A Knight of the Sacred Blade (17 page)

“Fine. Damn it. Fine.” Wycliffe rubbed his forehead. “Marugon had better send a lot of gold with his next caravan. No. He’s coming himself in a few days. I can tell him then. He’ll be impatient.” Wycliffe shook his head. “When can we expect delivery?”

“October,” said Kurkov. “Or possibly September, if everything goes well.”

“October?” said Wycliffe. He swore again. “So not only am I paying thirty million dollars for an atomic bomb, you’re going to be driving it through the middle of the country at the very height of campaigning season?”

Kurkov shrugged. “Doctor. What is it that Americans say?”

“About what?” said Krastiny.

“Life,” said Kurkov. 

Krastiny thought for a moment. “Ah…life is a bitch?”

Kurkov nodded. “Yes. That’s quite right.” He turned to Wycliffe. “Senator, life is a bitch.”

Wycliffe rolled his eyes. “I hadn’t noticed.” He sighed. “All right. Fine. Thirty million dollars.” He waved a finger. “But this bomb better work.”

Kurkov grinned and spread his hands. “Boom! Don’t worry. Very big boom.”

Chapter 14 - A Doorway

Anno Domini 2012

An old man’s voice, deep and sonorous, whispered in Ally’s ear. “You cannot run.”

She sprinted down a corridor of dark stone, Lithon wailing in her arms. Things of nightmare and shadow pursued her, claws of icy nothingness reaching for her neck. She risked a glance over her shoulder. The old man with two burning swords stood in the midst of the shadow-things, his blades flashing and whirling. 

The rune-carved door loomed before her. Hope flared in Ally’s heart. She would be safe…

###

“You cannot run forever,” said the soft voice. “Sooner or later, you will remember. And they will find you.”

Ally sat in the back seat of a van, the engine roaring. Lithon leaned against her, shaking with fear. Simon sat in the middle seat, thinner than she remembered, his face taut with strain. Katrina drove, her hands clenched around the wheel. A lean man in a suit leaned out the window, a staff of burning light in his hands. 

Metal shrieked, and bullets tore through the ceiling and shredded the seat. Lithon screamed. 

Ally heard a thump. Something huge and terrible landed on the hood of the van. The windshield exploded in a spray of glass, and a winged fiend seized Katrina and dragged her kicking and screaming through the windshield…

###

“They will find you,” murmured the old man’s voice. “You must be ready. You must face them.”

Ally lay dying on the cold ground.

Red flames lit the courtyard, billowing smoke rising from the ruins around her. She groaned, tried to stand, and fell back to the ground. She felt the hot blood seeping into her clothing, pulsing from the gaping wound in her chest. Her heart shuddered like a dying child beneath her ribs.

Something dark and monstrous plummeted from the sky. The creature stood over her and roared. Its black wings blotted out the night sky.

“No,” sobbed Ally, “no, damn you, help me, no, no…”

The beast’s clawed hand plunged into her chest, iron talons tearing flesh and sliding between her ribs. Ally screamed, her back arching, her heels drumming against the cold stone. Fingers curled around her heart and pulled…

###

Ally sat up with a shriek, her legs tangling in the sheet. She looked around the dark bedroom. Her eyes saw nothing, and she felt her chest, half-expecting to feel a gaping wound there. Pain lingered beneath her ribs for a moment, and then faded away. She lay back down and stared at the ceiling.

“God,” she muttered. “I’m too young to have a heart attack.” She pulled the sheet tighter against herself. “It was just a dream. Just a dream.”

“Ally?”

Ally shot upright, her heart kicking back to high gear. She saw a looming shadow standing over her bed, dark wings enveloping the room. She blinked and the shadow resolved into Mary, a blue bathrobe wrapped around her. 

Ally closed her eyes and blew out a long breath. “Mary. You scared me half to death.” 

“Sorry,” said Mary. She sat down on the bed, the faint light from the window playing across her face. She looked so thin and tired. She had lost a lot of weight in the last few months. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Ally shook her head. “It’s not your fault. It…I did a pretty good job of scaring myself, I’d guess.” 

“You were shrieking and thrashing,” said Mary. 

“I hope I didn’t wake you up,” said Ally. 

“No,” said Mary. “I was up already.”

Ally frowned. “How come? You aren’t having nightmares too, are you?”

Mary laughed. “Um…no.” She shook her head. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you, after…everything. But I wasn’t having nightmares. Your…um…your parents woke me up.”

Ally blinked. “They did? Why did they do that? It’s…oh. Oh.” She grimaced. “Gross. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay.” Mary paused. “Sounds like they’re pretty energetic, for old people.”

“Mary!” said Ally. “Now that is gross.” 

Mary giggled. “Yeah. I guess so.”

“And they’re not that old,” said Ally. 

“I still don’t think your dad wants me here,” said Mary.

Ally sighed. “Dad’s…well, I think he’s afraid you’re going to try and live here forever. You know, mooch.”

“I’m not going to do that,” said Mary. "I’m trying to find a job right now. I was going to try and find one right away, but the trial…it got in the way.”

“I know,” said Ally. “But the economy’s bad right now. That Senator Wycliffe guy is complaining about it on TV all the time.”

“I’m afraid your dad wants to throw me out,” said Mary. She looked at the floor. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.” 

“Mary,” said Ally. “Dad’s not going to throw you out. Mom would never forgive him. She understands. They won’t throw you out. They didn’t throw me and Lithon out. They never told me how we were adopted, but I think we just kind of dropped into their laps, the same way I brought you home. I’m not going to let you go home to your father.” 

“Thank you,” said Mary. 

“Okay,” said Ally. She looked at her clock and yawned. “It’s three in the morning. Go back to sleep.”

“I worry about you,” said Mary.

Ally laughed. “Me? I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.” 

“But I do,” said Mary. She fiddled with her robe’s belt. “You have those nightmares all the time.”

“I do not,” said Ally.

“You do,” said Mary. “I can hear you, sometimes. I don’t think you always remember the dreams. All those nightmares can’t be good for you. I don’t want to lose you. You’re the best friend I have.” 

“Mary.” Ally hugged her. “I’m fine. Lots of people have nightmares. Don’t worry about me. Instead, we’ll worry about getting you back on your feet. Okay?”

Mary hugged her back. “Okay.” She stood up. “Good night.”

“Good night,” said Ally. Mary went back to the guest room. Ally lay back down and stared at the shadows on the ceiling. She hoped she would feel better tomorrow. She usually did.

###

Ally blinked awake and smelled something frying. Katrina never fried anything. Ally hoped the house wasn’t burning down. She rolled out of bed, found a pair of jeans, and shuffled downstairs to the kitchen. 

Mary stood at the stove, an eye on a half-dozen sizzling pans. 

“Oh! Morning, Ally,” said Mary.

“Um…good morning,” said Ally. “What are you doing?” 

“Making breakfast,” said Mary, adjusting a skillet.

“Is that bacon?” said Ally. Katrina never bought bacon, much to Simon’s dismay. 

“Yup,” said Mary.

“Okay,” said Ally. Mary returned her attention to the frying pans, and Ally went into the dining room. Simon had taken over the table again, books and papers on the Roman Empire covering every free surface. He sat with his back to the kitchen door, typing on his MacBook. 

“Don’t you have a desk?” said Ally.

Simon glanced up. “Don’t scare me like that.”

Ally sat down. “At your age it’s not good, right?”

“Funny,” said Simon. “I do have a desk, as you well know.”

“Then why can’t you use it?” said Ally. “Suppose I want to eat breakfast here or something?”

“The desk is buried,” said Simon, leafing through a stack of journal articles. “Well, at least, I think it is. I haven’t cleaned out the study in a while. I have to finish this before we…”

“Before what?” said Ally. 

Simon coughed. “I’ll tell you later. As for breakfast, you can always eat in the kitchen…” He looked up and smiled. “Breakfast. Oh, yes. Breakfast. Your friend’s making pancakes and eggs and bacon…”

Ally grinned. “Mom doesn’t know about this, does she?”

Simon blinked. “Your mother? Well, um, she’s still asleep, and…”

Ally looked through the door and saw Katrina talking to Mary. She smiled, patted Mary on the shoulder, and entered the dining room.

“Simon,” Katrina said. The word seemed to carry paragraphs of meaning.

Simon gave her a wide smile. “Good morning, Katrina. Did you sleep well?”

Katrina sat down next to Ally. “Mary’s making breakfast.”

Simon glanced into the kitchen. “She is, isn’t she?”

“Bacon and eggs and pancakes,” said Katrina, her tone clinical. “All very unhealthy foods. Where do you suppose she got those, Simon?”

“Um.” Simon shuffled his papers. “I took her shopping. Early, before you got up.” 

“You did?” said Katrina. “None of those foods are good for your blood pressure, you know.”

“I know,” said Simon. He sighed. “I got up early to work.” His voice lowered. “I think she had been up crying. I asked if she had any breakfast, we got to talking, and she mentioned how much she used to enjoy making breakfast, back when her mother was still alive. She asked if she could make me breakfast, and I said sure. But it’s hard to make a proper breakfast with just granola bars and bran muffins. So we went shopping, and, well,” Simon shrugged, “I did my best to stop her. But the poor child just wanted to make breakfast…”

Katrina laughed. “You just wanted pancakes and bacon for breakfast.”

Simon gave her a hurt look. “Is this what I get for trying to help her? Just because I get a pancake breakfast out of it…”

“With bacon,” said Ally.

“Yes, with bacon,” said Simon. “But…”

“And eggs. And syrup and butter on the pancakes,” said Ally.

Simon sighed. “Daughter dearest. You are not helping me here.” 

Katrina leaned back in her chair and stared into the kitchen, watching Mary.

Simon leaned forward. “Look at her,” he said, his voice low. “She’s been almost catatonic since Ally brought her home. I haven’t seen her this cheerful…well, ever. And I think a bit more grease in my arteries is a small price to pay for that.”

Katrina leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “Simon Wester. Sometimes you still surprise me, even after all these years. And some pancakes would be nice.”

Ally stared at her. “Are you feeling okay?”

Katrina frowned. “Yes. Why?”

“Pancakes?” said Ally. “You?”

“What?” said Katrina. 

Simon snickered. “Nothing, dear.” 

Katrina raised her eyebrows. “It’s not as if I’m a complete health fanatic.”

Simon’s lips twitched. “You’re…I’m not even going to say anything to that.”

Katrina patted his cheek. “Wise man.” 

“I married you, didn’t I?” 

Katrina laughed and looked at Ally. “He’s scoring all sorts of points today, isn’t he?” 

Mary stuck her head in through the door. “How many pancakes does everyone want?”

“I’ll take two,” said Katrina.

“Two,” said Ally.

“Four,” said Simon. 

Mary beamed. “Okay.” She hopped back into the kitchen.

Footsteps thudded down the back stairs. Ally saw Lithon careen into the kitchen. He stopped and stared at the stove. “Is that bacon?”

“Yup,” said Mary, pouring pancakes onto the griddle.

“Wow! Mom never makes bacon!” said Lithon. “And are those pancakes? We never have those, except when we go to Grandma Wester’s house.”

Simon glanced at Katrina.

Katrina scowled. “Not a word.” 

“Yes, dear,” said Simon, turning his attention to his laptop. 

“So what are you working on so feverishly?” said Katrina. 

“That journal article. It needs to be done so we can…” Katrina scowled. “Oh, right. Well. It just needs to be done.”

Lithon scratched his head. “Done in time for what?” 

“Our project this afternoon,” said Simon. 

Ally frowned. “Project? What project? This sounds suspiciously like work.”

Simon smiled. “A mind like a trap, this daughter of mine. Remember Grandma Wester’s old house?”

Ally blinked. “You…mean that big white place out in Cicero, near those woods?” Something unpleasant swelled just beneath the surface of her mind. “I…remember it. I think.”

Lithon shrugged. “I don’t.” He trotted into the kitchen, fetched an apple, and started munching on it. 

Katrina frowned. “Ally? You okay?” 

Ally shook her head and pushed the hair out of her face. “Yeah. It…I don’t remember it very well, that’s all.” 

Katrina and Simon shared a look.

Katrina moved her arm through one of the exercises she did from time to time, the muscles of her forearm flexing. “Grandma Wester moved to Florida right after we adopted you. I don’t think you would remember much of that old house.”

“Perhaps that was for the best,” said Simon.

“Why?” said Lithon around a mouthful of apple. 

“Well,” Simon stared out the window. “Ah. It’s a long story. Pretty boring.”

Lithon finished his apple, curiosity gleaming in his blue eyes. “Can we hear it?” 

Katrina and Simon shared another look. 

“You sure, kiddo?” said Katrina. “It involves how we met. There’s a lot of kissing in it.” Simon coughed. 

Lithon made a face. “You guys are gross.” He went to the kitchen and got another apple, ignoring Mary’s warnings about ruining his appetite. 

“Anyway,” said Simon, “Grandma never managed to sell the place, especially after the market crashed a few years ago. It needs a lot of work, and neither she nor I wanted to invest the time and money to fix it up. It’s been on the market for eight years, but we only had someone show interest last week.”

“Who?” said Ally. Lithon wandered back in, halfway through his apple. 

“Dr. Heloise Francis, my old dissertation adviser,” said Simon. 

Katrina grinned. “Really? Dr. Francis?” 

“You know her?” said Simon. “Wait, of course you would. She was at the wedding.”

“Not that,” said Katrina. “She came to one of my book signings, back when I still had a traditional publisher. She liked my book, which one was it…about the Swiss bank robbers. I was surprised.” She smirked. “She was your advisor, Simon. I thought she wouldn’t deign to read a common crime novel.”

“She always had excellent taste,” said Simon. 

Katrina laughed. “More points.”

“Years of practice,” said Simon. “Anyway, Dr. Francis is going to look at the place on Friday. So we’re going to go over and vacuum, sweep, wash the floors, rake up the leaves, just tidy up.”

Ally groaned. “I wanted to go see a movie tonight. Can’t we do it on Thursday?”

“Nope,” said Simon. “Thursday is when we’re going to that special honors dinner.”