Chapter 17

The car slowly departed from the parking lot, leaving me alone with my own personal devil.

"I take it your business is concluded?" Nicodemus asked as I approached. He stood up from where he'd been casually leaning against the car, his tan trench coat flapping in the cold wind.

"Yeah," I replied dully. "I suppose so."

"Excellent," the man replied, his smile spreading. "You know, that was another impressive display back there."

It took me a moment to realize he was talking about the duel, and not Susan's ability to twist me in the wind. "Yeah, right."

"I have to say, your handling of the affair was quite satisfactory," the demon continued, his wry smile pleasant. "It's so rare to work with professionals these days."

"I'm just wishing we'd broadcast it after all," I replied.

"Oh?" Nicodemus said, his head tilting curiously.

"Sure," I said. "Once the media gets a hold of something like that, it's bound to spread like wildfire. It might deter others from trying something similar."

A thoughtful look crossed over Nicodemus's face. "You know, you have a point." His smile returned. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to hand over the Shroud…"

I nodded. "I will."

Nicodemus waited expectantly. When I wasn't forthcoming, his smile lessened. "Tonight, please, Mr. Dresden."

"No," I replied with a slight shake of my head. "You misunderstand me."

"Oh?" he replied, his voice going as flat as his eyes. The shadow behind him shifted, widening despite no change in the light.

"I'll deliver the Shroud to Father Vincent," I informed him.

"We have a deal, Mr. Dresden," Nicodemus said darkly. His head tilted down slightly, narrowing his gaze even further. "You swore on your power to give me the Shroud."

"And I'm breaking my word," I told him, even as I knew doing so would most likely cost me my power.

Magic stemmed from life, yes, but it also was based on your faith in it. It wasn't quite the same as religious belief, but it required just as much from you. It was like a bargain between you and the forces of reality, one that allowed you to manipulate the world around you.

When you broke your word, it weakened your sense of self, as well as your bond with the world. When you did it knowingly like I was, it was nothing short of sabotage. Of magical suicide, if you will.

But I'd be damned, literally and figuratively, if I was going to give the Shroud over to a Fallen fucking angel.

"I see," Nicodemus said, surprisingly calm in the face of my refusal. "So be it."

I looked up to him, careful not to linger too long on his eyes. That was one soul I definitely did not want to see. "That's it? You're willing to just let it go?"

"Oh, hardly not," Nicodemus replied with a gentle shrug. "It just means I'll have to use other means."

As the man spoke, he reached out to rap a knuckle on the tinted glass of the limo. The window cracked open an inch or so. Not enough to reveal the person inside, but enough to let Nicodemus speak to them.

"It seems we'll be needing the insurance after all."

I looked between the man and the vehicle, as alarm bells started ringing in my head. "What?"

"Insurance, Mr. Dresden," Nicodemus replied, his face returning to its passive indifference as the far passenger door opened. "To ensure you do the right thing."

I looked across the roof of the car as Deirdre emerged, her dark hair hanging loosely about her head. There was a superior sneer on her lips as she stepped out, before tugging at someone still inside.

It took me only a moment to recognize the good father underneath all of his bruises.

"Son of a bitch," I snarled, my head snapping back around to Nicodemus.

"Now, now, Mr. Dresden," Nicodemus cautioned me, one hand patting the air gently. "No need for any dramatics. I'm simply giving you an opportunity to deliver the Shroud to that man, just like you said you would."

My jaw was clenched so tight my teeth began to hurt. "Let him go."

"I will," Nicodemus replied with a smile. "After you've given him the Shroud."

"Only to let you take it?" I spat.

"What he does with it after you deliver it is none of your concern," Nicodemus replied.

A yelp from across the way drew my eyes back, and I saw that Deirdre was holding Vincent by the back of his neck. His face was bruised and battered, as were the hands that he held aloft in a placating manner. "Please, Mr. Dresden…"

The air temperature dropped around us as my temper flared.

"I would reconsider doing anything rash, Harry," Nicodemus said. "As fast as you are, you can't stop Deirdre from snapping his neck." He turned to his daughter. "Oh, what about the other one?"

Deirdre's crooked smile widened as she wagged her eyebrows at me mockingly. My attention instead was on a lock of her hair that suddenly shifted, the black strands becoming a dark metallic silver as they transformed. The metal tendrils dipped beneath my line of sight, presumably heading into the car.

When they eventually came out, they were coiled around a metal bird cage.

Trapped inside was Lenten, one of the dew drop fairies that served in my household Guard. The little fae was bound up inside the cage, his hands and feet tied tight while a piece of cloth gagged his mouth. Thankfully they'd put some newspaper on the bottom, or the metal bars there would have been burning the little guy.

As soon as he saw me, the fairy started pointing at Vincent. His urgent shouting was muffled by the gag, but it was clear something had him upset. After pointing at the man, Lenten raised his arms above his head and started wriggling. I wasn't sure what he was trying to say, but I guessed that he was the member of the Guard that had been sent to watch Vincent.

"Let him go," I hissed. Frost started covering the top of the car as I turned back to Nicodemus.

"Ah-ah," the man said, his tone warning. A cry across the way drew my eyes back, and I saw where some of the metal strands had released the cage and wrapped around Father Vincent's neck. I could see where they were tightening, his flesh bulging around the supernatural wires.

"Alright, alright," I said bitterly, releasing the power I'd been unconsciously drawing in. "I'll get the damn Shroud. But you better let both of them go. Alive," I added.

"You have my word," the demon said with a smile.

With no other options available, I sent a trickle of power into the ring I wore. Luna.

Yes my lord, came the instant reply.

Bring me the cannister, I told her.

There was only the briefest hesitation. Of course.

"It's on its way," I assured Nicodemus, who's smile grew.

"See? That wasn't so hard," he replied.

For once, I didn't say anything. Nicodemus had me outmaneuvered, and petty quips weren't going to change matters.

I should have suspected he'd do something like this. I had, for that matter. I'd even warned Vincent that he might be in danger. But I'd thought putting a member of the Guard on him would be all that was needed. Lenten was a good choice, and I was surprised he'd let anyone get the better of him.

The fairy was still doing his little jig, pointing and gyrating at Vincent. I frowned as he undulated, practically doing the moonwalk as he made his entire body slither.

Before I could figure it out, the flutter of a dozen wings announced the arrival of the Guard. Six of them carried the same tube that had contained the Shroud back at the hotel. They alighted upon the roof, which was still cold from the power leak that had covered it in frost.

"Excellent," Nicodemus said, his grin widening as his shadow danced.

"Alright, you have it. Let them go," I snapped.

"As soon as I've verified the contents," Nicodemus said, twisting the end of the tube off to slide the package out.

The Shroud was still wrapped in the plastic the Churchmice had put it in. I'd been careful when handling it, afraid of exposing myself directly to it. But even through the covering, you could feel the thrum of its power, the fabric practically alive with all things good.

Nicodemus could feel it as he handled the package, his eyes burning with victory. "Just as I'd hoped," he said, drawing the package out.

"Let them go," I repeated. The six fairies on the roof, Lacuna among them, were all standing at the ready, their tiny hands clutching the hilts of their swords. Lacuna was looking at Lenten, who was now trying to relay his message to her.

"Of course," Nicodemus said, turning to me with a generous grin. "But first, let me fulfill your promise for you."

Surprising me, the man tossed the Shroud to Vincent, who flinched as he caught the package in his bruised hands. I blinked in surprise as the father looked at the Shroud.

"There," Nicodemus said. "Now you've kept your word to both of us." He winked at me. "Wouldn't want you sacrificing your power. Not when it's so potent."

His words confused me, as did the fact that Vincent didn't take off running as soon as Deirdre's tendrils released his neck. He was staring at the Shroud, too busy to realize he could run.

"Get out of here," I hissed at him. "Leave it and go. They'll kill you."

"Kill him?" Nicodemus said, sounding offended as he looked back and forth between us. "Why would I kill him?"

I looked at him in alarm, and then back to Vincent, just as the good father looked up to me.

When he did, a second pair of glowing eyes appeared on his forehead.

And now Lenten's serpentine gestures made sense.

It seemed Father Vincent was no longer with us.

"Son of a—" I began, drawing in power as fast as I could. My left hand rose toward Nicodemus, not the ideal choice for channeling offensive power, but my other hand was heading toward the Denarian posing as Vincent.

An instant before I unleashed hell on the demons, a pain bit into my ankle. I gasped as my power fled, even as my vision swam.

Glancing down, I could just make out the metallic tendrils of hair that had slithered under the limo. The coils had worked their way toward me, unseen beneath the vehicle, before striking out and piercing my flesh.

As soon as that metal cut me, the power of the Winter Knight was gone.

However the Denarians transformed, it was a true transformation. The metal wriggling its way beneath my skin felt like pure iron, and as such, sapped the strength from the Sidhe mantle I bore. While the touch of metal alone would burn a fae, it required something more to affect me.

It seemed Nicodemus was are of that.

I grabbed for the edge of the vehicle as I tried to clear my head. The touch of iron beneath my skin was more than debilitating, but I'd practiced dealing with it for just that reason. I couldn't afford to have such a weakness when facing the things I fought.

The first time metal had pierced my hide, I'd passed out from the pain. In time I'd gotten better, maintaining consciousness long enough to remove the intruding iron, or even cast a spell with my own magic.

I was trying to do just that when Nicodemus reached out and snapped something around my wrist. More pain shot through me as I tried to pull my arm away, but found my body sluggish. I drew on my magic to—

—and a cold, searing pain coursed through my being as the thorned manacle sank its steel prongs into my skin.

I collapsed to the ground as the pain overwhelmed me. It was all I could do to remain conscious, much less try and stand. Fighting was out of the equation, as the manacle sapped me of my magic.

"I believe you are familiar with these, yes?" Nicodemus said with a rueful smile. "I'm afraid such things are of a necessity when dealing with someone of your power. I might not have bothered, if it weren't for you being the Winter Knight. But alas…"

My mind tried to focus on the metal on my wrist. I indeed knew about thorned manacles, although I'd never seen a set made of steel before. They usually came in the form of an enchanted twisted vine, sporting actual thorns that were crafted to sap power from you when you tried to draw on magic. I wasn't sure exactly how they worked, but they seemed to shunt the power you drew to somewhere else, while causing a lot of agonizing pain in the process.

It complicated matters that the steel barbs also interfered with the Winter Knight mantle, which was helpless as the metal dug into my flesh.

While I was flopping on the ground, trying to understand just when things had gone so horribly wrong, Nicodemus stepped over me. I could make out noises all around us, and caught sight of what looked like a strobe light party swirling overhead.

It took me a moment to realize that the Guard was putting up a fight for me. Numbering only six, unless they'd managed to get Lenten out, the small fae didn't stand a chance against the Denarians.

But they fought anyways, and died for their efforts.

Deirdre's hair flicked through the air, slashing at the fairies. They were wearing their armor, but it wasn't enough to stop all of the strands swirling around them. I saw an amethyst light fade as a body fell to the ground, one of the iron hairs striking in-between the gaps in the fae's armor.

I tried to rise, but did little more than shake and seize as the manacle shut me down. I looked around, hoping to find something I could use to fight back. But there was nothing in reach. My rods were useless without power. There was nothing that could help me or the Guard, who was dealing not only with Deirdre's steel hair, but Nicodemus's shadow as well.

As my head hit the sidewalk, my eyes fell on two figures headed our way. It was hard to make them out, what with a bright light shining from the sword one of them held. I caught a flash of short blond hair and desperately blue eyes before Nicodemus snapped the second thorned manacle around my other wrist.

And then there was nothing but pain and darkness.