Page 18 (1/2)
Vancha blinked slowly "You’re saying I’ll die whether in or lose?" His voice was surprisingly steady
"is destined to destroy you," Mr Tall replied "I cannot say when or how it happens, but it will"
"Who’s this Lord of the Shadows?" Harkat asked I was the only person who’d been told about him Evanna had warned me not to speak of it to anybody else
"He’s the cruel leader ill ruin the world after the War of the Scars," Mr Tall said
"I don’t get it," Harkat grumbled "If we kill Steve, then there won’t be a? Lord of the bloody Shadows"
"Oh, but there will," Mr Tall said "The world is set to produce ais unavoidable Only his identity is yet to be determined - and that will be decided shortly"
"The orld," Harkat said sickly "You mean, even if we kill Steve, that’s what? the future will be? The desolate land where Darren and I found? out the truth about me - that’s what lies? in store?"
Mr Tall hesitated, then nodded "I could not tell you before I have never spoken of matters such as this in the past But we are at the ti can be done to avert it is upon us - within twenty-four hours he will be born, and all the world will tre, stunned silence Vancha, Harkat, Debbie and Alice were filled with confusion, especially the latter pair, who knew nothing of the orld of the futureI was filled with fear This was confirardless of what happened in the War of the Scars And not only could I not prevent his co - in one of the futures, I wouldbe hie in the next fifty or sixty years, along with all the other lives I’d ruin, I would kill Vancha too It seemed impossible It sounded like a sick joke But Evanna and Mr Tall both had the gift of reading the future - and both had told ht," Vancha growled, breaking the silence and disrupting ht "No matter what happens between us and Steve Leonard - or in the ith the va and destroy the world?"
"Yes," Mr Tall said "Humans are soon to lose control of this planet The reins of poill be handed over This is written What remains to be seen is whether the reins pass to a vampaneze or? to a vaht have beenhe had deliberately avoided ardless of ins, I’m for the chop?" Vancha pressed
"Yes" Mr Tall smiled "But do not fear death, Vancha, for it comes for us all" His smile dimmed "For some of us, it co about?" Vancha snapped "You’re not part of this No vaainst you"
"That ht be true," Mr Tall chuckled, "but there are others in this world who do not hold h esteem" He cocked his head sideways and his expression mellowed "And to proveto our feet and rushed to the door, except Mr Tall, who slowly rose behind us
Alice was first to the door Flinging it open, she dived out, drew a gun, rolled when she hit the ground, then ca a couple of shurikens free, juht if he had to I was third I had no weapons, so I sprang over to where Alice was, guessing she’d be able to supplyHarkat and Debbiehis axe, Debbie pulling a pistol like Alice’s Behind the up at the sky Then he stepped down
There was nobody in sight, but we heard another screaave a shout of panic - it was Evra
"A weapon!" I yelled at Alice as she got to her feet With one hand she reached down and produced a short hunting knife fro
"Stay behindin on the screaht"
We obeyed the ex-chief inspector, fanned out and advanced I could sense Mr Tall following, but I didn’t look back
A woain - Merla, Evra’s wife
People spilt out of the caravans and tents around us, perforer to help Mr Tall roared at them to keep out of this His voice was thunderous and they quickly bolted back inside I glanced over etically "This is our fight, not theirs," he said by way of explanation
The "our" surprisedhis neutrality? - but I hadn’t time to dwell upon it Ahead of ht of the disturbance A second later, I was on the scene too
The Vons - except Lilia, asn’t present - were under attack Their assailants - RV, Morgan James and Steve Leopard’s son, Darius! RV had killed Evra’s snake and was in the process of chopping up Shancus’s Evra was fighting with the hook-handedlock with Darius Merla had hold of Urcha, as gripping his snake for dear life, sobbing pitifully They were backing away froed half-faced s his evil little eyes The nose of his rifle was aimed at Merla’s stomach
Vancha reacted quickest He sent a shuriken flying at Morgan Jaer tightened on the trigger at the contact and the rifle exploded - but the bullet shot wide Before he could fire again, Merla released Urcha, ripped her right ear loose, and sent it flying at James’s face The ear struck hi with surprise
Alerted to our presence, RV knocked Evra out of the way and drove after Shancus He grabbed hi us to risk the snake-boy’s life
"I don’t have a clear shot!" Alice yelled
"I’ve got Morgan James covered!" Debbie shouted back
"Then take him out!" Alice roared