The Sword of Michael - eARC (27 page)

And the most brilliant Light of All descended around us, filled us and infused us with gleaming golden Light, and as the Light filled me from the inside out, till all that was Marius Winter dissolved into the Light, I heard Burt say in his definitive Brooklynese: “Lucy, I’m home! And YOU’RE in BIG trouble.…”

And as we all dissolved into the light and the laughter, I saw Him grinning at me, waving for me to follow him as I always have.

“C’mon, Marius,” Jesus said. “Time to go home.”

Chapter 33

I opened my eyes. I was on the floor of my healing room. I sat up. The wand I’d carved was in my hand. There were burn marks on it I didn’t remember making. Jolene was on the healing table. Sleeping on the floor beside her table were Dillon and Sabrina. Curled up in one corner was my Tigre, fully restored and unharmed. Burt rested on her shoulder. First In Front was laid out full length, his head propped on Tigre’s haunch.

Otto stood guard at the door.

We studied each other.

The others stirred.

Otto held one huge finger to his lips, and shook his head no.

I went to Jolene’s side. Her face looked calm and beautiful and rested. There was a shock of grey in her red hair. She opened her eyes.

“Hello, beloved,” she whispered.

I hugged her. I held her. I loved her.

* * *

Bella Italia had reserved the back room for us. We were a boisterous party; we were loud, proud, and out of control. The bar tab alone would probably cause the Inspector General of Homeland Security some fits when Otto submitted his credit card voucher.

“I don’t understand why I don’t remember,” Jolene said. “When I journey on it, there’s…nothing. Like a black road, but nothing on it. I’ve never experienced that before.”

She’d kept the grey streak in her hair.

Dillon and Sabrina exchanged glances, said nothing.

Otto looked to one side and grinned.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the flash of a white tiger’s tail disappearing around the corner to the Lady’s Room. A man at a nearby table looked up; First In Front in an expensive business suit with no tie and a cowboy hat parked on the table;
tap tap tap
at the window and there was a Raven, a Crow from Brooklyn…

All my loved ones.

All of them home.

Home again, home again, home again home.

“There’s some stories to tell, I’m sure,” Dillon said.

“I don’t know,” Sabrina said. “You know what they say.”

“What’s that?” I said.

“What happens in Hell, stays in Hell.”

After the laughter, Otto and I stared at each other, till the others noticed and fell silent.

“I’m thinking there’s an unfinished part of the story,” I said. “But I’ll leave it be. For now.”

Otto nodded once. “Yes, my friend. For another time.”