Tanith sighed. “Fine. Rarely misses. It won’t turn a corner, but it’ll swerve a little in order to hit what you’re aiming at. That makes the bow the most dangerous of these weapons – you don’t even have to get up close.”

Jack had to say something. Sabine was the first one to ask a question so he had to say something now. If Dusk got in there before him, or Annis, he’d lose that connection. So he took his eyes off Sabine long enough to look at Tanith, and he said, “This Earl bloke, he’s obviously not shy about usin’ the bow should he need to. Makes him dangerous.”

“What’s a little danger to people like us?” Tanith responded, smiling. “Besides, we can deal with it. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way.”

Jack and the others stared at her blankly.

“Oh, come on,” she said. “I can’t be the only one.”

Sanguine patted her shoulder. “It’s OK, honeybee. I get the reference.”

“We’re the only two? Seriously? OK, after all this is over, we’re having a movie night, and you all have to come.”

Dusk’s lip pulled back slightly. “I don’t do movie nights.”

“Fine,” Tanith said, “whatever. The rest of you. Bring your popcorn.”

“We should probably get back to the job,” Sanguine said.

“Right,” said Tanith, “yeah.” She put the forged bow on the table. “Sabine, can you work your mojo?”

Sabine took the weapon and closed her eyes, and her hands started to glow as she infused the thing with magic. Jack could have watched that all night.

“Jackie Earl is hidden away in his own private compound,” said Tanith, “guarded by security cameras, alarm systems and armed sentries.”

And another chance arose for Jack to impress Sabine. “Mortal sentries?” he asked.

“Mostly,” Tanith said. “He has a sorcerer on his staff, named Kaiven. A Necromancer.”

Jack made a face at Sabine. “Never liked them,” he said, but Sabine’s eyes were still closed so she totally missed it.

Tanith shrugged. “Ever since the Death Bringer failed to usher in the Passage, Necromancers around the world have either retreated into the safety of their Temples or left the Order and struck out on their own. From what I’ve heard, Kaiven offered his services to Earl and Earl gladly took him up on it.”

“So he has a Necromancer working for him,” Sabine said, opening her eyes and cutting straight through to the heart of the matter as usual. She handed the bow back to Tanith, who nodded approvingly. “Anyone else we should know about?”

“Nope,” said Tanith. “Not a one. Nothing.”

“Honey...” said Sanguine.

“Oh, yes, thank you, nearly forgot. We’ve heard he may have a vampire, too.”

Jack noticed Sabine going pale. Annis just kept chewing her hair. Only Dusk spoke.