"The longer they're left on, the weaker he'll be,"
the woman continued. "And hecan't take them offhimself. But I can, at any time - "
"And then he'll still be useful as a weapon?" "Yes. But blood has to run before he can use the blue fire."
The king said brusquely, "Show me."
The woman murmured a few words and strippedthe brace off the boy's arm. She took a knife fromher belt and with a quick, casual motion, like Maggie's grandmother guttinga salmon, opened a gash on his wrist.
Five-year-old Delos didn't flinch or make asound. His golden eyes were fixed on his father's faceas blood dripped onto the floor.
"I don't think this is a good idea," the old teachersaid. "The blue fire isn't meant to be used like this,and it damages his arm every time he does it=
"Now," the king interrupted, ignoring him andspeaking to the child for the first time. "Show mehow strong you are, son. Turn the blue fire on ..." He glanced up deliberately at the teacher. "Let'ssay-him."
"Majesty!" The old man gasped, backing againstthe wall.
The golden eyes were wide and afraid.
"Do it!" the king said sharply, and when the littleboy shook his head mutely, he closed his hand onone small shoulder. Maggie could see his fingerstighten painfully. "Do what I tell you. Now!" Delos turned his wide golden eyes on the old man, who was now shrinking and babbling, his trembling hands held up as if to ward off a blow.
The king changed his grip, lifted the boy's arm.
"Now, brat! Now!"
Blue fire erupted. It poured in a continuousstream like the water from a high-power fire hose.It struck the old man and spreadeagled him againstthe wall, his eyes and mouth open with horror. Andthen there was no old man. There was only a shad owy silhouette made of ashes.
"Interesting," the king said, dropping the boy'sarm. His anger had disappeared as quicklyasithad come.
"Actually, I thought there would bemore power. I thought it might take out the wall."
"Give him time." The woman's voice was slightlythick, and she was swallowing over and over.
"Well, no matter what, hell be useful." The kingturned to look at the others in the room. "Remember-all of you. A time of darkness is coming. Theend of the millennium means the end of the world.But whatever happens outside, this kingdom isgoing to survive."
Throughout all of this, the little boy sat andstared at the place where the old man had been.His eyes were wide, the pupils huge and fixed. Hisface was white, but without expression.
Maggie struggled to breathe.
That's-that's themost terrible thing I've ever seen.She could hardly get the words of her thought out. Theymade you kill your teacher-he made you do it. Yourfather. She didn't know what to say. Sheturned blindly, trying to find Delos himself in this strange landscape, trying to talk to him directly.She wanted to look at him, to hold him. To comfort him. I'm so sorry. I'mso sorry you had to grow uplike that.
Don't be stupid,he said. I grew up to be strong.That's what counts.
You grew up without anyone loving you,Maggiesaid.
He sent a thought like ice. Love is for weak people. It's a delusion. And it can be deadly.
Maggie didn't know how to answer. She wanted to shake him. All that stuff about the end of the millennium and the end of the world-what did that mean?
Exactly what it sounded like,Delos said briefly. The prophecies are coming true. The world o f hu mans is about to end in blood and darkness. And then the Night People are going to rule again.
And that's why they turned a five-year-old into alethal weapon? Maggie wondered. The thoughtwasn't for Delos, but she could feel that he heard it.
I am what I was meant to be,he said. And I don't want to be anything else.
Are you sure?Maggie looked around. Althoughshe couldn't have described what she was doing, she knew what it was. She was looking forsomething... something to prove to him ...
A scene flashed in the crystal.
The boy Delos was eight. He stood in front of apile of boulders, rocks the size of small cars. Hisfather stood behind him.
"Now!"
As soonasthe king spoke, the boy lifted his arm.Blue fire flashed. A boulder exploded, disintegrating into atoms.
Again!
Another rock shattered.
"More power! You're not trying. You're useless!"The entire pile of boulders exploded. The bluefire kept streaming, taking out a stand of trees behind the boulders and crashing into the side of amountain. It chewed through the rock, meltingshale and granite like a flamethrower burning awooden door.
The king smiled cruelly and slapped his son onthe back.
"That's better."
No. That's horrible,Maggie told Delos. That'swrong. This is what it should be like.
And she sent to him images of her own family.Not that the Neelys were anything special. Theywere like anybody. They had fights, some of them pretty bad. But there were lots of good times, too, and that was what she showed him. She showed him her life... herself.
Laughingasher father frantically blew on a flaming marshmallow on some long-past campingtrip. Smelling turpentine and watching magical colors unfold on canvasas her mother painted. Perch ing dangerously on the handlebars of a bike while Miles pedaled behind her, then shrieking all theway down a hill. Waking up to a rough warmtongue licking her face, opening one eye to see Jake the Great Dane panting happily. Blowing out candles at a birthday party. Ambushing Miles from herdoorway with a heavy-duty water rifle
...
Who is that?Delos asked. He had been thawing;Maggie could feel it. There were so many thingsin the memories that were strange to him: yellowsunshine, modern houses, bicycles, machinerybut she could feel interest and wonder stir in himat the people.