Watt-Evans, Lawrence - Annals of the Chosen 01 (69 page)

Sezen's
gaze
fell
abruptly
from
the
sky
to
the
Leader's
face.

"Can
you
do
that?"
he
said.

"I
certainly
hope
so,"
the
Leader
said
cheerfully.
"And
after
all,
the
Chosen
have
removed
Dark
Lords
before,
half
a
dozen
of
them."

"You
four?"

"No—we
weren't
even
born
the
last
time
a
Dark
Lord
was
loose.
Our
predecessors.
But
we
have
the
same
magic
they
did.
And
there
are
eight
of
us,
counting
your
wife—not
four."

"And
she
alone,
of
the
eight
of
you,
has
the
sense
not
to defy
me!"
the
raccoon
squeaked.
"Do
you
all
want
to
die?"

"But
..."
Sezen
glanced
at
his
wife,
then
up
at
the
raccoon,
then
at
Merrilin
again.
"You're
the
Thief."
It
wasn't
a question.

"You've
always
known
that."

"But
...
I
knew
you
had
said
so,
but
I
...
it
didn't
mean
anything.
Now
it
does.
You
have
a
duty,
Merrilin,
a
role
to fill."

"I
have
children
and
a
home
to
care
for,"
she
replied,
glaring
at
him.

"I
can
take
care
of
the
children.
You're
one
of
the
Chosen!"

"You
knew
that."

"I
...
well,
but
it
didn't
matter;
we
didn't
know
the
Wizard
Lord
had
turned
dark."

"You
mean
you
never
really
believed
me."

"I
did
believe
you!
But
it
didn't
matter!"

"And
now
it
does,
and
you
think
I
should
go
off
with
these strangers
to
try
to
murder
the
Wizard
Lord,
and
maybe
get killed
in
the
process,
because
of
some
foolish
promise
I made
as
a
girl?"

"It's
...
you're
one
of
the
Chosen!"

"You
keep
saying
that!
What
if
I
don't
want
to
be?"

"But
you
are!"

"So
you'd
send
her
to
her
death?"
the
raccoon
said.
"I don't
want
to
kill
her
—I
would
lose
a
part
of
my
magic
if
I did
that.
But
if
she
comes
against
me,
perhaps
I'll
kill
you,
foolish
man!"

Sezen's
mouth
fell
open,
and
he
stared
up
at
the
animal; then
his
jaw
snapped
shut
and
he
said,
"Well,
then,
if
that's my
part
in
it,
then
I'll
die.
We
all
must
die
someday."

"Sezen,
you're
being
ridiculous,"
Merrilin
said.
"None
of us
need
to
die!"

"You've
no
fear
for
your
own
life,
then?"
the
raccoon
demanded.
"What
about
your
son
and
your
daughter?
Will
you sacrifice
them
to
this
madness
of
sending
your
wife
to
slay me?"

"I
..."
Sezen
hesitated.
"You
wouldn't
do
that.
They're innocents,
they
have
no
part
in
this."

"If
you
harm
her
children,
don't
you
think
Merrilin
would want
revenge?"
the
Leader
asked.

"No
one
needs
to
die!"
Merrilin
insisted.
"No
one
needs to
be
hurt!"

"I
regret
to
say,
dear
lady,
that
unless
the
Wizard
Lord
resigns,
someone
does
indeed
need
to
die,"
the
Leader
said.

"But
it
won't
be
me!"
the
raccoon
said.
Thunder
rumbled in
the
distance.
"I
warn
you,
Thief,
and
you,
husband,
do
not defy
me.
Do
not
aid
these
fools.
If
you
do
not
go
inside
right now,
and
lock
the
door,
I
will
give
you
a
foretaste
of
what
I can
do
to
those
who
defy
me."