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Maybe not, but I could try to distract him long enough for the others to show up. I was careful not to let the thought solidify in my mind. He'd already proven he could read it.
I lay there, panting and cradling my broken arm as he turned. He took two steps, then looked back. I hadn't moved. A satisfied snort. He continued walking.
I slowly got to my feet. Then I charged him again. This time, when he turned, I saw it coming and dodged out of the way. I got behind him, grabbed his hair in my good hand, and swung off my feet, yanking with everything I had.
"Adam did a good job of burning Giles's neck," I said, through gritted teeth. "I'm sure if I pull hard enough, I can rip your damned head off."
He spun and I lost my grip. Then he nailed me in the chest so hard I heard ribs crack. I went flying and hit the ground again. When I tried to rise, I doubled over, coughing and spitting blood.
"I do not want to hurt you," he growled as he loomed above me again
"Yeah?" I wheezed. "I'd hate to see what would happen if you did."
"I would rip your head from your neck and I would keep you alive while I did it." He bent down. "This is a lesson, child. I'm proud of you. Now, accept defeat and back down."
I looked up into his green eyes. "Would you?"
He didn't answer.
"Then I come by it honestly," I said, and grabbed his hair with my good hand again, and wrenched with all I had.
He backhanded me and I went flying. When I hit the ground, I couldn't breathe, and so I lay there, heaving and coughing up blood. Then, slowly, I pushed to my feet.
"You will not accept the lesson, will you, child?" Balaam said. "Your own pain means nothing to you. But I know a lesson that will hurt."
He walked toward Adam and put out his hand. Adam convulsed and gasped, his eyes flying open, blind with pain.
"No!" I shouted.
A gust of wind ripped through the corn, stalks breaking and flying aside. Even Balaam stumbled. He glanced at me.
"Interesting. But not enough, child."
He turned back to Adam. I closed my eyes and poured everything I had into the spell, shouting the words. Over my shouts and the roar of the wind, I heard Balaam.
"Dispelling me?" His voice drew closer as he came my way again. "As if I were some minor spirit? You cannot--"
As I finished the incantation, he stopped short, and when I opened my eyes, I saw the surprise on his face as Giles's body wobbled.
"Seems like maybe I can," I said.
I closed my eyes and started the spell again. He hit me. I don't know if he physically hit me or sent me flying with a wave of energy, only that I sailed off my feet and landed so hard I blacked out from pain. But when I came to, the words were still on my lips.
I didn't even open my eyes. Just shouted the incantation. When I finished, I looked to see him only a foot away from me, face contorted in rage, but frozen there, as if he was losing his hold on Giles's body.
He drew back his fist to hit me again.
"Hey!" said a voice behind him.
Balaam wheeled to see Adam staggering to his feet.
"She's as stubborn and bullheaded as you are," he said. "No use hurting her . . . unless you're afraid she can really cast you out."
Balaam snarled in reply, too furious to even form words.
"Well then, if you want to stop her, I'm the one you need to hurt."
"No," I said.
