Page 149 of Earthbound

When neither of them answered he said, ‘You’ll find it much changed.’

‘The fae will never bow to you.’

‘They will, one day. When I am crowned emperor.’

The word made Alder’s blood run cold.

‘No, not again,’ he said, and Malak looked at him. ‘The world needs no more tyrants.’

‘I am no tyrant, elf.’

‘And I am no elf,’ Alder replied. He cleared his throat and shouted out, ‘Obeah, come.’

It was easier to call on them a second time.

This is the way it happens, isn’t it? My heart will slowly harden until there will be no difference between me and the man who lived in the sanctuary.

Lettle squeezed Alder’s hand as though she knew what he was thinking. It didn’t comfort him as much as he would have liked.

Malak laughed. ‘Your trick will not work this time.’

The chieftain saw Alder’s confusion and his lips twisted in a cruel smile. ‘The obeah are all dead. One final victory for my battalion.’

Alder staggered as though he’d been hit by drumfire.

The guilt was as keen as if it had been his hand that had struck the bullet into each of the beasts’ hearts. But Alder saw no difference between the beat of drumfire and the words he had spoken.

This was his fault. All of it.

A shadow moved in the tree line, temporarily pulling Alder out from his anguish.

One of the obeah had survived. His hope turned to horror as he realised who it was.

Ajax.

Alder had forgotten that by calling on the obeah he had released Ajax too.

The obeah stood so close to the clearing that he knew if Malak turned slightly to the left, he would be spotted.

Lettle must have seen him too, as she tensed by his side. She drew Malak’s attention her way.

‘There is no point in keeping us prisoner, Malak.’

‘I don’t intend to keep you prisoner,’ he said with a smile. ‘You call me a tyrant, and so I will be one. I just wanted to look you in the eyes as I did it.’

Alder saw his hand move as though in slow motion. From the intensity of movement, Alder knew it was a killing blow directed straight at Lettle’s heart.

Dum-ba-dah.

Three notes.

And three things happened.

Dum.

First Malak lurched forward as though pulled by an invisible string. His head smashed against the rock wall of the tunnel and he fell limp to the ground.

Ba.