Free The Destroyer of Worlds by Jonathan Moeller Page B

flared with black light and then went cold and dark. 
    “Lord Marugon.”
    Marugon looked up. “Unless you have located Ally Wester, do not disturb me.”
    Wycliffe blinked. “What are you doing, if I might ask?”
    “This?” Marugon ran a finger over the disk. “This disk, once properly enchanted, will push its bearer partway into the spiritual world. Much as the winged demons exist both in the material world and the spiritual.” Lines of exhaustion marked his face. “I assume you have business other than pestering me?” 
    “Of course.” Wycliffe snapped his fingers, and the changeling slunk forward. “It claims to have found Ally Wester.”
    Marugon stood, shoved past Wycliffe, and stood over the changeling. “Where?”
    “Ice queen,” growled the changeling. “Bitch. Ally. Bitch.” 
    Marugon’s hands shot forward and seized the changeling’s temples, a mewl of pain escaping the creature’s maw. Wycliffe felt a surge of the black magic as Marugon ripped into the changeling’s mind. The changeling began to tremble, and then shrieked and almost arched backwards. Marugon gasped, shuddered, and stepped back, and the changeling collapsed to the ground. 
    “Well?” said Wycliffe. “Did it find her?”
    Marugon laughed. “Such a marvelous coincidence. I did not foresee this. But neither did Ally Wester and her protectors.” 
    Wycliffe tried to bite back his exasperation. “What are you talking about?” 
    “My enemies are in a farmhouse some miles north of here,” said Marugon. “They have surrounded the house with wards to turn back a creature of the black magic and fill its mind with forgetfulness.”
    “No wonder the changelings couldn’t find them,” said Wycliffe. He looked at the creature huddling on the ground. “So how did this one bypass the wards?”
    Marugon laughed. “A remarkable coincidence, as I have said.” He toed the quivering changeling with his boot. “It seems this creature knew Ally Wester, before its transformation.”
    Wycliffe blinked. “You’re kidding.” 
    “No,” said Marugon. “It knew her, and hated her. That hatred survived the transformation and burns within the creature still. And that hatred permitted the creature to pierce the wards, to find Ally Wester and Lithon Scepteris” He looked at the ceiling and closed his eyes. “It saw a Knight. And a user of the white magic, though not of great power. No doubt the renegade who escaped your grasp, all those years ago.” He snarled. “And another man and woman as well, but they are of small concern.” Marugon opened his eyes and pointed at the changeling. “Find King Goth-Mar-Dan and bring him to me at once.” 
    The changeling climbed to its feet and loped away. 
    “So,” said Wycliffe, putting his hands in his jacket pockets. “You’ve found them. Again. What do you intend to do about it?” What manner of armed chaos did Marugon plan to unleash this time? 
    “A farmhouse,” murmured Marugon, closing his eyes. “They are in the countryside. The police shall not hinder me. Nor shall there be any inconvenient witnesses.” He looked at Wycliffe and grinned. “Oh, but you fear more…what is the word…bad publicity? Is that it?” Wycliffe nodded. “Fear not, Vice President Wycliffe. I have twice tried to destroy my hidden enemies by main force twice, and twice I have failed. This time, I shall trust to stealth and cunning.”
    Wycliffe tried to smile. “So we’ll avoid a shooting rampage through Chicago this time?” 
    “Of course,” said Marugon. “The enemy is not in Chicago.” 
    “You will go yourself?” said Wycliffe. Perhaps Marugon and Ally Wester would destroy each other and leave Wycliffe untroubled. 
    “No,” said Marugon, glancing at the table and the steel disk. “I must complete my work here.”
    “Why?” said Wycliffe. “Your enemies don’t know you’re coming. You could crush them in a heartbeat, if you caught them by surprise. Then you can return here