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‘Do as I say； wizard！ Leave！ Now！’
Zedd rushed toward her； glass crunching under his feet。 He jerked to a halt when he glanced over his shoulder toward the skull。
It was level with his eyes； bones collecting and assembling under it as it rose into the air。 A few rib bones ranked themselves； vertebrae slipped into line； talons tipped claws； leg bones erected to the side of each flank。 The jaw snapped into place as the skull rose toward the ceiling。
Zedd spun toward Adie； snatched her by the arm； yanking her toward him。 She came away from the counter clutching a small tin in her other hand。
‘Adie； what’s happening！’
Her head tilted up toward the skull brushing the ceiling。 ‘What do you see？’
‘What do I see！ Bags； woman！ I see a bunch of bones e to life！’
The shoulders of the skrin hunched as the thing grew with the addition of more bones。 More yet were sliding across the floor toward it。
Adie gaped at him。 ‘I don’t see bones。 I see flesh。’
‘Flesh！ Bags！ I thought you said you killed that thing。’
‘I said I battled it。 I do not know that a skrin can be killed。 I do not think they be alive。 You be right about one thing； wizard： since you be able to defeat a screeling； the Keeper sent worse。’
‘How did he know where we were？ How does the skrin know where we are？ All these bones are supposed to hide us！’
‘I do not know。 I cannot understand how 。。。’
A skeletal arm swept toward them。 Zedd lurched back； pulling her with him。 Yet more bones assembled。 Adie was frantically unscrewing the tin as he dragged her around the back of the table。 The lid came off； dropping to the floor； spinning like a top。 The skrin lunged； bringing an arm down。 With a loud crack； the table shattered into splinters。
The round； carved ball bounced across the floor。 Zedd tried to snatch it with a magic； but it was like trying to pinch a pumpkin seed with greased fingers。 He tried to scoop it up with air pressed around it； but it slipped away and rolled into the corner。
The skrin skeleton leapt at them。 They both went down in a heap as he yanked her back。 Zedd hauled her to her feet as she thrust her hand into the little tin。 The skrin was having trouble moving quickly； it had grown too large to fit beneath the ceiling。
The jaws of the beast opened wide； as if to roar。 No sound came forth； but Zedd could feel a blast of air。 It made their robes flap and fly as if in a wind。
Adie’s hand came out of the tin； flinging sparkling white sand at the beast。
Sorcerer’s sand。 The fool woman had sorcerer’s sand。
The skrin staggered back a step； shaking its head。 It recovered in an instant； lurching forward again。 Zedd unleashed a ball of fire。 It passed among the bones to splatter liquid flame against the far wall。 The tongues of flame sputtered out； leaving behind a sooty splotch。 Zedd tried air； since fire didn’t work。 It had no effect。
The two of them sidestepped across the room as the beast whirled to attack again。 Zedd tried different elements of magic while he pulled Adie along with him。 She ignored the danger as she poured the rest of the sorcerer’s sand into her hand。 When the skrin made another silent roar； she flung the sand with a foreign incantation。 The blast of air from the roar died as she spoke the words。 The skrin seemed to inhale； taking in the sparkling white sand。 The jaws snapped closed as the head drew back。
That be all I have；’ she said。 ‘I hope it be enough。’
The skrin shook its head； then spat out the sand in a cloud of sparkles。 It came for them again； but when he tugged on her sleeve she yanked her arm away。 Zedd tried sending logs and chairs flying into the bone beast； trying to distract it while she scurried around behind it。 They simply bounced off。
Stabbing a hand into a pocket； he brought out a handful of sparkling dust of his own。 With a quick flick； he sent it into the center of the bone collection standing before him。 It had no more effect than had Adie’s sorcerer’s sand。 Nothing he could do seemed to be much of a distraction； and it soon turned its attention to Adie。 She was snatching an ancient bone from the wall。 Feathers dangled from one end； strings of red and yellow beads from the other。
Zedd grabbed a bone arm； but the beast flung him away。
As the skrin reeled to her； she shook the bone at the thing； casting spells in her own tongue。 The skrin snapped at her。 She yanked her hand back just in time to save it； but not the bone talisman。 It was splintered in half。
That was it。 He had no idea how to fight the thing； and Adie wasn’t having any success。 He dove under the head toward her； rolling to his feet。
‘e on！ We have to get out of here！’
‘I can’t leave。 There be things of great value here。’
‘Grab what you can； we’re leaving。’
‘Get the round bone I showed you。’
Zedd tried to dodge and lunge toward the corner； but the skrin snapped and swept talon…tipped claws at him。 He fought back with blasts of every kind of magic he had。 Before he realized it； he was losing ground； and had nowhere to retreat。
‘Adie； we have to get out now！’
‘We cannot leave that bone！ It be important for the veil！’
She ran for the corner。 Zedd grabbed for her but missed。 The skrin almost did； too。 It caught her with a claw； ripping a gash down her arm。 She cried out as she was flung against the wall； rebounding to sprawl facedown on the floor。 More bones crashed down around her。
Zedd caught a handful of the hem of her robe； dragging her back as talons raked the wall； just missing his head。 Adie clawed at the floor； trying to get away from him； to get to the round bone in the corner。
The skrin reared back with a silent roar。 The ceiling ripped open as the beast stood to its full height。 Huge chunks and splinters of wood rained down。 Claws raked wildly； tearing the wood of the walls。 Fangs ripped at the roof。 Zedd pulled Adie toward the door as she fought him。
‘There be things here I must take！ Important things！ It has taken me a lifetime to find them！’
There’s no time； Adie！ We can’t save them now！’
She tore away from his grasp； lunging toward the bone talismans on the wall。 The skrin went for her。 Zedd used magic to yank her back。 He grabbed her in both arms and fell backward with her through the doorway just as a claw splintered it。
They rolled to their feet。 Zedd scrambled into a run； pulling her along as she fought him。 She tried using magic on him； but he shielded against it。 The night air was frigid。 Clouds of their breath streamed away with the cold wind as they both ran and fought each other。
Adie wailed like a mother watching her child being slaughtered。 Her arms； one soaked with blood； stretched toward the house。 ‘Please！ My things！ I must not leave them！ You do not understand！ They be important magic！’
The skrin tore at the walls to get out； to get at the two of them。
‘Adie！’ He pulled her face close to his。 They are no good to you dead。 We will e back for them； after we get away from that thing。’
Her chest heaved。 Tears welled up in her eyes。 ‘Please； Zedd。 Please； my bones。 You don’t understand。 They be important。 They have magic。 They may help us to close the veil。 If they fall into the wrong hands 。。。’
Zedd whistled for the horse。 He was moving again； pulling her along with him。 She protested every step of the way。
‘Zedd； Please！ Don’t do this！ Don’t leave them！’
‘Adie！ If we die； we can’t help anyone！’
The horse galloped up； skidding to a stop。 Her wide eyes rolled in near panic as she saw the thing pulling itself through the walls of the house； splintering and snapping boards and beams。 She gave a frightened scream； but held her ground as Zedd gripped her mane and threw himself on her back； hauling Adie up behind。
‘Go！ Fly like the wind； girl！’
Hooves flung chunks of dirt and moss high into the air as the horse leapt out； fangs snapping at her flanks。 Zedd crouched forward； Adie clutching him around the waist as they galloped into the darkness。 The skrin wasn’t ten strides behind； and looked to be as fast as the horse。 At least it wasn’t faster。 Zedd could hear the teeth snapping。 The horse squealed when they did； stretching to run with everything she had。 He wondered who could run the longest； the horse or the skrin； and he was afraid he knew the answer。
CHAPTER 24
Richard’s eyes opened。 ‘I think someone is ing。’
Sister Verna was sitting on the other side of the small fire； writing in the little book she kept tucked behind her belt。 She looked up from under her eyebrows。 ‘You have touched your Han； yes？’
‘No；’ he admitted。 His legs ached。 He must have been sitting without moving for at least an hour。 ‘But I’m telling you； I think someone is ing。’
They did this every night； and it was no different this time。 He would sit and picture the sword； on a blank background； and try to reach that place within himself that she said was there； but he could not find； while she watched him； or wrote in her litt