doubts

that Wyrdrune and Kira might have had were banished instantly.

"Your library!" said Wyrdrune, seeing all the ancient, leather-bound books

arranged in meticulous order on the shelves. "You managed to save it from the

fire!"

"Most of the thaumaturgic arcana, anyway," said Merlin. "But a lot of the

other

books were destroyed. All the Simon Brett novels, the P. D. James, the entire

Flashman series by Fraser—all gone. An agonizing loss. Absolutely

irreplaceable."

He suddenly collapsed with a groan.

"Professor!" Wyrdrune said, running to his side.

"Damn fool kid!" said Merlin weakly. "I warned him about this, but would he

listen? What is it with you young people? Why don't you ever listen? You

think

everyone over the age of thirty is senile?"

"Help me with him," Wyrdrune said. Kira took his legs while Wyrdrune took his

shoulders. They carried him over to the couch and gently laid him down.

"What the devil?" Blood said, utterly bewildered. "Where am I?" No one paid

any

attention to him.

"Are you going to be all right?" said Kira. "Is mere anything that we can do?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine," said Merlin, breathing heavily. "Billy simply

doesn't understand about the demands that thaumaturgy places on your life

energies. He has no patience whatsoever. He reminds me a bit of you,

Karpinski.

He still thinks there's such a thing as a free lunch." Merlin chuckled. "He

thinks magic works like magic."

"Very funny," Wyrdrune said. "You look terrible. Are you sure you're going to

be

all right?"

"Oh, I'll live," said Merlin. "I'm just worn-out, that's all. It's nothing

forty-eight hours of sleep won't cure, but I'm afraid I don't have that

luxury.

Billy's on the verge of slipping into a coma. My will is the only thing

keeping

him out of it at the moment. I'm rather tired, but I'm going to have to stay

awake; otherwise he may drag me right down with him."

"What do you want us to do?" said Kira with concern.

"Well, some strong black coffee would certainly be welcome," Merlin said,

sounding remarkably blase about it all. "There's some in the kitchen. And

keep

me talking, to make sure I don't nod off. That could be hazardous at this

point,

at least until Billy's passed the crisis."

Kira went into the kitchen to make some coffee for them all.