Simon took a deep breath and let it out. “It’s easier,” he said, “when you’reon the receiving end of it. Not when you’re dishing it out.”
Wertham reappeared and his face was tight with tension. Simon went to meet him.
“Terrence Booth has just sent a group of Templar into the area,” Werthamsaid. “They’ve sent us a tight-beam communiqué.”
Tension ratcheted up inside Simon. After what had happened with Macomber, it wasn’t surprising to learn that Booth and maybe the whole Templar Undergroundknew the location of the fortress.
“What do they want?” Simon asked.
Wertham shook his head. “They said they’d only talk to you.”
“All right.” Simon leaned down and picked up his sword and gym bag. WhateverBooth wanted, it couldn’t be good.
*
“When the Hellgate opened,” Lyra Darius told Leah, “Sumerisle contacted meand asked me to watch over Jessica.”
As Leah watched the older woman, she heard the pain of the memories in her voice and saw the strain in her face.
“Jessica was just a girl,” Lyra said. “Eight years old. The demons weremaking a concerted effort to destroy the Templar. They obviously knew who Lord Sumerisle was because they came after him. When the Hellgate opened, I was with Lord Sumerisle trying to get Jessica to safety. At that point I didn’t know forsure what he was going to do.”
Leah sat silent and still. If Lyra Darius was playing her, it was the best work Leah had ever seen.
“We were trying to get to Temple Church,” Lyra said. “We didn’t make it. Thecaravan of ATVs Lord Sumerisle arranged was attacked by demons. The vehicles were demolished. We almost lost our lives. That was the first time I saw what a fully armored Templar could do. And I knew that the armor the military and we were given paled in comparison.”
“They couldn’t give away everything,” Leah said.
“I know. They have to protect their knowledge.” Lyra took a deep breath, butLeah knew the woman wasn’t in the barracks room anymore; she was back on theroad to Temple Church four years ago. “Lord Sumerisle had me take Jessica. Therewas an underground tunnel to the heart of a Templar fortress under Temple Church. Keira Skyler was with us.”
It took Leah a moment to recognize the name. Keira Skyler had been one of the first Cabalists to come forward when the ritual murders started. She’d toldeveryone that the attacks were demonic in nature.
“But no one believed her.” Leah remembered the scuttlebutt that had come downthe pipe at the time.
“No one. Except Lord Sumerisle.”
“Because he already knew that.”
“Yes. Lord Sumerisle and Keira Skyler were together that night when we wereattacked. They’d planned on working to unite the Templar and the Cabalists torepel the demons. For the most part, those two groups don’t know much about eachother.”
And those that do don’t trust each other, Leah thought. She rememberedthe black Cabalist with the ragged face who had been inside Akehurst Sanitarium. Simon had already battled him at some point.
“The Cabalists want to learn to control the demons,” Lyra said.
“The Templar want to destroy them,” Leah said.
Lyra smiled sadly. “So you can see how Lord Sumerisle and Keira Skyler had alot to work out.”
“It wouldn’t have happened even if they’d lived. The Cabalists and theTemplar are too far apart.”
“And we’re not?”
Leah didn’t reply. Everyone had a side in the war being fought throughoutLondon now.
“That night, Keira and I tried to get Jessica to safety,” Lyra continued. “Asecond wave of demons followed the first. They attacked us at the church as we made our way through the graveyard. I got Jessica inside, but it was a close thing.” She quieted for a moment, took a breath, and went on. “Then everythingwent to hell in a handcart.”
“Simon Cross?”
Seated in front of the comm array in his armor, Simon turned his faceplate translucent and allowed the Templar at the other end of the connection to see his face.
“Yes.”
The Templar was young, but his face held scars and a wariness that only close combat gave. “High Seat Booth sent me to speak withyou.”
“He should have come himself,” Simon said. “I’d have been more interested intalking.”
“He wants you to come to the Templar Underground.”
That puzzled Simon. He sat back in his seat. “Four years ago, the last time Isaw High Seat Booth, he told me in no uncertain terms that I was unwelcome there.”
Displeasure showed on the Templar’s face. “Things have changed.”
“What things?”
“I’m not at liberty to go into that.”
Simon gave the man a cold smile. “Then we’re going to have a shortconversation. Tell Booth when he’s ready to speak to me, I’ll be here.” Hereached forward to break the connection.
“Wait.”
Simon held his hand on the disconnect key. “Give me a reason.”
The Templar thought quickly. “High Seat Booth wants to talk to you about Goetia. He knows about the manuscript from Akehurst Sanitarium. He says he can help.”
Simon also knew that Booth wouldn’t help anyone but himself if he could helpit. But the fact that Booth had sent men out into the wilderness and across London told Simon that the High Seat didn’t know the manuscript had been burnedto a crisp.
But Booth did know something.
“Where can I meet you?” Simon asked.
“A Reaper demon broke into the church where I’d taken Jessica,” Lyra said.“It had Keira in one hand. Before we could do anything, it killed her. Rightthere in front of us.” Unshed tears showed in her eyes. “There was nothing I could do.”
“That must have been horrible,” Leah said.
“We weren’t friends,” Lyra said. “I’d only met her the one time. But I couldtell she was a good person. In spite of the horns and tattoos. In the end, she gave her life to protect Lord Sumerisle’s granddaughter as she’d promised shewould.”
“But you got away,” Leah pointed out.
“Almost,” Lyra said quietly. “I fought with the demon, but it was too strong.I got Jessica to safety, though. I’d almost joined her when the Reaper demoncaught hold of
