In response, he crushes Vets head like a ripe fruit and releases her dissolving body to the ground.
Grey is screams, “Znuul you will sit!”
His legs begin to bend, but he straightens immediately.
“He is not able to withstand Maldgorath!” Znuul bellows and turns his attention to the little fairy shooting him full of arrows. His eyes burn bright red, and a pulse of red light crashes into my archer, and she crumples.
Pffif throws his dagger, and it is caught without effort, then returned to him – through the chest pinning him to the wall. Pffif dissolves away.
Grey skids across the desk. He grabs Znuul by the arm attempting to spin him around, but Znuul is going nowhere.
Grey says in a determined tone, “Ahtsag Znuul, by the force of the bond to my will, I command you to cease!”
Znuul’s whole body spasms under the command.
He turns on Grey, “Human, your will is no match for that which is Ahtsag Znuul. This one must learn the truth!”
Znuul turns his back to Grey and flexes his wings, which causes both Grey and Karen to stagger back from an unseen force.
Sil pushes me to the side and screams, “Run!” She posture ups in front of Znuul yelling, “Come on!” He does - closing in on her with a blur of a step. He backhands her, which crushes her head, snaps her neck, and sends her spinning head over heels crashing into the wall.
Grey picks himself up and says, “Ahtsag, stop!”
Znuul again shrugs it off.
There is a huge boom, and I realize that Karen just did the lightning thing to him. That does make him wince and arch his back where he was struck. But damn, he’s shrugging that off too.
Again the wings flash out and Grey and Karen this time are flung back even more violently from an unseen force. His grimace becomes a smile, and his eyes lock on me. Again, I can’t breathe. I reach for my will, for anything. I feel my ribs bending.
“No one to hide behind now, Arthur. You think you are so strong. Stand and face your pain. You will submit.”
But I can’t stand. I can’t breathe. I can’t defend. The fear sets in; I am going to die – horribly. The damn spiders return.
There is a great wash of light. I can breathe again. The spiders are gone. And floating in front of me is some ethereal being clad in armor. It says six words in the most beautiful voice I have ever heard.
“Dark one, you shall not pass.”
The voice is beautiful because it is Dorothy’s.
Znuul’s face changes to dumbfounded. He immediately takes to one knee and bows his head.
“He thinks he is strong enough. He is not,” Znuul says.
Dorothy’s voice says, “He is not alone.”
The ethereal Dorothy slowly spins around to face me, as if on a lazy Susan. I see her eyes through the helm she is wearing.
“You are much loved, Arthur MacInerny,” she says.
I reach for my Dory, and she just evaporates like a puff of steam in front of a fan.
“No!” I scream, “Don’t go! Don’t leave me again.”
I’m crying. I've lost her again.
I hear Grey tell Znuul to sit. I see him sit this time, out of the corner of my eye that isn’t still searching for Dory.
Karen is in a panic. She yells, “He disobeyed you,” and other things I can’t make out through my sobbing.
Grey says something back to her urgently. Nobody is saying anything about my Dory. Then I stop crying. She was here. She’s looking over me. She loves me, still. Now I'm elated.
This must be what being bi-polar is like.
“That was my Dorothy!” I yell out.
All eyes are on me now except for Znuul’s, whose are straight down to the floor with a blank expression.
“That was my Dorothy, she’s an angel, and she still loves me.”
Grey and Karen acknowledge me with, “yes.”
But I can tell their minds are on other matters.
Grey says quietly, “Ahtsag.”
Znuul rises. He walks over to Grey and Karen his head down, not making eye contact with either of them.
“I am to go to the small room?” Znuul says in a hushed tone.
Grey tries to make eye contact with him, but Znuul does not look back up from the floor.
“Well, it appears I may have trouble making you go there. Leave us to speak privately. Wait for me in the rear yard that is unless you have other ideas.”
“No more ideas, master,” Znuul’s says. He exits the room.
Karen says to Grey, “The council must know about this.”
“Yes, they must,” he says.
“You mean that my Dory is looking over me?” I ask.
“No,” says Karen, “That Ahtsag Znuul the Destroyer of Hope and Devourer of Souls may soon be loosed upon this world.”
Chapter 41
I leave Karen and Grey to their serious discussion and head to the foyer. I want to summon Hjuul, heck I want to summon all of them. They all need to know about the miracle that just occurred. I start for the rear yard and then remember that he would be out there.
I count my blessings. That son of bitch Znuul just cut through all of my team and had me cowed on my knees in what felt like a breath’s time. It was too damn fast; too damn brutal. I start to see Znuul’s point of view, then kick myself in the butt for that.
The encounter was on his terms, his timing, his turf. I did not have my blessed sword. I had no preparation.
I shake off those thoughts and step out to the front lawn. I run my finger across Hjuul’s glyph, say “Hjuul come,” and he appears.
He immediately takes up a defensive posture and scans for danger. My hulking hound, upon coming to the opinion we were safe, walks to me and presses his head against my legs. I give him a deep scratch and kneel down to hug him.
“Thanks, Hjuul. You’ll never guess who saved us – Dorothy; she’s an angel.”
That gets a quick turn of his massive head and a “rooo?” from him.
“Yeah. She’s looking over us.”
Hjuul leaps and lets loose with the happy chuff-barks.
“Hey guy, I’m excited too. I need to tell the others. Run tomorrow?”
He doesn’t have to say a word. I know he’s all in.
Back inside, as I’m heading up the stairs, I can’t help but smile at Hjuul’s reaction to my news. He’s probably still chasing his tail in puppy-like excitement. He loved Dorothy. She’s the one that brought him out of his shell.
I get to my room and know who’s getting called back first; Shey. It saddens me that she didn’t get to see Dory. They were so very close. I know the news will mean most to her. I trace my finger across her Glyph and call “Sheyliene.” My fairy warrior appears; bow appearing in hand almost instantly and an arrow is drawn.
“We’re in your room,” she says. “Did you defeat him?”
“Not exactly, Dorothy appeared as an angel and stopped him.”
The bow drops to the ground followed by her jaw.
“A real angel? Dorothy? She saved you?”
“Yes.”
I am tackled in a crushing hug. The little fairy is very strong.
“What did she look like? Was she beautiful? Did she ask about me? Did you get a hug? Will she come back? Did she destroy General Znuul? Did she ask about me?”
Shey is literally bouncing around. She takes my hands before I can even begin to reply and dances us in a circle.
We stop, and she looks at me seriously with those golden eyes of hers.
“Now I know we can beat that stinky Maldgorath. You hear that, Collector? Arthur and Dory are coming for you, and they’re bringing us with them!”
She is seriously worked up and so happy. I’m not going to ruin that with the thought of what would have a happened Znuul opted to kill me first instead of them.
”Hey, let me get the others. They need to know too.”
I bring Pffif first, then Vets, then Sil. All of them are ready for battle until they
realize where we are. Before I can tell them what happened, Shey spills the beans.
“Dorothy is a beautiful angel! She stepped right in and stopped that demon scum right in his tracks!”
“By the pearly gates,” Pffif says
Vets gives a nod and adds, “This bodes well.”
Sil’s just pulls the chair away from my desk, sits, and transforms herself human.
Shey jumps her case immediately for not sharing in the collective excitement.
“I should have known that demon scum wouldn’t appreciate Arthur having an angel on his shoulder! It’s Dory, too. That’s double better, except to you. Skanky succubus slut.”
Sil’s reaction is demure. With a roll of the eyes and a sigh, she looks from Shey to me.
“Arthur, you are positively aglow with joy. I have not felt you this happy in a long, long, while and you so deserve this. I would never, ever wish to take it from you. But you know, that woman absolutely despised me.” She stands casually and smiles at Sheyliene, “I understand how you feel too, Sheyliene; it’s okay.”
Without warning, Silithes slaps Shey across the face with such force she goes crashing into the nightstand.
“Now you know how I feel, Fairy.” Without missing a beat, she looks over at me casually and says, “Control her please, now is not the time for fighting.”
Silithes sits back down.
Shey, dazed, picks herself up and immediately goes for the daggers. I touch my will and say her name, just to get her attention.
“Shey - time for celebration, not that.”
The daggers in her hands are put away, but the ones coming out of her eyes are still there.
“I hate to bust up all this feel-good, but let’s not forget something,” Sil says. “Ahtsag Znuul laid waste to all of us in the blink of an eye, and I know he was taking his time for the show. That was done even with one of this realm’s most powerful wizards pulling on his will to cease. The Collector will have no such encumbrance upon him.”
Silence
“It be true, what she says,” Pffif mutters.
Sil smiles to Pffif and then at me.
“Good, I’m glad we recognize that,” she says changing to a perky, happy voice. “Now that being said – we have an angel, a holy sword, and more than enough desire to see the job done. I think we stand a chance.”
“More than a chance,” I say. “Especially if we control the terms of the engagement.”
Sil is beaming and clapping lightly. She turns to Shey.
“That right there is one reason why we love our Arthur so.”
To Shey’s credit, she doesn't rip into her for using the words “love,” “our,” and “Arthur” in the same sentence.
Instead, Shey just looks over to me and says, “Yeah.”
Vets beats the chest plate of her armor with her armored fist.
“Death to the Collector!” she roars.
Following Vets’ lead, we all join in a hearty collective, “Death to the Collector!”
This is good. We are all back on the same page. We share in a little more group cheer, and I ask if I can get some sleep since it’s almost three AM. My desk nap just isn’t going to cut it, especially after the stress of the day.
Besides, I have a whole other day of vacation ahead of me.
Everyone exits and I head over to close my curtains. I plan a sleep party, and Mr. Sunshine is not allowed to crash it. But before I can close them, I see Znuul sitting on the rear lawn past the steps silhouetted in the moon’s light. Grey is standing in front of him, and they are speaking. Znuul’s posture is slumped. Grey walks to his side and puts his hand on his shoulder. Znuul’s head lolls over to the side atop of Grey’s hand.
Grey walks away, up the stairs toward the Chateau.
Znuul rolls his head forward, and I see the heave of a heavy breath. Then he goes still; deathly still.
I close the curtains and walk toward the bed. Almost to the bed, I am stopped in my tracks by a loud mournful keening from the rear lawn that sends shivers up my spine. I run back to the curtain and fling them open.
Nothing is there but the moonlight over the lawn.
Chapter 42
A light rapping on my door wakes me that I don’t recognize. I look over at the clock and see it reads ten-twenty AM. That’s late for me.
“One moment,” I say and roll out of bed.
Jeepers, I slept in my clothes.
I walk over to the door and open it to find Grey standing there with a breakfast tray.
“May I come in? I brought gifts.”
“Of course.”
What the heck is going on? I’ve been here just short of two years, and he has not once come to my room. I am always summoned to him. He comes in, sets the tray on my dresser and walks over to open the draperies. The sunlight pours into the room and tears at my sleepy eyes.
“Much better,” he says and gestures to the tray. “You have croissants, fresh goat cheese, tomato, and a pot of coffee from the press. Marthe sends her love. You start in, I will get another seat. We have much to discuss.”
He leaves the room, and I take the tray over to my desk, plopping down in my seat. He returns with a chair from the hall, brings it over to the desk and sits down facing me.
“In the excitement and surprise of last night’s activities, I failed to give you proper acknowledgment for what must be a most heartfelt reunion. Your Dorothy certainly does light up a room.”
“Thank you for that. I wish I could have spent more time with her.”
“Yes. I wish we all could have.” We pause on that thought. “But we must talk about less pleasant affairs.”
“Znuul.”
“Yes, among other things. First, you need to know I have sent the children to their homes. I cannot have them in the jeopardy of wicked influence. I have sent Roger to stay with the LeBlanc's as well. Obviously, I just can’t shut down the vineyard or grove totally, but I will give those who work here, and understand our secrets, the opportunity to leave. I must admit, Ahtsag’s display last night has me most concerned.”
That’s a big wow. He must be pretty concerned.
“Have you regained control over him, Grey?”
He laughs.
“Oh my, the question isn’t if I have control now, but when did it slip away from me? I’ve searched myself relentlessly and do not see where I’ve fallen prey to dark suggestion. Of course, this will just be another reason for Alistair and some of the council to further distance me from the community… I could use some sleep, Arthur.”
He rolls his eyes.
“On a positive note, Karen has agreed not to advise the council of anything until she and I have thoroughly assessed the situation and can advise on a proper course of action. I fear Alistair's solution without such input would be to kill Ahtsag, which most likely means killing me because I would be the easier target. That is the nature of our bond; if one dies, so does the other.”
Again, my poker face gives me away.
“I know it sounds cold.”
It doesn’t just sound cold to me, I know it is.
“Surely there must be some other way. Wasn’t he locked away for like a billion years by the guy before you?”
Grey shakes his head. “Well, first I doubt we’ll be able to trick him into containment so easily. Second, and I know this - that incarceration left him scarred terribly. You remember the limousine, how he didn’t care for the small space? You should try to get him in an elevator. Knowing the pain it would cause him, I don’t know if I could. But that is our weakness as children of the light, no? We care.”
“That’s what makes us better than them, not weaker. So maybe we use that fear to keep him in line?”
“Maybe. I had hoped that maybe my time with him had influence. He showed promise. I’ve used very little control over him for the last twenty-five years. But what is twenty-five years to one so ancient, yes? I must admit some confusion on my part. I must be cautious not to see what I want to see, as opp
osed to what is really there. Like with your Arixtumin.”
He sits back in his chair, and his eyes search me for an answer.
“What do you think, Arthur? Your succubus admitted openly to having love for your son and family. Do you think they can change? Or is it just because she’s leashed to you?”
This is a man conflicted. Znuul is more than just a burden to bear for him. I think to how I felt when Arixtumin’s betrayal came to light. I remember the anger. I remember the hurt. I would not wish that on anyone. He doesn’t need doubt and negativity now. He’ll find the truth if that’s what he wants.
“Grey, I can’t say. In my belief, anyone – anything – can change for good or for worse. I would have never imagined last night happening, not just Dory’s appearance, but Znuul’s rebellion if that’s what we want to call it. If he’s using you, he's fooled me too.”
A smile comes to the gracious one’s face.
“Arthur, you’re going to have to self-train for a while until we get this situation better understood. I suggest you keep up what mental defenses you have, particularly when you visit with Ahtsag later this afternoon.”
“When I visit with him? This afternoon? So he can try to prove his point again?”
“That’s not what he indicated. He asked me if he could apologize to you. He said he could make it worth your while. Whatever that may mean.”
“I’m on vacation today, remember? He can wait until tomorrow. I’m really in no hurry to see him after what was done to me and mine.”
Grey nods and stands.
“Enjoy your day off, Arthur, I will let him know, and he will have to wait.”
Chapter 43
After cleaning up a bit and putting on some fresh clothes, I make my way downstairs to return my breakfast tray, making sure everything is put away in the dishwasher. Marthe is working on lunch preparations. I stroll over to the queen of the kitchen and put my arm around her.
She looks up at me from slicing hard salami into paper thin slices and points the knife at me.
“Monsieur Arthur, you must wait for lunch like everyone else.”
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