“Time to go,” Palamedes said decisively, rainwater running off his helmet. He turned to look at Sophie and Josh, Nicholas and Shakespeare. They were all soaked through, the twins’ hair plastered to their skulls. “There is a time to fight and a time to run. A good soldier always knows when it is time to do either. We can stand here and fight Dee and Cernunnos and none of us will survive. Except you, perhaps,” he said to the twins. Firelight ran amber off his dark skin and matching armor. “Though I am not sure what your quality of life would be in service to the Dark Elders. Nor how long you would survive when they were finished with you.”

Bitter smoke curled around them, thick, cloying and noxious, driving them back toward the metal hut.

“Will, take the Gabriel Hounds-”

“I’m not running,” the Bard said immediately.

“I’m not asking you to run,” Palamedes snapped. “I want you to regroup and not needlessly sacrifice our forces.”

“Our forces?” Nicholas asked. “Don’t tell me the Saracen Knight has finally chosen a side?”

“Temporarily, I assure you,” Palamedes said. He turned back to the Bard. “Will, take the Gabriel Hounds through the tunnel under the hut. Gabriel,” he called. The largest of the dogmen hurried over. The blue tattoos on his cheeks were covered in mud and speckled blood, and his dun-colored hair stuck up in all directions. “Protect your master. Get him out of London and bring him to the Great Henge. Wait for me there.”

Shakespeare opened his mouth to protest but closed it when the Saracen Knight glared at him.

Gabriel nodded. “It will be done. How long should we wait at the Henge?”

“If I am not back by sundown tomorrow, then take Will to one of the nearby Shadowrealms; Avalon or Lyonesse, perhaps. You should be safe there.”

Ignoring the Alchemyst, Gabriel turned bloodshot eyes to look at the twins. “And what of the two that are one?”

Josh and Sophie waited silently as Palamedes took a deep breath. “I’m going to bring them back into London.” He looked at the Alchemyst. “We’ll take them to the king.”

The dogman’s savage teeth flashed in a smile. “Leaving them with Cernunnos might be safer.”

Sophie and Josh sat in the back of the black London taxi and watched the Alchemyst, Shakespeare and Palamedes huddle together around a flaming barrel that was burning chunks of wood and strips of smoldering black tires. Rain steamed and hissed over the flames, and thick white smoke from the dying moat fires mingled with the greasy black fumes coming out of the barrel.