Page 61 of Killian
“What’s the book for?” asked Killian.
“For killing you,” said Lonnie. “Your people have been hoarding up all this magic and you act like humans don’t deserve it. But us warlocks figured out how to use it. World War II showed you what we can do.”
“The bomb,” said Killian, nodding as if he remembered.
“That’s right. And if theStumwolkehad reached France like it was supposed to we could have killed a lot more of you. And once we have this book, we’re going to be able to do it again.”
Killian nodded again. That meant that warlocks hadn’t been holding off since the war for any moral reasons; they’d been unable to recreate the bomb. He didn’t know what that meant or who he should tell, but it seemed important. It also meant that he could not allow Lonnie to get out of the Library with that book.
“We’re nearly to the bridge,” said Killian. “Are you going to send for your people in the temple?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you,” snapped Lonnie.
“Yes,” said Killian. “I would like you to leave and take your explosives with you. Have I been unclear about that?”
“They’re coming out,” sniggered Rob, “but they ain’t bringing the explosives.”
“Then why would we let you live?” asked Ceallach.
Lonnie pulled his hand out of his jacket pocket. “This little box is talking to another little trinket in the temple. They are keepingthe explosives from going off. When we all get out the door, I will give it to you.”
Behind him, Killian felt rather than saw, Ceallach raise his arm and wave the flag for the start of the death spells. He couldn’t say he disagreed, but from the temple he saw a whirring spark of light flying straight toward him.
“Killian!” shrieked the sprite diving in sharply enough to make Lonnie flinch. “Do not let him drop the box! If he drops the box we’re all dead!”
“Shit,” said Ceallach.
Episode 27
There is a Fight
Killian
“What’d the bug say?” demanded Lonnie.
“I signaled ‘em,” said Rod, squinting toward the temple. “Why ain’t they coming?”
Lonnie looked at the door on the other side of the bridge and then back at Killian. He raised his hand as if to throw the little ivory jar. Killian lunged forward and seized Lonnie’s hand, forcing it closed around the pot.
“Run!” Lonnie yelled and reached for the pistol in his waistband. Killian slapped at it. He heard the hard pop of gunfire, but the elves surged forward, shield spells sparking into existence. Lonnie tugged at his hand, trying to free it from Killian’s grasp. The warlocks charged across the bridge.
Killian could hear Ceallach issuing commands, but it was as if everything was a dull roar heard from a distance. Killian knew that if he wanted to, he had the strength to rip the man’s arm off, but that didn’t accomplish anything. He needed Lonnie to maintain his connection to the little jar.
Lonnie twisted and pulled, kicking. Killian dodged and countered where he could, but for each block, he had to take a hand off the box and that was a risk. At least Lonnie was also hampered by trying to hold onto the book and the jar at the same time.
There was a buzzing sound, and a swarm of sprites swept across the field to join Tilva. There were multiple cries of outrage and pain as their tiny swords, and stinging teeth sank into the warlocks. They swarmed into Lonnie’s face, but that only made him scream and wave his arm more frantically. He was hittingKillian, which hurt, but mostly made him more challenging to hold onto.
Lonnie tried to get away from the sprites, blocking with the book, and pulling Killian onto the bridge. Killian could feel the elves doing things, but he couldn’t see much. He had no idea where anyone actually was, but if he was on the bridge, then they were already too close to the door.
“Moira said if he drops it the tree goes boom!” yelled Tilva.
How long until the council’s spell took effect? Presumably once Lonnie died that would be as good as dropping it. The pop of gunfire was a steady barrage.
“Get the book away from him,” Killian yelled to Tilva as the door loomed into view. The sprite flashed a shark-toothed grin. Lonnie bellowed in pain as the sprites converged on the arm holding the book. He dropped the book and it got kicked skittering across the wooden planks of the bridge like a hockey puck.
“Grab the book!” Lonnie yelled and several of the warlocks reached for it.
There was a rugby-like scrum over the book, but Killian couldn’t follow it. He was too busy hanging onto Lonnie. The door opened and through it, Killian could see blue sky. He saw a warlock go through it. Another warlock, this one carrying the book, was only steps behind him, but an elf dove in low, taking them both down. The book popped free like a football.
