Dark Mirror 2 - Dark Passage (32 page)

But she could call on the magical powers of the other Irregulars. A vague plan in mind, she quietly approached the back of the house. Since the rear door was locked, she floated to the upper story. She’d learned so many fine criminal skills lately that it wasn’t hard to get inside.

One of the drunken Frenchmen made a sneering remark about killing the filthy Jews that had taken refuge in the barn. Her annihilating rage was swiftly followed by icy determination. She looked up and saw that the old cottage had gnarled beams running across the ceiling. Perfect.

She walked the length of the house to the open door of the room that contained the machine gun, three men in French police uniforms, and bottles of spirits. When she reached the doorway, one of the men turned and looked right at her. He blinked uncertainly, but the stealth stone wasn’t enough to conceal a direct stare.

He lurched to his feet. “It’s a little girl! Must have hidden here when the rest of the family ran.”

A second man turned and smiled nastily. “Old enough that we can use her.”

When he stumbled toward Tory, her rage flared again. These men were willing to shoot Rebecca and Aaron for sport. Drawing her focus to blazing intensity, she reached for power from her friends. Most of all, she drew on Allarde’s special talent for moving large objects.

Brimming with power, she made a furious sweeping gesture at the beams.
“Enough!”

Magic surged as she collapsed the massive beams that supported the front half of the roof. Even before the beams had smashed into the men and their horrible gun, Tory threw herself out the door in a rolling tumble.

The shouting ended with lethal suddenness, but the remaining roof beams began to groan ominously.
Devil take it!
The whole cottage was collapsing.

In a blur of motion, she dived out the window in the back bedroom and managed, barely, to land safely in the muddy yard. She was bruised and out of breath and her left arm had been damaged by flying debris, but nothing seemed to be broken.

She closed her eyes as she fought the pain and horror of knowing what she’d done. She had never imagined herself as a killer. She never should have come through the mirror.

Yet as she thought back on the events that had brought her to this moment, she didn’t see how she could have behaved any differently. Nick had come to the Labyrinth seeking aid. She’d offered to help him survey the portals of the mirror, which had been triggered by Nick’s intensity, and here she was. She couldn’t
not
help when she might be able to save lives.

Wearily she struggled to her feet. God willing Rebecca and Aaron were all right, and soon this endless night would end in safety. As she circled the mound of rubble that had been a home, she thought of how it had sheltered families for centuries, and in an instant she had destroyed it.

Again, she didn’t see what choice she’d had, so there was no point in berating herself. Opening the barn door, she called, “Rebecca? Are you and Aaron all right?” Terrified she might find their bleeding bodies in the hay, she created a light. “It’s me.”

“
Mon Dieu,
you are all right!” Rebecca emerged from the darkness, wild-eyed and with bits of hay clinging to her. “I was so afraid those swine had shot you and were now going to kill me and my boychik!”

“We’re safe.” Tory gave the other girl a twisted smile. “I pulled the roof down on the swine.”

“So that was the crashing sound.” Rebecca’s gaze went to Tory’s left arm. “You’re hurt!”

“Nothing serious.”

“Bleeding can’t be good. I have a handkerchief.”

“Yes, doctor,” Tory said meekly as Rebecca pulled up her sleeve to reveal a laceration on her forearm. The other girl’s handkerchief was large enough to wrap twice around the injured arm. “You’re good at this.”

“Both my parents are doctors, and I want to be one, too.” Rebecca tied off the improvised bandage and gently rolled Tory’s sleeve down again.

It still amazed Tory that in this century, girls could plan to become doctors. In her time, such a thing was unheard of. The twentieth century produced ghastly wars, but also more freedom and choices.

Aaron emerged from the shadows with a yawn. “Tory?” he said with a cherubic smile.

“Yes, I’m Tory.” She smiled at the little boy, her regret over destroying the cottage fading. If violence was needed to preserve innocent lives, she could and would do what was necessary.

“Time for the last short stretch of our journey.” Remembering what Rebecca had called him, she grinned and added, “Boychik.”

CHAPTER 35

By the time they reached the cave, Jack could barely move. Cynthia couldn’t even help on his left side because it would hurt him too much. She settled for keeping a hand on his back and channeling what pain relief she could manage. He seemed to appreciate the help, and touching him made her feel better. She was too tired to analyze why when the answer was so complicated.

Nick emerged from the cave just as they reached it. “Good God, Jack! The Nazis did this to you?”

Jack managed a twisted smile. “Of course not. This happened when Cynthia lost her temper with me.”

She didn’t dignify that with a reply. “Nick, take over from Allarde. He’s pretty much carried Jack all the way from the camp and he must be close to collapse.”

“Not quite,” Allarde panted. “But I’m ready to deposit Jack on the nearest blanket.”

Nick moved in and carefully took Allarde’s place, causing only one strangled gasp on Jack’s part. “I’m so sorry, Jack. If anyone had to be beaten, it should have been me.”

“Nonsense,” Jack muttered. “I volunteered because I wanted my chance to be heroic. You gave it to me, so I owe you a favor.”

Males!
Rolling her eyes, Cynthia entered the cave and folded a blanket into a pallet. As the boys lowered Jack onto it, Nick said in a low voice, “Each of the families has found a separate cave room where they can be together. By now, they’re mostly sleeping. Where are Tory and Rebecca and the little boy?”

“On their way here,” Allarde said wearily. “Not far. She needed to pull a lot of magic a short while back, but she’s still free.” Looking more tired than Cynthia had ever seen him, he folded down onto the floor, his face haggard. “After I catch my breath, I’ll go out to her.”

Elspeth emerged from the inner cave. “Even your energy isn’t limitless, Allarde,” she said tartly. Her gaze shifted to Jack. “Just what I need. Another patient.”

Cynthia hadn’t known Elspeth could be sarcastic. The strain was affecting all of them. She settled by Jack’s side and took his hand. He squeezed her fingers, but was worrisomely weak. “Jack keeps saying he’s fine. He’s lying, of course.”

“Of course,” Elspeth agreed as she sat on his other side. She maintained her tartly humorous tone, but her face was grave as she removed the ragged bandage so she could examine Jack’s damaged eye. “Remember the story of the Spartan boy who hid a stolen fox under his tunic and died rather than show pain when it was eating his innards?”

Cynthia shuddered. “If that’s what one learns from studying Greek, I’m glad I never did.”

The banter dropped off as Elspeth cupped both hands over Jack’s injured eye and poured in her healing magic. Silently Nick laid a hand on her shoulder, channeling extra power. Cynthia and Allarde followed his lead.

In the distance, Cynthia heard motorcar engines. She wondered how long the Germans would search for the prisoners before giving up.

Elspeth sat back on her heels with an exhausted sigh. “I’ve done what I can.”

Eyes closed, Jack said, “Will I lose that eye?”

Cynthia bit her lip. Of course he’d been aware how serious the injury was.

“I believe I’ve saved it,” Elspeth replied. “But my healing power is just about burned out, so I can’t do anything for your other injuries.”

“None of which are anywhere near as bad as having a fox gnaw on my vitals,” Jack murmured. “Thank you, Elspeth. I think I’d look rather dashing with an eye patch, but my mother wouldn’t like it.”

Allarde stiffened and turned his head toward the cave entrance. “Tory is almost back, and she’s in trouble.” As he vaulted to his feet, gunshots sounded outside, the sharp cracks alarmingly close.

The Germans were near, and they must have Tory in their sights.

*   *   *

Dawn was breaking as Tory and her companions crossed the small road at the base of the wooded hill leading up to the cave. She had just sighed with relief when she heard the screech of brakes and German shouts coming from the road only a hundred yards behind them.

Rebecca gasped. “They saw us!”

“We’re almost there. Run!” Summoning the last of her energy, Tory took off up the hill. She’d be leading the Germans right to the cave, but where else could she go? Surely six magelings could hold the enemy off long enough for everyone to escape through the mirror!

She sent out a mental call for help. Allarde at least could hear. She sensed his instant response. He was coming to meet them.

Praying she’d not signed his death warrant, she said between gasps for breath, “Rebecca, keep going up the hill! Allarde will help you and Aaron. I’ll stay here and slow the soldiers down.”

“But…” Rebecca glanced over her shoulder, her face agonized.

“Go! I’ll follow soon.” If she survived long enough to run again.

“God bless you,” Rebecca panted as she struggled upward, Aaron whimpering at how tightly she held him.

Tory turned, summoning all her remaining magic and tapping into Allarde’s as well. His energy was down, but what he had was freely given.

Soldiers crashed toward her through the underbrush lower on the hill. At least three or four, perhaps more. She saw their dark shapes moving among the trees. They were charging straight up the hill, which would take them by a leaning tree. With the soil so wet, it wouldn’t take much power to pull it down.

She forced herself to wait as they drew closer and closer. Just as they reached the tree, she crashed it down on them.

The shouts and curses that followed its fall were so vigorous that she realized few if any of the pursuers were seriously injured. Hoping it would take a few precious moments for them to recover from their surprise and get untangled, she spun around and continued up the hill as fast as her tired legs would take her.

She flinched as a burst of bullets snarled by. One of the Germans had a portable machine gun. Nick would know what it was called. She began to zigzag, taking advantage of the larger trees while she prayed that the soldiers’ aim would be bad since they were running, too.

Allarde burst from the cave and charged down the hill like an avenging war god. Nick wasn’t far behind. Both were firing handguns at the Germans.

Hitting a target was unlikely, but their bullets slowed down her pursuers. Allarde passed Rebecca, who was staggering toward the cave, but Nick stopped and scooped Aaron from her arms. Not missing a step, he pivoted and wrapped his other arm around her waist to haul her to the safety of the cave.

Allarde continued toward Tory, his face blazing with determination. She wanted to scream at him to retreat before the Germans could see him well enough for a clear shot, but she had no breath, no strength.

She tripped and crashed to the ground. Incapable of moving, she began to weep uncontrollably. So close,
close …

Gasping for breath, she called, “Justin, go back! Don’t commit suicide in a hopeless cause!”

“Steady, Tory!” Covering the last yards between them, he skidded to a halt above her and fired the last bullet from his handgun.

She could feel him gathering his magic as he shoved the empty handgun into his waistband. Then he flung up his hands toward the oncoming soldiers and power blazed from his palms like invisible flames.

The sounds of gunfire changed. Weapons continued their ear-numbing bursts, but they were joined by a hard, pattering sound like hail.

Tory gasped. Dear God in heaven, Allarde was creating a shield that knocked the bullets from the air!

His flinty gaze still fixed on the oncoming soldiers, he caught her hand and hauled her to her feet. His touch conveyed the enormous strain of blocking the fusillade of bullets, but he never wavered.

She managed to get her feet under her so she could move on her own. Her hand locked on his, she guided them up the hill. He continued to face the Germans, protecting Tory and himself from the gunfire by magic and fierce willpower.

Heart pounding and muscles near collapse, she forced herself to keep moving. The cave was only a dozen paces ahead. Half a dozen. Only another stride …

They staggered inside. Tory hadn’t thought what would happen next, but Allarde had. “Get back!” he barked at the other Irregulars. “Move Jack deeper into the cave!”

They scrambled to obey. Nick heaved Jack to his feet, the girls helping. Agony flashed across Jack’s face, but he didn’t utter a sound. The four of them disappeared into the tunnel, leaving Tory and Allarde alone in the antechamber.

Tory numbly followed, her hand still clamped on Allarde’s. When they were a dozen paces from the entrance, he said tautly, “I need all the magic you have, Tory!”

“It’s yours.” She reached into her deepest reserves, finding resources she didn’t know she had, pouring the power into him.

Focusing their combined magic in an incandescent blast, Allarde collapsed the entrance to the cave in a deafening avalanche of stone and earth. The door between them and their Nazi pursuers was now closed and locked.

CHAPTER 36

As debris showered between them and the entrance, Allarde pulled Tory down to the floor and engulfed her in his arms to protect her from the hail of dirt and rocks. She clung to him as fragments bounced off her back, coughing from the dust and never wanting to let him go.

His face was buried in her wet hair when the cascade ended. The darkness was absolute. She said shakily, “I didn’t know you could block bullets like that!”

His embrace tightened. “Neither did I.”

“You didn’t know if you could?” she exclaimed, aghast. “And you still ran straight into the gunfire? Justin, you’re insane!”