Page 78 of The Guardians of Dreamdark
“Aye. And now, again, he is returned.”
“What does he want?”
“To free himself and destroy the Tapestry.”
“Could he?”
“The Astaroth is the greatest force that ever was. The Tapestry is weak now. Even without him it has nearly fallen apart, and without you, little bird, it would have.”
Talon’s head turned sharply in Magpie’s direction, his eyebrows arching high in surprise.
Magpie asked, “But what about the skin? Could he get out of it?”
“He will never get out of it.”
“Neh? How can you be certain?”
“Of this I can be certain. Only I can release him. And I never will.”
“Oh...So that’s why he’s come here, then. Not to kill you, at least not until he gets you to release him.” She paused, thinking. “And the pomegranate, neh? That must have something to do with it.”
The Magruwen flared for a wild instant, then caught himself and sank back into a low burn. “Pomegranate?” he repeated.
Magpie squinted at him. “Aye, the one he sent the imp to you for. I can’t figure what he’d want with a pomegranate.”
“Nor I,” said the Djinn.
Again Magpie squinted at him. It was clear from the way he had flared up that she had caught him off guard. Well, now he wanted to lie to her. What could she do about that? Chewing her lip, she said carefully, “That’s mad strange, neh? He came all this way for it. And you know nothing of it?”
The Magruwen was silent.
Magpie crossed her arms and frowned. “Okay, then. But supposing we can put the Blackbringer back into his bottle, will you make a new seal for it?”
“If you capture him, little bird, I will seal the vessel.”
“Good. Thank you. This seal, though, it will have to hold out humans, too.”
“I’ll need something from them to work that magic.”
“Will hair do?”
“Aye.”
Magpie turned to Calypso. “Would you mind, my feather, fetching us back a pigtail or two from above?”
He fluffed up his feathers, looking more ragged than ever after his brushes with the Djinn, and grumbled, “I don’t like leavin’ ye, ’Pie.” He gave the Djinn King a hard look and asked Magpie, “Ye’ll be careful, neh?”
She hugged him around his neck and whispered, “Aye, feather,” and he flew off. She turned back to the Magruwen. “Will it take you long to make it?”
“Will it take you long to catch him?”
Magpie scowled. “Go quicker if you’d help. But there’s something else first, anywhich.”
“Oh, aye?”
“Aye...” She took a deep breath and blurted, “I’m going to get them back! His victims.”
“Get them back? From where?”
