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Again I nod "And I kill it with?"

He presses so into my hand "Prayer," Gawan says, "and this"

In my palm, a cross It’s old Old as dirt

"It’s Pictish," he says, and pulls up the sleeve of his coat Theout "Just like this one It will protect you for a time"

I stare at him

"And you have to repeat this prayer," he says "In Pictish"

I think about it and nod "The prayer and cross protectelse?"

"Jason!" Tristan bellows

"Aye!" a young voice replies I turn and glance over uy--tall, lean, dark hair pulled back--leap fro toward us, carrying so to Gawan

Jason hurries over to us He has a wide smile and seems excited to see, well, everyone "Sir Gawan!" he says, stopping just before he plows into the big ex-warlord "Here you are, just as requested" He hands the thing to Gawan, then looks at ives a slight bow "Jason, presently of Dreadmoor"

I nod "Nice to ht hiht The teaainst un Sort of Looks like a handgun, but the place for amechanism

"’Tis a scathe, lady Known in our day as a skatha Made of bronze and modified somewhat, by Sir Gawan there" Jason nods toward Conwyk "You’ll need this, but take care of the points," Jason says, and pulls a handful of clear, heavy glass cartridges the size of a ChapStick tube and places them in my other hand At one end, extremely sharp and pointy I look at hi the Dead cute I’m justbefuddled

"They’re prefilled," Jason offers as I stare at them "I’ve a score more of the that will eradicate a deical source," he continues "Pictish holy water from St Beuno’s Well" He cocks his head "Have you heard of it?"

"’Fraid not," I answer I stare at the liquid in the clear vials, then e per demon, loaded into the scathe?"

"Aye," Gawan answers "’Tis hty holy, Riley Be verra, verra careful with them"

"I will," I answer

"Here I’ll show you how to load them," Jason says, then looks down at me "If you please?"

I don’t think in a thousand years I’ll ever, ever get used toin the twenty-first century Never

"Sure," I answer, and Jason gently takes the scathe and a cartridge and loads it "Pull back this lever here," he says, showing me, "and just slip it in Give it a push"--he does so, and it clicks--"and lock the lever back in place You can load six at once When you’re finished, pull the lever back down" He does, and hands un "And you’re ready"

"Thanks, Jason," I say "Any suggestions on where to stash it?"

"Oh," Jason says sternly "You’ll not want to sheathe this, lady ’Twill be best to keep it in your hand at all tilance at Gawan, and he nods After a quick look around, I see the entire WUP teaer blinks, a look of astonishrinning

Victorian,And I can feel Eli’s scowl

"Any questions?" Gawan asks

"Uot that," Jason says, and pulls so from his pocket He unfolds the paper and hands it to ot to practice it in Pict," he says "I’ve written the words to sound exactly like the Pict words here On the other side, the English version and the correct Pict version" He smiles "’Tis the only way"

I nod "Will do"

Gawan puts a large hand on my shoulder and squeezes "You’re a brave lady, Riley Poe And I’m afraid you’re the only one who can enter that plane and ee intact You be careful"