“Maybe you’re right,” he said in a dull voice.

“Holy crap,” I said. An idea crystallized in my head, and a chill went down my spine.

Thomas rubbed his elbow lightly. “What?”

“I just had a really unpleasant thought.” I gestured at Marcone’s exhausted retainers. “I don’t think the Denarians took Marcone so that they could erase him and make an example of him.”

My brother shrugged. “Why else would they do it?”

I bit my lip, my stomach turning in uncomfortable flips.

“Because,” I said, “maybe they want to recruit him.”

Chapter Fifteen

Thomas stood watch over our sleeping beauties while I went inside to talk with Michael and Sanya at the Carpenter kitchen table.

I laid all the cards down. See above regarding the general futility of lying to Knights of the Cross—and besides, they’d both more than earned my trust. It didn’t take me very long.

“So,” I said, “I think we’ve got to move fast, and get Marcone away from them before he’s forced to join up.”

Michael frowned and folded his broad, work-scarred hands on the table before him. “What makes you think he’s going to tell them no?”

“Marcone’s scum,” I said. “But he’s his own scum. He doesn’t work for anyone.”

“You are sure?” Sanya asked, frowning thoughtfully.

“Yeah,” I said. “I think that’s why they wanted to grab Hendricks and Gard instead of killing them. So they could force him to take the coin or they’d kill his people.”

Michael grunted. “It’s a frequently used tactic.”

“Not for Tessa,” Sanya said, his voice absolutely certain. “She prefers to find those already well motivated to accept a coin. She regards their potential talents as a secondary factor to raw desire.”

Michael acceded the point with a nod. “Which would mean that Tessa isn’t giving the orders.”

Sanya showed his teeth in a sudden, fierce grin. “Nicodemus is here.”

“Fu—” I started to swear, but I glanced at Michael and changed it to, “Fudgesicles. Nicodemus nearly killed us all last time he was in town. And he did kill Shiro.”

Both of the Knights nodded. Michael bowed his head and murmured a brief prayer.

“Guys,” I said, “I know that your first instincts tend to be to stand watch against the night, turning the other cheek, and so on. But he’s here with maybe twice the demon-power he had on his last visit. If we wait for him to come to us, he’ll tear us apart.”

“Agreed,” Sanya said firmly. “Take the initiative. Find him and hit the snake before he can coil to strike.”

Michael shook his head. “Brother, you forget our purpose. We are not given our power so that we can strike down our enemies, no matter how much they might deserve it. Our purpose is to rescue the poor souls trapped by the Fallen.”

“Nicodemus doesn’t want to be rescued,” I said. “He’s in full collaboration with his demon.”

“Which changes nothing about our duty,” he said. “Anyone, even Nicodemus, can seek redemption, no matter what they’ve done, as long as they have breath enough to ask forgiveness.”