Hugo’s dad might not understand what was happening, but he had enough of a grasp of the situation to know what to do. Before anyone could react, however, the passenger door opened. Lord Pemberville’s head whipped around. ‘Tash!’ he said sharply. ‘Stop! What are you?—?’
It was too late: she was already out of the car. She wasn’t looking at Baltar, at Rose, at me or the brownies; she only hadeyes for one person. Hugo had been right: mothers know. ‘Hugo?’ she whispered.
He shifted uncomfortably then turned his head, seeking me out for support. I bit my lip before nodding. He acknowledged the action and returned his attention to Lady Pemberville.
‘Hi, Mum.’ His voice cracked.
Everyone stared at him except for Lady Rose, who was staring at me. I cleared my throat pointedly. ‘We should all leave,’ I said. As if he’d heard me, Baltar started to stir. I raised my voice. ‘Now.’
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Lord Pemberville was lost for words, his jaw working uselessly as he tried to make sense of what was happening. ‘But … but … but…’
‘Your son obviously takes after his mother and not you,’ Hester said snippily before flying at full speed to the car and inserting herself through a gap in the window. Otis immediately followed suit, while Lady Pemberville continued to stare at the grown-up version of her son.
‘Hugo,’ I warned in a low voice.
He shook his head and muttered something under his breath, then vaulted towards the car. He nudged his mother into her seat and opened the rear door.
I twisted Gladys in my hands, preparing to slice at Baltar. ‘You too, Lady Rose,’ I said firmly. ‘Get into the car. I’ll deal with him.’
‘I can’t leave yet,’ she whispered. She looked at the house.
‘Whatever is in there isn’t worth your damned life,’ I snapped.
Her eyes narrowed. ‘You might be surprised,’ she returned with equal irritation.
Her vehemence surprised me. I watched as she took off at high speed, pulled open the front door and disappeared inside.
I cursed and took a step towards Baltar as Gladys buzzed with effervescent joy. Unfortunately the cumbubbling fiend wasn’t done with us yet. As soon as I raised the sword and prepared to deliver the blow, his hand lashed out and he struck my calf with clawed fingers that ripped through my jeans and tore at my flesh.
Hugo was already leaping away from the car and running towards me, but Baltar was ready for him, too. He flashed out a wave of magic and whipped the air into a black, smoke-filled typhoon. It swept towards Hugo, swallowing him up and dragging him backwards against his will.
Fury roared through me and I swung Gladys down towards Baltar’s neck. I wasn’t swift enough: he dodged the blow, then he was up on his feet and facing me yet again.
I hissed under my breath and thrust Gladys towards him once more. He grabbed hold of her blade with his bare fingers, squeezing hard and ignoring his dripping blood. He yanked harder and pulled her out of my grasp – it hadn’t even occurred to me that such a thing might be possible. Cumbubbling bollocks. I wasn’t remotely proficient with a sword, despite the training I’d put in; if I died here it wouldn’t be because Baltar had won the fight, it would be because I lost it.
The car door opened and Lord Pemberville stepped out, grim-faced. He stalked forward, breathing deeply. ‘I will help you!’ he called to me.
Goddammit. ‘No!’
Hugo had finally extricated himself from the magicked wind and was also marching towards me. Then, to add further to the chaos, Lady Rose reappeared in the doorway holding a bundle in her arms. For fuck’s sake.
Baltar was grinning at me with the confidence of a manwho knew he would win. There was only one thing left for me to do. I reached inside myself and pulled out everything I had. Air. Water. Fire. Earth. Lightning. I scooped up every inch of my power and threw it at him.
He howled – but it wasn’t with pain but with delight. I kept going, dredging up whatever power I could find. Air – more air. Blast him in the damned face and chest and legs. Follow it up with waves of water. Rain fire on him. Attack the earth at his feet. Send lightning towards his head.
Over and over and over again I pulled on every thread of magic that I had and threw it at Baltar. He counter-attacked but I paid no attention and I didn’t bother to defend myself. His magic had been weakened thanks to his earlier electrocution, and I was dimly aware that Hugo and his father were using their powers to protect me whenever they could.
I kept going, searching my body for every scrap of energy I could find until I’d grasped it and thrown it in Baltar’s face. Air, water, fire, earth, lightning. Air, water, fire, earth, lightning. Air, water, fire, earth, lightning.
Baltar fell to his knees and so did I – but where I was struggling to maintain a grip on my consciousness as dizziness and nausea assailed me, he was smiling. ‘Is that all you’ve got? Is that it?’ he sneered.
A dark shape loomed behind him, but I didn’t have the strength to look up and see who it was. I was done; I had nothing more to give, no more magic to throw.
‘Try this,’ Lady Rose hissed.
