Trying to find the Fellowship was easier said than done, which I really should have expected. They were terrorists, after all, and their enemies had to number in the thousands, if not the millions. It wasn't as if they could advertise their presence. Still, the waiting was driving me absolutely nutty. Three weeks, and only one lead, which had turned out to be a dud.

There was Lasciel to talk to, of course, though our conversations were rarely pleasant. I generally gave her silence or clipped yes and no answers until she sidled back to whatever corner of my brain she'd settled in.

I was cycling through the stages of grief. Grief for my freedom, for the life that I was never going to return to again. Fear and denial had given way to anger and bargaining after day five. God help me if I ever made it to acceptance.

I could still give up the coin, I reasoned. As soon as I had an in with the Fellowship, I could drop Lasciel like a bad habit and settle into a new life. There was no turning back, no undoing what I'd done to Torelli. There'd only be death waiting for me if I returned home to Chicago. But that didn't mean I had to lean on Laciel.

In the meantime the Fallen shade had made herself incredibly useful, trying to ingratiate herself to me. Though I'd never asked for them, I'd gotten informal magic lessons every day from Lasciel, who appeared to me in a schoolgirl's outfit every time.

She was harder to ignore during those times, and it wasn't just the ridiculously jailbaity clothing either. Just the night before, she'd made an excellent point. I needed tools. Focuses to aid me when magic was difficult or impossible to do without them. Even Harry, who even Lasciel grudgingly admitted was impressive, used tools to get his job done.

Whether or not I gave up the coin, I would still need more tricks up my sleeve to get by in the increasingly dangerous world I'd immersed myself in.

So I'd busied myself with other projects today, against Anna's objections, allowing her to do yet more legwork. I was beginning to feel like a layabout, unable to help in the search. Anna could try her luck at the nearby J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, just in case there were details to be found on the internet. I was sure to fry the delicate machinery within minutes if I went with her. My time was better spent trying to prepare in the event we ever managed to join up.

Going against Anna's express wishes made me feel a squirming sense of guilt, but what choice did I have? I needed tools to survive without Lasciel. That was what she wanted, right? For me to gouge the Fallen from my brain and get on with my life?

"You're sure we need all this stuff?" I checked with Lasciel, staring at the array of assorted objects spread out on the ivory duvet. I'd gotten strange looks walking down the street with my bag bulging with supplies and power tools. I had even donned a veil on my way up to our room, to avoid having to explain to the doorman or the porter why I looked like I was about to construct a bomb.

Or maybe they were staring at the ridiculously expensive dye job and tattoos that Id had done in the week after taking up the coin. After all, it wasn't exactly like cotton candy pink and blue were common colors.

On the bed were lengths of oak, delicate silver, gold, and copper wiring, a length of chain that measured about three feet long, a sewing kit, and a few articles of clothing, bought from a consignment shop a ways from the hotel. The corset jacket that looked like it would have belonged to a modernized Elvira, combat boots, and a pair of stud bracelets. I was somewhat pleased with the purchases, having never gotten to indulge in my fascination with scene clothing. But I didn't see how it was going to help me much.

"Quite certain. You expressed a desire to protect yourself. Creating focuses is a means to that end."

"But how is this," I plucked at the corset jacket dubiously. "Supposed to help me?"

Lasciel wore a smug grin. "One step at a time, my host. This will be the most complex piece, and you may want to work your way up to it."

I took her word for it and tugged my legs beneath me, sitting lotus-style as I started in on project one, occasionally checking the imaginary board Lasciel had projected against the bare hotel wall. She hovered over my shoulder, offering helpful advice while I worked on my first focus. I'd been forced to visit several hardware stores before Lasciel had found what she was looking for. Amongst the final store's dowel rods there had been a few made from the same lightning-struck red oak tree. Channeling that sort of elemental force through its core made them superior material with which to fashion wands.

It took about four hours for Lasciel to pronounce them acceptable and prompt me to move onto the next focus. The stud bracelets were stripped of the flimsy acrylic studs and replaced instead with spikes fashioned from real metals. Silvers, coppers, golds, and brass, each engraved with tiny cross pattée carved into the undersides where the metal adhered to the leather. Though Lasciel scoffed at my sentimentality, the cross, and specifically the seal of the order used for the Knights Templar comforted me. Belief had a huge hand in the effectiveness of a focus, and I had yet to lose mine. This symbol was used on the shields of the Knights for generations. And now it would be my shield to bear as well.

The chain was enchanted next and stuffed into my pants pocket for safekeeping until I could store it properly.

Lasciel had been right. The jacket was the most difficult piece of all. It had to be enchanted to withstand both magical and physical attacks. Even sewing the kevlar into the underside took most of my remaining light, and I hadn't even set about enchanting it when Anna returned to our shared room, eyed me with disappointment, and then climbed into bed without saying a word to me.

I thought about setting aside the cloth, crossing over to her, and insisting she talk to me. But I'd already begun to lay enchantment into the boning of the corset and to abandon the delicate charms now would scupper all my hard work.

By the time I collapsed into bed, the sun was rising above the Dallas skyline. I had the sense that preforming such magic should be ridiculously strenuous if not impossible, but with Lasciel's help, it felt like returning home from a particularly long sleepover, where too many secrets were shared and not enough sleep was had. Lasciel promised that the wake-up potion she'd helped me brew earlier in the week would take the edge off in the morning. Even my Fallen companion sounded exhausted when she wished me a good night.

It seemed like my head had only just smacked the pillow when the shrill sound of the bedside phone dragged me back into consciousness. I cracked one eye and glared blearily at the hideous yellow abomination. It was one of those older affairs that were only a step above rotary phones. That's probably why it had managed to survive around me, though I'd been slinging magic around for days.

I considered letting it ring until the person on the other end of the line took the hint. But when I lifted my head and saw Anna gone, I felt like I had an inkling of who might be calling.

Tugging the brittle plastic receiver from its cradle, I slapped it to my ear with a grunted;

"What?"

"I think we've found them, Molly," Anna said, voice riding a wave of static. Okay, so maybe the phone wasn't as unaffected as I'd first believed. I could barely hear her next words. The prelude had been enough, though.

She'd finally found a lead. I fumbled the bed covers off and stood, stretching with the receiver still sandwiched between my bare shoulder and ear.

"Can you hear me?" Anna checked. "I'm getting a lot of feedback."

"I can hear you," I said, raising my voice to be sure she heard. "I'll get dressed and be right down. Where are you?"

"I'm waiting with their representatives by the infinity pool. We need to be quick, though. They can't stay long."

I didn't waste time with a farewell just assured her I'd be there in ten minutes or less.

I was halfway through dressing when Lasciel's groggy, impatient voice sounded in my head.

"It's a trap."

I lifted an eyebrow. "You know, it's just not convincing unless you say it like Admiral Ackbar."

Apparently such a thing was beneath Lasciel's dignity because she didn't say more until she'd shimmered into view. She'd shed the jailbaity schoolgirl outfit in favor of a pair of blue pajamas patterned with pawprints. Her flyaway hair was shoved into two messy pigtails and her pale eyes narrowed on me as I pulled my own clothing on. Dark shirt, with dark jeans, tucked into boots. The combat boots were a little tight in the heel, but they had good tread, so I could ignore it for now. I shoved my wands into a coat pocket along with the enchanted chain leftover from the night before.

"You will face enemies if you follow her directives. Leave now and you can avoid any unpleasantness. The best way to win is to avoid a fight at all."

"So you just want me to run like a coward?"

"I want to preserve our tenuous relationship, Molly. If we are forced into close quarters, there will be violence. I do not wish to do violence while you are conscious. The repercussions of such an act would be severe. You were able to feel the psychic echo of the deaths perpetrated by my hand almost a full day after they occurred. How do you think you will fare if we are forced to kill?"

I shuddered. I didn't want to even contemplate that nightmare scenario. It had taken a while for me to stop having nightmares about that day. It had taken almost a week for the full horror of it to bleed from my brain and leave me with some modicum of peace.

"Leave and we will find our own way. Polonius Lartessa owes me a favor. She could point us to a Fellowship cell in need of a wizard."

"No. Not happening. I am not soliciting favors from Tessa or Nicodemus, Lasciel. End of story."

I drew my corset jacket and stud bracelets on last, fastening the snaps as quickly as I could. I studied my reflection in the mirror for a half-second, a small smile tugging at my lips.

The woman in the mirror looked every inch the badass I'd been trying to emulate for months. She was straight-backed, confident. Hair bright and eye-catching, her wardrobe muted and functional. It hadn't meant to channel a Matrix-vibe, but I'd still managed. I looked ready to kick a Sentinel's ass.

Grabbing my bag and Anna's from beneath the bed, I strode for the door. Lasciel's matronly disapproval radiated from her with every step we took, but she said nothing, for which I was grateful.

The Omni Hotel boasted a heated infinity pool that was open year-round. It had a stunning view of the Dallas skyline and clever construction gave the unwary eye that the water was sliding straight off the edge of the building. Cuddled up to a bar and grill, it was usually pretty packed by hotel guests. Instead, I found a sign on the door leading in that read;

"Private Party, entrance by invitation only."

I was debating on whether or not to knock when the door swung open and Anna appeared in the gap. "Come in, come in, Catherine. They're waiting for you."

Catherine? We hadn't agreed to use false names. So why did she think it necessary to use mine? Trepidation lapping at the edge of my thoughts, I stepped through the door.

A group of three men have arrayed themselves in a semi-circle before the pool. The first was a tall man, with gray streaking through his auburn hair, built like a former college linebacker. A crisp brown dress shirt was drawn over his still-impressive physique. The second was shorter than the first, though still taller than me by a few inches. He was a contrast to the first, with lean and ready muscle like that of a gymnast. The light olive undertone to his skin and distinctive wave to his hair made me wonder if he was Italian. The third was harder to see, draped as she was in shadow but I had the impression she was a dirty blonde.

Dressed in business attire, they wouldn't have ordinarily clashed with the hotel's usual clientele. It was the dark gray cloaks they wore that betrayed who and what they really were.

"Wardens," Lasciel said with a chilly smile. "As I suspected."

I swung a glare accusingly toward Anna, who shrunk away from my gaze like it was a physical slap. This was what she'd been doing all this time? Trying to get in contact with the people I needed safety from?

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But it's for the best, Catherine. They promised to show leniency. This is Warden Boyett and the Junior Wardens under his care Wizard Ricci and Wizard Emary."

The beefy leader stepped forward, drawing what looked like a cavalry saber from its sheath with a soft snick of sound. His buddies followed suit seconds after. Goosebumps rioted up my arms. Even without the deadly hum of God's awesome power dancing along the blade, I had seen firsthand the damage swords could do. Having three pointed at me wasn't something I relished.

"One of these days you'll start listening to me," Lasciel mused. "Or perhaps you'll die, just trying to be contrary, like a fool."

"Just shut up," I growled, edging my hand closer to my pocket. If I could get to even one of my focuses, I could stand a chance of getting out of this alive.

Warden Boyett spotted the movement and barked; "Cease warlock."

My hand stuttered to a stop mere centimeters from my wand. "And if I don't?"

His dark eyes narrowed to slits and he moved the sword into its ready position. "Then this will be more painful than it has to be for you, Miss Lenhardt. Accompany us through the ways and we will see that your execution is carried out as humanely as possible."

Lasciel inclined her head and gave a little flourish with one long-fingered hand that I interpreted as "What did I tell you?"

Anna began to stutter a protest at once.

"I was told there would be leniency!"

"This is leniency," Boyett said coolly. "Death is a mercy to a warlock. She is guilty of breaking the first, third, and fourth laws of magic."

I saw not one ounce of pity in his gaze. In his mind the deed was already done, an I and T already dotted and slashed, filed away as just another unpleasant task.

Like hell, I was going to go down without a fight. I'd survived a wendigo, a Fallen, and the so-called justice of a mob boss. I wasn't letting my fate be decided by White Council bigotry.

My hand closed around the handles of my wands and I drew them out in a movement that was hard to track. One of the junior wardens had been waiting for it, though, and I only had a half-second to prepare my shields before her spell impacted. Blue-white energy crackled off my hastily constructed shield and drove me back three feet so that the edge of it knocked Anna off-balance. She tumbled into a lounge chair with a soft sound of surprise. I couldn't summon much pity, under the circumstances. If she hadn't ratted me out, neither of us would have been in the position to be attacked.

"Et tu, Bruté?"

Anna flinched away from the venom in my tone. Making a snap decision, I seized her by the hair and muttered a hasty incantation, putting a modest level of will behind it.

"Dorme, dormius, Anna."

With a soft sigh, Anna slumped under my hands and I let her hair slide through my fingers as her head came to rest none-too-gently against the lounge chair. At least I could console myself with the fact it hadn't been the concrete.

I didn't know these people and I didn't know to what lengths they'd go to make sure that their job was done. They could take Anna as a hostage, the way that Torelli and his goons had. I wasn't allowing anyone to maneuver me into that position again. Maybe if it looked like she meant little to me, they'd leave her alone.

The brief distraction afforded Boyett the opportunity to charge and I barely avoided the first elegant swipe of his blade. It sheared off a few inches of my hair and I had a heartbeat to watch the pink ends of my hair go tumbling through the air before I collected myself, throwing up a veil hard.

It still didn't give me the advantage I wanted. Only ten seconds later Boyett's searching eyes found me, crouched as I was near the counter of the bar. How the hell did he find me so quickly?

"He is using his sight," Lasciel said, appearing at Boyett's elbow. "Stealth alone will not save you in this battle. Call upon your battle form now."

No. No, I wasn't going to do that again. I wasn't going to butcher them like pigs. No one deserved to die the way that Lasciel would kill them. There had to be an alternative that didn't involve wanton slaughter.

But there was nowhere to run. The doors that led back into the hotel had no doubt been locked behind me by Anna. There were over twenty floors to go to reach the ground and I'd only brewed a wake-up potion, nothing to enable escape or flight. I'd crack my head open like an egg if I tried to flee off the side of the building. I was trapped. Nowhere to run.

Except...

"What's on the other side of a way at this geographical point, Lasciel?"

I'd never actually opened a way into the Nevernever before and now seemed like a perfect opportunity to practice.

"I am unable to say for certain," she said with a frown, clearly unaccustomed to her lack of insight.

Whatever it was, it had to be better than being hemmed in by a group of warriors hopped up on adrenaline and good-ol'-fashioned zealotry.

"Alrighty then," I muttered to myself. "Let's see what's behind door number two."

With a blast of force, I sent the lounge chair sailing toward Boyett's head, catching Anna's shoulders before she could hit the ground. Boyett managed to hack the chair in half with one swing. Each end came to ear-splitting ends on either side of him. The other two were moving now, one to cover my exit and the other to back Boyett.

The girl was shorter than me, now that I could see her properly. And young. I hadn't expected her to look around my age either. Aside from a few physical differences, she could have been me, in a different reality. Pretty face, long blonde hair, steely resolve sparking in light blue eyes. She moved to stand in my way. I didn't have the heart to hurt her or allow Lasciel to do it on my behalf.

I sent my will lashing at her in a wave of pure force and she let out a startled cry as she was taken completely off her feet and deposited with a splash in the middle of the heated pool. I didn't pause to see if she resurfaced. I heaved Anna onto my shoulder, spider-walking as fast as I could for the edge of the building, heaving us both over the side when we reached it.

For several terrifying seconds, we were in freefall, wind whipping our hair into our faces. The angry shouts of the wardens grew distant as we hurtled to the ground.

I slashed the air with one hand and screamed; "Akeru!"

Reality itself seemed to tear and we hurtled through the gap at incredible speed.

I slid thirteen feet through brackish water, pelted every inch of the way by marshy water plants. It was a struggle to keep my and Anna's head above the thick, sludgy brown water. When we finally came to a stop, it took me another minute to get my bearings.

The seal had closed as though it had never been, leaving the bright winter morning behind us. The sky above us was a dim sulfurous yellow, the landscape brown, and dingy green. Pale orbs of light danced in the distance and I had the strange sensation we'd just been dunked headfirst in a bayou. The water was tepid but deep, and only my desperate paddling kept us above the water.

I didn't even have time to ask Lasciel where the hell I'd landed myself this time before a knobbly hand closed around my ankle with improbable strength and dragged us all beneath the murk.