Chapter Seventeen
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The front windows shattered, hurling glass into the drawing room. Wind gushed in fast and heavy like blood from a giant open wound. Framed portraits in oil and photogravure were hurled into the air, a lamp toppled, crashed to the wooden floor. The huge room turned black as midnight, but oddly they could still see.
Suddenly, the wild wind simply stopped. Dead silence. The children came running. Max jumped to his feet, grabbed Lily up into his arms, and plastered her against him. P.C. ran to her mother, and both Brady and Pip came to press themselves against Grayson. Clotis arched his back and fluffed into a huge orange ball, hissing toward the destroyed window and something none of them could see.
Grayson couldn't believe it, he'd been so certain Prithius wouldn't come until tonight, not now, not during the day, yet here he was. He'd been wrong, dead wrong. Grayson knew soul-eating fear for the children and Miranda, his heart lodged in his throat as he felt both Brady and Pip shuddering against him. He hugged them both, whispered, "Stay still. It will be all right."
He blanked the fear from his mind. He said aloud, his voice amused, "A bit of drama with flying objects and shattered glass, but I have to tell you it wasn't very impressive, Prithius, it was all flash, really quite predictable, nothing original. No one is scared. You have nothing more? Why don't you show yourself? Are you too afraid? The children enjoy laughing at cowards." He nodded toward Lily and P.C., squeezed Brady and Pip. It was Pip who shouted with laughter, the others following until the children's laughter filled the vast drawing room. Their laughter sounded hollow, but it was still laughter. Max and Miranda followed suit, a valiant effort Grayson hoped would fool the incubus. Slowly, Grayson felt their fear lessen. Good.
He called out, "Where are you, Prithius? Did your pathetic little show drain you since you have no more of your potion to give you strength, to give you substance, to allow you to remain in Viscount Fielding's body? You're too weak, aren't you? And you're too cowardly to show yourself in your demon form."
Miranda raised her voice, pleased it didn't quiver. "P.C., did you find this demon's show anything out of the ordinary? Did it bore you?"
P.C. licked her lips, squared her small shoulders, and said, "Mr. Straithmore—ah, Mr. Sherbrooke—believes your demon show was pitiful. Brady and I agree. Brady?"
Brady drew himself up. "You aren't anything special, just like Mr. Sherbrooke said." But still he was pressed tightly against Grayson's side.
Max held Lily so close to him there wasn't as much as a breath between them, but both looked in full control. Grayson noticed for the first time the knife in Max's hand.
There was silence now, all their taunts echoing in the vast room. There was no more wind, no movement, only stillness.
Miranda said to Grayson, her voice amused and only he heard the tremor of fear, "Now, my dear, when this pathetic demon appears, if he dares to, do away with him so we may continue with our party."
Grayson said, "Do you know, Prithius, I had only to lower my cloak and, predictably, you came, like a dog when called by its master. But I admit I am surprised you're here in the daylight. Only it isn't daylight in here, is it? You've managed to bring the night with you, but you couldn't blind us, we still see all perfectly well, but I don't see you. Are you hiding behind the draperies, too afraid to come out, too spineless?"
Lily called out, no tremor in her young voice, "Prithius, you cannot hurt me anymore. Mr. Sherbrooke is right, you are a coward. Have you left my uncle's body? I want to see you as you really are."
There was nothing, no sound, no movement.
Max called out, "Listen to me, demon, I know you have no more potion, and you need it, don't you? Without it, you cannot remain in his body. I imagine he would very much like to be free of you and enjoy a cup of tea."
Pip said, his child's voice ringing out, "Papa said you come from hell. We will send you back there, and the vicar says demons roast in hell."
And suddenly there he was, not the demon in his own form but as Lily's uncle, disheveled, his hair greasy and standing on end, leaning heavily on the snake-head ebony cane, his breath heaving, looking like he would fall over.
A hollow echoing voice shouted from Viscount Fielding's mouth, "I told your miserable wizard father I do not come from hell! I have come for what is mine. Give her to me and I will let the lot of you live."
Grayson saw Max was ready to leap on Fielding, shook his head at him. He said calmly, "Thurian came to me in my dreams because he said he could not reach you. He wants you back, Prithius. War is coming, and he needs your help. Will you go back and fight with your own kind?"
The echoing voice shouted, "No! You lie. Thurian wants me back only to destroy me. I will remain here, with her, with Lilith—no, Lily. I must have her." He raised the snake-head cane and waved it madly about, nearly tottering over. Suddenly, Viscount Fielding fell to the floor, and like a snake shedding its skin, what arose from Fielding's body was an incredibly beautiful man, tall, well-formed, golden hair swirling about his perfect face as if blown by an unseen wind. He wore only a loincloth, his golden flesh glistening. In his hand he held the snake-head cane. "I will smite all of you if you do not give her to me!"
Max growled in fury, shouted, "You will not have Lily, Prithius. If you try to take her, I will kill you," and he raised the knife.
Lily took Max's hand, squeezed. He stared down at this precious child, realized suddenly there was something very different about her, something he didn't understand. She seemed filled with light, her eyes bright as diamonds. She called out, her voice sounding older, sarcasm dripping from her words, "I know you must have a witch to stay in our realm. Do you think I would accept you, you ridiculous creature? You present yourself as this golden god, but you are hiding your real self. I can smell you, demon. I can smell your foul ugliness. Go back to your realm or I will let Max kill you."