Page 70 (1/2)

She blinked and squinted against a brilliance that flooded the nave, driving the shadows fro, Madison! A naers becaar Power sla her drunk and helpless, the rooht be sick An unquenchable flame burned at her center and rippled under her skin, threatening to split it open So, and she realized it was her

The stone was a flaone, wicked into her body until she was lit fros had said

Elicitors draw all kinds of ic

From somewhere close at hand, the sounds of battle intruded The Rosesaway now

She’d destroyed her only hope of saving Grace and JR She wished the fla reainst the cool floor, Madison sat up, scooting back until she leaned against the wooden pew She illu out shadows like the rising sun "It’s gone," she said, hopelessly Tears sizzled on her cheeks, evaporating as soon as they eone," someone said

Madison raised her head Snowbeard shuffled up the aisle, gripping the pews on either side, a smaller man than she reht nave The heat within her fractured and split She retreated without a fight, shoved aside by another presence under her skin

"Madison," Seph whispered Jack caht approach an explosive device or a demon Will and Fitch followed at a discreet distance, no doubt drawn by the noise of the chase Mercedes stood frozen in the doorway of the side chapel, unwilling to leave her patient

The stranger within her stirred, seizing control of her body Madison gracefully levered herself to her feet, see to extend herself as she did so, until she towered over thes Her skin reflected light like glittering scales, and her eyes changed, her pupils beco vertical slits She was beautiful and dreadful, and soer Madison Moss

"No," Seph looked up at her, eyes wide and horrified "Please Maddie…"

A powerful intellect pressed against her A rush ofinto her h paper She ith the Lady, she was the Lady She reverberated fro plates of ruby, e toward Seph and the others, her glittering wings folded tight against her body to avoid colliding with the walls of the church Another shift, and she was Madison again Sort of

The Lady’s on eyes The church retreated, was replaced by a rugged green landscape studded with rocky outcroppings Nicodeer man, handsoold color Seph and the others stood in a circle, frozen like standing stones, hemmed in and overwhelmed by the Lady’s will

Madison looked down at the neck toward them, and they shrank back, afraid

"Deh Madison "Nicodely loud that birds exploded fro his head He was dressed expensively, in fine leather and silk, the cut of his clothes revealing a soldier’s build "My Lady Aidan Ladhra"

"Nick," Jack said, his hand on the hilt of his sword But Nicodemus Hawk Snowbeard raised his hand and shook his head There was soht have been hope

The Lady’s ht pebbles in a stream while Madison cowered in the corner

"You betrayed round "Yes, ain, reverted to the familiar old man with the white beard But the eyes--they were the sahtly arown old"

He did not flinch "Yes, my Lady It’s been over a thousand years They call , old roiser as well as older?"

De me out of the mountain?"

"You promised to intervene if we broke the Covenant"

"I pro The Covenant was your creation, not mine Your lies, not mine"

Nick raised his hands, palms up, a supplication "The Covenant stopped the wizard wars For a ti flames all the way to the end of the valley "Kill each other off, for all I care The world will be better for it"

"We need your help," Nick persisted