Alternative Life Page 22

  He-iwould-iexterminate-itheir-ientire-ispecies,-iand-istrangle-itheir-ichildren-iin-itheir-ibeds-iwith-ihis-ibare-ihands-iif-ithat-iis-iwhat-iit-itook-ito-iget-iEleanor-iback.

  With-ihis-ifocus-iin-iplace,-iand-ithe-iclock-ion-ihis-ispell-irunning-iout,-iJames-imuttered-ianother-ispellword.

  This-iwas-iit.-iHe-iwon-ihere,-ior-ihe-idied.

  ###-iChapter-i93-i--iThe-iBattle-iof-iDarkshire-iWoods-i(part-i8)

  All-iat-ionce,-itime-iaround-iJames-iseemed-ito-islow,-ilike-ieverything-iaround-ihim-iwas-imoving-ithrough-ipaste.-iHe-iknew-ithis-iwas-ijust-ian-iillusion-iand-ithat-iit-iwas-iactually-ihim-ithat-iwas-imoving-ifaster,-ibut-ihe-icouldn't-ichange-ihow-ihis-ibrain-iperceived-iit.

  Casting-ithis-ispell,-ihe'd-ifunctionally-icut-ihis-iremaining-iProwess-iboost-iin-ihalf.-iHe-ihad-imaybe-i10-iseconds-ibefore-ihe-icrashed.-iHe-ihad-ito-imake-iit-icount.

  James-irushed-iat-ithe-ignoll,-iand-iwith-ia-iroaring-ileap-ijumped-ioff-ithe-iground-iand-ibrought-ihis-iaxe-iall-ithe-iway-iback-ibehind-ihis-ihead-ito-isplit-ithe-idogman-ifrom-iskull-ito-ipelvis.-iThe-iblade-ifell-ilike-ia-iguillotine,-icollided-iwith-ia-iparry-ifrom-ithe-ignoll,-iwho-ihad-icorrectly-ipredicted-ithe-iblow,-ibut-ihadn't-ibeen-iquite-ifast-ienough-ito-iget-ihis-iblade-ifully-iin-ithe-iway-ito-iintercept-ithe-istrike.-iThe-iblow-ideflected-ito-ithe-iside,-iand-ithe-iaxehead-iinstead-ibit-ideeply-iinto-ithe-ignoll's-ishoulder,-isinking-ifar-ienough-ito-istrike-ithe-icreature's-iribcage-iand-istick-ifast-iin-ithe-idogman's-ibones.

  The-icreature-ilet-iout-ia-igurgling-ihowl,-iand-isnarled-iat-iJames,-ibefore-ireaching-idown-ito-iits-ibelt,-iand-ipulling-ia-ismall-iblade-ifrom-iits-isheath-iand-imoving-ito-istrike-iat-ihim.

  James-iplanted-ia-ifoot-ion-ithe-ignoll's-ichest-iand-ijerked,-itearing-ithe-iaxe-iblade-ifree-iwith-ia-ispurt-iof-iblood-iand-iloose-ifur.-iAs-ihe-ipulled-ithe-iweapon-iout,-ihe-ifelt-ia-isudden-isearing-ipain-iin-ihis-ithigh-ias-ithe-ignoll-iburied-ia-idagger-iinto-ithe-iside-iof-iit.-iThe-icreature-ireeled-iback,-ithe-ilook-ion-iits-iface-ishifting-ifrom-ione-iof-ipain-iand-ianger-ito-ione-iwooziness-iand-ifear-iand-iblood-ipouring-ifrom-iits-iwound-iin-igreat-irolling-igushes,-istaining-ithe-ifur-iacross-ia-ilarge-ipart-iof-iits-ibody-ia-idirty-ibrown-icrimson.

  James-icursed-iand-istumbled-ibackwards,-istruggling-ito-ikeep-ihis-ifeet-iunder-ihim.-iHe-ilooked-idown-iat-ihis-ileg.-iThe-iblade-iin-ithe-iinside-iof-ihis-ithigh-isat-iburied-iclean-ito-ithe-ihilt,-iand-ihad-ipierced-ithrough-ito-ithe-iother-iside.-iWorse-istill,-ithe-iamount-iof-iblood-iflooding-iout-iaround-ithe-iblade,-iand-ithe-ifact-ithat-ihis-ilower-ileg-iwas-ialready-igoing-icold-iand-inumb-itold-ihim-iit'd-iprobably-inicked-ihis-ifemoral-iartery.-iThere-iwas-ialready-iblood-ipuddling-iup-iand-ioverflowing-ifrom-ithe-iinside-iof-ihis-iright-iboot.

  Gritting-ihis-iteeth-ithrough-ithe-iagony,-iJames-igathered-ithe-iabsolute-ilast-iof-ihis-iwillpower,-iand-ithrew-ievery-iounce-iof-iweight-iin-ihis-ibody-iinto-ia-iround-iswing-iat-ithe-istaggering-idogman.

  The-iaxe-iblade-isang-ithrough-ithe-iair-iand-ibit-iinto-ithe-ignoll,-isevering-iits-ileft-iarm-iand-isinking-ihalfway-ithrough-iits-iribcage.-iUnable-ito-ihold-ionto-ithe-iweapon-iany-ilonger,-iJames-ilet-igo,-istaggering-iand-ireeling-ia-istep-ior-itwo-iaway-ibefore-icollapsing-ionto-ithe-iblood-soaked-igrass-ibeneath-ihim.

  He-ididn't-ineed-ito-iknow-imuch-iabout-imedicine-ito-iknow-ithat-ignoll-ihad-idone-ienough-ito-ikill-ihim.

  And-ithat...-ithat-iprompted-ia-iprimal-ifear-ithat-ihe'd-inever-ifelt-ibefore.-iA-isense-iof-iexistential-iterror-ithat-idrove-ilogic-ior-ireason-iclean-iout-iof-ihis-ihead.-iHe-iwas-igoing-ito-idie.-iNo,-ino-ihe-iwasn't.-iHe-iwasn't.-iHe-icouldn't.-iHeroes-ididn't-idie.-iThey-ibeat-ithe-imonsters-iand-isaved-ithe-igirl-iand-ilived-ihappily-ievery-iafter.-iThey-ididn't-ibleed-iout-ifrom-iknife-iwounds-iinflicted-iby-inameless-inobodies-iin-ithe-imiddle-iof-ifucking-inowhere.

  But-ihe-iwasn't-ia-ihero.-iHe-iwas-ia-iloser.-iHe-iwas-ia-ifat-inobody-icosplaying-isomebody-ibrave-iand-ipowerful.-iA-ifat-ishut-in-ivirgin-iwho'd-idied-iin-ia-istupid-icar-iaccident-iand-idecided-ito-ibleed-iout-iin-isome-igod-forsaken-iforest-iclearing-iinstead-iof-igoing-ito-iheaven.

  He-ifelt-ithe-ilife-ipouring-iout-iof-ihis-ilimbs-ias-ihis-isenses-ibegan-ito-iget-ifuzzy,-iand-ihis-ihands-iand-iarms-ibegan-ito-igrow-icold-iand-inumb.

  This-iwas-iit.-iHe-ifelt-ihis-ivision-itunneling-iand-igrowing-idark.

  So-ilong,-inew-iworld.-iIt-iwas-inice-iknowing-iyou.

  ###-iChapter-i94-i--iAn-iEscape-iPlan-iForms

  Eleanor-ispent-ithe-inext-icouple-ihours-iafter-ieating-itrying-ito-irest-iand-iignore-iher-ipain,-ibut-iit-iseemed-iunwilling-ito-igive-iher-ia-imoment's-irest.-iEventually-ishe-igave-iup,-iand-iopened-iher-ieyes.-iHer-isurroundings-iwere-istill-ithe-isame.-iSame-iblank-iwalls,-isame-ibare-idirt-ifloor,-isame-ichain-ibound-ito-isame-ipost-ibound-iaround-iher-ineck.

  But-ithere-iwas-isomething-idifferent.-iThey'd-ileft-isomething-ibehind.-iThey'd-iforgotten-ito-istay-iand-itake-ithe-ibowl-iand-ispoon-iback,-iand-iit-isat-ithere,-iright-inext-ito-ithere,-iwith-ia-ismall-iamount-iof-ibroth-iand-ia-ifew-ismall-ipieces-iof-ifood-ileft-iinside.-i

  She-inow-ihad-isomething-ito-iwork-iwith.

  A-itiny-ithrill-iof-ihope-ishot-ithrough-iher.-iShe-ididn't-iknow-iif-ishe-icould-ido-ianything-iwith-iit,-ior-iif-iit-ieven-ichanged-ianything,-ibut-ithe-ievery-ifact-ithat-ishe-ihad-ieven-ithe-ipossibility-iof-ifinding-ianother-ioption-ibesides-icaptivity-iand-isuffering-iwas-ienough-ito-ishift-iher-iperspective.

  She-iwas-ia-iclassically-itrained-icaster.-iShe-iusually-irelied-ion-iher-ispellbooks-ito-iremind-iher-iof-ithe-imotions,-iincantations,-iand-icomponents-iit-itook-ito-igenerate-ia-iparticular-ieffect,-ibut-ishe-ididn't-iNEED-ithem.-iHer-imagic-iwas-ijust-ias-iin-born-ias-iany-isorcerers,-iand-ishe'd-ibeen-ia-igood-istudent.-iMaybe-ishe-icould-iimprovise-ia-ispell-ior-itwo-ijust-iby-itrying-ito-ipiece-itogether-ithe-ifragments-ishe-icould-iremember-ifrom-iall-ithe-ispells-ishe'd-ilearned-iand-icast-iover-ithe-iyears-iand-iscraping-itogether-iwhatever-icomponents-ishe-icould-iget-iher-ihands-ion.

  Looking-iat-iwhat-ishe-ihad-iavailable,-ishe-ihad-iwood-ifrom-ithe-ibowl,-ia-imetal-ispoon,-icooked-imeat,-ioil-iin-ithe-ibroth,-iand-isome-ikind-iof-iboiled-ileaf-ithat-ishe-ididn't-irecognize.-iShe-ialso-ihad-ithe-idirt-ibeneath-iher,-iand-inow-ithat-ishe-ihad-isomething-ito-idig-iwith,-ishe-icould-ialso-iprobably-iget-isome-istones-ias-iwell.

  That-iwas-ia-istart,-iat-ileast.-iThere-iwas-ienough-ihere-ithat-ishe-icould-icome-iup-iwith-iSOMETHING,-iat-ileast.

  Looking-iaround-ifurther,-ishe-isaw-ia-ismall,-ithumbnail-isized-ituft-iof-ifur-isitting-iin-ithe-idirt-ia-ishort-idistance-ipast-iher-ifeet.-iHer-ieyes-iwidened.-iShe-icouldn't-ibelieve-iher-iluck.

  She-isat-iup-iand-igingerly-ishifted-iher-iposition,-itrying-ito-ireach-iit-ifrom-ia-icouple-idifferent-iangles,-ibut-iit-iwas-ialways-ijust-iout-iof-ithe-ireach-iof-iher-ihands.-iFinally,-ishe-imanaged-ito-islide-idown-iuntil-ishe-iwas-ialmost-iflat-ion-iher-iback,-iand-itrap-ithe-ilittle-ituft-ibetween-iher-iheel-iand-ithe-iground.-iWith-ia-ibit-iof-ieffort,-ishe-iwas-iable-ito-idrag-iit-iinto-ireach,-iwhere-ishe-ipicked-iit-iup.

  Her-ieyes-iweren't-ideceiving-iher.-iIt-iwas-ignoll-ifur.

  That-ichanged-ithings.-iShe-icould-iprobably-iremember-ithe-igeneral-iformula-ifor-ia-itransmutation-ispell,-iand-iknew-ienough-iInfernal-ithat-ishe-icould-iprobably-istumble-iher-iway-ithrough-ithe-irest-iof-iwhat'd-itake-ito-ichange-iher-iappearance.-iNow-ishe-ihad-imaterial-ifrom-ione-iof-iher-icaptors-ias-ithe-icomponent-ifor-iwhat-iform-ito-iassume.

  She-ihad-iher-iway-iout,-iat-ileast-iin-itheory.-iThe-iproblem-iwas-igoing-ito-ibe-igetting-iout-iof-ithe-ichain-iaround-iher-ineck.-iAnd-ithe-ifact-ithat-ishe-icurrently-icouldn't-iwalk.-i

  The-ichain-ishe-icould-iprobably-ibreak-iany-inumber-iof-iways-ijust-iwith-iwhat-ishe-inow-ihad-iavailable.-iThat-iwould-ibe-ithe-ieasy-ipart.

  Figuring-iout-ihow-ito-iwalk-ion-ia-ishattered-ileg,-ior-iat-ithe-ivery-ileast-iheal-iit-ienough-ito-imake-iit-iusable-iagain...-ithat-iwas-igoing-ito-ibe-imuch-itrickier.-iShe-iknew-iRestoration-imagic-ibetter-ithan-iany-iother-ischool,-ibut-iit-iwas-ialso-imuch-imore-itechnical,-iand-ihad-imuch-igrea
ter-irestrictions-ion-ithe-iaccuracy-iof-iits-iformulae-iand-icomponent-iuses.

  The-ireason-ifor-ithis,-iof-icourse,-iwas-isimple--iIf-iyou-imis-pronounced-ia-iword,-ior-iused-ia-iwrong-igesture,-iyou-icould-iaccidentally-iremove-ian-iartery-iinstead-iof-imending-iit.-iAnd-iyou-ihad-ito-ihave-ithe-iexact-imaterials-ineeded-ifor-ithe-ispell,-ior-ielse-iit-iwouldn't-iwork-iat-iall.

  She-iwould-ineed-ia-ipiece-iof-ibone.-iAnd-ia-ifeather.

  ###-iChapter-i95-i--iAn-iEscape-iPlan-iForms-i(part-i2)

  But-iwhere-iwould-ishe-iget-ithem?

  Eleanor-ithought-iabout-iit.-iA-ipiece-iof-ibone-ishe-icould-iprobably-ionly-ieither-iget-ifrom-ia-igarbage-iheap-iin-ithe-ivillage,-ior-ifrom-iroast-imeat-ithat-ihadn't-ibeen-itrimmed-ioff-iof-iit.-iSince-ishe-iwas-istuck-iin-ithis-iroom,-idigging-ithrough-irefuse-iwasn't-ian-ioption.-iBut,-ishe-icould-ipossibly-ifind-ia-iway-ito-iconvince-ione-iof-iher-icaptives-ito-ibring-iher-iscraps,-ithen-ishe-imight-ibe-iable-ito-ihave-iwhat-ishe-ineeded-ibrought-ito-iher.-iNot-ilikely,-ireally,-ibut-iat-ileast-iwithin-ithe-irealm-iof-iimmediate-ipossibility.

  A-ifeather,-ion-ithe-iother-ihand...-ishe-ididn't-ihave-iany-iimmediate-iideas-iof-ihow-ishe'd-iget-iher-ihands-ion-ione-iof-ithose.-iThe-iproblem-iis-ithat-inot-ievery-ifeather-iwas-icreated-iequal-iwhen-iit-icame-ito-icasting-ivarious-ispells,-iand-iusing-ithe-iwrong-ikind-ifor-ia-ihealing-ispell-icould-icause-iunexpected-iconsequences,-ior-iworse,-icause-ithe-ispell-ito-ibackfire.-iThe-iidea-iof-iblowing-iher-ileg-ioff-iaccidentally-ias-ishe-itried-ito-iescape-iwasn't-iappealing.

  The-iones-iused-ifor-iRestoration-imagic,-iespecially-ihealing,-iwere-iuniversally-iwhite.-iIt-ididn't-iseem-ito-imatter-ithe-isource,-isize-ior-ishape,-iso-ilong-ias-ithe-icolor-iwas-icorrect.-iThere-iwas-ia-iparticular-iarcane-iprinciple-ibehind-iwhy-ithis-iworked-ithe-iway-iit-idid,-ibut-iit'd-ibeen-iyears-isince-ishe'd-istudied-iit,-iand-iit,-imuch-ilike-imany-iother-iparts-iof-iher-itraining-ithat-iwere-iconceptual-irather-ithan-ipractical,-ihad-ilong-isince-idisappeared-ifrom-iher-imemory.-iGiven-iher-icircumstances,-ithe-ifact-ithat-ishe-ihad-ilet-iall-iof-ithat-iknowledge-iget-iaway-ifrom-iher-imade-iher-iwant-ito-ikick-iherself,-ibut-ithere-iwas-inothing-ito-ibe-idone-iabout-iit-inow.

  She-iwould-ijust-ihave-ito-ilook-ifor-ian-iopportunity-iif-ione-iarose.-iAnd-iif-ishe-iwas-ihonest,-ihealing-iher-iwounds-iwasn't-inearly-ias-iessential-ias-iputting-iher-ibone-iback-itogether,-ibut-inot-idoing-iso-iwould-idefinitely-islow-iher-idown,-iand-iif-ia-iform-ichange-ispell-iof-ithe-itype-ishe-iwas-igoing-ito-iexperiment-iwith-iworked-ias-iexpected,-iit-iwould-ireflect-ithe-icurrent-istate-iof-iher-ibody-iin-iher-inew-iform,-iwhich-imeant-iall-iof-iher-iwounds-iwould-ibe-ivisible.-iAny-ignoll-iwho-ilooked-iclose-iat-iher-iwould-isee-ithem-iimmediately,-iand-ithat-iwas-ilikely-ito-iget-iher-iall-isorts-iof-iunwanted-iattention.

  There-iwas-ione-iother-iissue.-iIn-iaddition-ito-ithe-iproblem-iof-igetting-ithe-icorrect-icomponents,-ishe-ialso-ihad-ito-iremember-ia-iwhole-icollection-iof-igestures-iand-iinvocations,-ior-imake-iup-inew-iones-ithat-isomehow-iworked,-iand-imake-isure-ithey-iworked-ibefore-ishe-iactually-iattempted-iher-iescape.-iIf-ishe-igot-ieven-ia-isingle-ipart-iof-iit-iwrong,-ishe'd-iuse-iup-ithe-icomponents-iin-ithe-iprocess,-iand-inothing-iwould-ihappen,-ior-iworse,-isomething-iawful-iwould-ihappen.-iAnd-ishe-iwould-ihave-ito-ido-iit-iquietly-iand-idiscreetly-ienough-ithat-inone-iof-iher-icaptors-iwould-ibe-iany-ithe-iwiser-ito-iher-ipractice,-ior-icomponent-icollection.

  She-idid-inot-ieven-iwant-ito-iimagine-iwhat-iwould-ihappen-iif-ishe-igot-icaught-iweaving-isigils-ior-ihoarding-icomponents.-iShe-ineeded-ia-iplace-ito-ihide-iher-inewly-iobtained-iitems-ithat-iwould-inot-idraw-ithe-islightest-iattention-iif-ione-iof-ithe-ignolls-ispotted-iit.-iShe-ilooked-iat-ithem-ifor-ia-imoment,-ibefore-ian-iidea-istruck-iher.-iShe-igingerly-idown-iand-itore-ia-ismall-isquare-iof-iblue-ifabric-ifrom-ithe-ihem-iof-iher-idress.-iShe-ilaid-iit-ion-ithe-iground-ibeside-iher,-iand-iplaced-iall-iof-ithe-ismall-ipieces-iof-ifood-iand-iother-ithings-ion-iit.-iShe-ilooked-iin-ithe-ibowl,-iand,-inot-ihaving-ia-ibetter-iidea-iof-iwhat-ito-ido-iwith-ithe-ioil-ibroth,-idrew-ia-ismall-isigil-iover-iit-iuntil-iit-icongealed-iin-ia-ismall-iblob-iof-iwaxy-igrease,-iwhich-ishe-iset-iwith-ithe-irest.-iOnce-ithis-iwas-idone,-ishe-iturned-ithe-ibowl-iupside-idown-iover-itop-iof-ieverything,-iand-idrew-ithe-isame-isigil-iagain.

  Instantly,-ithe-iappearance-iof-ithe-ibowl-ichanged-iand-ishifted,-iuntil-iit-ilooked-ilike-ian-iunassuming-ipiece-iof-igrey-istone.

  Yeah.-iThat'll-iwork.-i

  ###-iChapter-i96-i--iAn-iEscape-iPlan-iForms-i(part-i3)

  Eleanor-ididn't-iknow-ihow-imuch-itime-ishe-iwould-ihave-ito-ipractice-ibefore-ishe-iwould-ibe-idrug-iup-ibefore-ithe-ishaman-iand-ihis-icohort-iagain,-iso-ishe-iworked-iquickly.-iPulling-ia-icouple-ismall-ipieces-iof-icloth-ifrom-iher-idress,-ishe-iset-iabout-itrying-ito-ifind-ia-iworking-iformula-ifor-itransmutation-ithat-iwould-iaccomplish-iwhat-ishe-ineeded.

  Prestidigitation,-ilike-iwhat-ishe-iused-ito-ihide-iher-icomponents,-ionly-iworked-ion-ismall-ithings,-iand-icould-ialso-ionly-ialter-isimple-ithings-iabout-ian-iobject,-ilike-iits-icolor-ior-itexture-ior-ismell,-ibut-ithat-iwas-iabout-iit.-iThere-iwas-ino-iway-ito-imake-iit-iperform-iall-iof-ithe-icomplex-ire-arranging-iof-iher-ianatomy-ithat-iwould-ibe-irequired-ifor-ia-iproper-itransformation,-ior-icause-iher-ito-isprout-ifur-iand-iclaws.-iFor-ithat,-ishe-iwas-igoing-ito-ihave-ito-ipiece-itogether-iwhat-ishe-iknew,-iand-iexperiment-iwith-iwhat-ishe-ididn't-iuntil-ishe-ifound-isomething-ithat-iworked,-ior-ishe'd-irun-iout-iof-ioptions.

  In-iaddition-ito-ithat,-ishe-ineeded-ito-itake-isome-itime-ito-iremember-isome-iof-iher-iother-icantrips.-iThen,-iat-ileast,-ishe'd-ihave-isome-imore-itools-iin-iher-itoolkit-ithat-ididn't-irequire-icomponents.-iFirst-ion-ithat-ilist-iwould-ibe-iMage-iHand.-iWith-ithat,-ishe-icould-isteal-isome-ithings-ilike-imore-ifur-ior-iother-icomponents-ifrom-iher-icaptors-iwithout-ithem-irealizing-iit,-ior-imaybe-iother-ithings-ishe-icould-iuse-iin-iher-iattempt.-iShe-icould-imaybe-ieven-isteal-ia-ikey,-iif-ithe-iguard-iholding-ithem-iwas-iclueless-ienough.-iBut-ishe-iwasn't-iholding-iher-ibreath.

  Cantrips-icame-ifirst.-iAt-ifirst,-iprogress-iwas-islow,-ibut-igradually-ipicked-iup-ias-ishe-istarted-ipiecing-isome-ithings-itogether.-iThe-ifirst-ithing-ishe-imanaged-ito-idetermine-iwas-ithe-iactivation-isigils-iand-iinvocation-ifor-ia-iLight-ispell,-iwhich-ishe-idiscovered-iby-iaccident-iwhile-iworking-iher-iway-ithrough-isequences-iof-ispellwords-ito-ifind-ithe-iformula-ifor-iMage-iHand.-iTesting-iit-iagain-ito-ibe-isure-iit-iworked,-ishe-ithen-iused-iPrestidigitation-ito-imark-ithe-icorrect-iformula-ifor-iit-ion-ithe-iinside-iof-iher-ithigh-ibeneath-iher-idress-iso-ishe-iwouldn't-iaccidentally-iforget-iit.-iFinding-ithis-iformula-ialso-iopened-iup-iother-ioptions,-isuch-ias-ia-iDaze-ispell,-ior-iBlinding-iFlash,-ibut-ithose-iwould-ihave-ito-iwait.

  After-iwhat-ifelt-ilike-ihours,-ishe-ifinally-ifound-ithe-icorrect-iformula-ifor-iMage-iHand.-iTo-iconfirm-ishe-ihad-iit-iright,-ishe-itested-iit-ihalf-ia-idozen-itimes,-ishifting-iand-imoving-ithe-ibowl-icovering-iher-icomponent-istash-iaround-iher-ismall-icave-iroom,-ipicking-iit-iup-iand-itossing-iit-iback-iand-ifort-iin-imid-air-iwith-ionly-iminute-igestures-iof-iher-ileft-iindex-ifinger.-iShe-imarked-ithe-iformula-ion-iher-ileg,-ialongside-iPrestidigitation,-iLight-iDancing-iLights,-iand-iBlinding-iFlash.-iShe'd-ifound-iDancing-iLights-iwhen-itrying-ito-ifind-ithe-icorrect-ispell-ifragment-ifor-imovement,-iand-icombined-iit-iwith-ilight,-iand-iBlinding-iFlash-iby-iadding-ia-ifew-ichoice-iwords-iof-iInfernal-ito-ithe-iLight-ievocation.-iHer-ipracticing-ialso-iuncovered-ia-ifew-isigils-iand-iwords-ithat-iseemed-ito-igenerate-isome-ikind-iof-iincomplete-iresponse,-ias-iif-ithey-irequired-ianother-ifragment-ior-imotion-ito-iactivate-ifully.-iShe-imarked-ithose-ion-ithe-iinside-iof-iher-iother-ithigh-ifor-ilater-ipractice.

  It-ioccurred-ito-iher-ias-ishe-ilooked-idown-iat-ithe-iarcane-isigils-ion-ithe-iinside-iof-iboth-iher-ilegs-ithat-iif-ithe-ignolls-iforced-ithemselves-iupon-iher-iagain,-ithey'd-ifind-ithem-iimmediately.-iBut-ithat-iwasn't-igoing-ito-ibe-ian-iissue.-iShe-iwould-inot-ilet-iherself-ibe-iused-ilike-isome-islave-iby-ithose-igibbering-ibeasts-iever-iagain.-iShe'd-imake-ithem-ikill-iher-ibefore-ishe-iever-ilet-ithat-ihappen.

  After-iall-iof-it
his-ipractice,-ishe-icould-ifeel-ithe-iconstant-imental-istrain-iand-iSpirit-iusage-itaking-ia-itoll-ion-iher,-iand-ishe-idecided-ito-itake-ia-ibreak-iand-itry-iand-irest.-iShe-ihad-ino-iidea-iwhen-iher-icaptors-iwould-icome-iback-ito-ifeed-iher-iagain,-ior-idrag-iher-ioff-ibefore-ithe-ishaman-ionce-imore.-iLeaning-iher-ihead-iback-iagainst-ithe-ipost,-ihe-iclosed-iher-ieyes,-iand-ifor-ithe-ifirst-itime-isince-iarriving,-iallowed-iherself-ia-ismile.-i

  ###-iChapter-i97-i--iBed-Ridden

  James's-iconsciousness-islowly-iclawed-iitself-iback-iawake,-iwith-ihis-isenses-igradually-itrickling-iin-iuntil-ihe-iwas-iable-ito-iget-ihis-ibearings-iand-iopen-ihis-ieyes.

  He-ilay-ion-ia-ibed-iin-iwhat-ilooked-ilike-ia-icave,-ilit-iby-iflickering-ifirelight.-iHe-iwas-iburning-iup-iwith-iheat,-iand-ifelt-ihimself-isoaked-iwith-isweat.-iFeverish,-ieven.-iHe-itried-ito-isit-iup-iand-iget-isome-iidea-iof-ihis-isurroundings,-ibut-ias-isoon-ias-ihe-idid-iso,-inumerous-ipoints-ion-ihis-ibody-iscreamed-iout-iin-ipain,-iand-ihe-idropped-iback-ito-ithe-isoft-ibed-isurface-iwith-ia-igroan.

  Well,-ihe-iwasn't-idead.-iAt-ileast,-inot-ithat-ihe-icould-itell.-iHe-ihad-ia-ihard-itime-ibelieving-ihe-icould-ipass-iinto-ioblivion-iwithout-iFrumpkin-ifirst-imaking-ihim-ifeel-ilike-ia-icomplete-imoron,-iand-iconsidering-ithe-ideity's-iabsence,-ithat-imade-ihim-ilucky?-iUnlucky?-iHe-iwasn't-isure-iwhich-iit-iwas-iat-ithis-ipoint.-iBut-ihe-iwas-iglad-ito-istill-ibe-ibreathing-iregardless.-i

  Looking-iat-ithe-iceiling,-iat-ileast,-ihe-iwas-idefinitely-iin-ithe-isame-icave-isystem-ithey'd-islept-iin-ibefore.-iWhich-imeant-ieither-iFarien-ior-iUrien-iwere-ilending-ihim-itheir-ibed.