Four Summoners Tales Part 7

"How much?"

She hesitated. "Three hundred apiece."

"My Lord," Sophia breathed. "That's . . ."

"Exactly the right price," Preacher said grimly. "As much as they can charge and still have people pay it . . . with everything they have." He turned to the girl. "You see that,Addie, don't you? These families have lost their children and now they may lose everything else, in a desperate and hopeless attempt to regain them."

Addie shook her head. "It's not like that. He's going to do a demonstration. Free of charge."

"What? That's not poss-" Preacher began.

"It's a hoax,Addie," Sophia said, laying her hand on the girl's arm. "Swindlers have many of them. They'll conjure up some trick and-"

"And what if it's real?" Addie said, crossing her arms. "You don't know that it isn't.You don't."

"Yes, we do, sweetheart.They cannot-"

"You're wrong,"Addie said. "They're going to do the demonstration.They'll bring Charlie back. And I'll be there to see it."

She turned and raced out the door as Sophia and Preacher stared at one another.

"Charlie?" Sophia said finally. "Oh, Benjamin. Of all the children . . ."

"I know," he said. "She does not need that. I'll go and be there for her when she's disappointed."

"Not disappointed," Sophia said. "Heartbroken. I'll go with you, too. I'm well enough, and I ought to be there for her."

He nodded and gathered her bonnet and coat.

Browning Someone must die.

You knew there was a trick, Browning told himself. There had to be. No, it wasn't a trick. It was a hitch. He ought to have known

it couldn't be as easy as paying cash on the barrel. A life given for a life returned.That was how it worked, and he ought to have been relieved, now that it made sense.

Relieved? Someone has to die for Charlie to live.

His wife would do it. That was the first thing he thought, even as the idea horrified him. Dorothy would gladly give her life for her son's.Yet that didn't help at all. What would the boy do without his mama? What would Browning do without his wife?Their family would be torn asunder as much as it was now.

I could get another wife. I can't get another son.

Again, his mind recoiled, but again, it didn't quite drop the idea. Dorothy was a good housekeeper and a fine cook. He would not wish to lose her. But if he had to choose . . . and if the decision was hers, made on her own, without his prodding . . .

"You cannot expect us to do that," Doc Adams was saying. "While there are those who would give their lives for the children, we would again need proof before such a decision could be made. No one will sacrifice himself on such a chance."

Browning turned sharply on his heel, to motion for the doctor to be silent, not to give offense, but again Eleazar seemed to take none, only nodding in understanding.

"The good doctor is right," Eleazar said."Normally, there would be someone near death willing to offer his or her life-eager, even, to leave this world of pain and pa.s.s into the kingdom of heaven. But you have lost all your elderly and infirm in the same tragedy that claimed the lives of the young.There is but one elder remaining."

"No," Doc Adams said. "I fear there is not."

"Oh, but there is." Eleazar motioned to his a.s.sistant. "Rene has offered himself for this demonstration."

"What?" Dobbs said, stepping forward.

Browning made a move to shush him as his heart filled with hope again.

"It's all right," Rene said in his creaking old voice. "A man as young as your blacksmith cannot understand what it is to wish his life done. I pray that he may never know the horrors of age. My body has failed me, and yet it stubbornly clings to life. I cannot end it myself or I would be d.a.m.ned. So I offer it to this village, to the mayor's young son. I will die so he may live."

That was the end of the discussion. It had been decided, apparently, even before the men arrived in Chestnut Hill.The old man would die so the younger one could prove his skill. With Charlie. Browning's son would live again, and there would be no price to pay. None at all. Of course, he would not tell the others that. He'd pretend that he'd paid his three hundred to help cover the cost of others. As for the other price . . .

How will I tell them? Where will we find volunteers? Did it matter? Charlie was coming back. The others could deal with that choice themselves when the time came.

Eleazar killed his a.s.sistant in the back room.

There was no hesitation, no preparation. He didn't even say what he was doing, only asked Dobbs and Browning to take Charlie's coffin out the front, where the villagers could see.They were not to say what was to come-it must be a surprise. As they'd told him, they didn't want to raise hopes unnecessarily. Take the coffin out and make some excuse, and he'd be there in a moment. Doc Adams ought to speak to anyone still outside. With that, Eleazar and the old man disappeared into the kitchen.

Browning was still carrying Charlie's coffin to the door when Eleazar appeared.