Page 46 of The Night Vision
“Not bait,” Dùbhghlas called from the street. “You have my Ossor, I’ll trade you.”
“YourOssor? I’ll rip your vile tongue out!” Tighe shouted, snarling as he fought to get free. “You’ll lick your own ass before I jam it down your throat!”
Silas hadneverseen Tighe like this and the twins appeared to be struggling to hold on as he twisted and thrashed mindlessly. The veins in Tighe’s neck bulged and his eyes were red and wide with rage as his nostrils flared and spittle dripped from his lips and beard.
“Easy!” Nox commanded Tighe and took a few steps toward the gate, clicking his teeth at Dùbhghlas. “You brought an Ossorto a witch fight. Are you sure that’s a good idea, Hugh? I don’t think it’ll end the way you’re expecting,” he warned but the wiry old man answered with a dry, wheezing chuckle that made the hairs on Silas’s arms stand.
“It took a few days but this brute and I have an understanding. He knows what will happen to his family if he doesn’t do what I tell him,” Dùbhghlas boasted and Silas caught Eoin’s furious, but defeated glare.
Eoin radiated hatred for the warlock and had put up a good fight. It was hard to judge the severity from a distance and through the shadows, but Eoin’s face looked like it was busted up and he clutched his side, swaying as he panted next to Dùbhghlas.
“What have you done to him?” Nox demanded angrily. “You had no business bringing innocent men into this. Release that Ossor and let both of them live in peace.”
“You know my business?” Dùbhghlas replied, his voice rising. “Has it ever occurred to you, or Oglethorpe, that my business is my own and that there could be consequences to your meddling?”
“I don’t care, work that out with me and Merlin. Leave the others and the Ossors out of it,” Nox stated and Merlin stepped forward, planting his staff in front of him.
“You’ve always been a sore loser, Hugh. But tormenting the soul of a dead orphan and trying to make demons out of gentle park rangers and naive, feral men is truly dark, dirty work.”
“Don’t talk to me about dirty work!” Dùbhghlas let out a sharp cackle. “I know what you and Clancy did and what your protege is capable of,” he said with an accusative sneer. “You all have blood on your hands and that changeling was no accident.” He pointed at Everly and Nox hushed Bryn’s threatening growl.
“He wants a fight and he’s taunting us,” he said, then addressed Dùbhghlas. “We won’t be making a trade but you will hand over Eoin Ossor.”
“Or what?” Dùbhghlas asked, his scratching laughter grating on Silas’s nerves.
“I can take him,” Tighe ground out behind Nox. “This time, I want to fight and I want the frenzy. I’ll bring you his worthless head and that ridiculous hat.”
The twins growled and nodded in agreement, ready to back Tighe up.
Nelson put two fingers into his mouth, whistling sharply and calling everyone to order. “You heard Nox:no onemoves. We’re not playing into Dùbhghlas’s hands. Certainly not here, in the middle of Georgetown in the middle of the night.”
Merlin shook his head. “No one can see or hear us, not with this much dark and white magick. Dùbhghlas doesn’t want to be seen by anyone other than us and I’ve placed an enchantment on this property so all looks exactly as it should.” He glanced around them and up at the sky. “I suspect Lord Smoak will be shielding us as well. News of this could reflect poorly on him if he chooses the wrong side,” he said loudly, as if he was reminding Smoak.
There was no answer but Eoin bit back a pained grunt when Dùbhghlas gave him a hard shove, sending him stumbling and he sank to his knees, looking winded and weak.
“What are you going to do if I don’t?” Dùbhghlas challenged.
“Nox!”Tighe threw him a hard look and Silas worried that there would be no holding him back if the warlock touched his brother again.
Nox held up his hands, shrugging. “I won’t do anything and I’ve convinced my friends not to hurt you. But I will ask Everly and the twins to collect you so that Merlin can bind your magick and silence your tongue.”
“You think that slip of a changeling and your hounds can catch me?” Dùbhghlas asked, his tone amused and dubious.
“I do,” Nox said with a rapid nod. “You have no idea what Everly’s capable of and honestly, neither do I. He’s spent the last few days charging and absorbing Cenn Cruach’s magick so there’s really no telling,” he said but Dùbhghlas scoffed.
“I’ll take my chances. It’s telling that his lordship chooses to sit this out.”
“Did I?” A loud voice answered before Smoak appeared at Merlin’s side, a smoky gray shadow in the shape of Niall’s lumberjack. There was a soft “Yes!” from Niall but Smoak remained large and forbidding as he loomed behind Nox. “They aren’t wrong about your dark, dirty work. I’ve warned you before about crossing the line and disrespecting the sanctity of death. That’smypurview and there are certain powers that I will not share.”
“You’ll share them with MacIlwraith!” Dùbhghlas protested and snatched his hat off his head and waved it in Everly’s direction. “They broughtthatabomination back. What will you do when MacIlwraith has all the powers of a sun god and can defy death?”
Everly straightened and stepped forward, pushing up the sleeves of his oversized hoodie. “Don’t call me that. I amgoodand I can be whatever I want.”
“That’s right, buddy,” Nox said as he caught Everly’s shoulder, then let out a stunned gasp when Eoin rose behind Dùbhghlas. “No! Wait!” Nox shouted and pointed as Eoin pounced, swiftly grabbing hold of Dùbhghlas’s chin and the top of his head and giving it a brutal twist.
There was a loud snap and Dùbhghlas dropped to the pavement in a limp, lifeless heap.
“No!” Nox and Smoak both yelled but they were nearly drowned out by loud, stunned laughs and the twins' cheers and whistles.
