Chapter 50: I Will Die

In the basement room, we found Longinus and Father Cornelius huddled over a book, arguing quietly. Miri sat with her sleek, silver Mac on her lap. Knowles slumped in his chair, kneading one temple.

He looked up as I crossed the threshold and his mild eyes met mine.

“You’re here,” he said, his face wide open with shock. Everyone looked at him, but I knew what he meant. He ignored them, staring at me. “I heard him come.” His voice quivered and when he lowered his hand from his temple, I noticed it was shaking, too. “It took all my strength not to fly to him when he commanded you to come.”

His face was as pale as the moon and his jaw hung slack. “How did you resist him?” He gazed at me with such awe, like I’d just committed the greatest act of heroism in the universe.

“I - I didn’t.” I gestured to Michael who stood so close behind me that my hand touched his chest when I lifted it. “Michael did.”