“This monster is probably a demon,” Angel added. “It killed Larkin Quill in his cottage, Kirisin. I was there when it happened. I couldn’t stop it. I’m sorry about that.”
Kirisin looked stricken, but didn’t say anything. Logan guessed that everything he was hearing at this point was just another piece of bad news to add to what he was already dealing with. He hoped the subject of Simralin wouldn’t come up.
“I can tell you about this boy,” Logan said to Helen Rice. “He was born a gypsy morph, a thing of wild magic. But his past was hidden from him, and he only just found out the truth about himself. He was sent to lead these children and their caregivers and some others who will join in the march to a place of safety.”
He paused. “The end is coming for this world and its inhabitants. Most will be destroyed in a cataclysm more devastating than anything that’s occurred yet. We have to get to where we are going before that happens.”
“Hawk said just this morning–finally–that we can leave,” Angel offered. “Whatever was holding him back isn’t doing so anymore. We’re preparing to set out tomorrow.”
“Tell me about this monster that you think is a demon,” Logan said. “You said you saw it?”
Angel nodded. “I saw it from as close as I am to you. Too close. Big and mutated—a human once, I think. It came through the floor to get to Larkin, and then it came after me. I used the staff’s magic, but even that was barely enough.”
“I’ve heard of a demon like that. It travels with the old man, the demon that’s tracking you. But what does it want?”
“Hawk says it wants him. He says it was sent to kill him.”
Logan sighed, folding himself forward about his staff, contemplative. “That’s probably so. Kill him, and there’s no escape for any of us.” He looked at her. “We better find this thing before it manages to get to him.”
She nodded, and for a moment no one said anything.
Then Logan stood up. “I need to speak with Hawk. Maybe you should all come with me.”
All FOUR WENT, wending their way through the controlled chaos of the camp. Everywhere, preparations for leaving were under way. Clothes and bedding, food stores, ammunition and weapons, tools, solar batteries and the machines they powered were being packed up. Children worked alongside adults, and only the very young and their caretakers were not involved. Logan took a moment to imagine what it was going to take for all these people to get to where they were going. Even without knowing where that was, he knew it was going to take a lot.
He was surprised, as they neared the perimeter of the camp, to spy a handful of Lizards. There were perhaps twenty of them, all ages and sizes, maybe a few families come together, but maybe just strays who had found their way and stayed. No one from the camp seemed to mind that they were there, and the Lizards were keeping carefully apart. The biggest of them carried weapons, but their attention was directed out toward the barren landscape.
Hawk said there would be others. He said the King of the Silver River had told him so.
Even the youngest of the camp’s children knew of Lizards and Croaks and Spiders and other mutants. They would have been taught early on in life to be wary of them, to avoid them whenever possible.
What must they think now, finding themselves banded together like this?
What will they think when they see the Elves?
He found Hawk and most of the other Ghosts clustered around a map that Owl had unfolded across her lap. The kids looked up as the newcomers approached, and immediate shouts of greeting were issued to Logan from one and all. Panther rushed forward and reached for his hand, gripping it firmly in his own.
“ ’Bout time you got here. We got ourselves a mess! Gotta move all these people, gotta pack up all their stuff, gotta figure out where to go. On top of that, we got ourselves a stump head trying to kill anything it can get its hands on!”
“So I heard.” Logan gave the boy’s hand a firm squeeze. “Good thing we got you to handle it for us.” Panther made a rude noise. “Yeah, like that’s gonna happen. Thing almost killed Bird‑Man up there in the mountains. Along with Bear, Cheney, and even Kitty Cat. We need more claws to deal with that frickin’ thing. If we even ever see it again. It’s like a ghost. You know it almost got her, too, don’t you?” He gestured toward Angel Perez. “She’s a Knight of the Word like you, so what does that say? Ain’t nothing can stop it?”
He gave Panther a look. “We’ll see.”
He glanced at the others and greeted them by name. Only Fixit and Chalk were missing. He took a moment to lean down and give Owl a hug. It was an impulsive, totally out–of–character act for him, but something about her steadying presence made him want to do it. She laughed lightly and hugged him back.
“Hawk.” He greeted the gypsy morph last, the boy with the magic. Hawk nodded without saying anything, waiting to see what this was about. “Is it finally time to start everyone moving?”
“Tomorrow morning,” Hawk answered him.
Logan nodded. “Heard about the demon. You feel pretty certain that it’s after you?”
He didn’t need to explain any further what he was talking about. Hawk shrugged. “More than pretty certain. I looked into its eyes out there when it had me cornered. I could tell what it was thinking. I could see it. It’s come for me. It almost had me, too. I don’t think even Cheney could have stopped it.”
Logan nodded. “Maybe not. But we’re going to have to find something that can. It won’t quit, even if we move the camp. Demons don’t give up.” He paused. “If it’s after you, then taking all these children is a way to get at you. It probably hopes to lure you outside the camp, maybe make you come looking for it.”
“I don’t think that’s what it’s doing,” Angel interrupted suddenly. Logan turned. “I saw it, too. I looked into its eyes, and I think I know what it’s doing. I think it’s toying with us.”
Logan took a moment to consider. “Could be. Some demons are like that. They play with humans when they have the chance. This one might feel so superior physically that it isn’t worried about getting to Hawk. It might be showing off for us.”
“For cat’s sake!” Sparrow snapped. “Can’t we just go out there and find it and kill it?”
Logan shook his head. “That job belongs to Angel and myself. The Ghosts have to stay inside the perimeter of the camp and watch out for each other.” He looked at Hawk. “They have to look out for you, in particular.”
“I have to look out for them,” Hawk replied firmly.
Panther rolled his eyes and wheeled away. “Group hug,” he muttered blackly.
Logan ignored him. Panther was just being Panther. “Just remember what I said. Stay together.”
“So you gonna go out and hunt this thing been taking all the children, Mister Knight of the Word?” Panther demanded, wheeling back. “Want me to go with you? Look out for you?”
“What’s your problem, Panther?” Sparrow snapped at him, blue eyes bright with anger. “Didn’t you hear what he just said? We’re supposed to stay out of this.”
Panther glanced over. “I heard him. I just don’t think he meant it. He needs someone he can depend on to back him up out there. Who’s he got besides me?”
“Stop trying to get your way, Panther,” Owl said quietly. “We need to stay out of this business. It will be enough if we can be of help to Hawk tomorrow. He’s going to need all of us.”
Bear muttered his agreement, and River added hers. Panther looked at them in turn and then shrugged. “Ain’t no skin off my baby–smooth butt. Do what you want.” He knelt next to Owl, feigning disinterest. “Let me see that map again.”
Logan waited a moment, then said, “One more thing. I want you to keep Kirisin with you, as well. I want you to look after him the same way you look after each other.”