I toss the scroll on the bed. Howard grabs it and stares at the names.
“This is bad,” he says.
“Is that your professional opinion?”
I grab the scroll back and roll it up slowly, giving him time to think things over.
“In the end, I don’t have to do a damn thing to you. The faction will do it for me.”
“Why didn’t you mention this before?”
“Are you freaked out?”
“Yes.”
“There you go. I didn’t need you any more freaked out than you already were. You need to make some rational fucking decisions and you need to make them now.”
Howard gets it. He leans against the headboard and crosses his arms.
“I’m going to have to think about this,” he says. After a minute he says, “What about money?”
“All I have is the money I stole from you while you were out. Want it back?”
He gives me a look.
“I mean real money. If I help you, Eva will never forgive me. I’ll need to get away and be able to take care of myself for a long time when I do.”
I lean against the wall, tired again.
“Are you asking me to rob a bank?”
“Of course not. I want you to rob Eva,” he says. “There’s a safe in the floor under her desk. The cash is clean and there are bearer bonds. Jewelry and gold too, from what I understand. I might be persuaded to help you for that.”
“Done,” I say, and hold out my hand to shake. Howard looks at my overripe mitt and just nods.
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“Then we have a deal?”
“I’m going to have to think about it.”
“I won’t be gone long. Have an answer for me when I get back.”
“Of course.”
I go out, reseal the wards so he can’t escape, and meet Candy in the kitchen. She holds up a big roll of gray duct tape.
“Ta-da.”
“Great.”
I put it in my pocket and check myself for weapons. I have everything, but I wish I had more damn bullets.
“You ready?” I say.
Candy says, “Give me one minute.”
She goes back into the living room and talks to Alessa. They hug. I think Alessa is crying again. I turn away and swallow the tincture of asphodel. A warmth moves quickly from my heart out to my limbs. I feel strong again. I don’t look any better—the asphodel doesn’t change the color of my hand—but I feel good enough to do a little healing hoodoo on my leg. The wound knits together almost instantly. I know this stuff is temporary, but for however long it lasts, it’ll be great not feeling like a moldy sponge.