The Returned (26 page)

He crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain and gasping for breath. The others in the room flinched back and a moment later began drawing in power.

“It's okay,” Four said through gritted teeth and looked at Wraith.

For a brief moment, she almost regretted kicking him. Then she thought of Sprout, not even ten years old, and what she suffered at Four's hands as part of his scheme. She didn't care if they threw down right now or walked away. The bastard had it coming.

Everyone held for a moment, then looked at One.

“Stand down,” he said. Then he turned to Wraith. “You done?”

Wraith nodded. She thought about saying “for now” but decided against it.

“That's the first and last time I'll stand aside after you assault one of my team,” One said. “If you have any issue with something he's done, you come to me. He acts on my orders.”

Wraith didn't say anything.

One, Two, Six, and Seven stepped over, all of them turned just enough to be out of range of her kick. She didn't bother holding back the smile now. It was good to remind people in power that others had power too.

“Stay close,” Wraith said, then drew up the entropic equation and led them through the universal junction point.

C
aitlin paced, trying to block out the frustration and worry. It wasn't working. The slowly eroding circle and Anna's unblinking stare weren't helping.

“It's been twenty minutes,” Edward said. “The circle is fading faster.”

“Can you not just add another?” Siobhan asked.

Edward shook his head. “I don't understand all the magical elements at play, but more than three becomes unstable. I could do another set of three.” He nodded to a nearby steel I-beam. “But this would get in the way and keep the circles from working.”

“How much time do you think we have?” Caitlin asked.

“Forty-five minutes,” he said. “Tops.”

“And there's no repairing the circles?” Siobhan asked.

“No,” Edward said. “I can't work on them while they're active, and I think dropping them would be a bad idea.”

“Aye, fair play that,” Siobhan said. Then she cleared her throat and looked away. “How long do we give it, before, you know?”

Caitlin ran a hand through her hair. “That is the absolute last resort, so, forty-four minutes and fifty-nine seconds.”

Siobhan nodded. “Where do you think she went?”

Caitlin let out a long sigh. “I have no idea—”

There was a whirl in the corner, casting dust and dirt around the room. Wraith's previous entrances and exits had never kicked up so much. Caitlin was forced to shield her eyes and look away.

“Bloody hell!” Siobhan said.

“
Tân!
” Edward said.

Caitlin snapped her head up to see four men with Wraith, all dressed in black military fatigues. All of them had their hands raised, displaying circles—not unlike the ones Edward had drawn on the floor—of white light on their palms. Siobhan had both pistols out and aimed at the men. Edward's hand was drawn back and holding a ball of flame.

“Stop!” Wraith said and stepped between the two groups.

Caitlin blinked away a little dirt, and her mouth fell open when she recognized One. “What the hell are you doing?” she asked Wraith.

“I'm guessing you didn't clear this plan with them first,” One said calmly.

“
Damnú air
,” Siobhan said. “We go through all this to keep the girl from these
bastún
, and you just fecking bring them here? What are you thinking, girl?”

Wraith turned to Caitlin. “You said sometimes it comes to making the least horrible choice. Well, we only had two, so I went with the one that didn't involve murder.”

Caitlin and Edward exchanged a look.

He raised his eyebrows.

Caitlin shrugged. She didn't like this idea, but Wraith was right. It was better than the alternative. At least she hoped it was.

The fire in Edward's hand vanished, and he stood up straight.

Siobhan didn't lower her guns. Instead, she looked at Caitlin in obvious disbelief, but Caitlin just nodded. Clearly unhappy about it, Siobhan lowered her pistols but didn't put them away.

“Merciful Father,” one of the Legion said and crossed himself when he saw Anna.

“This is Seven,” Wraith said. “He's a priest and an exorcist.”

“Catholic?” Siobhan asked, her eyes narrowed.

“I'm a chaplain,” Seven said. “So I provide services to all faiths.” He nodded. “But yes, I'm personally a Catholic. Irish Catholic, if it helps.”

“Aye, it does a bit,” Siobhan said.

“I made a deal with them,” Wraith said.

“What kind of deal?” Caitlin asked.

“Seven is going to help us,” Wraith said.

The chaplain nodded.

“And what do they get for it?” Siobhan asked.

“One less dark and terrible force on this plane,” One said, then turned to Caitlin and Edward. “I told you, I don't want to see innocent people dead any more than you. I'm a soldier. I do what has to be done, but that doesn't mean it's my first or preferred choice.” He looked at Anna. “Especially when it's a child.”

“Yeah, that's not really the best argument to make right now,” Wraith said.

“A conversation for another time,” One said. “I agree.”

“So what are the other three here for?” Edward asked.

Wraith shrugged. “One didn't trust us with just Seven, or probably more accurately, he didn't trust me.”

“I don't risk my men unnecessarily,” One said.

Wraith looked at Siobhan. “And just so his paranoia doesn't feel unfounded, if any of them try anything, shoot them.”

“Aye,” Siobhan said and nodded to One. “Him first.”

Wraith turned to One. “You keep to your word, there's nothing to worry about.”

One eyed her for a long moment, then he turned to Seven and nodded.

The priest walked to the edge of the circle and set down a brown leather bag. He opened it and drew out a purple stole, which he kissed and placed around his neck. Next he took out a Bible, which he also kissed.

“I assume it goes without saying,” Edward said, “that casting holy water is a bad idea.”

Seven nodded. “Aside from breaking your rather impressive circle chain,” he said, “I doubt it would do anything to this particular being.”

“But I thought—” Edward said.

“The Church is, shall we say, pragmatic,” Seven said. “It doesn't advertise the fact, but it's aware of the existence of powers outside of heaven and hell. We have rites and rituals beyond those you've seen on TV or in movies.”

“And the use of magic doesn't conflict with your faith?” Caitlin couldn't stop herself from asking.

“Of course not,” Seven said as he drew out a talisman on a gold chain and hung it around his neck. “It's black magic that is frowned upon. King Solomon himself was a prolific wizard in service to the Lord.”

Caitlin wasn't sure what to say to that. She'd thought after the events around Fiona's kidnapping that the surprises the world held were basically over. It was clear what a stupid assumption that was.

“
In nomine Patris
,” Seven whispered and crossed himself. “
Et Filii. Et Spiritus Sancti
.”

Caitlin had a flashback to Brendan, crossing himself and saying a prayer before she faced the hall of doors in the Dusk Lands. A cold shiver of fear went through her, but it was washed away instantly by a sense of warmth, peace, and confidence that emanated from Seven.

Thin tendrils of white light drifted around the priest and down into the circle.

“
Dar fia
,” Siobhan said and crossed herself.

Caitlin couldn't think of a better sentiment.

Seven lifted the talisman around his neck, holding it out in front of him. It was hard to make out in the dim light, but it looked like a battered metal disk with an engraved circle etched into it.

Edward walked over and took Caitlin's hand.

She pressed closer to him.

Seven whispered something in what Caitlin presumed was Latin. More threads of light—now emanating from the amulet in his hand—wove through Seven and down into the circle, the lines and symbols of which filled with the same white light. Even some of those that had been consumed with the dark purple fire changed. Where the two met, there were flashes and crackles, like a power line grounding out. As Seven spoke, it looked like the purple flame gave way to the white light.

Anna roared something in a harsh, guttural language and in a voice deep and resonant. At the same time, the tendrils of flame lashed out once more, assaulting the invisible barrier. Some slipped through and, matching Seven's light, fed into the circle.

This time it was the white light that gave ground to the purple flame.

Seven staggered back a step and gritted his teeth.

Anna laughed in the deeply disturbing voice. “You think to cast me out with the old magics, mortal? You have power, but you are no Solomon.”

“I'm going to need help with this,” Seven said.

The other Legion members went instantly to him and took up positions around him. They each muttered something, bowed their heads, and placed their right hands on Seven's shoulders.

The pressure in the room increased, and light began to cast away the dimness of the factory.

Caitlin could only watch in utter amazement.

“No, I'm no Solomon,” Seven said, his voice serene. “I'm but a humble servant of the Lord. It's he who will drive you from this innocent child.”

“Innocent?” Anna laughed again. “You can't imagine the dark and terrible thoughts in this mind. I'm simply giving her a means to act on those desires.”

Edward squeezed Caitlin's hand. She knew dark and terrible thoughts and had more than her share. But hadn't everyone? Wasn't it the acting on those thoughts that defined a person? Of course, she'd done some fairly terrible things too.

A flash caught her eye, and she watched Anna lift the amulet in her hand. The purple flame flared like someone had thrown gasoline on it, and the whole building shook.

Seven and the other Legionnaires, as one, slid back a foot across the dirty ground.

“Look out!” Edward shouted and tackled Caitlin to the ground.

A large section of the roof collapsed, sending debris flying.

Siobhan cried out, and Caitlin turned her head to see the Fian get struck by a roof beam and knocked to the ground, her pistols slipping from her hands.

At the same moment, there was a rush of wind toward the center of the building, like a giant inhaling. Three pops announced, even to Caitlin, that the circles were down.

“
Amddiffynnent!
” Edward shouted from the ground, still partially covering Caitlin.

She felt heat wash over her as they were both engulfed in purple flame.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!” Wraith shouted over and over.

The fire drew back, and Edward rolled off Caitlin, getting quickly to his feet but still standing between her and Anna.

Wraith fired a seemingly endless barrage of invisible blasts from her fingers at Anna. The girl smacked them away with fiery tendrils as if they were errant flies.

The blasts hit the walls and ceiling, pulverizing what they struck.

Edward went to one knee and drew back his hand. “
Tymestl!
” he shouted, and a rush of wind rose up around Anna, blasting her with dirt and debris.

As with Wraith's attack, Anna lashed out with her dark fire and knocked it away.

“
In nomine Dei!
” Seven shouted, his voice loud and commanding. Threads of white light leapt from him and clashed against Anna's dark purple flames.

Caitlin turned to Siobhan and saw her unconscious and pinned under a section of the roof. Even from here she could see the Fian's right arm was broken. A cut on her forehead bled profusely.

There were more flashes and loud crashes as Seven—still supported by his team—tried to beat back Anna's power. Edward and Wraith were occupying some of the girl's attention and dodging or blocking her attacks against them. All of them together were still losing.

Time slowed, and Caitlin just froze, unsure what to do. She felt like an ant watching elephants fight.

Anna's mouth was twisted into a snarl, a contrast to Seven's focused but placid expression. Wraith and Edward, while not quite snarling, wore looks far from serene. On all of them, save for Anna, Caitlin could see the beginnings of weariness. Sweat trickled down Edward's cheek. Wraith blocked or dodged an attack a hair slower than last time. Even Seven, despite his peaceful countenance, and his whole team were breathing hard.

She could see the lines of white light lose still more ground to the purple flames.

She had to do something. But what? What could she do?

Six cried out in pain as a lash of flame slipped by Seven's defenses and struck the Legionnaire. He fell away, holding his face and screaming in pain.

The fire pushed several feet closer to Seven.

Do something, damn it!
Caitlin told herself.

She looked around, desperate for something, anything that might be useful. Her eyes locked onto one of Siobhan's pistols just a few feet away. Caitlin hurried over and picked it up. It was heavy, heavier than it should've been, and the metal was very cold.

With shaking hands, she lifted the gun toward Anna.

I don't know if I can do this
, she thought.

She watched in horror as the battle moved inexorably to its obvious conclusion. All hope for another outcome evaporated.

Caitlin swallowed. They'd tried to save Anna. They'd tried, but now this was the only option left.

Anna kept up her magical onslaught, seeming to use no more energy than needed for a leisurely stroll.

Wraith went to one knee and barely rolled away in time to avoid a lash of flame.

Caitlin drew back the hammer.

Could she make the shot? Anna was only thirty feet away, but Caitlin's hands were shaking terribly. She'd taken shooting lessons not long after she'd brought Fiona home from Tír na nÓg, and her aim was respectable, but this wasn't a range and Anna wasn't just some paper target. She was someone's daughter, someone's hope and joy. Someone's Fiona.

Caitlin gripped the gun tighter. There had to be another way! Her eyes went to the girl's hand and the amulet gripped tightly in it. That was the source of power, right? If only Caitlin were some action hero, she could shoot the damn thing out of the girl's hand.

Now Edward went to one knee and shouted something just before a coil of flame struck him. It hit his ward instead, and for a moment, a translucent green dome was visible around him.

Caitlin charged at Anna, leaping over and past Edward.

Seven's threads of light wove and twisted around her, not impeding her way but protecting her from Anna's attacks.

“Caitlin, no!” Edward shouted.

But Caitlin hardly heard him. All she saw were Anna's eyes, filled with purple flame. For a brief instant, the fires vanished and she saw instead the girl behind them, and that girl was terrified.