Part 15 (1/2)

Jonas gestured. The polyhedron slowly stood on point, rising up. It glowed with inner lavender light that spilled over the faces of the crowd.

”For a time the Eye was brought to Venice at the request of Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici,” Jonas continued. ”His bank had a client who wanted the Eye. No one knows who the client was, but Sultan Mehmet, known as the Conqueror, sacked Constantinople in 1453 and reclaimed the Eye. He attempted to call upon its powers during his battle with Vlad Tepes, also called the Impaler.” At another gesture, the polyhedron began to spin like a coin.

”The Eye vanished in Wallachia for hundreds of years,” Jonas said, ”and was only brought to light again six years ago when an archeological find uncovered it. I strove for three years to recover it for the Cabal.”

From the corner of his eye, Warren suddenly saw blood on Jonas's hand. When Warren breathed in, he smelled death, and he had no doubts about what it had taken for Jonas to acquire the talisman.

”Before the h.e.l.lgates opened, I tried several times to use the Eye,” Jonas said. ”My attempts before the invasion met with little success. I've been getting better, but I've still not gotten the Eye to open.”

The Eye spun so quickly it became a blur. Buzzing filled Warren's ears. A pleasant sensation, like steeping in a tub of hot water in a cold room, filled him.

”With you here, with your power present, I hope to surpa.s.s everything I've managed in the past.” Warren stared at the flas.h.i.+ng polyhedron spinning on the floor.

”Saladin's journals contain references to the Eye,” Jonas said. ”With it, he claimed to be able to see the demon he had fought for possession of the Eye. Concentrate on the Eye. Will it to open. Let us see what we may.” His voice had turned soft and hypnotic.

Barely noticing Jonas's voice, Warren concentrated on the Eye. But it didn't take long for him to realize that he truly didn't have to concentrate because it waspulling at him. He wanted to ask if Jonas experienced the same thing, but he found he couldn't move.

Silver light flared from the uppermost point of the Eye. But it stopped only three feet up instead of reaching the ceiling or diffusing.

Excitement flared through Warren again, but it was quickly tempered by the cold wave that pervaded the room. From the corner of his eye, he saw the frost forming on the walls, covering over the sigils and symbols that had been drawn there. A moment later fissures opened up in the walls. Wind rose out of nowhere and whirled around the room.

Some of the Cabalists abandoned their places, scooting back or standing. ”Stay!” Jonas roared. ”Stay where you are!”

Warren wanted to move. He knew he should move. But he couldn't. He sat there like he was made of stone, staring into the Eye.

And he felt certain that the Eye was staring back at him. More of the Cabalists fell back, breaking ranks carefully.

”Stay!” Jonas yelled again. ”You will stay here and help us maintain contact!”

Warren had no idea what the man would do if the Cabalists didn't do as he told them to. But Warren wasn't really interested in that. He was more interested in the Eye.

”It's him,” someone whispered. ”He's doing this.”

”We've never done this before.” ”He's going to get us killed.”

”No one is going to be killed!” Jonas roared. ”We've trained for this. We're stronger than the demons. We own the Eye. Concentrate on your wards. You will be safe.”

Warren felt the resistance to his gaze. It felt like he was asleep and trying to get his eyes open during a dream and couldn't. He redoubled his efforts, willing the resistance to go away.

Molten agony lanced through his body. Before he knew what he was doing, Warren was kneeling on the floor, hands flat before him.

”Who are you, human?” a deep, terrible voice demanded.

Fear gripped Warren's heart then. He felt as scared then-You'll never be that scared again!-as he did the night his parents died.

”Speak!” the deep voice ordered. ”Warren,” he whispered.

”Do you want to die?” ”No. I want to live.”

”Then you're on a fool's errand.”

Barely aware of the rest of the room and the fact that the Cabalists were in shock around him, Warren stared at the Eye. Heat raged through him, like the worst fever he'd ever had.

”You have no business here,” the voice said. ”Who are you?” Jonas asked.

The light at the top of the Eye flared out into an elliptical shape that kept s.h.i.+fting. The shape was silver as well, but hints of blue figures moved within its depths.

”Arrogance,” the deep voice said. ”One of the few admirable human emotions. At least it has strength to it, unearned though it may be.”

”I am Jonas Wayne. A Voice among the Cabal. You will obey me.” Raucous laughter filled the room, pealing from the walls.

Warren s.h.i.+vered, fearing for his life. His mother had gone on at length about learning to speak with ”friendly” ghosts, but the voice that spoke through the Eye sounded purely evil.

”I obey no human.”

”I command you to name yourself!” Jonas shouted. His tattoos burned with amber light.

Warren knew that names traditionally were supposed to give power over a demon. But since he'd never had a true interaction with a demon-especially one of this creature's caliber-he wasn't so sure that was true.

The silver ellipse cleared like a tri-dee with an improved signal. A face, blunt and harsh as a lizard's, covered in red scales and showing scars from past battles, stared back.

”I am Merihim, the Bringer of Pestilence,” the demon roared. ”Before me, you are nothing.”

Growing larger, the silver ellipse showed the demon astride some great beast that didn't fit in the view. It looked vaguely like an elephant covered in scales the size of manhole covers and with ma.s.sive, curved horns.

Merihim raised his right hand, holding tight to a trident made of green metal that crackled with energy. s.h.i.+mmering waves pa.s.sed through the silver ellipse.

Gripped by an invisible hand, Jonas was raised from the floor. He screamed, high and shrill like a woman. He wasn't in control of the situation or of himself. Futilely, he beat his hands against the force that surrounded him. He tried to move his legs and couldn't.

A moment later, Jonas jackknifed like he'd been twisted and bent. His back folded backwards. Bones snapped and shattered.

The Cabalists who were gathered around the circle leaped to their feet and started for the doors. The doors swung shut, trapping them inside. They started crying and pleading for mercy.

Edith made a show of trying to regroup them, but it was a lost cause. Warren felt the fear rolling off her in waves.

The woman ran to Jonas, taking a dagger from beneath her robe. Even from across the room with all the magic already present in the room, Warren felt the power that radiated from the curved blade. It had an Eastern cast to it, like a scimitar.

With his free hand, Merihim gestured again. Immediately demons that looked like gargantuan hounds leaped through the portal and landed in the room. They snarled and snapped, flailing spiked tails.

”I'd been held back so far,” the demon said. ”Thanks to you, I no longer have to wait for the h.e.l.lgates.”

He caught the edges of the magical window and heaved himself through.

Standing in the room, the demon's horned head sc.r.a.ped against the ceiling. He had to have been at least eight feet tall. Ma.s.sively thewed, he was as sculpted and built as a dedicated weight lifter. He wore blue-green armor made of lizard scales. A huge sword was belted at his waist.

”No!” Edith shrilled. She threw her hands out before her and pushed. Waves of s.h.i.+mmering force broke across Merihim's chest.