Chapter 9

She grabbed up a tray and carefully put three bowls of soup onto it, also balancing a loaf of bread atop the rims. She made sure she had spoons for each before carefully taking the items upstairs again. Agmar didn't seem to notice as she laid them out onto the dresser.

The room, itself, was the one Agmar had been given when he arrived in town. He'd mentioned it when they'd taken position here to watch as much as they could of the meeting happening below. Lynna had noticed that he hadn't arrived with much in the way of possessions, and he'd kept them relatively packed - a dusty bag sat ambiguously at the foot of the bed, tied shut. She wondered briefly what a wizard would carry, but didn't pry. She already knew she couldn't slip into his mind and find out, as she might have with anyone else. It was as if she ran face-first into a wall every time she'd inadvertently tried. There were points when he allowed her in, but only because he wanted her to see something specific. She was starting to be able to create visual representations in her mind of what magic was, and being in his was filled with walls and boundries of places she was not allowed to go. The other people in town were open to her, and she had already learned that she could explore areas on her own now, without prompting them to be actively thinking of what she wanted to know.

She blushed in the darkness, remembering what she'd briefly seen in Mary's mind about her father. She still hadn't entirely decided how she felt about that, although she did think she understood why it had occurred. She knew her father ached with a loneliness that Lynna couldn't fix. She'd always had a special connection to her father, and knew more than he wanted her to about certain things. She wondered at the fact that she'd never learned about his night with Mary prior to today. Even Mary wonders how much he remembers of it, maybe he doesn't remember much, she concluded. And I think Mary fancies him. She thought about that for a while, as she waited for the meeting below to end. She welcomed the distraction from the anger and fear in the minds below.

Once she could tell the meeting was ended, she headed downstairs again and intercepted her father as he came into the foyer of the inn.

"Father? A moment please?" She grabbed him by the arm and steered him up the stairs before he or anyone around him could protest.

"What is it, Lynna?" he asked as they ascended the stairs. She noted that he felt tired and worried to her. And this is only the first day of all this, she thought to herself.

"You need..." she opened the door to Agmar's room and pushed him inside, "to eat." She finished the sentence by pointing at the bowls sitting on the dresser. "So do you Agmar," she added loudly to get the man's attention. "And, for that matter, so do I." She shut the door behind her and began breaking the bread into large pieces for each of them, promptly taking hers and dipping it into the bowl to soak some soup into it before taking a bite. Her father smiled at her before doing the same. Agmar picked up the bread and broke off a bite-sized piece, popping it into his mouth before sitting down on the bed, stirring his soup. He gestured that Avern could join him on the edge of the bed, while Lynna sat down on a chair instead. For a moment, they all ate in silence.

"Thank you, Lynna," Agmar said, breaking the silence once his bowl was about half eaten. "The events of today have precluded most meals it seems."

"Yes, I hadn't had a chance to eat either," her father added. She could tell he was slightly amused at Agmar's choice of words. "I'm supposed to repeat my speech for the women in the dining hall next, and I'm not sure I'm not looking forward to that. If I don't tell them the truth, their husbands likely will though, so I must. You likely already know there are a few people heatedly against you being here now, Agmar. I hadn't realized Allek Gannen would be among them though. It will make this being the headquarters a bit more complicated. I've already overruled him when he wanted you out of his inn, but he might cause problems. These people might have given me the title of Mayor, but I dislike pulling rank on them like that." He sighed heavily and took another mouthful of soup.

"Perhaps we should consider moving the headquarters to another inn?" Agmar asked quietly.

"No," Lynna's father shook his head. "This place is more central and has better facilities to handle it, as I explained to Allek. Lloyd's is an overgrown tavern, and too many people would refuse to set foot in Mary's, even for medical treatment. This is the best choice. I also think Lloyd is harboring more dislike for you than Allek is, Agmar. And he's more dangerous. Allek is all talk, but Lloyd might take action."

Agmar nodded and continued eating silently.

"How are you holding up, Lynna? You seem to be all over the place today." He gave her another smile.

"I... um... what do you think of Lady Mary, father? Really?" she hadn't meant to ask him, but found herself saying it anyway. Avern looked at her, apparently startled by her question. Even Agmar had raised an eyebrow at her and looked both interested and amused by the turn of conversation.

"I generally try not to, Lynna. Why do you ask?" His words were guarded, but he'd become flushed at the question. She could feel him wondering if she knew about his night with Mary, and images similar to Mary's came briefly to his mind. Lynna withdrew, her face flushing.

"Lynna!" Her father hadn't missed her blushing. "What have I said about --"

"Perhaps," Agmar interrupted suddenly, "I should leave you two alone for a moment. Keep in mind, please Avern, that she's having a harder time not catching people's thoughts right now." He took his bowl and bread with him as he left the room. Lynna was sure she could hear him chuckling as he closed it behind him, leaving her alone with her father.

"I accidentally saw Mary's thoughts while she and I were talking. She was wounded, and I had to bandage her."

"Agmar has warned me that you'll have a hard time controlling some of what you can do," Avern said. He sighed and slumped his shoulders. "But do try. Whether you mean to or not, poking around in people's heads is wrong--or at the very least rude."

"I know...," she said with a frown. She lowered her eyes to the bowl still in her hands.

"Mary isn't a bad woman," Avern said suddenly. She looked up at that. He took a spoonful of soup before continuing. "In a way, she and I have a lot in common. We've both run away from somewhere and ended up here. I've sometimes wondered just how many similar stories there are around here."

She looked up and there was a sad look in her father's eyes. It was a look she had been seeing more and more often in the last couple of years, and not just on him. Now it occurred to her that perhaps it was not new, but that she had only started noticing it. It was a look of...adulthood, she supposed. Agmar had certainly worn that look most of the time she'd known him so far.

"You don't remember your mother," Avern said, meeting her eyes momentarily. "She's been gone long enough that there are a few things harder for me to remember. For a very long time her being gone hurt. It still does, often enough. But sometimes, Lynna, sometimes loneliness hurts, too."

"Don't get me wrong, Lynna. You do a great job taking care of me, but there are some needs you can't help me with, some things I just can't talk to you about. You have turned into a bright young woman without having a mother around. But sometimes it would be nice to have more than just you to be close to."

"Being Mayor is a lonely job," he said. "People treat me differently. It's let me make sure you have the things you need, and I wouldn't give that part up for the world. But today I wish I was just one of those people out there." He looked at the window almost longingly.

"They're scared, Lynna. I'm scared too, but I'm also responsible. I'm responsible for their well being. And so I'm going to have to make hard decisions, Lynna. Some of them will be unpopular decisions. Like Agmar. Maybe he's our only hope. I don't know. I can only imagine the disaster if he hadn't warned us."

"But even if he saves the town, I don't think he'd ever be considered a hero here. And I think, if we're lucky, that we're going to have to leave when it's all done with."

Her father fell silent, staring off. His eyes were visibly getting moist. Don't cry, Daddy. Be strong, was all she could think. Her voice wouldn't come. But he didn't cry.

Lynna hesitated for a moment, but then set down her mostly empty soup bowl and moved by the bed so she could hug her father. The two sat there for a moment, and Lynna relished the moment as his arms drew tightly around her and she felt safe, like she had when she was very small. She knew it was merely an illusion of safety right then, but she basked in it for that moment anyway, before the two separated again.

"I've been hoping you'd find someone, father. Mother's gone, you're right that I don't remember her myself, but I've gotten memories from you over the years. I've always hoped that you would find some happiness again with someone though."

She saw the concern that came over her father's face as familiar images fluttered across his thoughts.

"Father, my connection with you is stronger. It always has been. I can feel you're presence in a room as different from everyone else, for example. And sometimes you worry about me rather... loudly." She let her embarassment show on her face. "I've known how mother died for a long time now, so you don't need to try and hide it from me anymore."

"How long?" His eyes did tear up this time, and he looked slightly crushed by her admission.

"It doesn't matter how long. Oh Pa, please don't be upset." She threw her arms around him again, hugging him tightly. "I know you mean well and want to protect me, but I'm your daughter too you know. That means I'm tough like you are, right?" She smiled up at him, her own eyes glistening with tears.

He smiled down at her, with what looked like pride, as he ran his hand over her hair.

"Yes, you are," he answered softly.

She found herself beaming back up at him before they hugged again for a few moments. Afterwards she moved back to the chair, across from him, to finish her soup. Her father sighed as he picked his own bowl back up from where he'd set it on the nightstand.

"As for Mary...since that's what started this whole conversation," he chuckled a moment, dabbing the last of the broth up with the remainder of his bread, "she was convenient, I suppose. In her profession, committment isn't necessary as it might have been with any other women in this town. I haven't felt ready to let any of the hens into my roost no matter how many of them have come pecking at the door, you might say. Most of them lack too many of the qualities I miss in your mother, you see. Your mother wasn't willing to settle for less than a partnership. She always saw me as her equal. She was both hard as a rock and yet the most compassionate woman I've ever met," his eyes shone as he said it, and he smiled sadly.

"Well you can't stay lonely forever, father," she said, trying to assume a commanding tone with him. "You'll have to either find someone suitable or visit Mary every now and again if that's what you need."

He smiled, silent and sad. She realized she heard his thoughts just then - so much like her mother - and it occurred to her that she was the real reason he'd been unable to let go. Lynna saw that she reminded him of her mother on a daily basis, making it harder for him to forget than he let on. She also saw that he was afraid to let go of the memory of his wife, for fear he'd forget her entirely if he settled down with another woman. He felt it might be a betrayal of the woman he'd sworn to spend the rest of his life with. Lynna remained silent, thinking about this new light she was seeing her father in.

"I'm pretty sure Mary is angry with me, even more so since that night. She's usually paid for her..." he cleared his throat a moment, looking unsure how to phrase it, "services, but refused to take money for um... for that night. She seemed offended, and has seemed angry with me on and off ever since."

"Actually, from what she said and... well I think she has a lot of respect for you at the very least." He looked a bit suprised. "Just because the things that happen at her inn aren't supposed to be talked about in polite company doesn't make her a bad person. Right? I mean people will think worse of me when they find out..." her heart sank, realizing that the conversation was irrelevant if they'd be leaving town in a few days anyway. "That reminds me, I still need to pack a bag to have handy." She set the bowl back on the tray and dusted her apron off with her hands as she stood up.

"I suppose we ought to be getting back to keeping the town in one piece again, huh?" She tried to give him a grin.

"If you need me at any time, Lynna, I will drop everything to help you." He stood up, setting his bowl on the tray next to hers. "You mean the world to me."

"I'll be alright father. Right now the town needs you more. Just don't forget to take care of yourself too, promise? And I'll do the same."

He nodded back at her before hugging her again, lingering for a moment with her wrapped in his arms before turning to the door while she picked up the tray. They went down the stairs silently, Agmar joining them from where he'd been sitting halfway down the steps.

"Myrah is getting close to delivery. Lynna, it would be good for you to be present for that one. The child will need some help when it first comes out, and I would like you to observe what I do. One of his lungs is not entirely ready to breathe, but I can heal it if I am present when he is born. I do not think this baby would have lived long after a normal birth with the way it is progressing right now. Regardless, she will likely be ready not long after you are done speaking to them, Avern."

Lynna nodded and ducked into the kitchen long enough to drop off the tray. The tray was snatched away by one of several girls moving about the kitchen in a frenzy. Lynna hurried back, wanting to hear what her father had to say.

She got back before he had started. Mary sat next to Myrah, and she was avoiding Avern. Agmar was standing off to the side, trying to look casual. She did not think it was working. Lynna did not know who to stand next to, Agmar or her father. Avern was about to act in one of his official capacities, so she stood next to Agmar.

"You've heard the speech, right?" she asked him.

"Yes," he answered, both saying a lot and leaving so much unsaid with one little word.

"Am I in it?" she whispered.

"Not yet. That is a personal matter, not a Mayor's official concern. At least, not yet." His eyes had a faraway look to them, and she wondered what he was thinking. She was starting to find it reassuring to not be hearing his thoughts. It made her more relaxed around him.

"By now some of you maybe have heard some of what's going on," her father started. "I'm sorry you had to be last to hear the whole explanation. But I think that telling you will be the hardest, so I may have put it off some."

She could see that faces were growing more worried now, and she was glad that it was a small gathering. She found herself fidgeting with her apron. Stop that, she told herself. She did not even know why she was still wearing it. She considered taking it off, but she felt like any movement would only draw attention to her. Besides, where would I go with it?

"Not to sound dramatic," Avern continued, "but there is an evil force coming to Eagle's Harbor. It's an ancient evil that nobody really understands. Agmar here has read maybe everything written about it, but that's still only so much. This evil has come a couple times before, so history tells a little about what to expect. Agmar came here to warn us, and to help us however he can."

"I'll get to his role in a minute. There are some things that have already happened. And there are things we can expect to happen. But it's real, and we need to accept that. Porter Jacobs and his boys found a ship that had passed through the evil on the way here. They were able to retrieve the ship's log book which confirms everything Agmar has warned me about."

He told the story of what had happened to the ship, at least what the captain had detailed of it. He told it from memory, paraphrasing and not trying to recite anything word for word. But the memory of it was very strong and clear in his mind, and Lynna heard the words in his memory exactly as he had read them in the cramped and shadowy cabin. Her face paled more than that of the other girls' as he told the story.

"Now I don't want to frighten you, but it's a frightening thing we're up against here. The captain of that ship thought it was a curse, but it's not. It's more like a wave of something that is going to roll directly over us. While getting that log book off and setting the ship to burn, Porter caught the edge of that wave. Porter and his son Etrick did not survive. Whether or not Stott Jacobs lives remains to be seen." He paused a moment, letting that sink in.

"But they weren't prepared. They didn't know what was coming. We do. We have a chance to prepare for as much as possible, and that's just what I'm trying to do. There's going to be a high risk of fire, so we'll take extra precautions. We're going to need to watch over each other, help each other, so I'm having people gather together in large groups to do just that. The animals are getting out of control already, so we've penned them up as much as we can. I'm not going to give you all the details right this moment, as it's a lot to digest all at once, but please know that I'm doing all I can to give us the best chance of coming through this with as little loss as possible." One woman, face pale, cleared her thoat and raised her hand to get his attention.

"Please, Treya, let me get through this first and then I'll try to answer any questions afterwards." She nodded at him and lowered her hand again. The room itself was silent for a moment, despite the rumblings from the rest of the inn and the street outside where people were moving about far more than usual.

"Now comes the harder parts." He gave them a weak, apologetic smile. "First of all, the reason you're all here right now." He took a breath, and some of the women exchanged glances while he did so.

"Earlier today, every pregnant animal in this town gave birth regardless of whether it was ready to or not. In many instances the pregnant animal died. The animals that were born were either stillborn or hideously deformed, and often violent. If your babies aren't born today, the same thing will happen to you tomorrow."

And uproar rose within the room, as high-pitched feminine voices protested and questioned. Avern stood, head down, as their unhappiness washed over him. She could feel how awful he felt, just for having to tell them, and wanted to run forward and protect him somehow. Lynna saw Agmar shake his head and step forward.

"SILENCE." The one word boomed from every corner of the room, drawing all eyes to Agmar, and achieving the desired effect. "Let the man finish."

"I know that not all of the babies will survive being born today," he said in a quiet voice, answering one of the more common questions that had been being asked. "But that is part of what Agmar is here for, actually. He is not only a doctor and a scholar, but also someone who can give as many children as possible a chance at living, by using his abilities as a wizard." He waited a moment, but this time the women remained silent, giving Agmar apprehensive glances instead. Mary was looking at her hands. Myrah was nodding and looking off in the distance, her hand gently patting her stomach.

"He's already helped make sure two babies were born today, he'll do what he can for the rest. But not all of them are ready. Even so, they need to come out or your lives are at risk. There are plenty of stories about town right now that accurately describe what could happen to you tomorrow if this is not taken care of tonight. Mary could tell you." Mary's head shot up, startled at the inclusion. She looked afraid, and it didn't appear lost on the women who glanced over at her.

"After that, Agmar is going to do what he can to help us through this. I need you all to give him the benefit of the doubt. I know that many of you feel very strongly against magicks, but what's coming to this town is going to be using its magic on us. With Agmar on our side, we can fight fire with fire. This thing wants to destroy whatever lies in its path. He will help us keep that from happening." Lynna could see her father trying to gauge the mood in the room, and anticipate the reaction.

"I will be holding meetings after the morning and evening meals, for each day that this threat continues, from the porch of this inn. As things become clear to me, I will try to keep everyone else informed. The best thing we can do right now is stay calm, work together, and try to get a good night's sleep tonight. There may not be as much time for rest in the coming days. This town has made it through some pretty rough things, and although I think this will be the worst one yet, I have great faith that we can pull through this if we do it together." He took a long, deep breath. "I will try to answer any questions you have now."

There was a long moment of stunned silence. Agmar stepped back against the wall again, and Lynna suddenly felt very conspicuous standing next to him. She wanted to edge away, to not be associated with him, but at the same time wanted to show him support. She furtively hoped she looked like she was just standing there being supportive of her father's decision, instead of letting any of them realize her being there had to do with her having magic abilities too. She was grateful her father wasn't telling anyone about her yet.

Then, all at once, the women suddenly spoke. Questions flew from each of the mattresses, and Avern put his hands up in defense.

"Please, one at a time, please!" They quieted down after a moment and he pointed at one of them, seemingly at random.

"Beverly, what's your question?"

"Why is this happening?" Beverly asked, confusion creasing her pudgy face. Beverly was having her fourth child. Lynna had to look away, knowing that the baby was one of the ones most probably not going to survive.

Lynna found herself looking at Myrah instead. She tried to look hopeful. Myrah looked like she might be ill.

"This isn't the kind of thing that can be blamed on. Just like when a big storm comes. You can ask why, but there isn't always a meaningful answer. Sometimes big storms come. This is like another big storm, just not like one we've ever seen before."

Treya raised her hand again, a little timidly this time. Avern acknowledged it with a nod. She cleared her throat again, looking as if something were stuck in it.

"So what can we do to stop this?" she eventually managed to ask.

"I do not think this is something which can be stopped," Agmar said. His voice was quieter, gentler. To Lynna it sounded understanding and caring. He reminded her of a priest offering advice.

"Avern's storm analogy was a very apt one. You cannot put up a fence and expect a storm to blow against it and remain outside. But, with a storm there are precautions you can take, if you know that it is coming. Similarly, there are precautions we will take."

"If this were a normal storm, no matter the size, your roles would still be not too different from what they will be for the next few days. Rest, be here for your babies. But for you it may be the hardest," Agmar said, stepping forward.

Lynna looked over at her father, curious that Agmar seemed to have taken over. He looked relieved to not be the one saying all this on his own.

"I know some of you are fearful, and you have every right to be. I honestly wish that I could tell each one of you that you will have healthy babies tonight. But I will be the one to say it so that Avern does not have to. Some of you are going to lose your babies tonight." He raised his hand, managing to stave off the protests that started in every throat, yet none of them were spoken.

"Please believe me that I will do everything in my power to help and protect them, and you. Some of them simply are not big enough yet. When Margaret comes back, which should be shortly, she and I will speak with each of you in turn. There will be options available to each of you, and while none of them are ideal choices, we can at least help you choose the option that is best for you."

Agmar turned and looked at Avern. Agmar stepped back a step, turning the discussion back over to her father. Lynna was surprised at how calmly the women were taking this, but she did not think he had done anything magically. I'll have to ask him about that.

"What happened to Porter?" another woman asked. Lynna recognized Nayia Lenchet, who lived next door to the Jacobs'.

"Rough seas and the edge of this thing that's coming," Avern answered. "I think the details on that are better left until tomorrow, since we don't need to contend with any of what they faced yet tonight. I will say again that they weren't prepared for what was coming or they might have prevented the worst of it. Stott is wounded and in shock from losing his brother and his father. They didn't know this was coming. They were caught off guard. Margaret will hopefully be able to let us know how Stott is doing when she gets back."

"We will be gathering the town and its visitors into five locations. This way we know where everyone is and have the safety of numbers. The three inns are going to be used, along with the older shipping warehouse, since it's mostly empty at this point, and the schoolhouse. The Surf and Sleep is going to be the meeting headquarters and our medical base, to handle any injuries."

"How long will this be going on?" Mary asked. Avern looked to Agmar to supply the answer.

"Today is day one. The third day will be the most difficult, like the eye of the storm. After that it will decrease in intensity at the same rate it arrived. Overall, we have five days to endure. By the end of the fifth day the town will be safe again."

"How did you find out about this?" Myrah asked Agmar.

"I recently spent some time helping a group of both scholars and wizards translate some texts that had been found. Among them were a small collection of accounts of this event. We believe someone else had been working on translating them before us when he was struck down by an illness. He had only translated about half of them, but we were able to translate nearly all of the rest. Enough to plot its anticipated course, and learn of many of the more difficult hazards to expect. I have been in this town once before, in passing. I recognized it while we were comparing translations and deciding what action to take."

"So, this isn't your first visit to Eagle's Harbor, eh? How come nobody remembers you? What brought you here there?"

"It was not recently," Agmar answered. "I was passing through by ship. How many people pass through here on ships?" he asked rhetorically. "Do you come to know them all?"

Margaret walked back in just then. Avern looked relieved to see her. For just a moment Lynna felt the worry coming from her. She looked down at the floor, hoping to contain her thoughts better. She saw that she was fidgeting with her apron again. Stop that....

"For now," Avern interjected, "you know what you need to focus on. Please believe that I will keep you up to date on what is going on." A couple of girls looked like they still had questions, but none of them pressed with them.

Margaret moved to stand closer to Agmar, and Avern did the same. Agmar gestured to a side room, and Lynna followed the three of them. She felt safer closer to Agmar. Mary stayed with Myrah.

"How is Stott," Avern asked once they were away from the others. It looked to Lynna as if he was reluctant to look Margaret in the eyes.

"His physical hurts aren't terribly bad, but they weren't the worst of what happened. He still isn't talking. He's responsive to simple questions, but just shaking and nodding his head. In a couple hours Bruckert's bringing him here. I'm hoping at that point I can get him to eat something. All I've gotten into him is water."

"Bring him in through the rear entrance," Agmar suggested. "Those pregnant women are going to go through enough tonight. We should try to buffer them from anything that might add additional worries. I think we should also bring their husbands here. They will need all the support they can have, especially as the night grows later."

"Actually, I had the impression from many of the husbands that they were planning to come here already after collecting things for their wives from home. I posted Syred - um, Captain Allder - " Avern corrected himself to make sure Agmar knew who he was speaking of, "at the front of the inn to keep them out until the meeting was over. I expect he'll let them in now that we're done."

Agmar nodded approvingly before turning to Margaret. "I will try again with Stott once he has arrived. He may be more receptive to my efforts as more time passes since his ordeal. If I can bring him out, it may be easier to get him to eat."

There was a moment of silence as each of them seemed to be reviewing in their minds what they needed to do next. Lynna had a hard time not catching some of it.

"Where should I be?" She realized she'd grabbed a bunch of her apron in one of her hands and was kneading it with her fingers, and she smoothed it out again.

"You should keep close to me at all times." Agmar said.

"People might start to wonder why I'm..." she trailed off, looking embarrassed.

"People are going to know soon enough, Lynna Mordan!" Agmar looked at her somewhat angrily. "You are already having trouble controlling yourself with the small trickle of power that is slipping through this town right now. When it starts coursing through you you will be begging for me to help you control it!"

Lynna was surprised at his outburst, and tears sprung to her eyes. Her stomach, already in knots, seemed to whirl a bit. It was all she could do to remain standing right there.

"Agmar!" Avern said sharply. Agmar had already closed his eyes as if he regretted what he had said, and he winced at her father's voice.

"I am sorry." He looked at her directly. "I am sorry, Lynna. It has been a long while since I have been in a situation where so many have questioned my capabilities or my wisdom in so short a time. In most of my travels on this continent I do not allow it to be known that I am a wizard, due to the superstitions most people here have. It can be very tiring to prove yourself to every person you meet. I am also minimizing the amount of energy I apply to today to only those tasks that require it - both magically and mentally, so that I can keep as much of myself in reserve as will likely be needed as the situation grows worse. I will also require to sleep tonight, as well as meditation, both before and afterwards. If I seem more distant over the next two days, know that I am not. I will merely be applying more and more of myself to focus and control so that I do not allow this evil to reach into me. It will be drawn towards me as it will perceive me as a threat to its goals."

"She needs to pack a bag. And she'll need to sleep tonight." Avern said quietly but firmly.

The two looked at one another for a moment before Agmar nodded his head.

"Very well. After Myrah has her child, Lynna, you should go pack what you need. But you should sleep here at the inn, near enough to me that I can monitor you. Although the evil is not strong enough here yet to take control of anyone, it is likely that it might still effect some dreams." He turned back to Avern. "After myself, I fear it will see Lynna as the next greatest threat and may prey upon her dreams as well. I can create a certain level of protection against that for her."

"Agmar, what happens if you cannot prevent it from reaching into you?" Margaret spoke quietly, voicing the concern that was running through both Lynna and her father's minds as well. Agmar acknowledged her with a nod.

"A fair enough question, yes. I have considerable training in enduring attempted attacks on my mind and magicks. However, should I feel as if I am slipping, and at risk of losing control of myself to it, I will put myelf into a meditative state. It will look as if I am sleeping, but I will not be. It will allow me to focus all of my energy, including the physical, into a barrier to protect myself from it."

"What do I do then?" Lynna suddenly realized that she'd be alone if that happened. And if he can't keep control then I'm as good as dead!

"Beginning tomorrow morning, during my meditation, I will have you join me and begin showing you how to create a similar barrier in case it is needed. It is a higher possibility that you will need such a barrier."

Lynna looked at the floor, suddenly feeling more like a burden to everyone than like someone who might be able to help.

"Your heart and will are strong. I believe you will be far more help than you might think. Have hope young lady."

Her head snapped up to attention, and she looked at Agmar, who gave her a smile. She realized that he had spoken directly into her mind instead of with his voice. She kept silent, not knowing if she should say anything about it, but wondering if she'd be capable of doing it as well. She turned to Margaret, who'd started giving instructions.

"Let's get Myrah's baby out first, then we can worry about - "

"Mother!" Elsa's face was flushed, as she rushed in on their small gathering. Margaret stopped, looking at Elsa for an explanation.

"I tried to stop her, but her husband was there and he pushed me out of the way! Treya left. She created quite a scene in the process too. She said she wasn't going to allow some wizard - begging your pardon mister Agmar - come into town and murder her unborn child with his hell magicks, no matter what impossible tale of coming horrors he had cooked up." She said it in a rush, and Lynna noticed she had a washcloth in her hand that she was twisting into knots as she spoke.

Agmar turned and looked at Avern, and although she could not see Agmar's expression, she did watch her father's face pale and slacken a little. What was that? she wondered quickly.

"I'll...I'll get Syred and we'll bring her back," Avern said. He looked worried and he practically bolted from the room.

"Now," Agmar said quietly, as if nothing had happened, "the women who want to survive the night need our help. Margaret, I think we should discuss with some of the couples the idea of ending their pregnancies. The sooner we can help them through that, the sooner they can start recovering emotionally and can be moved to a different room."

"Agmar," Margaret tried reluctantly, "if we start talking like that we're going to have more reactions like Treya's."

"Can you suggest something to convince them? Do we need to bring the thing that attacked Mary and nail it to the wall? Or would they prefer to wait and watch and listen as the girl in the next bed dies an excruciating death being torn open from the inside? I can heal some injuries, but that damage will be quite fatal."

Agmar fell silent, perfectly reminding Lynna of Mister Winlow when he had been the teacher at the school. He would stand exactly the same way, waiting for a student to offer up the answer to something that all of them were supposed to have learned already. But Lynna did not have an answer to offer. Margaret's mouth opened and closed, but nothing was coming out.

"Well?" Agmar asked pointedly. "The only other suggestion I have is to take these women and their husbands to that stable near Mary's. It still has not been cleaned up at all. With just a simple speech, and seeing the dead mare and the thing that killed it, we can let them decide then and there. I suspect they will at that point be more than willing--if not eager--to listen and cooperate. Personally, I would prefer a gentler, less traumatic way to do it. But I will do just that, and give that speech, unless someone can offer up a better idea right now."

"In the end, Margaret, I will end their pregnancies." She looked at him sharply. "It is for their own good."

"You have no right," she breathed. "You cannot bully us into submission Agmar. We will decide what is right for us and what is not. These are good people, and they deserve a little patience --"

"We do not have time for patience right now. How many times must I say that today? Patience is a luxury we can no longer afford. I would have arrived here sooner if I had known sooner than I did. But it did not occur that way. And if we do not get these prenancies dealt with by midnight tonight, it will be too late. If my calculations are correct, that's when the babies will be effected. Sometime tomorrow morning they will start trying to come out into the world, like the animals did today." He sighed heavily. "I wish they could all be oblivious, like the one I ended earlier today - she did not yet know she was pregnant and now she never will - but they are not. They know they bear children. There is no other way to spare them than to end these pregnancies."

"Let's talk to them first, please Agmar. Some of them will listen, some will need further convincing. We don't need to --"

"Excuse me, but I think Myrah is about to have her baby." Mary stepped into their gathering, putting an arm around Elsa in the process. Lynna noticed her squeezing Elsa's shoulder gently, which seemed to help. Elsa had been standing there nervously ever since coming back with the news of Treya, listening to the conversation.

"As I was about to say before, one thing at a time." Margaret turned on her heel and headed out into the dining hall again. Mary gave Elsa a push in that direction, and she happily followed her mother.

"Mary," Agmar said.

"Yes?" Mary turned back from following the other two.

"It would be of great help if you could remain available while we are speaking to the women who need their pregnancies ended. You have seen what will happen if they do not."

Mary nodded at him silently. Lynna noticed her rubbing one of her hands on the other bandaged forearm as she turned back to the dining hall again. Agmar then turned to face Lynna.

"Do not try to help, but watch closely. This child will need my healing in order to survive. Watch and learn." He did not wait for an answer, but turned and headed after the rest. Lynna took a deep breath and let it out slowly before stepping forward to follow. She realized she was already growing tired.

And this night's not even half over yet, she thought to herself.