|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"So that's what we're up against, huh? A floating head like in The Wizard of Oz?" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"I've never seen anything quite like that before. I'm sorry. He must have felt my presence and followed my thoughts back here," Paula said, looking down on the postman's shriveled remains. "I will have to take precautions." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paula took a seat at the table and stared at her deck of cards. "I don't get it," she whispered. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Get what?" he asked, gently kneading Kyna's shoulders. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Why he couldn't see us." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"I wondered about that too. But hey, what do I know about floating heads?" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"He saw me easily enough," Kyna muttered. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Not until you moved. It was almost as if . . ." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Did you see what he did?" Kyna asked. "What he did to that poor man? It was like he was swatting a fly." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"What should we do?" Cyrus asked. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The witch considered the question for a moment as she absentmindedly twirled a strand of ebony hair around her finger. "Well, this man obviously knows who and what you are. I'm afraid that means there is no place for you to hide. I have certain charms I can give you, but to be honest, I don't think they will be very effective against something like him." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Quit trying to cheer us up," Cyrus muttered, "and just tell us what we need to do." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Not much you can do. I don't need to tell you it will be suicide to underestimate him. You have no idea of the kind of power it took to communicate with us like that." Paula glanced at the body on the floor. "Not to mention what he did to poor Ed." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Can he be killed?" Kyna demanded. "Can something like him die?" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paula nodded. "Oh, he's mortal all right. He's not a demon or even a werewolf." |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"How do you know?" Cyrus asked. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"The same way I knew about you: his aura." Paula noted the sour expression on Kyna's face. "Okay, energy emana- |
|
|
|
|
|