Once that moment passed, I strode up to Cerrydwen and took a more challenging stance. I needed some answers. “The Frau said something about Drake coming too, what’s up with that? I thought we were going to open the urns here and let these spirits loose.”
Cerrydwen had bent back down to resume her chosen work of using a pine covered branch to sweep dust, dirt and other debris from that massive stone table. She continued for several more moments, seemingly oblivious to me and the challenge I had thrown her way.
Calmly, she finished the area she had been working on and turned to face me. “The urns will be opened tonight, one way or another.”
“Look, I’m losing my patience here. Is Drake coming here tonight?”
“How can you lose something you’ve never had?”
“Excuse me?” My anger was beginning to bubble up inside. Cerrydwen had always been a mystery to me, but she was being particularly obtuse at a time when I could almost feel the approaching doom.
“I’ve never seen you exhibit any patience. For a man who no longer has to deal with the distractions of the flesh, that is an interesting character flaw.”
Almost to a snapping point, I felt an almost uncontrollable urge to lash out at this strange woman. Instead I inched closer, looming over her, eyes burning in anger. “If Drake is coming here, and you knew he was coming why did we give up our weapons?”
Cerrydwen didn’t flinch. She stood as strong as the stone table beside her, as impassive to my rage as the table was to the storms that lashed it every spring. “In this place, even the most powerful of blades is more dangerous to the wielder than it is to the intended target. You are safer here without them.”
I couldn’t believe how obtuse she was being! “Not with Drake coming here, dammit! Didn’t you hear the stories I told about that fucking maniac? He’s studied martial arts for five thousand fucking years! He can kill you and dismantle my ass without even thinking twice about it! We don’t stand a fucking chance against this man without Diego and my ability to call upon the Shadow!”
“Exactly.”
“What the Hell are you smoking? What do you mean by ‘exactly’? Exactly, what?!?”
She shook her head in disgust. “It is precisely because he thinks he can defeat us so easily without weapons that we will be safe here.” She turned away from me and resumed cleaning the stone tabletop. “Grab another branch and help me. I will employ a less ancient form of martial arts instruction with you.”
I was dumbfounded (I know, I know, big damn surprise there!) yet again. But I did manage to put the duffle bag down and grab another branch from the ground that had been conveniently placed nearby.
I picked it up and moved to the other side of the 10’ long, 5’ wide, 4’ high structure and began sweeping it off on that side. As I worked, slowly at first, she began to speak again.
“Rusty, I listened to that story of yours about Drake. As you said earlier, he has had five thousand years to hone his skills as a warrior. He is stronger, faster and smarter than you or any other foe he has ever faced in battle. You have to come to grips with the fact that you are not going to defeat him in open battle.”
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