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I reach for her and with no effort whatsoever, she pulls me to my feet. I can’t walk, so she tosses one of my arms around her shoulders and puts one of hers around my waist. We walk like that, very slowly and clumsily, to the Bugatti.

She opens the door, but when she starts to help me in I stop her.

“I’m going to bleed all over your nice seats.”

She pushes me inside and belts me in.

“I told you I was getting a new one. Bleed to your heart’s content.”

Sally revs the engine and, being the freeway sylph, a spot opens for her in the traffic. She blasts onto the road, cutting across six lanes, a pure spirit in her element.

She says, “Where am I taking you?”

“Back to Vidocq’s I suppose.”

“You don’t sound happy. Isn’t that where your friends are?”

“That’s why. I’m just going there to die in front of everyone.”

She looks at me longer than makes me comfortable at this speed. But these are her roads. Traffic moves apart for her.

“If I understand things correctly, they’re trying to find a fix for your current situation.”

“Yeah. They’re nice people. And Vidocq and Ray are smart. Maybe they’ll figure something out.”

“Then why are you hesitating?”

I close my eyes.

“Can’t we just drive awhile? It’s really nice here with you.”

“Of course,” says Sally. “It’s always nice on the road.”

She hits the accelerator and the road turns into a blur streaked with the glare of chrome and glass that looks like Christmas tree lights.

A moment later she says, “It’s the girl, isn’t it? You’re afraid of losing her.”

“Already lost her,” I say. “Everything that’s happened since I’ve been back makes it crystal clear how much better off she is without me.”

“Is that what she says?”

I don’t answer.

“It’s the guilt too,” says Sally. “About your naughty arrangement with Wormwood. Mr. Muninn told me.”

I’ve slid down in my seat. It takes some effort to turn my head to her.

“You know Mr. Muninn?”

“We’re acquainted, celestial to celestial. He doesn’t think you’re in your right mind.”

“I sold out. Gave in to my worst enemy. Came back and made everybody I care about miserable. And almost got some of them killed.”

“Which ones?” Sally says.

“Candy and Alessa.”

“Why would Wormwood want to hurt them?”