Butters looked away from the corpse. "What happened there at the very end? There was a light, and his voice sounded… weird. I thought he'd killed you."

"He hit me with his death curse," I said.

Butters swallowed. "I guess it didn't work? I mean, because you're breathing."

"It worked," I told him. I'd felt that vicious magic grab hold of me and sink in. "I don't think he was strong enough to kill me outright. So he went for something else."

" 'Die alone'?" Butters asked quietly. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know," I said. "Not sure I want to." I took a deep breath and then exhaled. I didn't have enough time to lie there waiting to recover. "Butters, I don't have any right to ask this of you. I'm already in your debt. But I need your help."

"You have it," he said.

"I haven't even told you what it is," I said.

Butters smiled a little and nodded. "I know. But you have it."

I felt my lips peel back from my teeth in a fierce grin. "One little assault and you've gone habitual. Next thing I know you'll be forming a fight club. Help me up."

"You shouldn't," he said seriously.

"No choice," I said.

He nodded and then stood up and offered me his hand. I took it and rose, waiting to sway or pass out or throw up from the pain. I did none of those things. The pain was there, but it didn't stop me from moving or thinking. Butters just stared at me and then shook his head.

I found my staff, picked it up, and walked to the Buffalo Bill exhibit. Butters got the candle, and then he and Mouse kept pace. I looked around for a second, then picked up a long, heavy-duty extension cord running from an outlet on the wall to power some lights on an exhibit in the center of the room. I jerked it clear at both ends and gathered it into a neat loop. Once I had it, I passed it to Butters.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Preparing," I said. "I found out about the Darkhallow."

Butters blinked. "You did? How?"

I grunted. "Magic."

"Okay," he said. "What did you learn?"

"That this isn't a rite. It's a big spell," I said. "It all depends on drawing together a ton of dark spiritual energy."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Like a lot of things. The necromantic energy around animated corpses and manifested shades. The predatory spirits of ancient hunters. All the fear that's been growing since last night. Plus, the past several years have seen some serious magical turbulence around Chicago. Kemmler's disciples can put that turbulence to work for them, too."

"Then what?"

"They gather it together and get it going in a big circle. It creates a kind of vortex, which then funnels down into whoever is trying to consume the energy. Poof. Insta-god."