Dagger Magic

As she spoke these words, Christopher Houston rose silently to come around behind her, making a sign of benediction in the air above her and Adam, lowering his hand then to lay it gently on Julian's bowed shoulder, eyes closing, his lips moving silently in prayer. Her arm was trembling as she withdrew it to cradle the Phurba in her lap, but she visibly drew strength from Christopher's touch, her breathing easing and the color beginning to return to her cheeks. After an interval, she smiled up at him and gave his hand a pat.

"Thank you," she murmured. "I believe I'm all right now."

Her voice had regained its briskness. Nevertheless, Christopher gave her a searching look.

"Are you sure?"

"Quite sure. Don't flutter, Christopher." Turning to Peregrine and McLeod, she pulled a rueful moue. "It's times like this that I remember I'm not as young as I used to be. Still, I think we've done some good work tonight. Now, to see what our Adam has to say for himself."

Setting the Phurba back in its nest of silk, she turned to Adam and laid both hands on his shoulders.

"The Work is accomplished, Master of the Hunt," she stated formally, as Christopher returned to his place. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand: Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."

So saying, she gave both his shoulders a squeeze and then withdrew. Adam lifted his head and drew a swelling breath, then let it out again in a gusty sigh, his dark eyes finally focusing once again on the material world.

"I sense that we've been very busy," he said somewhat huskily, absently fingering the skean dubh still in his hand.

"Some of us more than others," Christopher replied, with a sidelong glance at Lady Julian.

Tight-lipped, McLeod handed Adam the sheath for the skean dubh, which was slid into place with a nod of thanks before Adam pocketed the weapon.

"I gather you don't remember much," the inspector said dourly. "You'd better read this."

He handed Adam the transcript and Christopher's translation, both of which Adam looked over in silence while he fingered the beads of the mala still wrapped around his wrist.

"It appears our timetable may just be adequate," he said grimly, when he at last looked up. "I expect we won't have much time even to breathe, once we meet up with our opposite numbers in Belfast, but at least we know that things won't get critical until tomorrow night."

"Opposite numbers?" Peregrine said. "You mean - more of us? More Huntsmen?"

Adam smiled wearily as he unwound the mala from his wrist and dropped it into a coat pocket.

"Did you think only Scotland had a Hunting Lodge? I've been in touch with several of our Irish counterparts. They've agreed to give us their full cooperation and assistance. God willing, we should be able to find our missing submarine and recover its contents before our adversaries even know we're onto them."

"Are we onto them?" Peregrine asked. "I mean, Tseten told us what they'll try to do, but we still don't know exactly where. Are we going to dowse for the sub's location tonight? 1 can try it, if you're too tired."

"I am, and I do appreciate your offer, but you have a very short memory," Adam replied. "What happened before, when you tried to link up with the flag?"

Peregrine gave a sheepish grimace. "Then, how are you planning to find it?"

"Fortunately, Tseten seems to have given me an alternate dowsing technique that should get around that little problem - and remember that we do know the general area of the Donegal coast where Mick Scanlan was patrolling." He gestured toward the map still spread on the table. "Given the day I've had, I'm content to let the exact location slide until we've crossed to Ireland tomorrow. I expect there will be less interference, once we're on the same island."

"Is there anything else we can do tonight, then?" Christopher asked. "And would you like me to come along tomorrow?"

"No on both counts, but the offer is duly noted and appreciated," Adam replied. "After the last couple of hours, I'm reasonably confident I'll have what it takes to see this one through, with just Noel and Peregrine to back me up with the Irish crew; but if I'm wrong, mere numbers won't mean anything.

"What you could do, however, is look in on a patient of mine while I'm gone." Briefly he outlined the circumstances of Claire Crawford's case. "We seem to be past the immediate crisis, in that I don't think she'll be causing any more accidents along Carnage Corridor, but I want to make sure she's dealt with the guilt. Once that's accomplished, we can see about the possibility of putting her psychic talents to better use."

"I'll be happy to do that," Christopher agreed.