a William said.

aI came across them my second day here. Ca.s.shornas hounds attacked him, but he hadnat turned, so I wasnat sure at first.a aIt hurts to change shape here,a William said. aYou go into a fit.a aThatas what I gathered.a The muscles along Williamas jaw went tight. aAre you sending him to Hawkas?a Declan shook his head. aIf she comes with mea"and she hasnat said she woulda"heas staying with us. No Hawk Academy, no special schools, no empty rooms. His childhood will be as normal as is in my power to make it.a William didnat look like he believed him.

aHeas lived with them all his life,a Declan said. aYou think shead let me send him off?a They both looked at Rose.

aYou got me for this fight,a William said. aFor the boy. After that, Iam gone.a Declan nodded.

aYou have a plan?a Rose came up to them. Jack tensed, but no chewing-out seemed to be forthcoming.

aSeveral locals are cursing Ca.s.shorn into sleep as we speak,a Declan said. aOnce heas out, weare going to send an electric current through a local lake. The current should be strong enough to weaken the hounds.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Rose and I will wait for them on the dock in the middle of the lake. Weall flash a few times to pull them to us and kill the survivors. Once the main body of the hounds is gone, we go after Ca.s.shorn.a William squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

aIf you have a better plan, be my guest, donat keep it to yourself,a Declan invited.

William leaned back and stayed quiet for a few minutes.

aFlas.h.i.+ng wonat be enough. You need to draw as many hounds as you can to you.a aYou want to run it?a Declan asked.

aWho else? Youare too slow.a aWhat do you mean?a Rose asked.

aHe means that heall turn into a wolf and draw the hounds to us,a Declan said.

aThatas suicide,a she said flatly.

William grimaced. aThis is coming from a woman whoas willing to crawl onto a dock in an electrocuted pond.a aHow do you even know what aelectrocuteda means?a Rose asked.

William glanced at Declan. aYou didnat tell her?a Declan shrugged. aIt didnat come up.a aWe had training in industrial sabotage,a William said. aIn case of a conflict between the Broken and the Weird, the Legion will send soldiers into the Broken and they will cripple the industrial centers.a aThe Broken runs on electric power,a Declan said. aDestroy the power plants, and everything stops. No power equals no water, no communications, no logistics, nothing. Even fuel is pumped by electric pumps.

Take away electricity, and youall have anarchy.a aThe Weird has a lot less people than the Broken,a William said. aIf it comes to war, destroying their infrastructure is our only option.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aYouare scaring me,a Rose said.

aDonat worry,a Declan told her. aThe probability of an actual conflict between the two dimensions is rather low.a aItas mostly a precautionary measure,a William said.

aYou have to be prepared for what your enemy could do rather than what they might do,a Declan said.

William nodded.

Rose didnat look convinced.

TWENTY-FIVE.

LONORE sensed the approaching steps a moment before a careful knock on the door broke the silence.

She put down her pestle and went to get the door.

Technically Emily should be the one to do it, given that she was the youngest, but Emily was cooking a dead cat over the stove and had to keep stirring it. It smelled ghastly enough as it was. No need to add burned stench to it.

lonore opened the door and looked at a familiar-looking young woman. Ruby, she remembered. One of Adeleas great-grandchildren.

aThere is a man here to see you,a the girl said.

A man? In Wood House? How in the world did he get past the wards? aMe or your great-grandma?a The girl bobbed her dark head. aYou, Mrs. Drayton.a lonore wiped her hands on her ap.r.o.n and stepped out.

A man waited in the yard. Dark-haired, tall, about Declanas age. He looked up, and his eyes shone with wild amber. Alarm shot through lonore. Like looking into the eyes of a feral beast. aYou would be William, then,a she said.

He nodded.

aAre you here for yourself or for Ca.s.shorn?a aFor Jack,a he said.

aI see.a She didnat, but that seemed like the right thing to say.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) William sat into the gra.s.s. aTell me when the curse is ready.

Iall draw the hounds to the lake.a lonore nodded and went inside. Something had happened.

She would have to ask Rose about it, but not now. Now they had old magic to court.

Two hours later, she staggered out onto the porch, pale and exhausted. He sat in the same spot. aItas done,a she gasped. It had taken all of their strength, too. aGo fast.

The curse wonat hold him for long.a William pulled off his s.h.i.+rt, then his boots. His pants followed, and he stood naked on the gra.s.s.

His body twisted, muscle and bone stretching, flowing like molten wax. His spine bent, his legs jerked, and he crashed into the gra.s.s. A violent tremor shook his limbs.

His fingers clawed the air. Newly formed bone, wet with lymph and blood, thrust through the muscle.

lonore fought a shudder.

Flesh churned and flowed, encasing the new skeleton. Dense black fur sprouted and sheathed the skin. A huge wolf rolled onto his feet.

aOpen the gate!a lonore called. Some young one slid the wooden beam aside and wrenched the gate open.

The wolf panted once and dashed into the Wood.

lonore watched him go. A terrible dread claimed her, squeezing her chest with a cold fist, and she sank down into a chair. This wouldnat end well.

THE pond lay placid, its silt-muddled waters opaque and green. The afternoon had ripened into early evening, but they still had at least a few hours of sunlight.

From her vantage point at the nose of the small inflatable boat, Rose saw the dock very clearly. Layers of ribbed tire rubber sheathed it, covering the wood completely. She might die there. All the times in her life shead thought of dying, she hadnat pictured her Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) demise on a dock covered with black rubber. At least the boys were safe. She took them out to the Broken to stay with Amy Haire. They didnat like it, but they both realized this wasnat a good time to argue with her.

Behind her, Buckwell and Declan rowed quietly. The dock grew closer and closer.

She clenched her hands to keep them from shaking. Ten minutes ago Jeremiah had called her. Her phone finally died, cutting him off in mid-word, but not before she got the message: the curse had been placed.

Ca.s.shorn was asleep. William took off into the woods as soon as he heard, and now she was in a small boat, heading to a dock that looked more and more like a death trap.

aItas not too late to back out,a Declan said.

She shook her head, stealing a glance at him. A relaxed expression held his face. His body betrayed no tension. She didnat know if he didnat feel fear or if he hid it well, but she had to do the same. If she fell apart, she would be a distraction. The whole point of her forcing her way into this situation was to let him save his strength.

She rolled her eyes at him. aNot a chance.a Declan smiled at her.

aWe had a saying in the army,a Tom Buckwell said. aOften wrong, but never in doubt. Once you decide what you need to do and how to go about it, you canat afford to second-guess yourself. You just do it.a The dock loomed before them. Rose got up and caught a wooden support, bringing the boat alongside of the dock. Declan caught the edge and pulled himself up. Rose gripped his hand, and he lifted her onto the dock.

She stomped her feet in Leanneas rubber-soled boots. They were a size too big, but she didnat own any Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) electrical hazard boots and they would have to do. This whole idea seemed amazingly stupid now.

William was in agreement with her. When they told him of their plan, head shut his eyes and shaken his head. The fact that shead come up with this harebrained scheme only made the whole thing more ironic.

Buckwell pa.s.sed Declan his swords. aDonat touch the water once the power lines come down. Weall be over there.a He pointed to the sh.o.r.e behind the dock, where the roof of the church cut across the sky. aIf any of them make it past you up the road, weave got machetes. And Iave got my chainsaw. Iave got six people down there, and every one of us should be able to see the beasts.a Declan nodded. aGood luck.a aSame to you.a Buckwell took off.

She wanted to jump into his boat. h.e.l.l, she wanted to jump into the water and swim ash.o.r.e.

aScared?a Declan asked.

aYes.a She saw no point in lying.

aGood. It will keep you ready.a They watched Buckwell land and pull the boat out. Behind him Thad Smith waved his arms. Leanne appeared on the bank, gripping a huge severed cable with rubber gloves. She hurled it into the water. A loud sound popped, like a thunderclap.

A small fish surfaced by the dock, white belly up.

aNow we wait,a Declan said.

Rose shrugged her shoulders, trying to break free of the pressure that clamped her.

aRemember, stop the moment your vision blurs,a he said.

aPus.h.i.+ng any further is asking for trouble. Donat be stupid.a She nodded.

No wind troubled the greenery around the pond. Somewhere in the distance an Edger warbler sang out a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) trilling note. Mockingbirds screeched.

aSo, regarding that tidbit about your having a fertile imagination when it came to private activities,a she said, fighting off anxiety. aWas it another lie?a aDepends on how you look at it. Itas not exactly a lie, and if you come with me to the Weird, youall find that rumors of my acreativitya when it comes to bed games with the opposite s.e.x do exist. I started them myself and managed them very carefully. The trick with rumors is to feed them once in a while, so they donat die.a aWhy would you do something like that?a aBecause I donat particularly feel like being appraised like a side of beef by every enterprising young lady shopping for a husband. Despite my unfriendly demeanor, Iam wealthy, handsome, and a peer.a aAll that female attention. Poor you.a Declan grimaced, his face turning cold. His voice became saturated with hard cynicism. aThere is a great deal of difference between female attention and a never-ending a.s.sault of sugary pouts and amarry me, marry me, marry me.a aYou looked at me, can we get married now? You laughed at something I said, should I order a dress? You kissed me, I shall summon my father; he will be overjoyed to hear of our engagement. a This way the only woman who tolerates being alone with me doesnat mind having her reputation sullied, because sheas either in the market for a lover or sheas looking for a patron to support her. Quite frankly, I prefer it this way. No painful confusion, no complicated explanations.a She stared at him.

aWhat?a he asked.

aNothing, Lord Camarine. Absolutely nothing.a A long eerie howl cut through the evening. Rose jerked. A flock of birds burst from the distant branches.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) William was close, with the horde of hounds on his heels.

Declan raised his hand and shot a burst of white magic into the sky. She added her own flash and then shot another, just in case.

She sensed the magic first. It swelled like an icy tide along the pondas edge, drenching the brush and rolling across the water. Tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on their ends.

The magic slimed her in a clammy wave. Tiny needles p.r.i.c.kled at her pores. Inside her, an instinctual alarm wailed, Run away! Run away as fast as you can and donat look back!

A dark body burst through the brush. Amber eyes glared at her, and the enormous wolf dashed to the left, veering around the lake. She flashed again.

The first hound pushed through the branches. G.o.d, that was fast.

Another appeared. Another . . . The first ten or twelve. The advance guard. Rose fought rising panic. She had to do this, she reminded herself. There was n.o.body else to do it. There was no escape anyway. For some reason that thought calmed her. It was very simple, just like cleaning an office: she had to do a certain amount of work before she could go home. No need to fret about it.

aWhat did I say?a Declan asked quietly.

aNot now.a She raised her hand and let a string of white magic play on her fingers, taunting the beasts.

The hounds entered the water. They swam like dogs, but their heads remained underwater. Did they even need to breathe? she wondered.

Please work. Please work.

Please.

Midway through the lake, the foremost hound shuddered. It struggled for another six yards and sank. She Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) breathed a sigh of relief. Two more drowned. The fourth one persevered and kept on, heading right for them. One in four. Better odds than shead hoped for.

The surviving hound clenched the wooden support. Sluggish, it crawled up slowly. The moment its head rose above the edge of the dock, Rose blew it off with a sharp slice of white.

aToo much,a he told her. aReduce the intensity. We have a long way to go. Why are you mad?a The rest of the hounds braved the water.

aRose?a She recognized the persistent tone. He wouldnat let it go.

aYou just said that the only women you favor with your attentions are either s.l.u.ts or wh.o.r.es and that you prefer it that way. Iam just wondering where I fit in. I would hate to create any painful confusion for you.a His long blade cut through the air and sliced an emerging hound in half. He kicked the pieces into the water.

aYouare neither.a She said nothing.

Declan squared his shoulders, eyeing the approaching hounds. aWhen I was a child, I watched an iren-play called Aesuas Rage. Itas similar to a motion film from the Broken. Itas the story of Aesu, a leader of a small tribe, who takes on an enormous empire and succeeds against all odds. I vividly remember one scene in it: Aesu, huge in his spiked armor, was about to go into a battle he couldnat possibly win. He stood there in his tent, caressed his wifeas face, and told her, aYouare the measure of my wrath.a I was twelve years old, and at the time I thought it was a remarkably asinine thing to say.a A third hound reached the dock. An ugly head broke the water, and Rose flashed, cutting the dark skull in two.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aOver the years Iad come to understand what the scene meant, but now I finally feel it, very sharply.a Declan decapitated the emerging hound with two quick precise strokes of his blade. aAnd I would never tell you this, if you hadnat insisted on coming on this dock, because that means you feel it, too. This used to be about honor, and duty, and my dislike of Ca.s.shorn. Now itas about you.a aMe?a She tried to concentrate on the next group of hounds swimming through the water.

aI would give all of myself to keep you safe. To do that, I have to kill Ca.s.shorn. Itas a simple trade. Ca.s.shorn has to die, so you can live. Two sides of the same coin. I love you, and youare the measure of my wrath.a aWhat did you say?a She flashed too hard and missed the hound.

He stepped in and sank a focused shot of white into the three bodies squirming in the water. aI said I love you, Rose. Easy on the flash.a ROSE swayed. She gritted her teeth and stood her ground, fighting to remain upright. The magic inside her no longer thrived and filled her up. She had to reach deep to pull it out. She was draining the last of her reserve.

aAre you all right?a Declanas voice asked.

aFine,a she said.

Dark bodies bobbed in the murky waters around the dock, their silvery blood sliding across the surface of the lake like an oil rainbow. The silver wet the rubber under her feet, and she had already slipped once and barely caught herself.

They kept coming. Two, three at a time, a fraction of the horde unaffected by electrocution, swimming through the dark stream of cadavers and climbing on the dock, teeth bared, eyes glowing. Next to her, Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Declan swung his sword, mechanical, silent, and unstoppable. Like a machine.

Another hound. Flash.

Flash.