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this from here. I just need to do some backtracking to make sure that it s a two-way
communication, then drop the patch in.
He was excited. My heart gave a thump, and I smiled. How long will that take? I
asked as I pushed the greasy chicken into the trash and sat on the desk. The orderly
was really close to the elevator. If he kept shouting, someone would eventually hear
him.
Shoe shrugged, totally unruffled and cool. Few minutes.
Relief spilled into me, and I exhaled a breath I d probably taken five minutes ago.
That s great, I said, beaming. Shoe, you re fantastic. I wouldn t know the first thing to
do.
Yeah, well, it s what I do, he said awkwardly, but then he blinked at me. What
happened to your shirt?
My hands flew to the lab coat to make sure I was covered. I was, but I slid from
the desk, holding the lab coat tighter about my middle. Uh, I was dead, I said,
flustered. They tore it while trying to get my heart beating.
Sorry, he said, seeming to mean it. Turning back to the keyboard, he started
tapping.
It was my favorite shirt, too, I said, wondering how I was going to keep this and
my tights from my dad. Oh, swell, my dad. Crap, I d promised to call my mother, too.
The sound of the elevator dinging in the distance brought both Shoe s and my
heads up. This wasn t good. Maybe they d found someone else to try sticking me for
blood. Just do your thing, I said as I headed for the door. No matter what, don t stop.
I ll keep whoever it is out.
But as my hand was reaching to push the left side of the door open, Nakita blew
in through the right. Shocked, I stumbled back.
She was in white again, the designer jeans and red top I d given her replaced by
white slacks and a clingy white shirt that made her one smooth line. Her amulet blazed
a deep violet against her skin, and her sword was in her hand. Tiny white boots edged
in gold were spread wide on the bleach-faded tile. It was what she had worn the
afternoon she d tried to kill me. Obviously something was wrong.
Nakita! I exclaimed, then shivered when something slid over my aura to hide it.
At the computer, Shoe blew his breath out and started to type again.
I trusted you! Nakita exclaimed, her eyes dark as she stood before me, shaking.
Bewildered, I stared until I remembered. Ace. He d gotten a guardian angel.
Crap. Paul followed us from the school, I blurted, dropping back as she came forward
step by stiff step. I didn t know he was there! By the time I knew what he was doing, it
was too late. Nakita, I didn t tell him it was Ace. He followed me! I almost shouted,
yelping when my butt hit the rolling gurney behind me. Remembering her killing my
predecessor before my very eyes, I let my gaze drop to her amulet. It was as if it were
throwing black shards of light into the shadows of the room. Nakita had paused,
listening, but her grip on her sword was still white-knuckled. I think she wanted to
believe me but was afraid.
The seraphs were right, I pleaded. Talking to Ace wouldn t have made any
difference. But Shoe can still save the people Ace was going to kill.
Nakita lowered her sword an inch. Her cheeks were spotted with red, and I
gripped the rolling table behind me with both hands.
I don t care about the people who are going to die, she said, making Shoe
pause in his typing. Saving them is not my job! Their souls are beautiful and the
seraphs will rejoice. It s wounded souls that concern me. I care for the wounded,
Madison, not the well.
My mouth dropped open in a silent oh of understanding. She was a dark
reaper. She killed people to save their souls. She thought what I was trying to do was
foolish. And yet she stood there, shielding my soul from Ron s detection as she tried to
understand.
Taking Ace s soul before he sullied it beyond redemption was my task, she
said, and I couldn t tell what she was feeling. His soul depended upon me, and I failed
him utterly because I trusted you. You made a deal with the light timekeeper s acolyte.
You let him give Ace a guardian angel so I wouldn t be able to kill his body. Admit it!
Shoe was staring. His fingers were still, and the silence soaked into me. Keep
working, Shoe, I said, not looking away from Nakita. I didn t give him Ace, I said to
her, and she grew more agitated, a confused angel with a sword. Paul gave Ace his
guardian angel before I even knew he was there. You didn t fail him. I did. I m sorry, but
I didn t betray you! Not on purpose.
Nakita fingered her amulet, confusion pinching her eyes. Because of me, black
wings had eaten her memories. Not all of them, but enough so that she had felt the
touch of death. The sound of her screams as she realized there was such a thing as an
end had been awful. She alone among the angels knew what it was to fear death. She
alone knew the bitterness of loss. And I still couldn t get her to understand why I wanted
to end the early scythings.
I went to Shoe s room. I talked to Ace, she said. He told me you made a deal
with the rising light timekeeper. He laughed at me. You lied! Just like Kairos!
I didn t lie, I said quickly, reaching to touch her, only to drop my hand. I forgot
about Paul, and because of that, Ace got an angel. I am so, so sorry, Nakita. It was my
mistake. I did make a deal with Paul, but it was for him to keep Ace from interfering
while Shoe patched the virus. I was so mad at Paul, I could have scythed him myself.
But my goal was never to keep Ace from getting an angel. I was trying to show him what
his choices were going to bring about and hopefully get him to change so his life would
have meaning. I can still do that. I know it goes against your nature, but I thought you
understood. Or at least were trying to understand. I thought you were helping me.
Her anger hesitated, and, looking confused, she lowered her gaze. Ace won t
change, she said. You said it yourself. And now his soul is truly lost.
Taking a step forward, I touched her shoulder, pulling back when her head came
up. There were tears in her eyes, and she wiped them, looking shocked to be crying.
It s not over yet. How am I going to change a millennia of beliefs if I can t even
convince one reaper whowants to understand but can t? I can fix this, I said, and she
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