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I felt a cold finger touch my heart。 Suddenly the alcohol warmth fled and I was wide…awake sober。
〃What are you saying？〃 I tried to keep my voice from shaking； but I failed。 He didn't notice； though。
〃They tried to get back； but I stopped them；〃 he said。 〃Ah； well； I did have some help。 A group of shadowrunners I enlisted。 We went and played our little games on the metaplanes。 God； it was fantastic。 I haven't felt so alive since…I don't know when。 Can you imagine it？ Just my wits against them。
〃Oh； there was some business with them recently in Maui； but that was easy enough to handle。〃
He gave a pleased laugh。 Full and rich。 I hadn't heard that tone in his voice in so long I'd almost forgotten he could sound that way。 Had it been anything else to bring this joy about I would have been delighted； but all I wanted to do was shake him。 Hard。 Laughing and enjoying this。。。 this catastrophe。
It was just like him to think he'd finished them off。 What hubris。 What ego。
〃。。。 And then I told them the story about Thayla；〃 he was saying。 〃And I sent them on a quest to find her voice。〃
〃Did it work？〃
〃Of course it did；〃 he said； indignantly。 〃What do you take me for？ A dilettante？ I know we've had our disagreements； but even you can see what a feat this is。
〃What I see is your ego is out of bounds again。 In your endless fascination with being involved in the machinations behind things； you've missed the point。 As usual。〃
〃You're jealous；〃 he said。
〃What？〃
〃You're jealous。〃
〃Of what？〃 I was baffled at this sudden turn in the conversation。
〃Of me。 Of my power。 You couldn't stand it when I surpassed your abilities。〃
〃Don't be asinine。〃
〃Oh； do you deny it？〃 he asked。 He had a pel…itive； smirky expression on his face that I wanted to slap off。
〃I won't even dignify that with an answer。 The things which you pursue； Caimbeui； are vainglorious and； ultimately； irrelevant。〃
〃That's something else you do；〃 he said。 〃You always call me Caimbeui。 I haven't been called by that name in three hundred years。〃
〃Very well。 Harlequin；〃 I said。 〃But this is all beside the point。 The point is you think the Horrors have returned and that you have beaten them singlehandedly； don't you？ Or at least once。 I have no idea what actually happened in Maui because you always leave things out when it's not all about you。〃
He gave me an annoyed look。
〃Very well； Aina；〃 he said sullenly。 〃There was a group of kahunas using blood magic on Haleakala。 They managed to open a portal…some of the Enemy even managed to get through。 But they were stopped in time。 They were sent back into the void。
〃See； nothing to worry about。〃
〃Let's see。 First； you encounter them on the metaplanes。 You manage to 'defeat' them there。 Next； some of them manage to breach this plane。 And you think they've been dealt with？
〃Well； I've been having dreams lately and I think you're wrong。 I think you failed。〃
He laughed。
〃Aina has a dream and we're all supposed to tremble in our boots。 Is that it？〃
〃I had forgotten this charming side to your per…seriality； Caimbeui。 I've been right before。〃
〃And you've been wrong。〃
〃Not often。〃
He didn't have an answer for that。
〃I thought you would be thrilled at this news；〃 he said at last。 〃You're the only one who still understands what it was like。 Back then。 During the Scourge。〃
I shrugged。 〃There's always Alachia；〃 I said。 〃And Ehran。 Oh； but I forgot about your tiff with him。 Surely they remember。〃
〃Alachia sees it differently than we do。 She always has。 And Ehran isn't worth a pimple on a troll's butt。 As for the others…〃
〃Don't hold back； Caimbeui； how do you really feel？〃
After giving me a nasty look； he went and refilled his glass。
〃Bring me some water；〃 I said。
In a moment； he placed a tumbler in my hand and settled himself opposite me again。 Another long silence played out between us。 The water was cool and washed the strong taste of the whiskey out of my mouth。
〃Tell me what happened；〃 I said at last。 〃The first time。〃
He didn't answer me for a moment。 Then he spoke。
〃They were constructing a bridge； of sorts； using the energy spike from the Ghost Dance as a locator。 They are as foul as I remembered； Aina。 No； perhaps worse； for it has been so long since I'd seen them that they'd begun to blur in my memory。
〃I had to test the runners to be sure they had what it took to stand against the Enemy。 For the most part they succeeded。 One fell during the trials； but they acplished what I set them to do。 They retrieved the Voice； but didn't make it back to the bridge before a man named Darke captured me。 The bastard was working with the Enemy and had been following me across the metaplanes the whole time。 And I'd thought I was tracking him。
〃He was performing blood magic to corrupt the site。 How many children were sacrificed I'll never know。 But Thayla sang and the enemy fell back； and now we're safe。〃
I almost choked on my water。
〃Wait a minute；〃 I said。 〃That all ties up a little too neatly。 Thayla may be able to keep them at bay； but who will protect her from people like Darke？〃
〃Oh； some of the runners stayed with her；〃 he said casually。
〃But you didn't volunteer for that duty；〃 I said。
〃Don't be ridiculous；〃 he said。 〃I'm far too valuable to be tied to one spot like that。 Besides； as long as she's there； they can't get through。〃
〃Not there； at any rate；〃 I said。 〃And you're sure the creatures were driven back in Maui？〃
〃Of course；〃 he said。
And how I wanted to believe him。
I stared into the fire。 Long ago； according to our legends； Thayla's voice had driven the Horrors off。 She had sacrificed herself for her people； like any great monarch would。 Perhaps Caimbeui was right。 Maybe he had acplished it。 Maybe he had driven them back。 For now。
I relaxed a little。 Maybe now there would be time to plan。 To prepare。 To warn those who needed to know。
The tele beeped； startling me out of my thoughts。
〃Who could be calling at this hour？〃 I wondered aloud。
〃It might be for me；〃 he said。 〃I left this number。〃
Oh； splendid； I thought。 Just what I need； Caimbeul's little friends with my restricted number。
〃Hello；〃 I said into the old…fashioned videoless receiver I'd had installed in this room。
There was a long pause； then a loud burst of static。 I jerked back； dropping the receiver onto the floor。
〃Aina；〃 I heard。 The sound filled the room。 An impossibility。 And； oh sweet mother； I knew that voice。
〃Aina；〃 it said。 〃I have e back。 I have e for you。〃
Then the line went dead。
〃What was that？〃 Caimbeui demanded。
The room was cold。 Colder than the dead of winter。 Colder than the grave。 For I knew from long experience that there were things worse than death。
〃That；〃 I said； my voice shaking； 〃was the past e back to haunt us。 Harlequin。 You didn't stop them from ing through on Maui； my dear。 One of them is here。 Now。 And he's ing for me。〃
She is standing on a cliff overlooking the sea。 The gulls dive for fish； crying with their broken voices。 Below on the beach； a boy and girl play。 They chase each oth