Part 19 (1/2)

*Chapter Twelve*

What it came down to was, simply, that Dex didn't trust Blackstone or his friend Andrew Vari. They seemed to be interested in helping the Fates now that Vivian had yelled at them. But how long would it take for the two men to remember their animosity and conveniently forget to check their protection spells? Or let it slip in a conversation with some other mage that they knew where the Fates were?

The Fates still had their arms around each other, faces wet with tears. The tears had unnerved Dex the most. He thought of the Fates as powerful and unfeeling creatures. He hadn't realized how attached they were to each other, and how human they were underneath.

Blackstone kept looking at Vivian as if he were seeking her approval. Nora was concentrating on the Fates. Andrew Vari had shoved his plate away and seemed to be contemplating the crumbs on the tablecloth. His wife, Ariel, rocked restlessly in her chair as if she couldn't keep still.

Vivian was nervous, her worry for the Fates palpable. He loved her kindness. In a sense, the Fates were strays, and Vivian had already adopted them, even though she hadn't realized it.

Pots banged in the kitchen and voices occasionally rose, reminding Dex that they were not alone, that a group of mortals worked just behind the door, and more waited outside, some of whom probably had plans to come here for lunch.

Vivian's apartment wasn't safe, and neither was this place. And Blackstone was right--they had only a few minutes to decide what to do.

Dex wished he had met Vivian before this morning. She had a good head on her shoulders, and she would have been an a.s.set to him even if she hadn't been psychic. He admired her strength and her ability to confront the others.

His confrontational skills had never been good. He'd always solved problems once they arose, but never had he prevented them before they happened.

Yet another detail those two teenagers had missed when they had confused Dex with a superhero.

”There's got to be somewhere we can move them,” Nora was saying. She was moving the silverware in front of her plate, sliding the fork back and forth as if she were trying to decide the proper position for it.

Dex twined his fingers with Vivian's. She gave him a sideways look, combined with a worried smile. She had no idea what to do next, and why would she? All of this was new to her.

”This isn't like hiding an object,” Andrew Vari was saying. ”The Fates will need food and shelter and--”

”No need to discuss us in the third person,” Lachesis said. ”We are here and can take care of ourselves.”

That was the problem, wasn't it? The Fates believed they could take care of themselves, but they had no experience with the modern world and didn't know how to survive without magic.

Dex had an idea, but he wasn't willing to implement it until he knew a few things. He squeezed Vivian's hand, wis.h.i.+ng he could consult with her. Wis.h.i.+ng she knew everything about him, even the stuff he had purposely blocked from her once he learned she could read his mind.

”If we figure out who is doing this and manage to stop that person,” Dex said, ”will someone else appear and come after you in the same way?”

”I should hope not,” Atropos said.

”That's a good point,” Andrew Vari said. ”Can you pet.i.tion for your magic back?”

The three Fates sat up straighter, as if the question offended them. Vivian's hand trembled in Dex's. With her free hand, she rubbed the back of her neck.

”I suppose we could,” Clotho said after a moment.

”But you don't want to,” Nora said, revealing the unspoken answer. ”Why not?”

”We have a purpose here,” Lachesis said.

”To find out what it's like to be powerless?” Blackstone said. ”Now you know.”

”We're wasting time,” Dex said. ”All I want to know is whether or not we're helping you for the short term or the long term. It makes a difference in what we plan.”

”Good point,” Ariel said. She had stopped fidgeting and was leaning toward the table.

The Fates frowned, as if they were considering what Dex had said.

”Short term.” Atropos's words sounded final, as if she had made a decision for all of them.

Dex sighed. He could feel the time running out He glanced at Vivian and wondered what she would think of him as he revealed more of himself. He liked the easy camaraderie they had now; would it change when she realized just how much he had influenced the comic books she loved?

Then he shook his head. She already knew he was the prototype for Superman, that Siegel and Schuster had thought their weird neighbor who could run fast and pull off feats of amazing physical strength was an alien, abandoned here from another planet. They mistook his magic for great physical powers, and mistook his character for the open, all-American Superman.

Dex was more like Batman--secretive and protected, not willing to let other people in. Or maybe the better a.n.a.logy came later, from the comic book artists who had never met him--the Stan Lees, Len Weins, and Frank Millers of the world, who seemed to know what it was like to be an outsider with an outsider's vision.

Vivian was watching Dex closely. He could feel her concern.

”You all right?” she whispered. No one else seemed to notice his pensiveness. The conversation still continued to run its circles around him.

He nodded, squeezed her hand, and let go. Then he looked directly at the Fates. ”I have an idea, if you promise me I won't get into trouble.”

Everyone turned toward him in surprise. Apparently, he had interrupted Nora, and his comment seemed to come out of the blue.

He ignored the others and just concentrated on the Fates--and Vivian, of course. He couldn't delete her from his consciousness even if he tried.

”We have no power over you,” Clotho said.

”Right now,” Dex said.

”We're not as rigid as you people seem to think,” Lachesis said.

Dex swallowed hard. They were that rigid and they didn't even realize it. It was very possible that once he saved them and they returned to their jobs, they would punish him for disobeying the law.

Vari shot the Fates an irritated glance. ”What's your idea?” he asked Dex. ”Because we're out of time.”

Dex nodded. He looked at the Fates. They had wiped the tears off their faces, but they still appeared fragile. He couldn't get used to how small they were, and how very human they looked.

”Okay,” he said. ”I can take you to the cave.”

”The fortress?” Atropos's voice rose.

He felt his cheeks grow warm. Vivian turned toward him, her expression surprised.

”I never called it a fortress,” Dex said. ”You did.”

”Those books did,” Clotho said.

”Those books were fiction,” Dex said. ”They had nothing to do with me.”

”You started them,” Lachesis said.