They just said to call them Mommy and Daddy. Tobias stood from his messy but functional nylon bow and pressed his knees together in a stance any first grader would recognize. I gotta go.
The courthouse had half a dozen restrooms, but none of them had been functional in decades. Hang on, and Ill take you out
But he was out of the room and halfway down the first of two dusty marble staircases before I could even stand.
Tobias, wait! I called, and Mellie rolled over on her bedroll but didnt quite shake off sleep.
The rapid patter of the childs footsteps echoed below me as I stomped down the spiral stairs after him. A second later Finns boots clomped from above as he followed both of us. Tobias! he shouted, but the boys footsteps didnt slow.
When I hit the first-floor landing, I stopped to listen for the echo of small shoes to figure out which way hed gone.
Down the back hall, toward the rear door.
I followed Tobias into the back of the building, marveling at how well the courthouse had held up under a century of neglect. Stone floors and walls didnt crumble or mold like carpet and drywall, and though many of the windows were broken, most of the doors were still intact, which had kept out the larger animals. And because the building had been stripped of furnishings shortly after the war, there was nothing left inside to rot or mildew.
Tobias? I called, my boots nearly silent on the grimy marble tiles.
Muffled footsteps whispered against the floor at my back, and a grunt exploded behind me, followed by a blunt crack. My heart hammering, I spun to find an unfamiliar man splayed across the floor at my feet, the short end of a crowbar lodged in the side of his skull.
I jumped back, startled, and my pulse raced so fast my vision swam.
Standing over the dead man was a boy about my age, wearing torn jeans and a dusty black cowboy hat, his feet spread for balance, his jaw set in a firm line. He wore prewar vintage Western boots, absent the spurs Id seen in history textbooks, and despite my shockor perhaps because of itI wondered how hed managed to walk so softly in footwear that looked stiff and unyielding.
His skin was dark, his eyes a piercing golden brown, and he wore a simple silver cross on a thin chain around his neck.
With a startling bolt of intuition, I realized the boy was one of the nomadsand hed just killed the stranger whod snuck up on me.
Dont move. Without looking away from me, he braced one boot on the dead mans jaw and wrenched the crowbar free with a wet sucking sound. Then he wielded it like a bat on one shoulder, ready to swing again, blood dripping from the short, bent end of the metal.
I am Eli Woods, sentinel in the Lords Army. His gaze narrowed on me. His grip tightened on the crowbar. You have ten seconds to convince me youre not one of the Unclean, or I will bury this in your skull.
Uh-oh.
I took a step back and my spine hit the cool stone wall.
Eli wasnt a demon, so I couldnt exorcise him, and I wasnt going to hurt a fellow human in anything less than self-defense. Which was starting to look like a distinct possibility.
Five seconds. He studied me, and I found no recognition in his eyes. Who are you?
Obviously nomads didnt watch the news. They didnt have television. But if they had a radio and had picked up any of the Churchs broadcasts proclaiming the infamous Nina Kane to be possessed, giving him my name wouldnt help him trust me.
Um . . .
Three seconds.
I sucked in a deep breath and held his gaze. Then I spat out the truth. Im Nina Kane. But Im not a demon, and I can prove it.
Elis dark brows rose beneath the wide brim of his hat. You can prove youre not a demon? He was either surprised or skeptical, but I couldnt tell which because his face only seemed capable of scowling. His grip on the crowbar tightened. Thats a new one. Start talking.
But as I tried to figure out what to say, I realized that without a demon there to exorcise, proving my claim would be nearly impossible. I held my hands up, palms out, to remind him that I wasnt armed. Okay, I could prove it if there was another demon here for me to kill, but since there isnt, youll just have to take my word for it. In my whole life, Id never wished for a demon, but in that moment, I got close. Im an exorcist.
There are no exorcists. He pulled the crowbar back to swing, and my heart fell into my stomach. Theyre all demons the so-called Unified Church uses to hunt down its enemies. He shifted his weight and leaned into his swing. Pulse racing, I dropped to the ground on my knees. Pain radiated up my legs. The metal bar swung over my head with a fierce whoosh. I scrambled around the dead guys feet and stood, backing away from Eli with my arms out. Trying to look harmless.
No, wait! Im not one of those exorcists. I would have been relieved that he knew about the Churchs black-robed fakes if he didnt think I was one of them. Im the real thing! So were actually on the same side
Drop it! Finn shouted, and I turned to see him in the doorway, aiming his rifle at Eli.
Who are you? the sentinel demanded, crowbar still held at the ready.
Thats a complicated question. Finns focus on Eli never wavered. Come any closer to her, and you wont live long enough to hear the answer.
Eli, please put the crowbar down. I forced my voice to remain low-pitched and calm. This is Finn. Hes with me. Hes not going to hurt you. I turned to Finn. This is Eli Woods. He killed the demon who snuck up on me, and I think we should all be friends.
Finn glanced at the corpse on the floor but looked unconvinced.
Finn, put the gun down, I said.
Him first. His aim at the center of Elis worn-thin button-up shirt was a steady threat.
Okay, boys, someone has to go first. I turned back to the self-professed sentinel. Since you obviously dont recognize my face or my name, Im guessing you havent seen or heard the news recently?
He shook his head. We dont have television or radio.
We who? The Lords Army? I said, and Finn gave me a confused look. What is this army?
We are the last of the true believers. Elis words had the formal cadence of an official pledge or creed. It sounded a little too much like the Church for comfort, but Eliand presumably his nomadic armywere no more fans of the Unified Church than I was. We are a beacon of light and truth, shining in a world of darkness and corruption.
Humble too, Finn muttered.
I ignored him and focused on Eli. Its nice to meet you. And your army. I cleared my throat and tossed a warning glance at Finn. Are you familiar with the saying The enemy of my enemy is my friend? Because thats kind of what were looking at here. The Church has been hunting you guys for decades, and now theyre hunting us too because of what we know and what we can do. Since were on the same side, maybe you could reconsider lowering your weapon?
Eli took one hand from his crowbar long enough to reseat his black cowboy hat, briefly revealing short, tight curls. Then he reclaimed his expert grip. Youre exorcists. It wasnt a question. He was repeating the part he obviously found hard to believe.
Eli took one hand from his crowbar long enough to reseat his black cowboy hat, briefly revealing short, tight curls. Then he reclaimed his expert grip. Youre exorcists. It wasnt a question. He was repeating the part he obviously found hard to believe.
Were true exorcists. We hunt demons, just like you. I gestured to the body at my feet. But instead of puncturing skulls, we incinerate the bond between parasite and host and fry the demonic bastards back to hell.
His eyes widened. Youre serious.
I nodded. Its kinda badass.
Though most of us dont object to blunt force trauma when the occasion calls for it. Finn shrugged and gestured with the rifle he was still aiming. Or bullets.
I glared at Finn, then turned back to Eli. I need both of you to put down your weapons so we can focus on our mutual enemy. I shrugged, aiming for casual confidence. You know. Evil.
Both of them glanced at me. Then they glared at each other. Neither boy lowered his weapon.
My temper spiked. Were in the middle of the badlands with a corpse on the floor and the Church on our tails. We are not each others biggest problem. So, Finn, put the damn gun down!
Finns bright green eyes narrowed and his jaw tensed. Not until you back out of his reach.
Striking a human would be a blight on my honor, and shes obviously not possessed, Eli said as I moved closer to Finn. The jurys still out on you.
Finns glare grew colder, but he flicked the safety switch on his rifle, then lowered it. But he didnt sling it over his back.
I turned back to Eli. Your turn.
When the sentinel took a deep breath, I realized that trusting Finn and me was as much of a risk for him as the reverse was for us. Maybe more. He lowered his bloody crowbar but didnt put it down, and I decided that was the best we were going to get.
Now I have to go find Something moved in the shadowy doorway behind Finn, and I exhaled in relief as Tobias stepped into the marble foyer from the back hall.
But he wasnt looking at me. He wasnt gloating over having escaped my custody, nor did he look chagrined. He didnt even seem surprised to see the body on the floor, or Eli, with his gore-covered crowbar.
Elis gaze tracked down from Finn to the boy now at Finns side. His eyes narrowed and his arms tensed as he raised the crowbar like a bat again. Step away from the Unclean.
I tried to move in front of Eli, to shield Finn, but he pushed me aside.
Finn lifted his gun again. Do not touch her!
Im fine, I insisted, my pulse racing as the tension between the two of them resurged. Finns not possessed. He would never hurt
Not him, Eli growled through clenched teeth. The little one.
Chills rose the length of my spine as I turned to follow his intently focused gaze. He was staring right at Tobias.