David Baldacci - The Finisher

“And who are you to be giving orders, female?” said Henry indignantly.

He looked at my grimy clothing and still bloody and bruised face. Kitchen took a few steps back. He no doubt saw the murderous look in my eyes. My rage was such that I felt tremendous energy coursing down to what seemed my very soul. It was all I could do to contain it: I drew closer, made a fist and presented it an inch from Henry’s chin. When I spoke, my voice was low and even but radiated more power than a thousand gospels from Ezekiel.

“Non is in hospital this light because I smashed his head so hard I heard his skull crack.” Henry swallowed so slowly, it appeared he thought it would be his last gulp as my gaze threatened to split him in half. “So if I find another section of Wall has bellied up because of extra holes in my straps” — I pushed my fist firmly into the side of his bony, whiskered face — “I will come to your home and do four times to you what I did to Non. Do I make myself understandable to you, male ?”

Henry tried to speak even as Kitchen let out a low whistle and seemed poised to run for it. Finally, Henry just nodded his head. I removed my fist, turned and headed to hospital as fast as my shaky legs could carry me.

H OSPITAL WAS Aquarter mile from the Care, the theory being that unfortunate Wugs often went from one to the other. It was a stark, flat-faced building, gray and foreboding and set at the end of a dirt road. Even if one had hopes of survival, it was doubtful they would remain after seeing this awful place.

That was why Wugs tended to their own families for the most part. Cuts, bruises, broken bones, sick and other ailments were largely handled at home and hearth. Thus, the most severe injuries were the only ones dealt with here. If a Wug had to come to hospital, it was very possible his or her next stop would be the Hallowed Ground.

As I passed through the large double doors that were carved with a serpent and a feather symbolizing who the Hel knew what, a Nurse dressed in a gray cloak and domed white cap came forward. I explained who I was and why I was here. She nodded, her look sympathetic, which I did not think boded well for Duf’s prospects.

As I followed her through the narrow, dark corridors, I heard moans and the occasional scream. As we passed one room with the door open, I saw Non lying in a cot, groaning and holding his bandaged head. Roman Picus and Cacus and Cletus Loon were gathered around. I heard the white-cloaked Menden at his cot side say, “No permanent damage, Non. A few lights’ rest and you’ll be good as new.”

I clenched my jaw and kept going, although I was sorely tempted to go in there and finish the bloke off.

Duf’s room was at the end of the hall. I heard quiet sobs coming from inside. My heart shuddered and I felt a bit queasy. I thanked the Nurse and she left me. I stood just outside the door and tried to steel myself for what I was about to encounter. I told myself that whatever it was, Delph and I would face it together.

I gently pushed open the door and went in. Delph was leaning over the cot, his face littered with fresh tears. Duf lay in the cot, his eyes closed and his chest rising and falling unevenly. I crept forward until I was next to Delph.

“How is he?” I asked in a bare whisper.

“Me-Me-Mendens just in. Say they got to co-co-come off.”

“What? His legs?”

Delph nodded, his features an oblivion of misery. “Say ’tis th-th-that or he’s next for the Ha-Ha-Hallowed Ground. Don’t underst-st-stand it all, Ve-Ve-Vega Jane. But that wh-wh-what they say.”

I could well understand his stammering returning, what with all he was feeling. I closed my hand around his arm and squeezed lightly.

“When will they do it?” I asked.

“So-so-soon,” he replied.

I gripped his arm harder. “Delph, I’m going to get the Stone.” He looked at me quizzically. “The Adder Stone,” I said in a low voice. “I can heal him in no time with it.”

He looked alarmed. “No, Ve-Ve-Vega Jane. N-no.”

“I’m going to make this right, Delph.”

“I’ll c-come t-too.”

“You have to stay here with Duf.” As I looked down at the poor Wug, my mind raced ahead. “If the Mendens come for him before I get back, just try and stall for a bit.”

“But they say he could di-die.”

“I know, Delph,” I snapped. “I know,” I added in a calmer voice. “Just try and give me a few extra slivers. I’ll do my best.”

I ran from the room, principally because I felt unworthy to be around the pair of them.

I KNEW I HADnot many slivers to get this done. The Mendens might come at any time to take Duf and lop off his legs. And I doubted whether Delph would have the wherewithal to stand up to the medical Wugs. I sprinted back to my digs on the Low Road, retrieved Destin and the Elemental and ran back out, leaving Harry Two behind. I was not going to risk another Wug’s or beast’s life through my actions. As soon as I was clear of the village, I ran flat out and soared into the sky. I knew it was a risk, but saving Duf’s legs and maybe his life was more important than my being seen flying.

Stacks was closed this light because of the Duelum. I alighted within twenty yards of the rear of the place, hurried to the same side door and used my tools to open it. It was light outside, but that was no comfort. It had been light outside last time, and the cobble had still come to try and smash us to nothing.

I retraced my steps on the main floor but found nothing. I took a sliver to check out Domitar’s office in case he had found the Stone. I hurried up the stairs, ran to the end of the hall and saw, not surprisingly, that the wall I had pierced with my Elemental was now all repaired.

I put on my glove, pulled the Elemental from my pocket, thought it to full size, took aim and the wall once more blasted open. I willed the Elemental to shrink and put it back in my pocket, but I kept my glove on. I took my time going up the steps, thinking that I might have dropped the Adder Stone heading up or coming down them. Only there was nothing there. And the white rock would have stood out starkly against the dark marble.

At the top of the stairs, I stopped and took a long look at the words carved into the wall above the entrance to the room: HALL OF TRUTH. I didn’t care about the truth right now. All I wanted was the Adder Stone.

I hurried into the room, stood in the middle, and looked goggle-eyed around the vast space. There wasn’t a single book because there wasn’t a single bookcase on which to put them. In their place was a series of floor-to-ceiling looking glasses hung on the walls. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I looked at the frames on the looking glasses, all ornately carved with twisty, slithering creatures. They seemed familiar to me.

With a start I refocused. I scoured every crevice of the room for the Stone. I rose from the last corner, mired in defeat. It was then that I glanced at the first looking glass. Nothing could have prepared me for the image I saw there.

“Quentin!” I screamed.

Quentin Herms was in the looking glass seemingly running for his life. As I observed his surroundings, I knew at once that he must be deep in the Quag. There were no trees, vegetation or terrain like that in Wormwood. I glanced to the left and saw what was after him. My heart skipped a beat.

It was not one but a pack of freks, huge wolflike beasts with long snouts and longer fangs. They were fierce creatures. I had seen one slain by a morta after it had attacked a male Wug near the boundary of the Quag. Not only were the fangs sharp, apparently their bite drove one mad. The bitten Wug had thrown himself out a window at hospital four nights later and died.