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Gaia stood over him, glowing faintly green, feet planted wide, and watched as he writhed in agony, as he bent double, holding his head in his hands, an
d screamed.
On it went, and his voice was hoarse from screaming. On and on it went as his entire body went into spasm, as he lost control of himself, slavered and drooled and wet himself.
If he could have taken his own life . . .
And still it went on.
Then the pain stopped.
Caine lay on the concrete road. He gasped air through a raw throat. His heart jackhammered in his chest. His entire body was slicked with sweat.
“Father,” Gaia said.
“Don’t hurt me,” Caine whispered. He didn’t have the will to look up at her.
Gaia laughed. “Have you seen Mother? I seem to have lost her.”
“Don’t do it again. Just don’t do it again.”
“I asked a question.” Steel in her voice.
Caine couldn’t recall a question. Words? Had she spoken words? His body still shook. He still clutched his head, as if somehow his hands could shut her out.
“Have. You. Seen. Mother?”
“No. No. Diana . . . I thought she was with you. Did you . . . ?”
“Did I kill her? Is that what you want to know?”
Caine was afraid to nod, afraid that she was toying with him, afraid she was looking for a pretext to hurt him again.
“Not yet,” Gaia said. “Soon. Probably.”
That slight uncertainty gave Caine a glimmer of hope. But still he did not look up, afraid to give any offense.
“I dropped my food,” Gaia said. “Pick it up and carry it for me.”
“Your—aaaaahhhh!”
This time the pain only lasted a second. A reminder. A whip snapped at a difficult horse.
Caine saw the leg. It had been gnawed.
“Take it and walk in front of me. If you even turn around, I’ll hurt you and make it last until your mind is gone. My power grows, Father. You can no longer defy me. No one can. Not even her.”
Caine did not know who she meant by “her.” Did she mean Diana? Gaia glared toward Perdido Beach.
Caine took the leg by the ankle. It was heavy. It smelled like a barbecue grill that needed cleaning. Shaking, he lifted it and headed toward town.
Would Sam be able to kill her as they passed by?
Please let him kill her.
They walked around the van, and there was Sam. His body was twisted at a comical angle. He was propped on one elbow and raised the other to strike. But he couldn’t keep his hand elevated. Something was wrong in the bones of his shoulder, the bones of his back. His face was white.
Gaia calmly lifted Caine and held him suspended ludicrously between herself and Sam. Sam would have to burn through Caine to reach her.
