Kate Daniels 02 - Magic Burns

thief…”
    â€œBran.”
    â€œI don’t give a damn what his name is. He can close the cauldron, you said. What will that do?”
    â€œHow much do you know about what’s going on?”
    â€œEverything you told Andrea.”
    I nodded. “The cauldron belongs to Morrigan. Morfran, the ugly one, stole it from her, so he could be reborn through it. The creature with tentacles, the reeves, and the giant all serve Morfran. They are the advance party of Fomorians, the sea-demons, who are now climbing out of the cauldron. Closing the cauldron will stop more demons from being reborn. Those who are on the field will become mortal. Morrigan will gain the ownership of the cauldron again, which will be the end of Morfran and his happy Fomorian tent revival.”
    Curran thought about it. “The Honeycombers are moving their trailers to prevent the demons from climbing up the walls into the Honeycomb. The demons have only one way to go: southwest, along the bottom of the Gap. The Pack will block the Gap. We’ll take on the brunt of the assault. Jim says there is a tunnel leading into the Gap from the Warren.”
    â€œI know of it.”
    â€œThat idiot and a small party of my people can go through the tunnel into the Gap, while the demons are concentrating on us. It will put them into the Fomorian rear. With luck, the demons won’t even notice him. Can he keep from throwing his hissy fit until he gets to the cauldron?”
    â€œI don’t know. You’re not impressed by his warp spasm, huh?”
    He grimaced. “It’s abhorrent. Total loss of control. No beauty to it, no symmetry. His eye was hanging out on his cheek like some piece of snot. No, I’m not impressed.”
    â€œI can try to keep a lid on him until we get to the cauldron.” I made a pun, but he wasn’t in the mood to notice.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWhat do you mean no?”
    â€œNo, you’re not going with him.”
    I crossed my arms. “Who decided that?”
    He put on his “I’m alpha and I’m putting my foot down” expression. “I decided.”
    â€œYou don’t get to decide. I’m not under your authority.”
    â€œYes, you are. Without you the fight will happen, but without me and the Pack, it won’t. I command the superior force, therefore I’m in charge. You and your army of one can put yourself under my authority or you can take a walk.”
    â€œYou don’t think I can do it, is that it?”
    â€œNo, I want you where I can see you.”
    â€œWhy?”
    His lip quivered with the beginning of a snarl. His face relaxed, as he brought himself under control. “Because that’s how I want it,” he said, using a slow, patient voice reserved for rowdy children and disagreeable mental patients. It drove me to the edge of reason. I really wanted to punch him.
    â€œJust out of curiosity, how do you expect to prevent me from coming with Bran?”
    â€œI’ll hog-tie you, gag you, and have three shapeshifters sit on you for the duration of the fight.”
    I was about to tell him that he wouldn’t, but his eyes assured me that he would. I wouldn’t get my way. Not this time. Good moment for a new strategy.
    â€œVery well. I’ll be good, but on one condition. I want fifteen seconds before the fight. Just me between the Fomorian ranks and your people.”
    â€œWhy?”
    Because I had a crazy idea. I wanted to do something that would make my dad and Greg turn in their graves. I had nothing to lose. We might all die anyway.
    I didn’t answer. I just looked at him. Either he would trust me or not.
    â€œYou have them,” Curran said.

CHAPTER 24
    THE PACK HAD SHIT FOR BLADES. IT FIGURED: THEY didn’t need them. I went through the weapons in their armory one by one, and found nothing. I wanted a second sword and Curran said I could borrow any one I wanted.
    They did slightly better on the armor front. I found a good leather tunic studded with steel diamonds in strategic places. It was black, it fit me, and best of all, it relied on laced cords to adjust the fit. I’d have to have help putting it on and taking it off. I’d never been in a full-out battle before, but I’d survived some vicious large scale brawls and fought my way through a couple of riots. From experience, I knew I would lose myself in a fight and strip out of my armor to improve freedom of movement