Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

A strangled cry came from Raines. His chest jerked upward and his body snapped as stiff as a board. The boils spread up his arms and blood poured from the wounds.

Enna screamed and tossed the Tenky back into the glass jar. The tiny man shuddered and convulsed as his body, too, was becoming reinfected.

Will whipped his head about to face me. “Now! Your light!”

I shut my eyes and clasped my hands together in silent prayer. The familiar warmth of my magic blasted out of me and enveloped the room in its soft brilliance. I opened my eyes and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Raines’ clear arms.

That’s when the exhaustion flowed over me. I crumpled to the floor beside Raines.

Will’s terrified voice rang in my ears. “Rose!”

His strong, warm arms wrapped around me and drew me against his muscled chest. My eyelids were so heavy but I forced them open and found myself staring up into Will’s face. His features were etched with worry and his eyes darted over me.

“Are you alright?” he asked me.

I managed a shaky smile. “Y-yeah, just a little tired.”

Allard appeared in my field of vision and inspected me. “Your pulse is fast but I see no signs other worrisome signs.”

Will pursed his lips. “We asked too much of you.”

I turned my head to Raines who stirred. “It was worth it.”

Raines’ eyes opened and he blinked against the remnants of my bright light before he fixed his gaze on Will and me. His voice was hoarse and as tired as I felt. “What has happened? Have I cast the spell? Did it work?”

Will nodded. “It did, but if you attempt another such feat I will fire you.”

Raines shifted his body and winced. “I would rather not make another such attempt, My Lord.”

I tried to remove myself from Will’s grasp but he held tightly to me. I smiled and patted his arm. “I can sit up.” Will reluctantly helped me do so but his hands still gripped me tight.

“The Tenky is waking up!” Vargas shouted.

Raines struggled to his feet and Will helped me to mine, and together we moved over to the crowded table. The little guy’s eyes fluttered open and he blinked up at us. “Where am I?”

“In my home,” Will spoke up.

The Tenky cocked his head to one side. “How did I get here? The last I remember I was in the woods to the southwest following some strange trail-” He stiffened and his breath caught in his throat. “Something came out of the woods! It bit me!”

Vargas held up her tweezers with the bit of snakeskin pinched between the arms. “Did this belong to it?”

The Tenky leaned toward the skin and squinted. After a moment’s rumination, he pursed his lips and shook his head. “I. . .I don’t know. I remember picking that up on the trail before something snuck up behind me and bit me in the backside.”

“Turn around,” Enna commanded him.

Our little guest glared at her. “What for?”

She rolled her eyes. “So we can see what bit you, now turn around.”

The Tenky grabbed the waistband of his trousers and glared at her. “I’m not letting you see it.”

“Then allow us,” Allard offered.

The wounded tiny man grasped his pants even tighter. “Nobody’s going to be looking at my backside!”

“Oh, for gold’s sake,” Enna snapped before she grabbed the back of the Tenky’s collar. She lifted him out of the glass jar and held him in front of her.

“Lemme go!” the Tenky protested as he swung his fists in every direction. The only thing his fighting succeeded in doing was spin him around.

Enna took the chance in his direction to grab the waistband of his pants and yank down the back half. He yelped and tried to pull them back up but his struggles only caused his pants to fall to his ankles.

“Stop moving or you’re going to lose everything!” Enna snapped.

The Tenky froze and covered his front with his hands. Vargas blushed and turned her face away. “So undignified. . .” I heard her mutter.

Enna turned him around to study his naked posterior. She leaned in and wrinkled her nose. “It looks like a fang sank into him.”

“Step aside and allow me to handle this!” Ware announced as he pushed his way to the forefront.

The Tenky threw up his hands. “Maybe I should sell tickets!”

Ware squinted at the wound on the little man’s butt cheek. “That is most definitely a fang mark and the creature was very small.”

“As small as one of those worms?” I guessed.

He nodded. “Quite possibly.”

Will took the tweezers from Lady Vargas and lifted the skin to his face. He studied the disgusting molting with a pensive expression. “Then whoever bit him is not the same as whoever dropped this.”

A thought struck me and I caught his eyes. “Simon Baddock was a snake.”

Will nodded. “The same idea came to me, as well.”

“If we’re sure Baddock is dead then who else do we know who would be leaving scales everywhere and trying to ruin our lives?” I wondered.

Will clasped the tweezers in his hand and shook his head. “I don’t know but we must find out before they succeed.”

A laugh broke through the tense atmosphere. All eyes fell on Enna who dropped the Tenky back into his glass cage. The embarrassed man quickly pulled up his pants as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Why are we worrying? We could just have you use your magic around us and wipe out any of these black things that come within sight.”

I bit my lower lip and looked up at Will. “I. . .I don’t know about that.”

A dark cloud settled on his brow. “I would rather you didn’t make another attempt at using your magic.”

“Why?” Enna mused as she sauntered over to us and draped an arm over my shoulders. “I’ve never seen anything like it. We may as well use it to make our lives easier, right?”

My hand involuntarily moved to cup my stomach. “I. . .I don’t know.”

Enna shook my shoulder. “Come on. Give it a try. What could it hurt?”

“It could hurt Rose,” Vargas spoke up as she glared at the bounty hunter. “You yourself witnessed her fatigue after using her gift only twice. Another attempt may weaken her into illness.”

Allard caught my attention. “How are you feeling?”

I glanced down at myself. “I don’t think I’d want to try if I had to but I think I could blast off something if I focused on where I was throwing the light.”

Enna turned me to face the door and sauntered toward it. “That’s the spirit!”

The others followed but a little voice gave us pause.

“Hey!” the Tenky spoke up as he pounded his fists against the glass. “Lemme out!”

Vargas rolled her eyes and stepped back to the glass. She lifted the tiny man out and set him on the cluttered floor. Raines looked about him and sighed. “I wish I had known I would make such a mess. I would have removed all the valuables.”

Will grinned at him as he leaned his servant against his side. “I can think of a lot of things in this room more valuable than some trinkets.”

Enna stuck out her tongue. “Old fools.”

“You have no such sentimentality?” Allard wondered as he came up to her other side.

She looked him over. “I just don’t like all that mushy stuff, now let’s go see some fireworks.”

We had almost reached the door when a loud knock came from outside.