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； 〃Dumni。 Um muji dumni。〃 Bomanz smashed into his own body。 He seized mand of his muscles； surged off the floor。
Glory shrieked。
Bomanz hurled her toward a wall。 Her flight shattered priceless antiques。
Bomanz squealed in agony as all the pains of an old body hit his consciousness。 Damn！ His ulcer was tearing his gut apart！
He seized his son's throat as he turned； silencing him before he finished the cantrip。
Stancil was younger； stronger。 He rose。 And Glory threw herself at Bomanz。 Bomanz darted backward。 〃Don't anybody move；〃 he snapped。
Stancil rubbed his throat and croaked something。
〃You don't think I would？ Try me。 I don't care who you are。 You're not going to free that thing out there。〃
〃How did you know？〃 Stancil croaked。
〃You've been acting strange。 You have strange friends。 I hoped I was wrong； but I don't take chances。 You should have remembered that。〃
Stancil drew a knife。 His eyes hardened。 〃I'm sorry； Pop。 Some things are more important than people。〃
Bomanz's temples throbbed。 〃Behave yourself。 I don't have time for this。 I have to stop Tokar。〃
Glory drew a knife of her own。 She sidled a step closer。
〃You're trying my patience； son。〃
The girl jumped。 Bomanz uttered a word of power。 She plunged headlong into the table slid to the floor； almost inhumanly limp。 In seconds she was limper still。 She mewled like an injured kitten。
Stancil dropped to one knee。 〃I'm sorry； Glory。 I'm sorry。〃
Bomanz ignored his own emotional agony。 He salvaged the quicksilver spilled from the bowl that had been atop the table； mouthed words which transformed its surface into a mirror of events afar。
Tokar was two thirds of the way to the Barrowland。
〃You killed her；〃 Stancil said。 〃You killed her。〃
〃I warned you； this is a cruel business。〃 And： 〃You made a bet and lost。 Sit your butt in the corner and behave。〃
〃You killed her。〃
Remorse smashed in even before his son forced him to act。 He tried to soften the impact； but the melting of bones was all or nothing。
Stancil fell across his lover。
His father fell to his knees beside him。 〃Why did you make me do it？ You fools。 You bloody damned fools！ You were using me。 You didn't have sense enough to make sure of me； and you want to deal with something like the Lady？ I don't know。 I don't know。 What am I going to tell Jasmine？ How can I explain？〃 He looked around wildly； an animal tormented。 〃Kill myself。 That's all I can do。 Save her the pain of learning what her son was 。 。 。 Can't。 Got to stop Tokar。〃
There was fighting in the street outside。 Bomanz ignored it。 He scrabbled after quicksilver。
Tokar was at the edge of the moat； staring into the Barrowland。 Bomanz saw the fear and uncertainty in him。
Tokar found his courage。 He gripped the amulet and crossed the line。
Bomanz began building a killing sending。
His glance crossed the doorway； spied a frightened Snoopy watching from the dark landing。 〃Oh； child。 Child； get out of here。〃
〃I'm scared。 They're killing each other outside。〃
We're killing each other in here； too； he thought。 Please go away。 〃Go find Jasmine。〃
A horrendous crash came from the shop。 Men cursed。 Steel met steel。 Bomanz heard the voice of one of Tokar's teamsters。 The man was deploying a defense of the house。
The Guard had made a eback。
Snoopy whimpered。
〃Stay out of here； child。 Stay out。 Go down with Jasmine。〃
〃I'm scared。〃
〃So am I。 And I won't be able to help if you get in my way。 Please go downstairs。〃
She ground her teeth and rattled away。 Bomanz sighed。 That was close。 If she had seen Stance and Glory 。 。 。
The uproar redoubled。 Men screamed。 Bomanz heard Corporal Husky bellowing orders。 He turned to the bowl。 Tokar had disappeared。 He could not locate the man。 In passing he surveyed the land between the town and the Barrowland。 A few Resurrectionists were rushing toward the fighting； apparently to help。 Others were in headlong flight。 Remnants of the Guard were in pursuit。
Boots pounded upstairs。 Again Bomanz interrupted the preparation of his sending。 Husky appeared in the doorway。 Bomanz started to order him out。 He was in no mood to argue。 He swung a great bloody sword 。 。 。
Bomanz used the word of power。 Again a man's bones turned to jelly。 Then again and again as Husky's troopers tried to avenge him。 Bomanz dropped four before the rush ended。
He tried to get back to his sending 。 。 。
This time the interruption was nothing physical。 It was a reverberation along the pathway he had opened into the Lady's crypt。 Tokar was on the Great Barrow and in contact with the creature it contained。
〃Too late；〃 he murmured。 〃Too damned late。〃 But he made the sending anyway。 Maybe Tokar would die before he could release those monsters。
Jasmine cursed。 Snoopy screamed。 Bomanz piled over the fallen Guardsmen and charged downstairs。 Snoopy screamed again。
Bo entered his bedroom。 One of Tokar's men held a knife across Jasmine's throat。 A pair of Guardsmen sought an opening。
Bomanz had no patience left。 He killed all three。 The house rattled。 Teacups clinked in the kitchen。 It was a gentle tremor； but a harbinger strong enough to warn Bomanz。 His sending had not arrived in time。 Resigned； he said； 〃Get out of the house。 There's going to be a quake。〃
Jasmine looked at him askance。 She held the hysterical girl。
〃I'll explain later。 If we survive。 Just get out of the house。〃 He whirled and dashed into the street； charged toward the Barrowland。
Imagining himself tall and lean and fleet did no good now。 He was Bomanz in the flesh； a short； fat old man easily winded。 He fell twice as tremors shook the town。 Each was stronger than the last。
The fires still burned； but the fighting had died away。 The survivors on both sides knew it was too late for a decision of the sword。 They stared toward the Barrowland； awaiting the unfolding of events。
Bomanz joined the watchers。
The et burned so brightly the Barrowland was clearly illuminated。
A tremendous shock rattled the earth。 Bomanz staggered。 Out on the Barrowland the mound containing Soulcatcher exploded。 A painful glow burned from within。 A figure rose from the rubble； stood limned against the glow。
People prayed or cursed according to predilection。
The tremors continued。 Barrow after barrow opened。 One by one； the Ten Who Were Taken appeared against the night。 〃Tokar；〃 Bomanz murmured； 〃I hope you rot in Hell。〃
There was only one chance left。 One impossible chance。 It rode on the time…bowed shoulders of a pudgy little man whose powers were not at their sharpest。
He marshaled his most potent spells； his greatest magicks； all the mystical tricks he had worked out during thirty…seven years worth of lonely nights。 And he started walking toward the Barrowland。
Hands reached out to detain him。 They found no purchase。 From the crowd an old woman called； 〃Bo； no！ Please！〃
He kept walking。
The Barrowland seethed。 Ghosts howled among the ruins。 The Great Barrow shook its hump。 Earth exploded upward； flaming。 A great winged serpent rose against the night。 A great scream poured from its mouth。 Torrents of dragonfire inundate