She glanced at Terrible, whose features were arranged into the carefully blank look he always had when she bickered with Bump. Hed been wearing that look more and more lately, hadnt he?
Something to worry about later. It might be some sort of powdered herb in there, or well, almost anything can be powdered. Bones, animal partsI dont know how to figure it out, really. But whatever it is, this is a fuck of a spell.
Know what the purpose is?
Yeah, I think so. The hair, the fingernail clippingsits a binding spell. A control spell. I dont know for sure how it works or how magic got inside him like that, but I think the spell is the reason why he killed Yellow Pete and attacked us. The spell made him do it.
Terrible considered that for a second. Be why he aint died, too?
She nodded, the realization taking shape in her mind as she spoke. His soulif the soul is under that much control, I mean, if its been so strongly ordered to carry out a particular task, itll force the body to keep going. Like, you know how under hypnosis, people can be injured without feeling it?
Aye.
Thats kind of like what this is. His soul isnt his own, its powered by someone else, which means his body is powered by someone else. So it doesnt matter what happens to his body. As long as it can move, it will.
They were silent for a minute, absorbing that. With every passing second the implications grew worse; with every passing second the blood on her gloves looked darker, more threatening.
Terrible finally spoke. So whoever made that spell got heself a killer aint can be killed, aye? Got heself a weapon can be used anyplace.
She nodded.
Bump raised his eyebrows, tilted his head. Damn, then, Ladybird. Lookin like you got some fuckin tough work coming, catchin em all.
Chapter Five
And they had laws to cover all sorts of unnecessary things, because they did not have Truth to keep the peace.
A History of the Old Government, Volume V: 19501997
Shed just tucked her new psychopomp into her bag and headed through the vast dark-wood hallway when Elder Griffin stepped out of his office and smiled. Ah, good morrow, Cesaria. I trust you are well?
She gave him a quick curtsy. Very well, sir. Aside from the scrapes and the bump on her head and the fear a decent nights sleep hadnt chased away completely, of course, but that wasnt something she could tell Elder Griffin about. Sure, she liked him a lot, and sure, he liked her, too, but some things were best kept to herself. And you? Nervous?
I confess I am, a bit. His face colored slightly, almost pinkish beneath his pale hair. It seems to be coming up awfully fast. You are still That reminds me. Come in, please?
Elder Griffins office soothed her; it always did. The smell of herbs, the shelves stuffed with books and jars of spell ingredients and skulls and bones Those shelves were empty today, of course, since hed be moving to a new position after his wedding, and boxes sat everywhere on the carpet, but it was still his office. His heavy desk before the window, and his antique globe on a stand near the small easy chair. Chess especially loved the globe. Seeing where the countries had divided in the days BTBefore Truth, when people still believed in gods and the dead hadnt risen to kill so many peoplefascinated her.
She sat down in the wooden chair before his desk. Yes, sir? Is everything okay?
He smiled, that peaceful smile that made him look so kind. He was kind. He was, in fact, one of the onlyno, the onlytruly, completely kind person shed ever met in her life. Perfectly well, my dear. I simply forgot to have you sign for your bonus yesterday. And I confess I am a bit at loose ends today. So much happening
Of course. She signed the form he handed her, acknowledgment of receipt for the bonus check attached. Nine grand, the standard amount. And she could use it. Yeah, shed gotten a pretty good chunk of change back when the whole Maguinness/Baldarel thing had gone down, but after her new car, new couch, and various other expensesdays at the pipes, a couple of nights here and there with Terrible at a hotel in Northside she was doing okay, but it was always good to have more.
Especially since, if things were heating up between Lex and Bumpwhich it appeared they wereshe wouldnt be getting her pills at a big discount from Lex anymore.
Paying full price again. Before Chester Airport, before her deal with Lex, shed been spending a few hundred a week. She somehow suspected it would be more now. Shed been stepping on it some, the last few months: a few extra here or there, two instead of one or three instead of two, or the couple right before bed that shed learned meant she felt human still when she woke up in the morning whatever. They cost what they cost, and she needed them, so shed pay it.
Elder Griffin slipped the form into the Darnell file and set it down. You are still attending, correct? Along with youryour young man? You are bringing him to the wedding?
Of course. I wouldnt miss that. She wouldnt, either. Every Church employee in Triumph City was invitedthat was standard protocolbut hed made a point of asking her, and of asking her to bring Terrible.
Or, well, he hadnt exactly said Terrible, because he still didnt know his name. She wasnt quite sure how to bring that one up.
Of course, she could bring it up as the answer to his question. What is his name, again?
Shit.
She kept forgetting to talk to Terrible about it and ask what he thought. He had several forms of ID with different names on them, she knew; they were never used but were there just in case. Did he want to use one of those names? Did he want to be called Terry, as his daughter, Katie, called him? No, he hated thatshe didnt blame him. Katies mother had started that one.
Elder Griffin watched her, his eyebrows a little higher than usual over his blue eyes. Right. It really shouldnt take so long to give him a piece of basic information.
Shit again. Well, see, sir, he he grew up in Downside, you know, and he never had any family or anything.
The eyebrows rose higher. Indeed? I had no idea.
Shit, he was right, wasnt he? Stupid that she hadnt thought of it before, but shed never specifically told Elder Griffin that the man she was seeing was from Downside. She had no idea if hed assumed so or what, but his expressionwell, his expression and the fact that hed just fucking said he didnt know, duhtold her he hadnt.
But she didnt want to lie to him, either. She wasnt going to lie and she wasnt going to try to hide Terrible or who he was. She loved him and he was hers, and that made her so proud her chest hurt, and if anybody didnt like it they could go fuck themselves.
Yeah, I mean, yes. So he never actuallynobody ever named him. But he used to get into fights a lot, and people started to call him Terrible. So thats what hes called.
Pause. I see.
Did he? She scanned his face for signs of disapproval or criticism but found none. A weight she hadnt realized was there lifted from her chest. No, of course Elder Griffin wouldnt do that; he wasnt like that.
He nodded. I shall look forward to meeting him, indeed. I take it things have gone well, since your disagreement?
Her face warmed. Um, yes. And hes, hes looking forward to meeting you, too.
Excellent, he said. Well, I should get back to trying to work, I suppose, while I am still in this position. Have you heard from the Elder Triumvirate, to schedule your interview?
Wednesday. She hesitated. Ive never done an interview like this before. Is there anything specific you want me to say, or ?
Tis nothing to be nervous about. They shall only ask about me and how you feel I handle my position here. Please say whatever you feel is best.
Do you know yet where theyre going to send you?
I do have some suspicions, indeed, but your interview is part of the process, as they want to determine where I will best fit.
Should I tell them youd be a great warden in the spirit prisons?
His smile widened. I confess that is not a position I mentioned as one I should like to fill.
The light from the window behind him faded as a cloud covered the sun, adding to the unexpected solemnity of his next words. I find myself growing weary of being reminded so often of the depths to which people will sink, Cesaria. Debunking tis so important, but I would like, perhaps, to work in an area where there is more hope. More proof of the good in humanity, rather than the bad. Does that make sense?
She nodded, trying to smile, trying to look as optimistic as he did. A place, or a job, where the negative aspects of humanity werent readily apparent? Where there was goodness and kindness everywhere?
It sounded great, yeah. Too bad it didnt exist.
Gordon Samms livedhad livedat Eighty-eighth and Wood, almost in Cross Town. Still Downside, of coursewindows devoid of glass, walls and streets thick with graffiti, litter, and grime made that clearbut close enough that a few of the buildings they drove past appeared almost decent.
More than a few, in fact. Chess noticed a sold sign outside one and fresh paint on a few others.
Terrible nodded when she pointed them out. Some parts here got new ones movin in, fixin em up. Still cheapern Cross Town, dig.
Gentrification.
He glanced around. Aye. Bump gave me the tell on the other day, gots people askin on a few him places. Them all lookin for cheap.
But hed never sell.
Fuck, no. Glad on it, too. Dont even wanna think on living any elsewhere, aye? Be all bored up.
Me, too.
He smiled at her, the kind of smile that made her breath freeze in her chest for a second because happiness had exploded there and squeezed out everything else. Aye. Know that one.
He did, too. She remembered him saying itsizing her up so neatlyin her bathroom one night, only a couple of days after theyd started investigating at Chester Airport. Some of us needs an edge on things make us feel right, hed said, and shed blushed and fidgeted and got all weird and uncomfortable, because it sucked to think someone could figure her out so easily, that someone could understand her so quickly.
But he had. He still did. And despite the tiny prickle of nerves in her stomachif he could figure that out so fast, if he knew so much about her, sooner or later hed know all the bad stuff, too, and how could he understand then, how could he stay with her?it made her feel good.
What didnt make her feel good was thinking of what hed just said about not wanting to live anywhere else, and thinking about the sigil, and where they were headed at that very moment. Terrible had touched Gordon Samms and passed out. Dark magics did that to him. And if word got out, if news of that spread how could he stay in Downside, even if someone didnt take advantage of that weakness and kill him outright?
What would he do if he had to leave Downside? What would he do if he couldnt fight anymoreif he couldnt do the one thing he was proud of being able to do.
And shed stolen that from him.
Well, shed just have to fucking fix it, then, wouldnt she? He pulled up against the curb, taking his hand off her thigh to shift into neutral. Hey, Chess. MaybeI been thinkin, maybe I aint should go along with you. To that wedding, dig. Might be
What? Why?
Justyou dont need me there, aye? Thinkin they all give you the squint-eyes iffen they see me.
Her first thought was to wonder where this had come from, why he was bringing it up now, but then, she knew, didnt she? A look at how regular people lived, a bit of thought about the difference between Downside and the rest of Triumph City, between Downside and Church headquarters, and it was clear enough. Or at least why he was talking about it at that moment; hed probably been thinking it already. Shit. I dont care what they think.
You oughta, though. Speople you workin with, it matters.
No. Damn it. They were out in public, where she couldnt touch his face or climb into his lap or whatever else to change his mind. She grabbed his hand instead, low, where no one would see. What they think doesnt matter. They dont have any effect on how I do my job or what cases I get or anything else, and even if they did I dont care. I want you there with me. I want you to meet Elder Griffin.
Have he thinkin you lost yon mind.
No, he wont. And you know what, even if he does, I still dont care. She squeezed his hand to make him look at her, so she could look in his eyes. Or where his eyes were, because his sunglasses were on. I care what I think, and I want you there.
He hesitated. Dont wanna fuck things up for you
You wont. Youre not. She clenched her jaw so hard it hurt. It wasnt that big a deal, really, it was just just that she finally had a chance to be with him in public, to show everyone that she belonged to someone, that she mattered to someone, and that she was proud of that. Because she was. I want you to be there.
Maybe you
Itsits important to me, okay? Please come with me.
Dont think you need
Terrible. You are coming. And if anybody doesnt like it they can fuck off. That includes you.
His lips twitched. You givin me the orders now, aye?
Yes. So cut it out.
Another pause; she could see him trying to come up with another argument and plastered a dont-even-fucking-try-it look on her face.
Finally he sighed. Aye, right, then. But iffen you wanna change yon mind, you just say.
I wont.
Theyd parked near the dull industrial-green façade of Gordons building, peeling and dusty in the afternoon sunlight. He opened her door and led the way up the semi-intact sidewalk. Hopefully theyd get some information in there.
Or not. The second she picked the lock and Terrible swung open the door to Gordons apartment, she knew they wouldnt find anything of useor, to be more exact, they wouldnt find anything magic-related. No energy beckoned them farther into the room, no dark power set her tattoos on fire.
A good thing, yeah, but not helpful.
Searching through Gordons things wasnt much better. Playing cards were everywherescattered over the carpet and furniture, decks tidy on shelves and the kitchen counter. Chess stopped counting them when she hit twenty-three.