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derelict, though fear was still audible in his voice.
"Whadda you think they want with me? The ones who brought me here?"
"To the best of my belief," Talisman told him calmly, "they intend to use you
as the next in a series of human sacrifices."
Unconsciously Marge had retreated from both men. Her back was now against the
stones of the dungeon wall. And a part of her mind, having now recovered
somewhat from the terror of the beast, was trying to tell her that she ought
to believe none of this. That this talk of powers and enchantment and
sacrifice had to be part of the biggest show, the biggest act, the biggest
scam& She knew that nothing she had seen or heard here had been part of any
act.
Talisman was speaking to the old man, as if in explanation, again speaking
what might have been French or Latin. Whatever it was, the old man understood
it, and nodded slowly; his suspicions, or some of them, were being confirmed.
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"And I have fought the loup garou
," Talisman added. He was still inexorably calm. "Within the hour. And only a
few paces from these walls."
The old man nodded again, in fear.
Talisman went on "Some dark dominion has its center in this house above our
heads. Among its evil powers there may be--nay, must be--some greater even
than the werewolf. But you know this. You must."
The ancient one regarded Talisman hopelessly, then closed his eyes, as if he
could bear to hear no more.
"We must be a hundred friggin' miles from the city," he muttered hopelessly.
"At least that far." Talisman paused. "That you should have been plucked from
the streets at random seems impossible. They chose you deliberately. Or they
were led to choose you. Who, what, might have led them?"
The old man had no answer.
"There are powers at work here, honored one, that are beyond my experience and
comprehension. Tell me, what is it that you so greatly fear?"
The ancient was rubbing at his forehead. "I wonder what the bastard put in
that wine& you figure it out, why they picked me. I don't give a damn, I'm
leaving, whatever I have to do. If I can remember how."
Talisman was quietly upset by this announcement. "The place for one of your
stature to be is here, in confrontation with your enemies who kidnapped you
and brought you here. Honor and wisdom alike forbid that you should simply
leave."
"Screw honor and wisdom. Whadda you know about wisdom?"
"Do you not see& ?".
But plainly the old man was not listening. Having glared once more at both his
listeners, as if they were the ones guilty of kidnapping, he had closed his
eyes again and was now muttering systematically. His toneless voice fell into
the rhythm of a chant.
"Master," said Talisman. To judge from his tone he was now closer to offering
violence than service. "I
do not insist on courtesy from you; it is not my place to do that. But more
than courtesy is at stake. I ask you to behave with common sense. For your own
good, as well as for the sake of the innocent folk of this time and place."
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"Shuddup, will ya? How in hell's a man supposed to think? To remember?" The
blue-gray eyes closed yet again
, the mumbled words came louder, faster than before.
Talisman uttered a sound that was not quite a sigh, and took one step forward.
His right arm flicked out like a lash. Marge winced at the sound his hand
made, hitting the old one on the temple. The old man's eyes stayed closed, and
his jaw sagged open in mind-chant, displaying snaggled teeth. Talisman caught
the body gently, just as it began to fall. He lifted it easily, to put it back
unbound upon the handy rack.
And at that point a soundless explosion overcame the world.
For a moment Marge actually thought that a bomb might have been detonated, so
powerful was the sense of almost instantaneous change. But what happened was
silent, and did not blast or burn, and was just a beat too slow to have been
the effect of chemical explosives.
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