Brom - The Child Thief

Peter felt the bite of the sword’s spiked hilt, felt its heat, felt its pulse within him, felt its power. He heard the Horned One then—calling his name. Peter could see that Ulfger heard it too.

“No,” Ulfger cried. “I am the one . Me, Father. Me! ”

Peter hefted the blade and moved in, circling, stalking the giant.

Ulfger backed away, his haunted eyes rolling wildly in their sockets, frantically searching for some escape. His heel caught on Huck’s body and he tumbled over backward.

Peter was at him.

“NO!” Ulfger cried.

Peter brought the black sword high over his head and down with all his strength. Ulfger put up his hands, tried to block the strike, but Caliburn sliced through his wrists, leaving two steaming stumps. Ulfger wailed with outrage and pain. Peter brought the sword down again. This time, the blade bit deep into Ulfger’s neck. Ulfger’s face twisted in agony. An awful, strangling sound gurgled from the deep gash across his throat. Peter grinned, letting the sword take him, reveled in its song as he brought the blade down over and over. Ulfger’s wounds tried to heal, but Peter kept hacking and hacking, chopping and re-chopping, until, at last, Ulfger’s head rolled away and his body fell limp.

The Mist swirled and danced around Peter. He felt the Horned One’s wild blood—awakened by the sword, by the death and carnage—pumping in his veins. Peter’s golden eyes blazed. He set his foot atop Ulfger’s chest, pointed Caliburn heavenward, threw back his head, and howled.

The call echoed across the park.

PETER CLOSED HISeyes, listening to his own heartbeat. He heard men shouting in the distance and the warbling sirens growing louder, and knew the Mist was thinning again. The Lady’s voice came to him, softly, but pushing all other sounds into the background. “Peter.”

Peter opened his eyes, saw the Lady. She appeared a little stronger now, and some of the color had returned to her eyes. She beamed at him. “Peter,” she whispered. “You are my champion—forever.”

Peter glanced from Ulfger’s body to the bodies of the Flesh-eaters. He jabbed Ulfger’s head with the tip of Caliburn. Ulfger’s lips quivered and his eyes flickered. Peter wondered if the head was still alive somehow, if the sword’s spell could do that. He hoped so as he kicked the head into the pond. He stared at the bubbles as it sunk below the water and disappeared from sight. Then Peter strolled toward the Lady, a triumphant smile spreading across his face as his heart swelled. Yes, I am your champion.

A ragged sob cut the silence. Cricket cradled Nick in her lap; there was blood trickling from his mouth, but the boy was still alive, his eyes were on Peter—watching him, judging him. Peter’s smile faded.

Peter stuck the deadly sword into the earth, came and knelt beside them. He clasped Nick’s shoulder. The boy’s skin was clammy. “Nick, you fought bravely. You’re a true Devil . You saved—”

“Cut the bullshit,” Nick snapped.

Peter flinched.

Nick caught hold of his arm. “How can you continue to play this game?” he hissed through clenched teeth. “Are you truly that blind?” He pointed at the smoldering husks of Rex, Huck, Drake. “Look! Look at them! They’re all dead, all your Devils. Don’t you even care? Or do they no longer matter?”

Peter tried not to look, but there was no escaping the wide, staring eyes of the dead, the stink of guts, blood, and burned flesh hanging in the Mist. Nothing noble or romantic, just death. He tried to pull away, but Nick held him, his face tight with anger and pain. “Don’t you dare look away from them. Not after they gave their lives for you, stood by you when no one else would.”

“No,” Peter said. “They died for the Lady. They died honorably, defending their queen.”

“She’s not their queen, you stupid fuck.” Nick coughed and blood spattered his chin. “It was you they worshipped, you they followed, and look where you led them. Look! You traded their lives for the Lady, your goddamn precious Lady. Was it worth it? Was she worth all their lives?”

Peter knocked Nick’s hand away. “No,” Peter growled. “It’s not like that. You’re always twisting things around.” But even as he shook his head, he saw their faces, not in death, but in life. Those vibrant children who had followed him through the Mist on a promise—had laughed, cried, played, fought, and died alongside of him.

Peter caught sight of Danny and the Captain climbing out from the far side of the pool. He leaped to his feet, reached for Caliburn, then stopped, glanced back at Nick—at Nick’s hard, cold eyes.

“What are you waiting for?” Nick said. “Go on. Kill them too. More blood for your goddamn queen. Right?”

Peter let out a hard breath and just stood there, watching as the Captain and Danny disappeared into the trees.

“Peter,” the Lady called. “Come to me.” She sounded stronger. Tanngnost carried her in his arms. The elves, the witch, the three girls, and the barghest all surrounded her. She smiled at him. “It is time to go.”

Nick coughed, spat up a mouthful of blood. Peter looked, as though for the first time, at the spear protruding from Nick’s chest. The boy was so pale; pain creased his eyes.

“Hold on, Nick,” Peter said. “You’re going to be all right.” He dashed over to the Lady. “Modron,” Peter called. “Hurry, help him before it’s too late.”

The Lady reached for Peter, took his hand, and smiled sadly at him. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do for him.”

“Of course there is. You can heal him. You can try.”

“Peter,” she said sternly. “We’ve no time for their kind, not now.”

Their kind? Peter stared at her.

“Peter, please don’t look at me that way. I know the human children are dear to you. But they are back in their place now. It is up to their gods to help them. We have to look after our own.”

“Nick is our own. He’s earned his place a thousand times over. You owe it to him.”

The Lady’s eyes flared. “Enough of this,” she said sharply. “Would you have me risk everything for him? I must conserve my strength; there are many trials ahead.”

Peter grabbed the Lady’s hand. “Please,” he said. “Just do what you can. Anything. Please, I’m begging you.”

Her face softened. “Peter, don’t fret so. You need to let go, put their kind behind you. You are my warlord now. Your place awaits. Now, I will hear no more of this. Tanngnost, we need to leave before all is lost.”

Peter looked from face to face: the witch’s smirk, the girls’ wicked smiles, the cold eyes of the elves. Only Tanngnost seemed genuinely saddened by the dying boy. “I’m sorry, Peter,” the old troll said. “I wish there was something I could do.”

“Now come, Peter,” the Lady said. “We must make haste.”

They all turned away, leaving Peter standing there, the slain bodies of his Devils scattered around him.

NICK FELT Achill, a numbing coldness crawling toward his heart. I’m not going to make it, he thought. I’m never going to see my mother again. Tears rolled down his cheeks. I have to tell her I’m sorry. Tell her how much I love her. Have to.

“Peter,” Nick called weakly. Peter didn’t hear him.

“Peter,” Cricket called. “Peter.”

Peter slowly pulled his eyes away from the Lady, walked over, and knelt down next to them.

“I need you to do something for me,” Nick said.

Peter nodded, distractedly.

“You have to find my mother.” Nick coughed, it was getting hard to speak. “Tell her I love her. Tell her I’m sorry. And Peter.” Nick clutched Peter’s arm, pulled him close. “Kill them. Kill Marko and his friends. Will you do that?”