“Honored One, I sent a hundred runners out,” he said. “It will take at least a week to gather everyone from Utah and the other states.”

“That is good. We will leave coded signs so they may follow us.”

The young man nodded toward the line of red mountains that separated the forest from the vast desert.

“Sanctuary is so close,” he said, amazed. “All this time, so close.”

“We were not meant to find it sooner than now.”

Brother Peter glanced at him. “We’ve looked for it so long. . . . ”

“And in doing so we’ve put our own desires before the will of our god. The fact that its location was withheld from us is proof that God had other work for us.”

“But . . . we can take it. We have the numbers.”

“All things in their time,” said the saint with mild reproof in his voice.

Brother Peter placed his hand on his wings and bowed. “Forgive a sinner, Honored One.”

Saint John patted his shoulder.

They both looked off toward the northeast.

“Nine towns,” murmured Saint John.

“Nine towns,” agreed Peter.

“When we come back this way,” said the saint, “our army will have grown. Remember, we are not seeking a battle—the lord of the darkness simply wants a victory. A knife will accomplish this, but a tsunami will do it more surely.”

“Ah,” said Brother Peter, getting it now. “And what of Mother Rose?”

“She craves Sanctuary. The thought of it has corrupted her.” He sighed. “The darkness does not know her anymore.”

Chapter 78

78

BENNY FROZE. HE WAS UP IN THE HATCHWAY OF THE AIRPLANE, AND NIX was down on the ground. She had a pistol with two bullets, he had a sword.

There were at least a dozen reapers, not to mention Brother Alexi. Nix had her pistol out in a flash, the hammer thumbed back, barrel pointed down at her side.

“You lose your way, missy?” asked the giant. “Can’t find your friend Carter in all these big, bad woods?”

“Look, mister,” replied Nix, “I don’t know who you are or what you want. Just leave me alone.”

“I think we’re already past that. You’re where you shouldn’t be, maybe seeing things you shouldn’t see, and that’s a real problem for me.”

“I didn’t touch anything of yours,” Nix said. She kept the pistol pointing down, but Benny could tell that everyone in the clearing was aware of it. None of them made a move toward her.

The giant grinned. “And I suppose all those papers stickin’ out of your pockets are just homework? Or maybe notes to your boyfriend?”

“Just leave me alone.”

Alexi shook his head. He hoisted his hammer and laid it across one massive shoulder. “Two ways we can play this. You be nice and hand me those papers, or I take them off of you. You won’t like it the second way.”