Thirty-two
The fire crackled.
“Because, obviously,” I said, “there wasn’t enough on the line already.”
Uriel smiled. It was a tight, pained expression.
“Take it back,” Michael said. “You’ve got to take it back, right now.”
“I can do that,” Uriel said. “If that is your choice, I will respect it.”
Something in his voice triggered my instincts, and I said, “Michael, wait. Think about this.”
“What’s to think about?” Michael asked. “An archangel of the Lord is vulnerable.”
“Right,” I said, and spread my hands. “Almost as if he thinks this is important or something. Or maybe you figure Uriel for the kind of guy who hands out this kind of power all willy-nilly, every time the wind blows.” I looked at Uriel. “Right?”
Uriel helped Butters get another blanket around the shuddering Karrin, watched us, and said nothing.
“Yeah,” I said. “You can tell when you’re on the right track, because he shuts up and doesn’t tell you a damned thing. It’s about the Grail, isn’t it? About what Nicodemus wants to do with it.”
Uriel gave me a knowing look.
I flushed and said, “I’m playing my cards close to the chest, okay? I know it’s about more than that.”
He put his hand on Karrin’s head and smiled at her encouragingly.
Michael shook his head and walked over to where he’d set Amoracchius after he’d drawn it from his belt once we had Karrin inside. He picked it up absently, and started cleaning the water from it carefully with one of the used towels. “You’re asking me to make a very large choice.”
“Yes,” Uriel said.
“With potentially horrible consequences.”
Uriel looked at him with sympathetic eyes and nodded.
“Can you tell me what is at stake, that I should risk this?”
Uriel frowned, considering the question for a moment. Then he said, “A soul.”
Michael raised his eyebrows. “Oh,” he said. “You should have said that from the beginning.” He extended the Sword and looked down the length of its blade. “I’m not retired at the moment,” he said. “What about my family?”
“The guards remain,” Uriel said. “I have taken your place.”
Michael exhaled and some of the tension eased out of him. “Right. Though this is going to draw attention here again.”
“It might.”
“And your protection doesn’t extend to the merely mortal,” Michael said.
“No.”
“So mortals could enter, and kill you. Kill them.”
“Potentially,” he said.
“Guys,” Butters said, “we need to get her to a hospital.”
“Right,” I said. “Here’s the plan. Butters drives Murphy to the hospital and tells the guys at SI she needs looking after.”
“Those guys can’t stop someone like Nicodemus,” Butters said.
“No,” I said, “but they can force him to get noisy if he wants to get to her, and Nick won’t want that until after the job. He might send some of his squires to do it, but SI can go up against them just fine. Michael, will you loan Butters a car?”
“Of course,” Michael said.
“Good. They’ll help you unload her at the emergency room, Butters.”
“Right,” Butters said. “Great.”
“I’m going to go clean up out front,” I said. “What’s left of the Sword, shell casings, what have you. Those shots were muffled by the sleet, but we don’t need to leave things lying around in case some busybody called the cops.”
“Leaving me to talk to Charity alone,” Michael said drily.
“Yeah, funny how that worked out,” I said. “Where is she, anyway?”
“In the panic room with Mouse and the kids,” Michael said. “Little Harry was all but bouncing off the walls, he was so excited. I didn’t want him seeing . . .” He nodded toward Karrin. “I’ll sound the all clear as soon as she and Butters leave.”
“Good call,” I said.
“What should I do?” Uriel asked.
“Sit,” I said. “Stay inside. Don’t put pennies in the outlets or play with matches or run with scissors.”
“I don’t understand,” Uriel said.
“Take no chances,” I clarified.
“Oh, yes.” He frowned and said, “But I want to help.”
“So sit,” I said. “Sitting quietly is very helpful.”
He sat down on the arm of the couch, frowning.
“I think this will hurt the least if one person carries her,” Butters said.
“Right,” I said, rising, and wobbled as the blood rushed to my head.