Lily's mouth tightened. She put her hands on her hips, looking from Hugh to Claire.
Then Jez heard the strangest sound of her life.
It was laughing-a wild and reckless laughing. There was an edge almost like crying to it, but also something that was exhilarated, daredevil, free.
"If you really want to know who it is," Morgead said, "ifs me."
Lily whirled to glare at him. Jez simply stared, dumbfounded.
She'd never seen him look so handsome-or so mocking. His smile was brilliant and flashing, his dark hair was falling all over his eyes, and his eyes were blazing green emeralds. He was tied up, but he was sitting with his head thrown back like a prince.
Something tore inside Jez.
She didn't understand why he would do it. He must know he wasn't saving her. The only people he might possibly save were Hugh and Claire. And why would he care about them?
Besides, it was a futile gesture. He didn't realize that he couldn't be the Wild Power, that he hadn't been around when the train stopped.
But-it was such a gallant gesture, too. Probably the most gallant thing Jez had ever seen.
She stared at him, feeling the wetness spill from her eyes again, wishing she were telepathic and could ask him why in the worlds he had done it.
Then his green eyes turned to her, and she heard his mental voice.
There's just a chance they'll let one of them go with a beating. Just maybe-as a warning to Circle Daybreak not to mess with Hunter anymore. Especially if I convince Lily I'll work with her.
Jez couldn't answer, but she shook her head very faintly, and looked at him in despair. She knew he could read that. Do you know what they'll do to you? Especially when they find out you're a fake?
She saw his faint answering smile. He knew.
What difference does it make? he said in her mind. You and me-we're lost anyway. And without you, I don't care what happens.
Jez couldn't show any reaction to that at all. Her vision was dimming, and her heart felt as if it were trying to claw itself out of her chest.
Oh, Morgead ...
Lily was breathing hard, on the verge of losing control. "If I have to kill all of you-"
"Wait," Pierce said, his cool voice a striking contrast to Lily's strained one. "There's a simple way to find out." He pointed at Jez. "Stake her."
Lily glared at him. "What?"
"She's never going to tell you anything. She's expendable. And there's something you have to understand about the Wild Power." He moved smoothly to Lily's side. "I think Morgead was right about one thing. I think the Wild Power isn't operating consciously at this point. It's only when the danger is greatest, when there's no physical way to escape, that the power comes out."
Lily cast a sideways look at Hugh and Claire, who were sitting tensely, their eyes wide. "You mean they may not know which it is?"
"Maybe not. Maybe it's completely automatic at this point. But there's one way to find out. They all seem-attached-to the halfbreed. Put her life in danger, and then see which of them can break free and try to save her."
Lily's perfect lips slowly curved in a smile. "I knew there was a reason I liked you," she said. Then she gestured at the thugs. "Go on, do it" Everything was confused for a bit. Not because Jez was struggling.
She wasn't. But Claire was screaming and Hugh and Morgead were shouting, and Lily was laughing.
When the worst of the noise died down, Jez found herself on her back. Azarius was standing over her, and he was holding a hammer and stake.
"Isn't it interesting," Lily was saying, "that a stake through the heart is the one thing that takes care of humans and vampires equally efficiently?"
"And halfbreeds, too," Pierce said. They were on either side of Azarius, looking down and laughing.
"Lily, listen. Listen," Morgead said, his voice hoarse and desperate. "You don't have to do this. I already told you, it's me. Just wait a minute and talk to me-*
"Don't even bother, human-lover," Lily said without glancing at him. "If you're the Wild Power, then save her."
"Don't any of you do anything!" Jez yelled. "Not anything, do you understand?"
She was yelling it mainly at Claire-or was she?
Suddenly Jez felt strangely uncertain.
Her heart was beating very quickly, and her mind was racing even faster. Fragments of thought were glittering through her consciousness, like bits of melody almost too faint to catch. It was as if all the prophecies she'd heard about the Wild Powers were echoing, ricocheting around her brain at insane speed. And there was something about them, something that was bothering her. Something that made her wonder...
Could it be that Claire wasn't the Wild Power? Jez had assumed she was-but was it possible that she'd been wrong?
Hugh had been on the platform, too, watching the train approach. Hugh had reason to be upset at having to watch Jez die. He cared about her. Jez knew that now. And Hugh was seventeen.
Could Hugh be the Wild Power?
He hadn't been in the Marina district-but he lived in the Bay Area; there was no reason he couldn't have been watching the fire just as she and Claire had.
But there was still something nagging at her. The prophecies... 'two eyes are watching'... 'Four of blue fire, power in their blood....'
Lily was speaking. Jez heard her as if from a great distance.
"Do it. Right beside the heart first."
Azarius positioned the stake. He raised the hammer.
Morgead screamed, "Jez!"
Jez shouted, "None of you do anything-"
And then the hammer came down and the universe exploded in red agony.
Chapter 18
Jez heard herself scream, but only faintly.