Dark Slayer Page 0,131

so that I am never tricked as I work on his spells. He is evil. He will always be evil. He chose to be evil. And I have to keep my mind clear at all times. Razvan, I am sorry I hurt you with the image of him, but it is my protection."

He wrapped her braid around his fist but he remained silent, drawing in breath, matching the rhythm of his heart to hers.

"When I work with his spells, Razvan, it is dangerous. I cannot tell you how dangerous. You said you were not good with spells. Well, I am, but to be so, I have to form the words in my head, conjure up the images to go with them, and I cannot make any mistakes when I am working with his spells."

He took another deep breath, visibly fighting to get his control back. "I still do not understand."

She gestured around the room. "This is my fortress. Solid rock. He cannot come here. He cannot trace me through the solid rock, but if I make a mistake, if I forget for one moment who and what I am dealing with, then I make myself vulnerable."

He frowned. "Even here?"

"He is utterly evil. The first line says it all. 'The mage walks forth as the Hell Gate closes.' He is not entirely earthly. He has visited hell and returned, needing the blood of others to survive."

His frown deepened. "I lived with him for hundreds of years. He is evil, yes, but he is not a demon. He is mage."

She nodded. "Yes, he is mage. There is always a balance in the universe. Where there is good, there must also be evil. One can use the earth's natural elements to weave for good. It is done all the time for healing and other things our people need. One can also weave spells for evil, calling upon demons and bargaining with them."

"I know that he does that. I have seen foul creatures in his caverns, but I have never seen portals to another world or another realm that even a mage can walk through."

"No, I am certain he would not be foolish enough to allow anyone to know what happened. He wants to appear all-powerful to everyone-even to himself. He needs that illusion. As far as I can tell, as far back as when I attended his school, he was using apprentices to write spells and then he used those spells as the base for his own. He can no longer come up with new spells, I am certain of it. Each mage has a rhythm, a twist in how they cast and what they use, a signature, if you will. Xavier's spells cover a multitude of other mage's spells."

Razvan ran agitated hands over his face and then through his streaked hair. "What else have you learned by studying him?"

She ran her hand down his arm to soothe him. "I know it is disturbing to speak of him."

The feeling of her fingers on his skin shook him. As long as he lived, he would never get over the wonder that she had been chosen for him. "Your description fits him so well. I lived with him and thought I knew him better than anyone living, yet . . ." He gestured toward the book and her flowing, obviously offensive words. "Yet you managed to convey the very essence of him."

"I hope you are right, Razvan. I am staking both our lives on this." She took his hand and tugged until he followed her out of the room. They sank into the chairs in the memory room. "I have to know you are with me on this, Razvan. It will not be easy and I cannot have you hesitate when we confront him."

He leaned back in the chair and regarded her steadily. "You never have to worry that I would hesitate. We are in this together. It is my choice. I made it when you asked me to live. I knew then we would go after him."

She allowed herself a sigh of relief. She shouldn't have doubted him. He had the courage to be whatever she needed. He found no shame in following her lead. No hesitation in accepting their destiny. He was more of a man than any other she knew.

"You know what I think, Razvan? I believe Xavier has to find another body. He was not merely possessing you, leaving pieces behind in you to stay in control. I believe he was