Come, now, Baron, Molly said, her voice smooth, soothing. Consider how much you have gained. You are in the process of destroying the man who truly wronged you. What does it matter if his hirelings go about their business? After all, you might need their services yourself, one day. The offer is a reasonable one. And on those last words, she reached over to the cash box, unlocked it, and opened it.
Marcones expression rarely showed muchbut his eyes widened, if only for an instant, as he saw the stones.
I stared at Marcone without blinking or looking away.
Marcone looked up from the diamonds and returned the stare for a long time.
I put my hands on the table, leaned in close to his face, and said, Just you remember who pulled your ass out of the fire when those maniacs grabbed you. You owe me.
Marcone considered that for a moment. Then he said quietly, You did so as a favor to Mab. Not to me. He reached out and smoothly closed the cash box, then drew it to his side of the table and squared it with the tables edge. His voice was almost silkenbut there was a blade hidden within the folds of it. However, the fact that there is a debt remainsand I would not see Mabs name suffer any childish diminishment when she has kept such excellent faith with me. I accept your offer, Dresden. This balances our account. Do you understand my meaning?
I understood it, all right. It meant that the next time I crossed him, he would feel perfectly free to waste me.
Which was fine. The feeling was pretty much mutual.
Mab was far too contained to give any reaction to the resolution of the situation, beyond a very, very small nod to Marcone. But she regarded me with a look of displeasure that promised me a reckoning later. Molly got the same glare.
I doubt that my former apprentice looked any more chagrined than I did.
* * *
. . . the point of having a squadron of angels around the place if they arent going to do anything to protect it, Molly said, exasperated.
We were walking up to Karrins room in the hospital. Visiting hours were almost over, but I didnt want the day to go by before Id seen her.
Any kind of supernatural threat, theyd have been all over it, I said. Nick obviously knew that, too. Thats why he sent purely vanilla mortals in, with purely mortal weaponry.
Molly scowled. Its a pretty darned huge loophole. Thats all Im saying.
So do something about it, I said.
I already have, she said. The house is being watched now. And Im buying the place for sale down the street.
You can afford that? I asked. Mab pays that well?
The account balance I have now has eight zeroes in it, Molly said. I could buy theneighborhood if I wanted. There will be someone keeping an eye on my parents place, twenty-four seven in case anyone tries the same thing again.
Unseelie bodyguards. I grunted. Not sure theyre going to like that.
They dont have to like it, Molly said. In fact, they dont even have to know about it.
Im sensing a pattern here, Molly.
She gave me a quick glance, and for a second, I could see the worry in her eyes. Harry . . . if you hadnt been there today . . . She swallowed. Theyre my family. I have to do whatever I can to protect them.
I walked for a few steps, thinking, and said, Yeah. You do.
She smiled faintly as Karrins room came into sight and her steps slowed. You go ahead. Ive got some things to arrange. Ill be back later tonight.
Cool, I said, and offered her my closed fist.
She shook her head and said, Not very respectful of you, sir Knight.
I waggled my fist and said, Come on. You know you want it.
That drew a quick, merry laugh from her. She bumped my fist with hers, and turned awayand as she walked away from me, I saw her pull a cell phone out of her pocket and turn it on.
That stopped me in my tracks.
Cell phones were some of the technology that was absolutely the most sensitive to the unbalanced fields of energy around a mortal wizard. When one of us got near a powered-up cell phone, it was likely to kick the bucket right there.
Inhuman practitioners, on the other hand, had no problem with that effect whatsoever.
And I suddenly felt very afraid for Molly.
She was hiding a lot of things from her parents. And now I had to wonder how many things she might be hiding from me.
More things to keep an eye on in the future.
I traded a greeting with Rawlins and walked into Karrins room, to find Butters sitting in the chair by her bed, his feet on the seat, his butt on the back, waving his hands animatedly as he spoke. . . . and I looked at him and said, Mister, where I come from there is no try. And I went straight at him, and the evil son of a bitch bailed.
Karrin looked like shed been beaten with rubber hoses after a double triathlon, but she was sitting up, and if she looked a little bleary, she also looked composed. One of her arms had been wrapped up and immobilized in a sling fixed to her body. Her hair was a lank mess, and she had an IV line running to her unwounded arm. You are telling me lie after lie, Waldo Butters, she said. She turned to me and her smile widened. Hey, Harry. You look terrible.
Im in good company, I said, and put my hand on her head for a second, grinning.
Marcones expression rarely showed muchbut his eyes widened, if only for an instant, as he saw the stones.
I stared at Marcone without blinking or looking away.
Marcone looked up from the diamonds and returned the stare for a long time.
I put my hands on the table, leaned in close to his face, and said, Just you remember who pulled your ass out of the fire when those maniacs grabbed you. You owe me.
Marcone considered that for a moment. Then he said quietly, You did so as a favor to Mab. Not to me. He reached out and smoothly closed the cash box, then drew it to his side of the table and squared it with the tables edge. His voice was almost silkenbut there was a blade hidden within the folds of it. However, the fact that there is a debt remainsand I would not see Mabs name suffer any childish diminishment when she has kept such excellent faith with me. I accept your offer, Dresden. This balances our account. Do you understand my meaning?
I understood it, all right. It meant that the next time I crossed him, he would feel perfectly free to waste me.
Which was fine. The feeling was pretty much mutual.
Mab was far too contained to give any reaction to the resolution of the situation, beyond a very, very small nod to Marcone. But she regarded me with a look of displeasure that promised me a reckoning later. Molly got the same glare.
I doubt that my former apprentice looked any more chagrined than I did.
* * *
. . . the point of having a squadron of angels around the place if they arent going to do anything to protect it, Molly said, exasperated.
We were walking up to Karrins room in the hospital. Visiting hours were almost over, but I didnt want the day to go by before Id seen her.
Any kind of supernatural threat, theyd have been all over it, I said. Nick obviously knew that, too. Thats why he sent purely vanilla mortals in, with purely mortal weaponry.
Molly scowled. Its a pretty darned huge loophole. Thats all Im saying.
So do something about it, I said.
I already have, she said. The house is being watched now. And Im buying the place for sale down the street.
You can afford that? I asked. Mab pays that well?
The account balance I have now has eight zeroes in it, Molly said. I could buy theneighborhood if I wanted. There will be someone keeping an eye on my parents place, twenty-four seven in case anyone tries the same thing again.
Unseelie bodyguards. I grunted. Not sure theyre going to like that.
They dont have to like it, Molly said. In fact, they dont even have to know about it.
Im sensing a pattern here, Molly.
She gave me a quick glance, and for a second, I could see the worry in her eyes. Harry . . . if you hadnt been there today . . . She swallowed. Theyre my family. I have to do whatever I can to protect them.
I walked for a few steps, thinking, and said, Yeah. You do.
She smiled faintly as Karrins room came into sight and her steps slowed. You go ahead. Ive got some things to arrange. Ill be back later tonight.
Cool, I said, and offered her my closed fist.
She shook her head and said, Not very respectful of you, sir Knight.
I waggled my fist and said, Come on. You know you want it.
That drew a quick, merry laugh from her. She bumped my fist with hers, and turned awayand as she walked away from me, I saw her pull a cell phone out of her pocket and turn it on.
That stopped me in my tracks.
Cell phones were some of the technology that was absolutely the most sensitive to the unbalanced fields of energy around a mortal wizard. When one of us got near a powered-up cell phone, it was likely to kick the bucket right there.
Inhuman practitioners, on the other hand, had no problem with that effect whatsoever.
And I suddenly felt very afraid for Molly.
She was hiding a lot of things from her parents. And now I had to wonder how many things she might be hiding from me.
More things to keep an eye on in the future.
I traded a greeting with Rawlins and walked into Karrins room, to find Butters sitting in the chair by her bed, his feet on the seat, his butt on the back, waving his hands animatedly as he spoke. . . . and I looked at him and said, Mister, where I come from there is no try. And I went straight at him, and the evil son of a bitch bailed.
Karrin looked like shed been beaten with rubber hoses after a double triathlon, but she was sitting up, and if she looked a little bleary, she also looked composed. One of her arms had been wrapped up and immobilized in a sling fixed to her body. Her hair was a lank mess, and she had an IV line running to her unwounded arm. You are telling me lie after lie, Waldo Butters, she said. She turned to me and her smile widened. Hey, Harry. You look terrible.
Im in good company, I said, and put my hand on her head for a second, grinning.
