Holder of Lightning

A strobe of lightning illuminated the dust clouds as it streaked away: Ennis attacking. Down the lane, there was a cry of distress and the massive lava-creature grunted and shifted its attack to Ennis, though the blue-white beam still pounded at the defensive wall Jenna had erected. "Jenna! Back to the square!" she heard Ennis shout in the confusion. She thought she saw a glimpse of his figure, then the dust closed in again as the second story of the house fell in with a splintering, long crash. Someone screamed in the rubble. The mage-demon attacked directly once more, hovering above her with an audible whoomp-whoomp of wings before it plummeted down; Jenna formed the energy of Lamh Shabhala into hands and reached for it. The beast reared back as the hands caught and held it, fiery arcs of drool flying from its mouth and its wings flapping desperately, clawing at the unseen fingers that held it. Jenna could feel the claws, as if they were ripping into her own skin, and she screamed.

Jenna forced herself to focus, to fend off the beast and still hold back the others. She knew now how Lamh Shabhala had been beaten in the past-she could not put her attention anywhere long enough to counter-attack; inevitably someone would get through. She could sense that the other Cloch Mor Holders in the city were now aware of the battle: Moister Cleurach, the Banrion. . She could only hope that they would enter the fray soon. She gave way, the mage-demon following, backing down the lane and hoping Ennis was doing the same. She could feel him struggling against the fire cloch.

She heard his voice, calling out, "Jen-" and then cut off. She screamed her own pain and fear as the lava-creature stomped back toward her. Hold them.

They have to be weakening. . Already the cloch-beast's struggles were failing, though the other two clochs continued their assault. For an instant, she let down the wall, shouting against the pain as the energy stream burned her, as the clinging fire of the lava-creature struck her clothing. She channeled the flow of Lamh Shabhala toward the hands holding the mage-demon, imagining them crushing the life from the thing: the beast gibbered in panic, limbs flailing now in desperation. She heard bones cracking, and the soft, ugly sound of the body rupturing.

The cloch-beast vanished in a wail as down the lane she heard an echoing cry from its Holder.

Jenna threw the wall back up again, pushing away the other two clochs' assault. She'd fallen without knowing it, nearly losing hold of Lamh Shabhala.

Her cloca was scorched, her skin burned underneath. She forced herself to stand again, readied herself to release the wall now and counterattack.

Raging chaos shifted abruptly into silence and dark. In her cloch-vision, the other two clochs vanished. She could sense them still, but they were dim and inactive. The Holders were moving away, quickly, as if on horse-back. She flung furious lightning bolts toward them, but it was already too late. They were gone.

"Ennis!" She called his name, coughing in the dust, trying desperately to see either with her eyes or through Lamh Shabhala. "Ennis!"

He wasn't there. The dust was settling; she could see the street and the rubble strewn across it, but there was no sign of Ennis, and she could not feel him or his cloch with Lamh Shabhala.

He was gone. Taken.

"Ennis!" she called again, knowing in her heart it was useless. Footsteps were running toward her from the direction of the square. Jenna whirled, her hand on Lamh Shabhala, ready to strike.

"Holder!" One of the Ri's gardai-a sergeant by the insignia on his shoulder-came to an abrupt halt, staring in disbelief at the destruction around him and Jenna's battered appearance as half a dozen soldiers came hurrying behind. "Are you hurt?" "I'm fine," she said. "Mage O'Deoradhain has been captured." Jenna waved her arm. "Quickly! We have to find him!"

The sergeant barked orders and his men scattered, but Jenna knew it was too late.

Too late.

PART FOUR: The Shadow RI (Map: Dun Kiil)

Chapter 46: Decisions

"IT was my brother," the Banrion said. "Or at least I have to make that I assumption. He’s gone, along with all his retainers."

Jenna had been carried to her chambers in the keep and the healer sent for. Moister Cleurach had come rushing in as well, refusing to leave in case he might need to defend her with his cloch. Guards were set outside the doors and in the hallways, and trackers were sent in pursuit of Aron 0 Dochartaigh.

Now, several hours later, Jenna lay bandaged in her bed, the cuts, scrapes, and burns on her body salved and wrapped, her right arm and chest throbbing with fiery needles each time she breathed or moved. She kept finding her gaze snagged on the set of drawers across the room where the bag of anduilleaf sat. The only thing that kept her from telling them to bring her the leaf was knowing how disappointed Ennis would be if she started using it again.