"Nothin' quick about it," Billy said. "Street gangs been mixin' it up that

way

for years. Gor', wish I knew what was goin' on down there. Makin' me bloody

nervous, waitin' like this."

"There!" said Merlin.

"What? Where?"

"An incredible surge of thaumaturgic emanations. They've formed the triangle!

That must be it! That means Modred is all right! Either that or..."

"Or what?"

"We'll know soon enough."

Billy flicked the cigarette over the side of (he balcony and stood up,

clenching

and unclenching his fists. He reached into the pocket of his leather jacket

and

brought out a flick knife. He hit the button and it snikked open.

"Billy, I told you, there really wasn't any point in bringing that thing. Do

you

seriously think something like that can—"

"Ey, look, you use what works for you, old man, an' I'll use what works for

me,

all right?"

Joey ran up the stone steps toward the landing where the dimensional portal

connected the dungeons of Carfax Castle to the basement entrance of the house

on

Charles Street. He stumbled up the steps, staggered, regained his balance ...

and ran right into the stone wall.

He rebounded off the wall and fell to the landing, stunned by the impact. He

felt warm blood trickling down his face. He had almost knocked himself out.

He

brought his hand up and discovered that his nose was broken. And as he felt

his

face he also discovered that Lord Carfax had reverted back to Joey Lymon.

"Too bad, Joey," said a familiar voice "It just closed. Another moment sooner

and you might've made it."

He looked up and saw Terri standing just above him on . the flight of steps

leading down to the landing where he lay. She had reverted back to human

form,

but her nude body was covered with blood. She coughed, and blood bubbled up

from

between her lips and ran down her chin. Her breath came in wheezing gasps.

Then

he noticed that she was holding the ceremonial dagger that Ian Blood had

dropped

back at the altar.