Part 21 (1/2)

I'm sorry, she thought. I ought to have shot Eleazar first. Let you escape. But all I could think about was Charlie.That monster in his body.

The monster that was dying now. Lying on the ground, wheezing its death rattle, arrow lodged in its throat.

”Let her go,” Preacher said.

”I cannot,” Eleazar said. ”I need-”

”I know what you need. And I know that what you have isn't satisfactory.What you had wasn't either. So I'm offering you a trade.”

”Are you? Interesting . . .”

”Take it,” Preacher said. ”It's what he'd want.You know it is.”

Addie struggled to figure out what they were talking about. Preacher was making sure she didn't. She could tell that, and a knot of dread in her gut grew bigger with each pa.s.sing moment.

”Take it,” Preacher said. ”Quickly.”

Eleazar seemed to be considering the matter, but then, without warning, he grabbed Addie by the hair and whipped her against a tree. Her head hit the trunk hard, blackness threatening as she fell. She lay there, fighting to remain awake, as she heard them continue.

”You did not need to do that,” Preacher said.

”Oh, I believe I did. She's a feisty little one, and I don't think she'll like what I'm about to do.”

”Just get it done. Quickly please.”

Addie managed to raise her head and saw Eleazar walk to Preacher. She saw his hands go to Preacher's neck, wrapping around it, and she understood what he'd meant.That with Charlie's body dying, the monster-Rene-needed a new vessel. Eleazar had been going to take hers. Preacher had offered his instead.

”No,” she whispered. ”Please no.”

She could see her bow there, only a few paces away. She dug her fingers into the dirt and pulled herself toward it and-

And she pa.s.sed out.

PreAcher As Preacher watched Addie lose consciousness, he had a sudden vision of her death, of Eleazar killing him for his master and then walking over, kneeling and wrapping his fingers around the girl's neck. Preacher's hands flew up, catching Eleazar's, stopping them as they squeezed.

”Wait!” he said.