“Gaios is afraid of us.”
Nick exhaled to release the tension. “I never thought I’d see the like when I was beating you at whist and billiards. By God! Simon Archer going toe to toe with Gaios. But is it completely necessary for you to antagonize the most powerful sorcerer on Earth?”
Simon gave Nick a collegial tap on his cheek. “Do you see how well you trained me? Gaios knows he can be defeated. Pendragon chained him for centuries, and he’s petrified of its happening again.”
Penny passed by. “Of course Pendragon did have his powers.”
Kate stood stock-still, surveying the obliterated acreage. All the carefully tended lawns and gardens were turned into a smashed field of upturned earth. The ancient forest where she and Imogen had played as children, dutifully tended and preserved by her father, had been swept away, uprooted like unneeded annuals in a garden.
“I’m sorry, Kate.” Simon kissed her on the cheek. “We’ll repair it when this is over. Somehow. We will.”
“It’s hard to repair a forest.”
He didn’t reply but merely stood close beside her. She put a hand to her head with a sigh and pointed at the giant stone golem that still stood amidst the destruction. “I hate to think that’s the first thing guests will see when they drive in.”
“I shouldn’t worry about that. I can’t imagine you’ll have any guests out here after all this.”
Kate laughed, wiping the unaccustomed wetness from her eyes.
Chapter 8
Simon crawled on his hands and knees through the dirt. The wooden braces of Hartley Hall’s main floor were just overhead. He worked his way past the outer walls and stone columns that served as part of the great house’s foundation. The dim space smelled musty. He followed a bright light, which burned in the palm of Nick Barker’s right hand. His old friend crawled awkwardly ahead, shuffling to keep his illuminated hand raised. Both men wore rough twill work togs, and they were caked with mud and streaming with cobwebs.
“There!” Simon called. “On your left.”
Nick swung around, banging his head on a beam. He cursed and rubbed his close-cropped hair. The support structure inches from his face wasn’t the typical stone column; it was forged steel with thick compressed springs and odd flanges. Entwined gears and pistons offered flexible support. Nick whistled with admiration.
“Christ,” he said. “Look at this thing. This is what kept the house up when Gaios came.”
Simon inched up beside Nick, studying the fantastic machinery. “There’s probably at least one in every corner. And look here!” He pointed to a flat surface on the beam where several symbols were inscribed. “Runes. My father’s inscriptions. They worked together on this too.”
“They built it to stand against Gaios. Protects the house and a bit of ground away from the walls.”
“I can appreciate that now.” Simon pulled a small notebook and pencil from his pocket and began to sketch the runes in the light of Nick’s hand.
Nick said, “I find it hard to believe your father’s inscriptions could hold back Gaios. Cavendish was reputed to be powerful, but he was no Pendragon.”
Simon detected no scorn in Nick’s words, merely a statement of truth. “I agree. It is surprising. But he was working with Sir Roland. And he was Pendragon’s protégé.” Simon worked his way around the column, copying all the runic strings. “Remarkable. These runes are a bit different from others of his. But still, his inscriptions are so elegant, like a perfect cantata, while mine are children strumming a lute with a clamshell.”
Nick shook his head. “Do you really believe all that claptrap you spew about yourself? Or do you just do it to keep people from taking you seriously?”
Simon smiled and stayed silent.
“Simon, you’re not going to let her mess about with Ash’s blood spell, are you?”
“Who? Kate? I trust her judgment on that.”
“I know Ash better than anyone here and you should burn that spell now.”
“No.” Simon sighed and started through the dirt toward a small rectangle of light. They weaved between columns until they reached the open hatchway and crawled outside into the bright sun. They were at the back of the mansion.
Nick brushed dirt from his trousers. “I’m not trying to cause trouble. I just don’t think you know how devious Ash can be.”
Simon held up his hand. “I would just as soon see Ash dead for what she did to my mother. But if there is any way she can help defeat Gaios.”
Nick shook his head as the two men went to the door of the kitchen. “It’s not worth it. No matter what Ash gave you, the cost would be too much.”