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time.” She grinned. “But I’ll keep your girl safe.”
“I’m sorry to dump this on you.”
She glanced at Derek. “I wish everyone would stop walking on eggshells around me. It needs doing, so I’ll do it. I have to stay at the Chapter anyway: it’s standard procedure during a flare for one knight to always be present. I’ll guard your girl.”
I hesitated. If anyone could help me in this situation, it was Andrea. She was a picture-perfect knight and she knew every regulation ever written.
“What’s up?” she asked, as if reading my thoughts.
“Should I write up a petition for safe asylum?”
Andrea frowned. “Worried about the Danger to Humanity clause?”
“Yeah.”
The good thing about the petition for safe asylum was that any and all knights would protect Julie from any threat, as long as she remained in their custody. But by signing the petition, Julie placed herself into the Order’s care, which meant she fell under the imminent danger clause. If she presented an imminent danger to humanity, the knights were duty bound to dispatch her. The Order wasn’t in the habit of snuffing out little girls, but I knew that in Ted’s mind, at least, the welfare of many outweighed the lives of the few. I had no clue as to why the reeves and the Shepherd hunted Julie. For all I knew, she was some sort of Fomorian-prophesied child destined to destroy the world. Stranger things have happened. I didn’t want to find Julie with her throat slit. I’m sure they would make her end merciful and quick, but that hardly seemed like consolation.
Andrea smiled. “The good news is, you don’t have to file one. She is an orphan with no known relatives.
Under provision seventeen, you can assume temporary guardianship of her due to the fact she can’t legally enter into contract. Fill out form 240-m, and she becomes your ward in the eyes of the Order.
During the flare, all families of Order personnel can legally seek shelter at the nearest Chapter without being subject to the imminent danger clause. Unless she attacks, they have no authority to neutralize her.”
“I don’t know if she would sign something like that. She still thinks her mother is alive. And so do I.” I hoped, anyway. “It might hammer some unpleasant possibilities home.”
“You don’t need her to sign. That’s the beauty of it—all you need is the testimony of one knight besides yourself who agrees that you’re acting in her best interests.” She grinned from ear to ear. “And lucky you, you know one.”
“Thanks,” I said and meant it.
“No problem. This is kind of fun for me—I’m so freaking bored. If magic hits, we’ll skedaddle down to the vault, and if the reeves show while the tech is up, I’ll use their heads for target practice.”
The door burst open. Julie ran headfirst into Derek and flailed in his hands. He grabbed her and lifted her off the ground. “What? Speak!”
She strained and spat a single word. “Vampire!”