he was alive； and that she wouldn’t really do to him what she had done back in the tower。 He didn’t want that to be the true Sister Verna。 He started toward her again。
Her hand came up； as if to push him； even though he was a good ten paces away。 The force of the impact threw him to the ground。 He rolled over； clutching his chest； clutching at the receding agony。 It felt like what had been done to him in the tower … hard； burning pain … but it faded faster。
Wincing； he sat up； quickly gathering his wits as he gasped for breath。 He looked up to check where the Sister was in case she was about to hurt him again。 What he saw halted his breath only half out of his lungs。
As the Sister once again stared skyward； the dark fog around them swirled and coalesced into forms； the forms of wraiths： insubstantial figures； seething； simmering with death。 Their faces churned with steaming； shifting shadows that conjoined into glowing red eyes set in inky faces … hot tongues of flame alive with hate； glowering out from eternal night。
Bumps rippled and tingled across the backs of his shoulders。 When he had been in the spirit house and felt the screeling on the other side of the door； when he had sensed the man about to kill Chandalen； and when he had first encountered the Sisters； he had felt an overwhelming； inexplicable sense of danger。 He felt that danger now。
There wasn’t the slightest doubt in his mind that these things were part of the magic of this valley； and that that magic had at last found an intruder。 Him。
‘Verna！’ he screamed。
She scowled down at him。 ‘I told you； Richard； I am to be addressed as Sister Verna。
‘Is that what you do to your charges？ Hurt them with your power？’
She looked startled。 ‘But I 。。。’
‘Is this your eternal Paradise？ Quarreling with people？ Hurting them？’ He rushed to his knees； eyeing the drifting forms about them。 ‘Sister； we have to get out of here。’
‘I wish to stay with Him。 I have found my bliss。’
‘This is your idea of Paradise？ Giving pain？ Answer me； Sister Verna！ Is that what your Creator wishes of you？ To hurt the people you are responsible for？’
She gaped at him； quickness suddenly ing to her movements as she rushed to him。 ‘Did I hurt you？’ She gripped his shoulders。 ‘Oh； child； I’m sorry。 I didn’t mean to。’
He came the rest of the way to his feet and shook her。
‘Sister； we have to get out of here！ I don’t know how！ Tell me how to get out of here before it’s too late！’
‘But 。。。 I wish to stay。’
‘Look around； Sister Verna！ What do you see？’
She jerked her head woodenly about； from one dark form to another； then to him。 ‘Richard 。。。’
Richard angrily pointed skyward。 ‘Look； Sister！ That’s not the Creator！ It’s the Keeper。’
She peered where he directed。 With a gasp； her fingers flew to her mouth。
The red glow in the eyes of one of the dark； shifting forms intensified into burning embers。 The sense of danger flamed through Richard’s very soul。 The sword was out in a blink。 The vaporous wraith solidified into solid bone and muscle； claws and fangs； into a frightening beast covered with a dark； cracked； leathery hide dappled with hideous； suppurating sores。 It descended upon him in a terrifying rush。
With the sword gripped in both hands； Richard screamed with unleashed fury； driving the sword through the beast’s chest as it rushed at him。 Soft flesh and hard bone hissed at contact with the blade。 The monster slid from the sword and hit the ground like a bucket of slop； its hide not entirely able to contain its contents。 A drop of blood splattered on Richard’s arm； burning through his shirt and into his flesh。 From the inside； the beast boiled and frothed。 Worms wriggled from the abscessed sores。
Sister Verna stared wide…eyed at the bubbling； smoking mass。 He grabbed her curly hair in his fist and twisted her head to look at the forms that were closing in。 ‘Is this your idea of Paradise？ Look！ Look at them！’
He dragged her backward with him as the dark； watery blood running from the beast ignited； sending acrid； oily black smoke curling from the flames。 Richard halted when he remembered what she had told him before； about backing into worse danger。 He smelled burning flesh and； realizing it was his own； spat on the painful； smoking spot of the beast’s blood on his arm。
He took in a quick sweep of the area。 There were more of the forms behind。 Another of them solidified into a beast； this time with cloven hooves and a broad snout。 Razor…sharp tusks sprouted； growing into long； curved weapons。
Snorting； it charged them。 Richard drove his sword downward through the thing’s skull as it tried to gore him。 With a squeal； the beast collapsed heavily。 By the time the bulky body hit the ground； it had mutated to a writhing mass of snakes。 They tumbled and rolled as they hit； the tangled pile of them wriggling apart。 Hundreds of hooded red eyes glowered up at him。 Red tongues flicked the air as the yellow…and…black…banded bodies slithered toward the two of them。
Richard didn’t think they were mere incorporeal illusions； the place on his arm where the drop of blood had splattered burned painfully。 The snakes hissed。 Some coiled to strike； revealing dripping fangs。
‘Richard； we have to get out of here。 e； child。’
They turned and ran； the floating； red…eyed forms following。 Richard felt the thick air as he went through。 The air around him sparkled。
Sister Verna cried out。 He turned to see her on the ground before the snakes。 She sprang to her feet and tried again； but could not pass through。 To her； the air was solid。
She stood silently a moment； going calm。 She clasped her hands。 ‘Richard； I am trapped in this spell。 I cannot leave it。 It is me the spell captured； and recognizes。 It is too late for me。 Save yourself。 Run。 Without me； you may have a chance。 Hurry。 Go。’
There seemed to be a lot more snakes than Richard had seen at first。 The ground was alive with them。 They were surrounding him。 He struck as they did； and beheaded three that came too close。
The headless bodies writhed and then disassembled into hundreds of huge； glossy； black…and…brown…banded bugs。 They skittered in every direction。 Some ran up his pant leg。 He frantically shook his legs trying to get them out。 Each bite felt like a hot coal on his flesh。 He stomped his feet to get them off。 From the ground where he had killed the snakes； more of the bugs poured out； their hard…shelled bodies tumbling over each other； rustling like the sound of dry leaves blowing across parched earth。
Dancing among the clicking bugs and between the squirming snakes； he stepped back into the sparkling air。 ‘Without you I don’t have a chance。 You’re ing with me。’
He enfolded her in his arms and threw himself sword…first at the sparkling barrier。 The wall seemed hard at first； but then the air about them exploded in glittering flashes。 Lines of light； like crazed glass； shot in every direction。 The air erupted in a burst of sparkles and a crack of thunder。 The darting sparkles slowed and then drifted to earth； like fat flakes of snow； their light extinguishing when they touched the ground。 The two of them moved past the vanished barrier； free of the spell。
The dark forms followed。 The snakes followed。 Bugs popped and crunched under his boots。
Richard’s grip tightened on the sword。 ‘Let’s get out of here。’
She took two strides and then froze。
‘What’s wrong？’
‘I can’t feel the way；’ she whispered。 ‘Richard； I can’t feel the gaps。’ She turned to him。 ‘Do you feel anything？’ He shook his head。 Try！ Richard； try to feel where there is less danger。’
He stomped his feet to knock the bugs off his legs and swiped off one that had made it to his face。 Snakes were still pouring from the ground where the monster had fallen。 They boiled up like water from a spring。 ‘I can’t。 I feel danger all about。 It’s the same everywhere。 Which way！’
She clutched her skirt in a fist。 ‘I don’t know。’
Richard heard a scream。 The familiar