Prophecy: Tome of Magic

15. When One Door Closes

Sirens blared outside, but to Toby they were muted and distant, a haze of sound that accompanied the blurry vision that had set in. It didn't take him long to get right though, and in only a moment he'd gotten his fix, the drugs working their way through his body in an instant as he looked up at himself, viewed his reflection in the dingy, broken gas station mirror. He hated himself for taking them, for needing them so badly at the wrong moment, and as the sirens became clearer to him, and he began to feel elated, he remembered the problems that were still waiting for him. The exorcism had worked. Or, it almost had. Andreegys was now in Blair, and that coupled with Myrna's return and Lorelei's disappearance had scrambled everyone apart in the chaos.

And it was clearer now than ever where his priorities lay.

"Can we admit that we're an addict now, or are you going to be one of those guys who says he can quit anytime?" Monica was waiting for him when he stumbled out of the bathroom, surprising him. "Everyone else if off trying to save the world, and here you are, unable to even save yourself."

"Get the hell out of my face." Toby pushed by her without care, muttering under his breath. "I have a right to some damn privacy."

"Oh, sweetie, don't get me wrong-I couldn't care less about what you were doing in there. Nor do I care that you aren't out there trying to save the day. But you were there, same as me, you witnessed what happened. Byrenion chose a side-your side-he's willing to kill Andreegys now. It's time, the iron is, as they say, hot-you must go in for the kill, pull out all the stops and seal the deal. Our plan is moving right along on schedule." She boasted.

"What damn plan?" He was angrier when he focused on her.

"Dear man, whatever do you mean? You know, the thing we've been working for! Swaying Byrenion to the side of the light so that he would take care of our Andreegys problem, and then we'd take care of my Vorne problem. Oh, and then we'd get your Austin back, surely you remember?" Her humor was merely for show, because she found no amusement in the time he wasted.

"That's exactly it." In turn, his voice was justly stern. "Our deal was so that I could get Austin back, but I don't really see how that can happen now. You know what Byrenion told me? That son of a bitch said that even if we were to somehow get rid of him there would be no body for Austin to return to-his insides were all destroyed in the resurrection. It's impossible. So without Austin there's no more deal, got it?"

"And you really believe that?" Monica was quick, trying to hold on when she could already feel him letting go. "Come on, he's a god, surely the restoration of a few little organs isn't too great a task!"

"Forget it. I'm done with you, I should've never even listened to what you had to say in the first place. I'm heading back now, to see how I can help, I suggest you stay out of sight." Toby warned her as he headed away, knowing in his heart that he didn't want to believe the words he said. Even now the idea she'd just proposed ran through his mind, and he wanted to hope. She could see that, even as he departed from her, so she said nothing as she heeded his advice and decided that she'd lay low until things blew over-one way or another. She had time.

That didn't hold true for Lorelei however, and she continued to limp along in the strange world as she utilized Byrenion for support. Even with the magic he'd used to dull her pain, the severity of her wound caused the effects to fade more and more with each passing minute. She could barely catch her breath between the air she exerted in her effort and the little she was able to take back in with the shallow gasps her lungs would allow. Sweat had begun to bead on her, and the color had started to drain from her skin-she'd even lost feeling in the tips of her fingers she noticed, moving them slightly as she kept her hand pressed over the gaping hole in her stomach.