Chapter 7

"Have you any luck?" Barnabas asked Julia.

"I keep trying.. But, damn it, I am not even sure what I am looking for, nor what kind of handle I can get on it... If I had a better idea what I am dealing with. I suspect that the answer might be a very simple one, but until I ask the right question I will not get it. Now, what is the right question?"

"It must be very frustrating" Barnabas commiserated.

"It is. What about Angelique? Does she have any better luck?"

"She leaned that it was an ancient sorcerer's spell. She is asking Megan to contact any vampire who was enslaved by a an ancient sorcerer for what they might remember... It is one good thing about living that long. You remember details that would have been forgotten otherwise. Of course it being long ago the memories can dilute, or be too painful to remember.."

"In any case, they are a resource, which is more than we used to have. On the other hand, we lost Adam, the damn fool."

"What happened?"

"He went into the I Ch'ing maze all by himself. They tried to warn him off, but he did it anyway. Angelique destroyed the hexagram, dooming him... she said that if she did not do it, we could all be destroyed. His body disappeared... as it happened with me when Edward destroyed my hexagram."

"It is a pity."

"Yes. Damn it. Why did he have to be so stupid and stubborn? Granted, he wanted to help Maggie and Joe. But why couldn't he listen to those who knew better than him? Maybe he was determined to destroy himself."

"Maybe he just wanted to be a hero, save the day for everybody, just like in the movies. Only it does not work that way. Damn it, I wish that Angelique did not have to do it."

"Yes..."

"Was it really dangerous to let him go on?"

"The sorcerer at the other end of the maze is a powerful one and not inclined towards kindliness. Ancient sorcerers were highly paranoid, afraid of other sorcerers stealing their secrets. He would sense Adam's presence, think it was an enemy spy, traced him back, and conducted, as the Pentagon puts it, a preemptive strike against us."

Julia nodded. She understood why it had to be done. ... But still, Adam had been her child, her only child for a while.

"Quentin took it bad and I don't blame him. He owes Adam a great deal. But Angelique could not let Adam endanger us. He already cost us Maggie and Joe. It should stop there."


It had to be blood, Adam thought. The blood of some creature or other.

Maybe it could be the blood of the wizard himself...

It was worth a try...

But he did not know it for sure, and if he used the wizard's blood and it did not work, what then? He either killed the wizard, who could not tell him more, or the wizard lived, and was ready for revenge.

There were plenty of other creatures around. Ordinary creatures like goats. Or the more fantastic ones like the gryphon perched on that tree...

Maybe even the blood of mermaids...

Yes, the blood of the male of the species...

He would try later on, at night, when the wizard was asleep. He would have to lure the mermaid, capture it, and use its blood to bring back either the king or the slave. Then he'd bring the mermaid's blood with him, and restore Maggie and Joe.

They would be grateful to him once he had done it. They would forgive him his stupidity. Carolyn might warm up to him again... he would show them all that he was no longer a fool...

There were plenty of mermaids on the waves, trying to attract unwary human males. But they were not close enough.

He would need some sort of net. And some cup to collect the blood. And a knife.

A sharpened stone that he found on the ground would do for the knife... He looked up at a nearby tree. It had large fruits... grapefruits. A hollowed rind of grapefruit would do for a cup.. As for the net, he could use his jacket. He could lure a mermaid by looking like prey and then throw the jacket on top tying the sleeves around it.

In the dwelling, the wizard had finished punishing the disciple, who now lay whimpering and bleeding at his feet.

"You would like to kill me, don't you?" And maybe you will, if you are strong enough." he moved away from him. "Only a wizard can kill a wizard, and you are not one yet. Those who try and fail do not live to tell of it, thought heir deaths are usually slow and painful. Being drowned in a sack would be a kindness compared to the death I can inflict on you if you fail to kill me. Think about it."

"I... I am sorry, master."

"Yes, you are sorry you failed, Yet you will try.. I wonder if you will be the one? I wonder if you are my fate. Not that it matters. Now I can do what I wish with you."

"I know you can kill me if you want..."

The wizard laughed. "You doubt me, don't you? You think me soft and weak. You are stupid enough that because I use your body for pleasure that I am falling in love with you. You think that I may have pity on you... If I had pity for you, I would drown you in a sack and spare much worse pain. But I take more pleasure in tormenting you than in anything else I do to you. The more excuses you give me to punish you, the more I enjoy it. You would have died long ago from the injuries I inflict on you were it not for my healing skills that take away the damage but leave the pain as a reminder I will now set your dislocated shoulders, for you are useless to me if you cannot move your arms properly." He put his hands on the disciples' shoulders and sent healing energy to them.

The slave hollered. Being healed always hurt worse than the original injury.

Was there a way that he could kill the wizard? If he studied the books, would they show him how?

Adam took advantage of the screams, trying not to think about their source, to come close to the shore. There was nothing that he could do for the boy. He tried not to imagine what the wizard was doing to him...

He better turn his attention to attracting and capturing a mermaid.

They were still there, trying to entice him with their bodies. (He did not stop to think that it meant that he was no longer invisible). He just walked up and down the beach and mermaids approached, their hair streaming behind them, and their bare breasts bouncing invitingly on the water. If he had not know that those were males, he would have fallen for them again... Even now, it hurt to know how all that loveliness was wasted...

He let them approach, feigning interest, while at the same time seeming to fear the water.

Did they approach to feed the gorgon or to feed themselves? He now knew that those sharp teeth were used on prey. Not just fish, but quite often human flesh. "His" mermaid had not tried to eat him, but then he wanted him to feed a ravenous female before mating. If not, he would have been devoured by those needle sharp teeth,...

They came close enough. One of them extended his arm to him.

He caught the mermaid by the hair and pulled him on the beach.

The mermaid screamed, beat his tail forcefully and tried to bite. But Adam was quick, and cut his throat. Not cleanly, because the stone was not that sharp. But the large vessel was severed...

He colleted all the blood he could in the rind, in spite of the thrashing of the dying mermaid, and threw in on the statue next to him.

Laughter filled the air.

"That blood will not help you' the wizard said behind him.

He turned. The wizard was behind him, smiling malevolently.

"Who are you? A spy? Yes, they sent you to spy on me. Who was it?"

"I... no one..." Adam stammered.

"You will tell me soon enough." he extended his arm towards Adam and touched him.

Adam screamed and tried to run away. But the wizard only laughed louder.

Adam fell down and began shaking. Something was happening to him... something...

The wizard picked him up on the palm of his hand.

"Yes, that size is right for you. I will keep you till you tell me all that I want to know. They I will give you as a toy to my cat... or to my slave."