protect themselves.
Sealed up in that dark and terrible place, to feed on each other, until there were none of them left.
The Light snapped off and was gone. But all the candles in St. Jude’s were lit, glowing cheerfully away. Where the Sun King had been, now stood an ordinary-looking young man in a T-shirt and jeans. Harry Webb. And walking slowly towards him, a beautiful young woman in a doctor’s white coat, who had once been called Princess Starshine. Because the power in St. Jude’s might be harsh and sometimes even brutal in its demand for the truth, but it also knew mercy and compassion. I knew that, because I felt really good. Totally relaxed, all my hurts gone, complete and ready for anything. I stretched slowly and laughed easily. And then Cathy and Suzie went to clean the blood off my face with handkerchiefs and spit; and I hugged them both to me.
Julien Advent nodded easily to Harry Webb, as though this was something that happened to him every day. “Good to have you back, my old friend. You did the right thing in the end; as I always knew you would. What will you do now?”
“I still believe in the Dream,” said Harry. “So I suppose it’s up to me to convince everyone else. One day, one step, at a time. Try to shed a little light in the Nightside. With a little help from my friends . . . Hello, Emily. It’s been a while.”
“You should never have left me behind,” said the young Dr. Benway. “See what trouble you get into, without me?”
“I think we could all use a nice little sit-down and a chat, and a beverage of something pleasant,” said Julien. “I suggest we adjourn to the Hawk’s Wind Bar & Grille. It’s bound to be back by now. There are all kinds of useful contacts you can make there, Harry, including some old friends you might recognise.”
“All right!” I said. “That’s it! Everybody out! I have a wedding to prepare for.”
“Damn right,” said Suzie Shooter.
ELEVEN
All the Best Stories End in a Wedding
The wedding turned out to be a very happy and peaceful event. Everything went exactly as it should, with the Lord of Thorns presiding over the ceremony in St. Jude’s. Not a particularly traditional service, but the Lord of Thorns made a very thorough job of it. Made you feel that no-one would ever dare put asunder what he had put together. Suzie wore her black leathers, though I did manage to talk her out of the bandoliers of bullets. Because she was Suzie Shooter, Shotgun Suzie, now and forever. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. She looked wonderful—tall and proud and finally at peace with herself.
I wore the best-tailored formal suit the Nightside could produce, instead of my usual trench coat; because if Suzie wasn’t going to wear white, neither was I.
Alex was there as best man, and Cathy as maid of honour. Alex wore a more dignified version of his usual all-black outfit, dispensing with the shades, just for me. I’m not entirely sure what Cathy was wearing, but it was very colourful, and I’m sure deeply fashionable. Suzie and I decided early on to keep the guests to a minimum. Dead Boy was there in his purple greatcoat, and Razor Eddie in a whole new raincoat and a cloud of anti-perspirant. Larry Oblivion in his smart suit, and Tommy in his finest and most flouncy New Romantic silks. Julien Advent, in his finest Victorian garb, complete with scarlet-lined opera cloak, representing the Authorities. (The other members sent their best wishes, and a very nice automatic tea-maker. Least they could do, under the circumstances.) The London Knights sent their representative, Sir Gareth. And Bruin Bear and the Sea Goat turned up, claiming to represent Shadows Fall. I think they just like weddings. Certainly the Bear beamed happily throughout the ceremony, while the Sea Goat drank vodka straight from the bottle and cried big happy tears all through the responses. And the front door from my old office building, propped up at the back and humming happily to itself. Because I’d promised.
Suzie and I remembered all the words, in all the right places; Alex remembered the ring; and everything went perfectly. Made a nice change.
Afterwards, while we were saying good-bye to our guests, before they all went off to the reception at the Adventurers Club, I spotted a familiar face right at the back of the church, keeping to the shadows. No-one else seemed to notice. I excused myself, and went back to speak with him. He nodded politely.
“Hello, John. Hope you don’t mind me dropping in like this, without an official invite.”
“Hello, Walker,” I said. “Good of you to make it to my wedding, after all.”
He tipped his bowler hat to me. “Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, dear boy. Congratulations to you both.”
“So,” I said. “You’re not dead after all, then? I should have known . . .”
“Ah,” said Walker. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t know. I’m here from the Past, you see, time-travelling through the Portable Timeslip. I learned of your wedding through a friendly oracle; and I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t miss it. Even though I probably won’t remember most of this when I get back. Price you pay for these sudden, short-term hops.”
“You knew the exact date of my wedding, in advance?”
“I’m Walker,” he said, smiling. “It’s my job to know everything that matters.”
“My job, now,” I said.
“I always meant you should succeed me,” said Walker. “The Nightside doesn’t need me any more; it needs a new kind of Walker. Like you. I’ve been quietly training you for some time.”
“I’m not sure whether I should say thank you, or not,” I said.
He nodded easily. “It’s been that kind of relationship, hasn’t it?”
“That sort of friendship,” I said.
“Most of the time. You watch out for yourself, now. I won’t be there to look after you.”
“Is that what you called it?” I said, and we both smiled.
“You’ll still have Julien Advent,” said Walker. “He has a good heart, and a good head on his shoulders.”
“Yes,” I said. “I’ll still have Julien Advent.”
Walker looked at me thoughtfully. “The oracle told me I didn’t have a lot of time left. Tell me, John. Did I die well?”
“You died . . . in character,” I said. “Right to the very end.”
“Then that’s all that matters. Well, time to be going. Lovely ceremony. Best of luck. You’re probably going to need it.”
“It was you, who sent the message about the immortals, wasn’t it?” I said. “To get me to the Ball of Forever, in time for King of Skin’s murder.”
“I have made certain advance arrangements, yes,” said Walker. “My wedding present to you. I thought you deserved a decent last case to go out on, as a private investigator. Good-bye, John.”
“Good-bye, Henry.”
He smiled, and disappeared. Gone, just like that. His real wedding present, even if he didn’t know it; a chance to say good-bye properly.
I went back to Suzie. Everyone else was leaving, heading for the buffet and free champagne at the Adventurers Club, talking happily with each other while the Sea Goat sang something loud and cheerful and completely inappropriate. Suzie came up to me and leaned against me.
“I thought that went well,” she said, after a time. “Who were you talking to, in the shadows?”
“An old friend of the family,” I said. “Are you happy, Suzie?”
“Yes. It’s not a feeling I’m familiar with; but I think I could grow to like it. As long as you’re with me, John.”
“Forever and ever and ever,” I said. “But right now, I need you to go and take care of the reception. There’s something I have to do first.”
I felt the need to walk the streets of the Nightside, for a while. Wearing a suit, and not my white trench coat. Because I was Walker now. And while some things never change . . . some do.
SOMETHING FROM THE NIGHTSIDE
