Pilgrim by Sara Douglas

will need you, with Katie and the lizard, to distract her. Can you do that? The lizard will keep you safe.‖

―I am not worried about my safety,‖ Faraday said quietly, her eyes on Leagh.

―I know that,‖ Drago said. ―Come, taunt her with the staff, and stay but one pace before

her. She will see nothing else.‖

Taking a deep breath and steeling her nerves, Faraday pushed Katie halfway behind her

skirts, then leaned forward over the lizard and struck the Leagh-creature a glancing blow across

the cheek.

The creature screamed, and snatched wildly at the staff, which Faraday only barely

managed to pull away in time.

The lizard shrieked as well, its crest rising up and down rapidly, and the creature went

completely berserk, tearing at its chains, and flinging itself full forward, as if trying to stretch the metal links.

Drago moved quietly and smoothly about the side of the room until he was directly

behind the creature, then he moved forward, step by careful step, until he was by the spike.

The creature backed up a pace, preparing itself for another lunge at the three tormentors

before it, and Drago seized the chain and wrapped it twice about the spike. The creature lunged

forward, and found itself brought up a pace earlier than it had expected.

It made no difference to the ferocity or single-mindedness of its attack, for the lizard and

Faraday and the girl had also crept closer a pace, and the staff once more struck a glancing blow

on the creature, this time across its back, drawing blood from one of its open sores.

Again and again the creature lunged, and each time the chain slackened slightly as it

moved and Drago would wrap the links yet further about the spike.

Soon the creature‘s buttocks and heels were a bare pace away from Drago and the spike,

and Drago motioned Faraday to further her efforts at distracting the beast. Again Faraday struck

a glancing blow to the creature, and again, and then once more.

But on the third stroke the creature managed to seize the staff in its claws, and Faraday

cried out as she felt herself being pulled forward.

Suddenly there was a flash of light. The creature screamed, and Faraday felt its grip on

the staff lessen. She hauled it back, and seized Katie, pulling her out of harm‘s way as well.

The lizard, retracting its talons, also shuffled back, hissing and growling at the creature,

who kept its eyes on him, although it had been frightened away from further attempts to reach

the horrible light-wielding lizard.

Drago used the moment to secure the chain with the thong from the neck of the sack, then

also retreated to a safe distance and rejoined Faraday.

―Did she…?‖

Faraday shook her head. ―She did not touch me.‖

―Good. Faraday, will you wait by the wall for the moment?‖

―Yes.‖ Faraday hesitated. ―Drago…‖

―Yes?‖

Faraday stared at him, wanting to say everything, but unable to say anything.

―Nothing,‖ she said, and took the girl‘s hand and walked over to stand by the wall.

Drago faced the creature, almost completely restrained by the now short chain. He placed

his hand on the lizard‘s head, and it sat down beside him, alternately looking up at Drago and

over to the creature.

―Faraday,‖ Drago said very quietly without looking at her, ―what time of day is it?‖

Her eyes flickered towards the window. They had come across the Lake during Sheol‘s

mid-afternoon time, and had then spent at least two hours walking up through the palace and

talking with Zared, Theod and Herme. ―It lacks but an hour to dusk.‖

―Good,‖ Drago said. ―We are free of the miasma, and the Demons will not know what

now we do.‖

He bent slightly, and the lizard raised its head to him. ―Watch carefully,‖ Drago told him.

Then he straightened, and sketched a symbol in the air. It was not accomplished with his

usual speed and fluidity, but it was fast nevertheless, and Faraday was sure that if Drago wanted

the lizard to learn it, he must surely repeat it several times.

But apparently not.

The lizard watched with its great black eyes, absorbing the symbol into their depths, and

then it raised a languid foreclaw into the air and redrew the symbol.

With light.

Faraday gasped, and the child laughed delightedly.

The creature howled, and cowered.

Lines of light hung in the air before the lizard. It had drawn a symbol variously composed

of circles and three-dimensional pyramids, the lines of both circles and pyramids interconnecting

in two score places.

The symbol of light was large, perhaps the height of a man and the same dimension in

width and depth.

―It is an enchantment!‖ Faraday said.

―Yes,‖ Drago replied, not taking his eyes from the symbol. ―An enchantment made

visible.

―And,‖ he placed his staff on the floor, ―an enchantment with walls.‖

Without apparent fear, or even overdue caution, Drago reached out with both hands and

seized the enchantment. It quivered lightly as it felt his grasp, but floated gently towards him as

he pulled his arms back.

―Faraday?‖ Drago said. ―Will you take hold of its other side?‖

Faraday walked slowly about Drago, and the lizard—which had dropped to the floor and

had its head resting incuriously on its forelegs—and took hold of the enchantment directly across

from Drago.

It felt warm to her touch, and quivered softly with vibrant life.

She laughed, and Drago grinned at her wonder. ―Lift it a little higher,‖ he said, and

together they raised it until their hands held it above their heads.

―Now, take a step back,‖ Drago said, and as Faraday did this, so did he, and to Faraday‘s

amazement, the enchantment stretched.

―And another,‖ Drago said, and so they stepped yet further back until, under Drago‘s

direction, they had stretched the enchantment to twice its former size.

Through all this the enchantment held shape and dimension, and the lines of light did not

seem to lose any of their thickness or vibrancy. The lizard blinked, pleased with itself. Katie had

sunk to the floor, eyes wide with marvel.

The creature had not stopped shrieking the entire time.

Under Drago‘s murmured instructions, Faraday helped him shift the enchantment until

they held it high above the creature‘s head.

It was quiet with horror now, and cowered as close to the floor as it could get.

―Let it go,‖ Drago murmured, and Faraday did so.

The enchantment trembled, then slowly sank.

The creature went completely wild, more than it had yet done. It howled and squealed,

and threw itself about so violently that Faraday was sure it would manage to break every bone in

its body.

―Drago!‖ she cried.

―Wait,‖ he said. ―It will be all right soon.‖

And so it was, for within the space of two breaths the enchantment settled to the floor,

pinning the creature inside its cage of light. The enchantment had now taken a circular

three-dimensional form, and it rose in a series of spheres and pyramids above the creature.

The creature was now still and completely silent.

Faraday looked over the rising, pulsing lines of light towards Drago, her eyes wide with

questions.

He chose not to answer them.

Instead, Drago slowly walked about the enchantment, as if considering it. As he walked,

he reached inside his sack, and drew out the mixing bowl he‘d taken from Sigholt‘s kitchens.

Faraday‘s eyes, if possible, grew even wider. How had he got that bowl inside that tiny

sack?

Balancing the bowl in the crook of his left arm, Drago—still walking slowly about the

enchantment—reached inside the sack again, and drew out what appeared to be tiny pinches of

dust, which he sprinkled into the bowl.

Faraday stepped back as he approached her, giving him room to move freely, and just

watched.

Again and again Drago‘s hand dipped into the sack, always drawing forth what appeared

to be nothing but pinches of dust. He continued to walk about the circle of the enchantment, his

eyes never leaving it, until he had completed his circuit. Then he stopped, and stared into the

bowl. His face was puzzled, as if he‘d forgotten the recipe.

―You need this,‖ Katie said, standing up and walking over to the lizard. She squatted

down beside him, and gently lifted one of his claws.

Then, with a swift, stunning movement, she plunged the tip of the claw into the pad of

her forefinger.

Faraday cried out softly and started forward, but Drago waved her away. Faraday halted,

undecided, looking between first Katie, and then Drago.

A fat, bright scarlet drop of blood glistened on the end of Katie‘s forefinger. Slowly, and

with the utmost caution and concentration, Katie rose and stepped over to Drago.

Once there, she slowly raised her hand, careful not to spill the drop of blood prematurely,

and then, once it hung over the bowl, let it roll down into the mixture with an audible sigh of relief.