Chapter 109

WIL WAS a little ashamed that he was yet again forcing something from Dallin that Dallin was so profoundly and morally against. Still he pushed it, reluctantly ruthless.

"Tell them what you claim. Say the words."

Impossibly, Dallin's jaw set even harder, so tight Wil could hear his teeth grinding. Dallin stood abruptly, knocking Wil's hand from off his knee, stalked over to the cave's opening, and looked out.

"I claim the right of *murder*." He ground it out coldly. "Execution. Slaughter. How many more ways d'you want me to say it?" He turned his burning glance to the Old Ones. "I'll *kill* him. Is that what you want to hear? If he proves too dangerous, I'll snuff him out. Snap his neck, he said to me once, handed me a bloody knife and demanded the promise. You're a little late with your concerns, y'see--he's already beat you to it. So, if we're *done* with this, I suggest we move on. Because this is *not*, even remotely, what I was told you wanted to discuss."