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“Thank you, Hesediel,” Candy says.

“I was wrong before,” says the angel. “This thing you’re doing, it won’t help just mortals, but celestials too. I didn’t want to say it before because I didn’t want to reveal any weakness on our part. That was foolish. After seeing Norris Quay’s secret, weakness is all I feel.”

“Me too,” says Bill. “Weak, foolish, and low. These Wormwood folks, they’ve run rings around us.”

“What are we going to do?” Candy says. “Just sit here and drink?”

I nod. “For now. We’re waiting.”

“For what?” says Hesediel. “There are no more of my kind coming.”

“We’re not waiting for angels or anyone else to rescue us.”

“Then what are we doing?”

“We’re waiting for old Norris to get home.”

I finish my drink.

“Then we’re going to go up there and kill every one of them. Send them all to Tartarus.”

“Isn’t that what they’re expecting?” says Bill. “We all saw Norris goading you on.”

“I was wrong before when I said we had to go through the front door. I was angry and I was dumb.”

“So what do you want to do now?” says Candy.

“Me and Hesediel, we’re going to burn the whole damned hill they’re sitting on. You up for that, angel?”

She stares into the candle at the end of the bar.

“The rebel angels, misguided as they are, fight for a cause they believe in that’s greater than themselves. This Wormwood fights for nothing.”

“That’s it, then. We go up and set off some fireworks. Kill anyone who makes it out of the mansion.”

“What about the Legionnaires?” says Bill.

“They’re mercenaries. What are the odds they’re going to stick around when we burn the whole damned forest?”

“And we have Hesediel,” says Candy.

“Exactly—we have our own angel. That should give some Hellions bad dreams.”

Hesediel smiles wanly.

“After Lucifer’s defeat, I never thought I’d be fighting my own kind again. Even fallen angels. Each death is a knife to the heart.”

“Don’t worry. Look at me. I’ve been stabbed plenty of times. Scars just make you look distinguished.”

She looks at the ceiling.

“I don’t understand you. One moment you show courage and compassion and the next you’re as cruel as the rebels we fight above.”

“Because I tell a few jokes? It’s how we pass the time on Earth waiting to die. You angels are immortal. Mortal life is just one long square dance in rotting meat.”

“That explains nothing. The Abomination isn’t a mortal man.”

“Maybe if you angels ever did anything but try to kill me, I’d be more like you. From where I sit, celestials are all Eddie Haskell. Pretty lousy role models.”