And they must have come fresh from kidnappingP.J., Maggie thought. What wonderful guys.
"They knocked me out. And then Sylvia boundme with spells and practiced with her truth potions on me. She didn't get much information, becauseI didn't have much information. There was no armyof witches coming to invade the Dark Kingdomright now, I wish there were. And she already knew that I was coming to see Delos."
Aradia sighed again and finished quickly. "Thetruth potion poisoned me, so that for days afterwards I was delirious. I couldn't really understandwhat was going on around me -I just faded in andout. I knew that I was being kept ina warehouse until the weather cleared enough to take me to thevalley. And I knew that Miles had already been disposed of-Sylvia mentioned that before she left mein the warehouse. But I didn't know what she haddone with him-and I still don't."
Maggie swallowed. Her heart was still thumping in that slow, heavy way. "What I don't understandis why she had to set up a whole scenario to explainwhere he went. She let some rangers find her onthe mountain, and she said that he fell down acrevasse. But if he was dead, why not just let himdisappear?"
"I think I know the answer to that, at least," Aradia said. "When Miles was fighting them off he saidthat his roommates knew he'd gone climbing withher. He said that if he didn't come back, they'dremember that."
Yes. It made sense. Everything made sense-except that Maggie still didn't know what had becomeof him.
There was a long silence.
`"Well, he was brave," Jeanne said finally, andwith unexpected seriousness. "If he did die, he wentout the right way. We just ought to hope we cando the same."
Maggie glanced at her, trying to read the angularfeatures in the darkness. There was no trace ofmockery or sarcasm that she could see.
Well, Cady's changed into Aradia, Maiden of allthe witches, and I've changed into the Deliverernot that I've been much good at it, she thought. But I think maybe you've changed the most afterall, Jeanne
"You know, I don't even know your last name,"
she said to Jeanne, so abruptly and so much offthe subject that Jeanne reared back a little.
"Uh-McCartney. It was-it is-McCartney." Sheadded, "I was fourteen when they got me. I was at the mall playing Fist of Death at the arcade. And Iwent to go to the bathroom, and it was down this long empty corridor, and the next thing I knew Iwas waking up in a slave trader's cart. And now you know everything," she said.
Maggie put out a hand in the dimness, "Hi,Jeanne McCartney." She felt the cold grip of slen der, callused fingers, and she shook Jeanne's hand.And then she just held on to it, and to Aradia's soft warm fingers on the other side. The three of themsat together in the dark cell, slave, human, andwitch Maiden-except that we're really all just girls,Maggie thought.
"You didn't tell me one thing," Maggie said suddenly. "What'd they callyou when you started working here? What was your job?"
Jeanne snorted. "Second Assistant Stable Sweeper.And. now you know everything. "
Maggie didn't think she could possibly sleep in aplace like this, but after the three of them had sat quietly for a long time she found herself dozing. And when the rattle of the dungeon door startledher, she realized that she'd been asleep.
She had no idea what time it was-the flare wasburning low. She could feel Aradia and Jeannecome awake beside her.
"Dinner?" Jeanne muttered.
"I just hope it's not PJ.-" Maggie began, and
then broke off as firm, determined steps sounded on the stone floor of the corridor.
She recognized the stride and she stood up tomeet Delos.
He stood outside the cell, the dying torchlightflickering on his dark hair, catching occasionalsparks off his golden eyes. He was alone.
And he didn't waste time getting to the point.
"I came to see if you've decided to be reasonable," he said.
"I've been reasonable from the beginning," Maggie said quietly and completely seriously. She was searching his face and the slight link she felt between their minds at this distance, hoping to findsome change in him. But although she felt turmoilthat was almost anguish, she also felt the steel ofhis resolve.
I won't let you be killed. Nothing else matters.
Maggie felt her shoulders sag.
She turned slightly. Aradia and Jeanne were stillsitting on the bench, Aradia motionless, Jeannecoiled and wary. But she could tell that they bothfelt this was her fight.
And they're right. If I can't do it, nobody can...But how?
"They're people," she said, gesturing toward theother girls, but watching Delos's face. "I don't knowhow to get you to see that. They matter, too."
He hardly glanced back at them. "In the time ofdarkness that is coming," he said, as carefully as ifreciting a lesson, "only the Night People will survive. The ancient forces of magic are rising. They'vebeen asleep for ten thousand years, but they'rewaking up again."
A low voice, not belligerent, but not afraid either,came from the back of the cell. "Some of us believethat humans can learn to live with magic."
"Some of you are idiots and fools and are goingto die," Delos said, without even looking.
He stared at Maggie. She stared back at him.They were willing each other ashard as possible to understand.
And I think he's got a stronger will, Maggiethought, as she broke the locked gaze and looked away, thumping the heel of a clenched fist against her forehead.
No. That's not right. I'm Steely Neely and I nevergive up.
If I tell him that some things are worth dyingfor...
But I don't think he's afraid to die. He's justafraid for me. And he just won't listen if I say that I'd rather die than see some things happen. Butthat's the truth. There are some things that you just can't allow to happen, whatever the cost. There are some things that have just got to be stopped.