On the Edge Part 7

Discoloration from years in salt water dappled its heavy metal base and ornate top. Rose shook it gently, holding it by the ring in its roof, and a tiny green light flared within the thick ribbed gla.s.s.

aThank you!a She climbed down, reciting instructions on the way. aStay inside. Donat let anyone in or out. Iall be back shortly. If Iam not back by lunch, take the guns and go to Grandmaas.a The boys looked at her.

aOkay?a aOkay.a Georgie nodded.

aJack?a aOkay.a aGood.a She headed out of the house. aDeclan?a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Dadas room was empty, the bed so neatly made, she almost did a double take. She hurried past it and saw him, in his full attire, cloak and everything, standing on the porch. Leanne gaped at him in stunned silence.

aIam coming with you,a he declared, punctuating the words with the white frost rolling over his green irises.

aWhy?a Rose raced down the porch steps. Leanne took a moment to snap out of her Declan-induced trance and followed her.

aThe creatures are dangerous,a he said. aAnd youare a very stubborn woman. You might decide to get yourself killed just to spite me.a There was no way she could keep him from not coming with her. aSuit yourself.a She headed down the path, unreasonably irritated because a small part of her was thrilled to have a large, muscular man with a three-foot sword as her backup.

aWho is he?a Leanne murmured, catching up with her.

aA man whoall soon be leaving empty-handed,a Rose said.

AMYaS house was a large, old affair that had started as an A-frame. Long ago it mustave had a definite shape, but the Haires were famous for thinking they had carpentering skills, and over the years the house had grown several rooms. It looked like a sprawling mishmash now, sitting in the middle of a wide lawn and bordered by small flower beds, metal junk, and four old rusted cars, none of which had run in the last five or six years. The closer they came to the house, the faster Leanne moved. Rose clenched the lantern to her chest to keep it steady.

aWhatas the purpose of the lantern?a Declan asked. He had no trouble keeping up with them, not with those long legs.

aItas a see-lantern,a she said.

aI realize itas a sea lantern.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aS-e-e, not s-e-a. Sight. It shows magic things to people who donat have enough magic to see them on their own.a Neither she nor the boys ever had to use it, but her father had needed it once or twice and swore it worked. It would let Leanne see the danger, if there was any.

Declan frowned. aEveryone can see magic.a aNot in the Edge. Some of the people here have more of the Broken in them than of the Weird.a They ran up the steps. Leanne swung the door open. Rose paused and gently breathed into the triangular holes cut in the lanternas top. The pale green spark grew wider and spread, coloring the lamp gla.s.s pale emerald.

Declan snapped his fingers. aI see. It uses an Augustus spiral.

The natural exhalation carries residual traces of personal magic, and the coil inside absorbs and amplifies them by cycling them through the loops and then emits the resulting Augustus wave as green light.a Envy bit at Rose. She had understood about two words of what he said, and she wouldave liked to know more. She lifted the lantern and peered inside.

The living room lay empty. Directly opposite her, across the living room floor, was a bedroom. The door stood wide open, and through the doorway Rose saw Kenny Jo standing alone, in a ripped T-s.h.i.+rt. The scratches on his chest looked shallow. To the right of Kenny, Elsie Moore waited, still tied to the rocker, just as Leanne had described. Amy sat between them on the bedroom floor, hugging her knees. All three of her children huddled around her, silent. The floorboards on which they sat were covered with arcane glyphs, written in black permanent marker.

A creature stuck its head out from behind the couch and peered at Rose with four slanted eyes filled with Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) glowing gray smog. She knew what to expect from the ghostly image Declan had conjured, but seeing it in the flesh nearly made her vomit.

aOh G.o.d!a Leanne gasped.

Amy cried out and immediately clamped her mouth shut, pulling the kids closer to her.

The beast was at least four feet tall. Its skin was dark purple mottled with sickly yellow and pale green, like an old bruise. The creatureas mouth gaped open, exposing a forest of narrow deepwater teeth, scarlet red. A hound, Declan called it. The name fit.

A movement to the left made Rose turn. Another beast stared at her from behind the love seat. A third darted in the kitchen. She looked up, raising the lantern higher.

The ceiling teemed with hounds. They s.h.i.+fted along the boards like nightmarish dogs with horse faces and mouths full of dragon teeth.

G.o.d, there must be thirty of them in there. Rose gripped the lantern to keep her hand from shaking.

Most of the creatures clung to the wall above the door to the bedroom hiding the children, Amy, and Elsie.

Their magic dripped down in a thick repulsive wave, over the wall, over the door, and down on the floor below. Rose couldnat see it, but she felt it, and it felt hungry.

Only now she noticed that the outer line of glyphs stopped six inches past the door, cut off abruptly as if erased. The flesh on her arms broke out in goose pimples.

aThe houndsa magic is eating the glyphs. We have to get them out.a In the room, Amy clamped her hand across her mouth and sobbed. The children clutched onto her, all except Kenny Jo, who stood by himself, his eyes fixed on the floor. aI told you,a he said with quiet triumph.

aI told you.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aOkay,a Rose murmured, thinking feverishly. aOkay. We go around back and we try a window.a She knew it was a mistake as soon as she said it. Outside the hounds would mob them. There were simply too many.

aWonat work,a Leanne whispered. aThe windowas only a foot wide.a On the ceiling, a scuffle ensued as the beasts realigned to face them.

aThey see us.a Leanneas voice snapped like a dry twig.

aIt will be fine,a Rose said firmly. Her mind was spinning a mile a minute, cycling through the possibilities, none of which were plausible.

The hound by the couch lowered its head and started toward her, four eyes fixed on her with predatory intensity.

aIt wants you.a Leanne backed away onto the porch. aIt wants your magic.a Another beast dropped from the ceiling, flipping in the air and landing on all fours.

The magic at the door shaved another two inches off the lines of glyphs.

aOkay.a Rose sucked in a breath. aWeall use me as bait. Iall draw them off, and you go and get the kids . . .a The first beast was only ten feet away.

A hard hand gripped her shoulder and thrust her back behind Declan. In the instant of their touch, she glimpsed a tremendous power buckle and surge within him.

His eyes blazed white.

aNo, Declan!a A phantom wind raised his hair. His eyes shone like two stars.

The creature leaped.

A half sphere of blinding white exploded from Declan, roaring like a tornado. Roseas breath caught in her throat.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) The first hound perished in midair, swallowed by the light.

The blast ripped through the furniture, hit the roof, and swept it away with a crunch of shattered wood.

Declan snarled, straining. The white glow flared brighter, burned for a long breath, and vanished.

The roof and the far wall were gone. Rose stared at the sky.

Above them black dots peppered the clear blue, growing bigger and bigger . . . A shower of broken boards and charred beast carca.s.ses rained on the floor with loud thuds. She blinked, and the next moment Declanas face blotted out the sky. aAre you hurt?a His eyes showed sincere concern. She stepped back, stunned.

aNo.a aGood.a Declan strode through the rain of refuse, unconcerned, crossed the floor to the room, and offered Amy his hand.

She stared at him in shock and slowly put her hand into his.

He helped her to her feet. aYouare safe now.a aWho are you . . . ?a Amy blinked.

aI am Lord Camarine.a Rose shook her head. All he was missing was the s.h.i.+ny white armor and unearthly light streaming down on him.

aAmy,a Elsie Moore said in her crackling voice, her gaze fixed on Declan. aI want you to get me a new bear.

A blond one.a

EIGHT.

BY the time they had calmed down the children and managed to pry Elsie from her chair and force her into the shower, it was well past seven. Rose realized that she wouldnat be making it to work anytime soon. Her uniform stank of greasy, burned flesh, and she had missed her ride with Latoya. She borrowed Amyas cell phone and called it in.

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aYou better get your a.s.s in here.a Latoyaas voice gained a shrill quality. aEmersonas being a total d.i.c.k today.

He says either you get in now or heall shred your check.a aWhat does he mean, shred my check?a aIt means he wonat pay you for this week.a Rose stiffened. No gas money. Without the truck, she couldnat exchange Declanas doubloon for U.S.

currency. They had enough groceries to last for three days, four if she was careful. She had no way to pay the electric bill, and it was due in five days. She had to get to work.

aI still have no gas, and itall take me about a half an hour to clean up.a as.h.i.+t. I canat leavea"I donat dare p.i.s.s him off any more.a It hit her: the Broemmer account. Broemmer Hotel had fired Clean-n-Bright two weeks ago, because they caught Emerson overcharging them. Losing that account had dropped Emersonas business by almost a quarter, and head been biting at the bit to compensate for his losses somehow. Shead just singled herself out as the perfect scapegoat.

aOkay, wait, I got it,a Latoya said. aWeall take an early lunch.

Can you get to Burger King?a Six miles. She could walk it. aYes.a aStart walking. Weall head there for lunch and pick you up.

Emerson wonat even know when you got in.a A huge wave of relief rolled over her. aThank you.a aThatas what friends are for.a Latoya hung up.

aIam so sorry about all this,a Amy said.

Rose forced a smile. aI was glad to help. Iam sorry about your house.a Amy paled a bit, glanced at the missing wall and busted roof, and forced a smile, too, plainly trying not to cry. aThere was no help for it. At least weare all in one piece.

Even Grandma.a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Rose looked for Elsie Moore and found her in the yard at a picnic table. Elsie wore a fresh dress. She had braided her thinning hair and was flirting outrageously with Declan.

aHow did it start?a Rose asked.

aShe was having one of her parties, and something had chewed up a teddy bear. One of those things, I guess. Then she wouldnat come out of the room.a Amy hesitated. aWhat are they?a Rose shook her head. aNothing Iave ever seen before. Maybe she knows.a Amy sighed. aIf she does, youare welcome to try getting it out of her. She wonat tell me anything. She just calls me stupid.a Rose headed to the table. Elsie gave her the evil eye. Rose ignored it. aHi there, Grandma Elsie,a she said brightly.

Elsie pursued her lips and glanced at Declan. aWeare having a special time,a she said. aGo away.a aOh, well, in that case, Iall just ask you a couple of questions and be on my way.a The sooner you answer them, the faster Iall go away.

Elsie got the message. aHurry up, then.a Rose crouched by her. aDo you know what those things are?a aEvil.a aWhat sort of evil?a Elsie shook her head.

aHave you ever seen one before? Do you know where they came from?a aThey were after my bears,a Elsie volunteered. aSo I cursed them.a Pieces clicked together in Roseas brain. aYou made a wold?a Elsie nodded. aBut it couldnat kill them.a Amy, who had wandered over to the table, gasped. aYou made a wold? Jesus!a Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) aItas dead,a Rose told her. aIt was after Kenny Jo, and I killed it.a aYouave done lost your mind!a Amy stared at her grandmother. aSending a wold out into the neighborhood?

Who knows what it couldave killed!a Elsie pursed her lips.

aHonestly!a Amy put her hands on her hips. aWhatas next?

Are you going to blight East Laporte?a Rose sighed. That was the end of that. She wouldnat get anything out of Elsie now. She got up to her feet and glanced at Declan, standing to the side while Amy continued to chew her grandmother out.

aThank you,a Rose said. aYou didnat have to help us, and you did. Iam grateful.a Declanas face thawed a little. aYouare welcome.a Rose walked away. If Elsie didnat know what those things were, perhaps Grandma would. Unfortunately, all the evidence was here. To the left, in the woodshed, an overturned wheelbarrow sat by the log pile. Rose went into the shed, wrestled the wheelbarrow upright, and dragged it to the house. The nearest charred carca.s.s lay only a few feet away. She put the wheelbarrow down and went to pick it up.

She couldnat even lift it, let alone carry it. Rose grasped its disgusting legsa"the feet looked almost like ape handsa"and put her back into it. The carca.s.s slid across the floor. She dragged it to the wheelbarrow.

Leanne emerged from around the corner. Rose stopped.

Leanne walked over. Without a word, she grasped the creature. Magic pulsed in her, and she picked the corpse up and slid it into the wheelbarrow and walked away.

That same talenta"five seconds of incredible strengtha"had made Leanne the schoolas terror. She could only Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) do it once every twenty minutes or so, but once was usually enough to do the job. Rose never thought shead see it work for her. I guess thereas first time for everything.

Theyad never be bosom buddies, Rose reflected, pus.h.i.+ng the wheelbarrow up the path to her house. But at least when Leanne decided to stab her in the back, she might hesitate for a second or two.

The house looked undisturbed. Rose maneuvered the wheelbarrow behind Grandpaas shed. He slammed at the walls and hissed, but she just grunted at him. Later shead wheel the hound corpse to Grandmotheras for identification, but now she had to get her spare uniform on and start walking. She ran up the stairs to the porch and knocked on the door.

Georgie opened. aGet ready,a she told him, running to the shower. aIam taking you to Grandmaas, and then Iall have to go to work.a GEORGIE sat on the porch steps. His overnight bag lay next to him. He always took the overnight bag just in case. Inside was a book about a boy who lived on the edge of the woods, an InuYasha comic book, spare socks, underwear, a T-s.h.i.+rt, and pants. And his toothbrush.

Inside, Jack was banging things, looking for his sneakers. Georgie closed his eyes and pictured Jackas shoes.

He felt a slight tug to the left and turned toward it. Not too far. A little more to the left . . . About fifteen feet. He opened his eyes and found himself looking at the kitchen window. Yep. The shoes were under the kitchen table. Jack mustave pulled them off while he was eating dinner last night and forgotten about them.

He could go inside and tell Jack where his shoes were. Rose said to get ready quick. She had the look on her face. Georgie knew the look well. When she came out of the shower and saw that Jack didnat have his shoes, Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) she wouldnat be happy. He could save Jack from getting in trouble, but those were new shoes, the second pair of new shoes. They cost a lot of money, and Jack had to learn to take care of them.

It was odd with Jack, Georgie reflected. Sometimes head find a piece of green bottle gla.s.s and carry it around with him everywhere for days, like it was some great treasure. But something like shoes or clothes, he didnat care about. They were poor. Rose tried to hide it, but Georgie knew they didnat have money. Jack needed to learn not to be wasteful.

Georgie turned his face to the sun and squinted, feeling the warmth on his face. He didnat mind going to Grandmaas, and he didnat mind skipping school. Oh no, he didnat mind that at all. Georgie smiled a private smile to himself. School was boring and tedious, and he didnat care for it. He studied and made good grades, because it made Rose happy. Sometimes she talked about him getting a good job in the Broken, if his grades were high enough. Georgie didnat want a job in the Broken. The Broken had no magic.

Staying at home also meant he might get to keep an eye on Declan. It was his job to keep an eye on things.

Thatas what Dad said before he left. He was only six back then, but he remembered. Dad put his hand on his shoulder and said, aYou mind the family, Georgie. Keep an eye on your sister and brother for me.a He wasnat a baby. He knew Dad didnat really mean it, but he did it all the same because somebody had to do it.

He wasnat sure about Declan. Rose said all bluebloods couldnat be trusted. Rose was often right. When she said someone couldnat be trusted, they usually turned out to be a sc.u.mbag. Georgie ducked his head and looked around. He knew he hadnat said the cuss word out loud, but it never hurt to make sure n.o.body heard Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) him.

So Declan was a bad guy. But Declan had saved Jack. And he didnat seem mean. There were many kinds of mean: mean like Kenny Jo, who was always angry about something. Mostly, Kenny was angry about his dad leaving him. Georgie understood being angry about that, but still, his own dad left, and n.o.body saw him going around picking fights with people.

Then there was mean like Olie, who was too stupid to know when he was being mean. Olie killed a puppy once because it bit him, smashed her head with a rock. The puppy hadnat known any better. She was just playing. Olie cried afterward, because he felt bad. Georgie heaved another sigh. It took him two days to put the puppyas head back together with his magic, and when head raised her, she still didnat look quite right.

Head concentrated on fixing her so hard, he got sick, and then Rose cried.

And then there was mean like Brad Dillon. Brad was cold and vicious. There was something wrong with him.

But Declan had no meanness. Jack thought his swords were awesome. Georgie agreed about the swords, but head watched Declan make a ghost of the beasts that had attacked Jack, and in his opinion, that was even better. Georgie held his hand out, closed his eyes, and pretended to call up the beast. Except if he could do it, head do it even cooler. Maybe have some dark smoke swirling about him. And his eyes would be s.h.i.+ny. And maybe head say some mysterious incantation. Or not. Maybe it would be cooler if he said nothing. And if he had a sword, it would be long and slender.

Like Grandpaas blades.

A drop of cold, slippery magic touched the back of his neck and slid down along his spine as if something Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) rotten had splattered him with its nasty juice. Georgie gagged. His eyes snapped open.

A beast stood in front of the house on the path. The color of an old bruise, it stared at him with four slanted gray eyes.

Georgie froze. Jack taught him to never run from animals that could catch him. If he ran, the beast would chase. He didnat know if it could get through the wards to catch him, but he didnat want to find out.