Billos turned to face Marsuvees Black, who stood with legs spread, arms crossed, watching hard. There had been no sound of entry, but then Billos hardly expected any. The man moved in mysterious ways.

“I brought them,” Billos said.

“Did you, now? Did I want the flesh alone? No. The word became flesh. I need the word. Where are the books?”

“So this is Black?” Darsal said. “Looks like the Dark One to me. A human form of Teeleh himself.”

“Teeleh?” Black cocked his head and flashed Darsal a wicked grin. “Do tell.”

Darsal didn’t look like she was interested in backing down.

“Don’t make trouble,” Billos snapped at her. To Black: “The books—”

“Shut your slit. I said, ‘Do tell.’ Does that sound like an order to zip her yapper? Now, do . . . tell.”

Billos wasn’t sure what to make of Black’s perturbed nature.

“Teeleh,” Darsal said, “the black winged beast who leads the Shataiki, where we come from. An evil bat who despises Elyon, the creator of the Great Romance and all that is good.”

“You’re suggesting that I’m not good?” Black asked, stunned. “Me . . .”—he spread his fingers and pressed them on his chest—“not a bowl of cherries on a cool summer’s eve? Not a butterfly who whistles ‘Dixie’ in the face of the coming storm? Not a worm dancing in a top hat with a grin as wide as the moon?” He took a calming breath. “How dare you suggest I’m not all those things. And more.”

The images made no sense to Billos. More suhupow talk. The power that rolled off Black’s tongue was enough to make a grown warrior surrender his sword.

“And for the record,” Black continued, “where you come from is here. If you die here, you die. If, on the other hand, you help me retrieve the books, I’ll let you live.”

“Find the books yourself,” Darsal said.

“Unfortunately, due to a small glitch in the system, they aren’t available to me. For that I’ve chosen Billos. Isn’t that right, O chosen one?”

Billos blinked. “Yes. That’s right.”

“I’m begging you, Billos.” Darsal’s eyes pleaded. “You’re making a terrible mistake!”

“Stop it!” Billos snapped. She was going to ruin everything! Even if she was right, they were now thoroughly committed to whatever path of glory Black had chosen him for. “You’re not thinking clearly.”

“It’s you who’s lost his mind!” Karas cried.

They all looked at the young girl, who stood small to one side.

“They’re waiting, Billy-baby,” Black said. He nodded at the door. “Lead them outside to the back of the church. The lynching party’s waiting there.”

“For what?”

“For a lynching. Not you. Them.”

“I thought you wanted me to kill the villagers . . .”