Part 21 (1/2)

Michael grunted. ”I already got in touch with Father Forthill. He sent over a report on who we think might be in town with Tessa.”

I spent a couple of seconds feeling like an argumentative jerk. ”Oh,” I said. ”Thank you. That...that could help a lot.”

Michael shrugged. ”We've learned to be wary of even our own intelligence. The Fallen are masters of deception, Harry. Sometimes it takes us centuries to catch one of them lying.”

”I know,” I said. ”But you must have something solid.”

”A little,” he said. ”We are fairly certain that Tessa and Imariel are the second-eldest of the Denarians. Only Nicodemus and Anduriel have been operating longer.”

I grunted. ”Are Tessa and Nicodemus rivals?”

”Generally,” Michael replied. ”Though I suppose it bears mentioning that they're also husband and wife.”

”Match made in h.e.l.l, eh?”

”Not that it seems to mean much to either of them. They very rarely work together, and when they do it's never good. The last time they did so, according to the Church's records, was just before the Black Plague came to Europe.”

”Plagues? The Nickelheads did that last time they were in town.” I shook my head. ”You'd expect a different tune or two in a husband-and-wife act that had been running that long.”

”Variety is the key to a happy marriage,” Michael agreed solemnly. His mouth quivered. ”Nickelheads?”

”I decided their name gave them too much dignity, given what they are. I'm correcting that.”

”Those who underestimate them generally don't survive it,” Michael said. ”Be careful.”

”You know me.”

”Yes,” he said. ”Where were we?”

”Plagues.”

”Ah, yes. The Nickelheads have used plagues to instigate the most havoc and confusion in the past.”

I fought off a smile that threatened my hard-a.s.s exterior as Michael continued.

”It's proven a successful tactic on more than one occasion. Once a plague has gained momentum, there's almost no limit to the lives they can claim and the suffering they can inflict.”

I frowned and folded my arms. ”Sanya said that Tessa preferred choosing eager...subjects, I suppose, over talented ones.”

Michael nodded. ”The Fallen who follow Imariel go through bearers very quickly. None of them are kind to those they bond with, but Imariel's crew are the monsters among the monsters. Tessa chooses their hosts from among the downtrodden, the desperate, those who believe that they have nothing to lose. Those who will succ.u.mb to temptation the most rapidly.”

I grunted. ”Lot of those around in the wake of a big nasty plague. Or any kind of similar chaos.”

”Yes. We believe that it is one reason she collaborates with Nicodemus from time to time.”

”She's focused on short-term,” I said, getting it. ”He's all about the long view.”

”Exactly,” Michael said. ”When he threw Lasciel's coin at my son, it was a calculated gesture.”

”Calculated to rope me in,” I said.

”You,” Michael said, ”or my son.”

A chill that had nothing to do with the air went through me. ”Give the coin to a child?”

”A child who couldn't defend himself. Who could be raised with the voice of a Fallen angel whispering in his ear. Shaping him. Preparing him to be used as a weapon against his own family. Imagine it.”

I stared around the yard that had been the scene of so much merriment only a few hours before. ”I'd rather not,” I said.

Michael continued quietly. ”In general, the families of the bearers of the Swords are sheltered against such evils. But things like that have happened before. And Nicodemus has borne a coin for a score of centuries. He has no difficulty with the notion of waiting ten or fifteen or twenty years to attain his goals.”

”That's why you think he's here,” I said. ”Because going after someone like Marcone isn't Tessa's style.”

”It isn't,” Michael said. ”But I believe that if by helping it happen she could create the kind of environment she loves best, full of chaos and despair, it would be reason enough for her to join forces with her husband.”

”How many?”

”Tessa keeps a group of five other Fallen around her.” He gave me a quick smile. ”Sorry. Four, now.”

”Thank Thomas,” I said. ”Not me.”

”I intend to,” Michael said. ”Nicodemus...” Michael shook his head. ”I believe you've been told before that Nicodemus makes it a point to destroy any records the Church manages to build concerning him. That's not going to be as easy to arrange in the future-”

”Hail the information age,” I interjected.

”-but our accounts regarding him are sketchy. We thought he had only three regular companions-but then he produced Lasciel's coin, which had supposedly been in secure storage in a Chilean monastery. I think it would be dangerous to a.s.sume anything at this point.”

”Worst-case scenario,” I said, ”how many other coins might he have with him?”

Michael shrugged. ”Six, perhaps? But it's just a guess.”

I stared at him. ”You're saying that they could have a dozen walking nightmares with them this time.”

He nodded.

”Last time they came to party, all three Swords were here. There were four four Denarians. And we barely came out of it alive.” Denarians. And we barely came out of it alive.”

”I know.”

”But you're used to this, right?” I asked him. ”The Knights take on odds like this all the time.”

He gave me an apologetic glance. ”We like to outnumber them two to one if possible. Three to one when we can arrange it.”

”But s.h.i.+ro said he had fought several duels against them,” I said. ”One-on-one.”

”s.h.i.+ro had a gift,” Michael said. ”It was as simple as that. s.h.i.+ro knew swordplay like Mozart knew music. I'm not like him. I'm not afraid of facing a single Denarian alone, but I would generally consider us evenly matched. My fate would be in G.o.d's hands.”