Page 138 of The Death Wish

Shudders moved through the palace, rocking the chandeliers, making their candles flutter.

‘What is this place?’ He could barely speak for how raw the room made him.

‘The way in,’ Edward said, a dreamy quality to his voice. He had one hand raised, swaying it back and forth, hearing some silent song. ‘You truly don’t see it?’

‘I see a room of horrors.’

‘And of mastery.’ His smile was grim as he surveyed the dancers, who held perfectly still. Waiting. ‘I see the lines we must follow. The angel is a true craftsman.’

‘Lines? Edward, speak plainly. Will this lead me to Pitch?’

He needed to escape the barbs of this room before it rubbed him raw. The wrongness of it, the unnatural construction, the defiance of death’s laws, made his teeth grind. The thunder rolled, as though in dire alliance.

‘It will. There is a dance here. One I will lead.’ Edward inhaled deeply. ‘And we must hope that what I see is the true path. That I’m prophet enough still to know the heart of the angel who claimed me.’

‘I need more than hope, Edward.’ Silas shrugged his shoulder, trying to ease the itching there. This place was drivinghim out of his skin. The scythe swirled like a viper around his finger, straining to hear his call to arms. ‘Bloody hell, I cannot just leave these poor bastards this way.’ He clutched at his head, the hammering of wrongful death agonising. No notes, no death cries. The silence was appalling; this was neither life nor death, but a monstrosity in between.

‘Silas, look at me.’ Edward placed his hands against Silas’s chest. ‘Even you, the wonderment that you are, cannot save them all. They must stay. We need them for this dance. Even if I do not understand how, I know their part must be played. There is no escape for those we stand with here. But you can prevent any more going the way of these people. Find Tobias. Find the halo. And it is all over. Do you hear me?’

Silas clenched his fist, the sharp point of a partly formed blade piercing his skin, as the scythe fought against his command. He inhaled, deep, taking in the scent of this deformed life, letting it filter down into his lungs, where it would be remembered. Each reasoned word of the lieutenant sobered him. And curtailed the sickened rage that bid him strike down every poor soul in the room; releasing them from this vile chamber.

‘Silas?’

‘I hear you.’

‘Then let’s give this a try.’ Edward raised his arms, and his calm demeanour was betrayed by the tremble at his fingertips. ‘Can I have this dance, Mr Mercer?’

Silas could not offer the smile Edward might have hoped for. There was too much loss here for that. And perhaps far more waiting ahead.

‘Hurry, Edward.’

He nodded, his own smile too weak to survive long. ‘Alright, follow my lead as best you can.’ His left hand touched at Silas’ship, while his right arm raised and stretched to their side. Silas’s large hand engulfed Edward’s reasonably sized palm.

Scarlet, mostly silent till then, launched into a stream of urgent tweets, making a headlong path through the crowd, back towards the open doors of the ballroom.

They were a foot from the door when a figure stepped into the frame; right when a truly violent shudder gripped the palace.

‘What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?’ Lucifer braced against the doorway with one hand, his other upon a walking stick. ‘Silas, good gods man, will you not stay down?’

‘Lucifer, stay back. I warn you.’ The candles flickered madly, threatening to blink out, and some of the stony dancers shifted on their feet. ‘You should have stopped him.’

Lucifer’s laugh was brittle beneath a growl of thunder. ‘I know you are no fool, ankou. Lord Enoch himself could hardly stop that blasted daemon when his mind was set. Vassago wanted you to stay behind, to be kept safe.’

‘Well, Pitch,’ Silas bit down on the name, ‘does not always get what he wants from me.’

Two sharp tremors, each following the other quickly. From out in the halls, glass shattered, and wood behind the plaster groaned. Silas caught the look of horror that crossed the daemon’s face. It looked so out of place on him. And gravely worrying.

‘Get away from the fucking seal,’ Lucifer sounded little different to a wolf, growling at those who trespassed its territory. ‘Michael is determined to bring this entire place down upon us. Don’t make it bloody easier for him.’

Edward tugged Silas back into the pose. ‘Don’t listen to him. You must go.’

That took Silas aback; to hear the affable, very-human man so forthright. ‘Why are you so certain?’ Silas asked.

Edward’s frown was tugged with confusion. ‘I’m not sure I understand half of what I feel anymore…only that I’m certain of it. As I was with the Ferryman. The right thing to do was very apparent –’

‘And this is the right thing to do?’ Silas had not lost his desperation to follow Pitch, but leaving both Edward and Charlie in a place that was rattling its foundations was hardly appealing.

‘You can’t do it all, Silas.’ Edward said, as though reading his mind.