The first thing he discovered was that the stronghold’s population had grownagain. More Templar had abandoned the Underground and joined his group.
“It’s a blessing and a problem,” Wertham said. “It’s good to have the extramanpower, but feeding and billeting them is becoming a real chore.”
Simon sighed, feeling challenged and proud all at the same time. “We’re goingto have to expand.”
“Again, you mean,” Wertham said. “And the larger we get, the easier it’ll befor the demons to find us.”
That was a real concern.
*
Fortunately, Professor Macomber thought he had an answer to that. He’d beenworking with some of the Templar linguists.
As it turned out, the hidden text in the Goetia manuscript was actually an artificial language that they were still in the process of deciphering.
“What we’ve discovered about it is nothing short of amazing,” Macomber saidwhen he met with Simon. The professor had been working nonstop since he’darrived at the stronghold. “If what we think we’ve found is true, we may have away of erecting barriers that the demons can’t penetrate.”
“That would be good,” Simon said. “There are a lot of women and children herethat could use a safer place.”
“But there’s more,” Macomber went on. “What we’ve been working on suggeststhat there lies within this world a way to defeat the demons and reclaim what was lost.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Demons are part of the eternal battle between Light and Darkness. TheHellgate, according to the Goetia manuscript, will never open on a world that lacks the ability to save itself.”
“So somewhere in this world”
“Somewhere in London, actually,” Macomber corrected.
“there’s a way to defeat the demons.”
Macomber nodded. “I believe it’s true. Everything I’ve read about the Lightand Darkness tells us that a balance must be struck. In order for something to risk being lost, there must also be a way to win it.”
“We just have to find it,” Simon said.
“And learn to use it,” Macomber said.
“While trying very hard not to get killed doing either of those things,”Nathan pointed out.
“Well then,” Simon said, smiling. “It sounds like we’ve got it all figuredout. That’s something.”
A few hours later, Simon found Leah outside the stronghold. She was checking over the motorcycle she’d rode in on when she’d brought the Goetia manuscript back.
“Leaving?” Simon asked.
She glanced at him over her shoulder. “I didn’t want to wear out my welcome.”
Simon stood over her and watched her work for a time. “You could have leftearlier.”
She stood and faced him. “Nope. Not till I knew you were back on your feet.”
“Now that I’m back on my feet, you could stay another day or two.”
“Could I now?”
Behind his faceplate, Simon smiled. “I woke up feeling hopeful. That’s thefirst time in a long time that I’ve felt that way. I kind of liked the idea ofsharing that with someone.”
“There are even more people here to share it with than before,” Leah pointedout.
Knowing she wasn’t going to let him get by without saying it, Simon told her,“I’d really like it if you could stay a couple of days. I’d like the chance toget to know you better.”
She regarded him from behind the black mask, her features expressionless. “Wedon’t even know if we have a chance for a tomorrow. Why should you ever get toknow more than you already know right now?”
“Because I’d love the chance to.”
“Feeling grateful because I saved your arse?”
Simon grinned. “No. You’re a hard woman to get to know, Leah.”
“I’ve lived that kind of life,” Leah said. “Didn’t have much use for friendsor trust when I was growing up.”
“I don’t have anything else to offer you.”
Leah reached behind her head and opened her mask. She shook her hair out and looked up at him. “Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll find that tempting.” She ranher fingers up under his faceplate and his helmet popped open.
That surprised Simon and it must have shown on his face.
“I’ve really got to get those security problems fixed,” he said.
She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “But maybe not this one?”
“Maybe not,” he agreed.
Warren woke in darkness and pain. He felt feverish and weak. Glancing down at his right arm, he found it ended in a stump that was wrapped in white gauze.
When he’d first regained consciousness, he’d tried to heal himself. Thebleeding had stopped and new skin had formed, but he hadn’t been able to regrowhis hand.
He was a cripple again.
Not only that, but a lot of his strength and power seemed to be gone as well. He was forced to admit that not all of what he’d had was his. It had beenborrowed from Merihim.
Now it was gone.
Naomi was gone. As soon as she’d made certain he was going to liveand thathis powers had been curtailedshe’d gone.
In a way, Warren didn’t blame her. She needed to learn in order to stay alivein the world. He had nothing left to teach her.
Not even the voice had remained.
“I’m here, Warren,” the voice said.
Surprised, Warren stared into the darkness because it sounded as if the voice were in the room with him. “Where have you been?”
“Getting things ready.”
“Ready for what?”
“You. For your next step in your evolution.”
“Merihim took my hand.”
“I know. I was there.”
“You knew he was going to do that, didn’t you?” Warren accused. “You sawthat.”
“Yes.”
“You could have stopped it.”
“I didn’t wish to. You’d become dependent on Merihim. I wouldn’t have beenable to break you away. You needed someone stronger, but you didn’t know it.”
“You?”
“Yes, me.”
Warren laughed bitterly. “You’re bound. What can you do to help me?”
“I already have. All you have to do is pull me back into your world.”
“How?”
“Go to the book.”
Warren did, and when she bade him to place his hand upon it, he did. He was surprised to feel a small, strong hand take hold of his. Gently, he pulled the hand free of the book.
A young woman with black hair and dark eyes with a complexion the color of fresh milk stepped out of the book. She leaned forward
