John was on his own.
Savagely he thrust the dagger back at Bennett, "if you want him dead so badly, why don"t you do it yourself? He"s helpless. He can"t hurt you."
"I could kill him. Perhaps I will yet. I thought, however, that you deserved the chance."
"To commit murder?"
"One cannot murder lesser life-forms."
"He"s a human being!"
Bennett raised an eyebrow. "I will say one thing in his favor; for all that he was only a human, Artos understood the value and importance of symbols. He became a rather powerful one himself to his fellows. Don"t you think it fitting that he be a symbol one last time?"
"What do you mean?"
"Show me you know your blood, Jack. There before you is the symbol of mankind, of the life you knew: a king of the earthly realm. Throw off that mundane yoke. Strike off your fetters, by striking down the tie that binds you to the dross of their realm. Kill him, and be free to take up your heritage."
Was this the price of being an elven prince?
"I can"t."
"Of course you can. If you don"t want to use the dagger, use your gun. Or-yes, I think he would understand that the best-use the sword. I can free it from the spell. Having lived by it, Artos would surely appreciate dying by it. An honorable death, by his lights."
"No!"
"I told you he wouldn"t," said the Lady to Bennett.
Bennett frowned. "Jack, there is no more time for foolishness."
"If being an elf means being a murderer, I want no part of it. I"d rather be human."
"There is no place for humans here."
"Then I"ll go home."
"And be used against me?"
"I don"t want anything to do with you."
"You cannot change who you are."
"Look, just let me go home. Let us all go home. We"ll stay out of your way."
"I think not."
Bennett called fire to his hand as he had that night in the museum. John looked fearfully at the growing flames. He was not a mage like Nym; he had no defenses against those deadly energies.
Faye threw herself between Bennett and John, taking the brunt of the spell. She screamed and bent over at the waist as though she"d been gut-punched when the fire hit her, but the flames died out. She straightened, trembling, and faced Bennett.
"Your job is done," Bennett told her.
"Come away, little one," the Lady said.
Still trembling, Faye shook her head. She held her knife out, pointed at Bennett.
A contemptuous sneer on his face, he called the fire again and cast it at her. It wreathed her, clinging as she crumpled to the floor. Her screams tore at John"s heart, but the sight of her pain paralyzed him. What could he do against such magic? Faye"s screams shuddered down into whimpers, then into silence. The flames flickered and died.
Trashcan Harry threw himself at Bennett, but the wounded goblin"s attack was crushed by a downward flick of the elf s hand. Harry collapsed in a heap at Bennett"s feet. Bennett bent down and lifted the goblin by the throat. With a twist of his wrist he snapped Harry"s neck.
"Your part is over, too, pathetic creature," he said as he tossed the lifeless body away.
Trashcan Harry had never had a chance, but he"d shown a courage beyond his strength. Could John do less? He stepped forward and s.n.a.t.c.hed up Caliburn, sweeping the sword up into en garde.
Bennett frowned. "What good do you think that will do? It is not yours. It will not protect you."
"No? But then, maybe I"ve had enough defending."
John"s lunge caught Bennett off guard, but still the elf managed to twist lithely away from the attack. The blade did nothing more than slice through his coat. Bennett backed away rapidly, opening s.p.a.ce between him and John.
Instead of pursuing, John turned back to Bear. Bear knew the sword, he knew how to use it best. Jamming the sword"s grip into Bear"s palm, he folded the man"s stiff fingers around it and hoped he was doing the right thing.
"Stupid wretch," Bennett shouted.
Fire ate at John"s back. He screamed as the pain dug iron spikes into him. He smelled the stench of his leather jacket burning; then another, more awful smell penetrated his agony. He collapsed to his knees, the world blackening around him. Somewhere, very far off, a bell began to toll.
Everything went dark.
After a sensationless interval of unknown duration, John found himself looking up at Bear standing astride him. Bear was brandishing Caliburn-not at John, at Bennett-and shouting.
"Face me alone, elf! We"ll settle matters once and for ail."
Bennett laughed.
"Another day, Artos. For today, I am content with how the game has played." With that Bennett vanished from sight, winking out like a terminated holoprojection. But like the Cheshire cat"s smile, his voice remained for a last echoing comment. "The reign of magic is begun again."
"He is right," said the Lady of the Lakes solemnly.
Bear turned on her and demanded, "What part did you have in this, Lady?"
"I was only an observer."
"You could have defended us."
"The cost would have been too high."
"I had dared think you a friend, Lady. I see I was wrong."
"Wrong is what you are now, Artos. You have more friends than you know. When you arrived, you told me that you did not intend to stay long. Now I think the time has come for parting."
"I have questions," Bear said.
"There will always be questions," the Lady said. "Now, you must go. I give you all health as a parting gift. Return to your earthly realm."
And with that, John stood on a gra.s.sy knoll in what appeared to be a small park tucked in the midst of office buildings. His back no longer hurt, and he shivered a little in the cool breeze blowing over his exposed skin. Little remained of his jacket save charred sleeves, and the H & K Viper was gone, left on the Lady"s floor to be placed in one of her cabinets, no doubt.
He turned in place for a quick survey of the area. He didn"t recognize his surroundings, and none of the others was in sight. Where had the Lady sent them? Wherever it was, he hoped that they had received her healing gift as well. Especially Faye.
He intended to find out what had happened to all of them. Especially Faye. It might not be easy, but he had reason for optimism, for there was something different now.
Very different.
He could smell the magic in the air.
end.