“They will be happy enough to see you when you bring back both word of our new location, and that crate. I believe there are very deep vaults in the basements of the Vatican. Montrovant will not be searching for any Grails in the near future, and it will be quite the coup for your bishop as well.”
Abraham only nodded. “That crate will not see the light of another day, unless the Church falls. If that happens,” he added, shrugging, “he will likely be stolen, or burned, along with all the other secrets the Church hides.”
Kli Kodesh laughed again then, and there was a bit more of real mirth in the sound. “Now that is a show I will not want to miss. I only wish, in a way, that if it were to happen, that Santos would be around to share it. Remind me one night, when I visit you again, to tell you the story of how Montrovant and I met.”
Fleurette watched, and listened, her eyes dark. Turning at last, she watched Abraham closely. “I will go with you, because there is no other choice left.”
Abraham stiffened. “That is the only reason? I did what I did to keep you from Noirceuil and Lacroix. I did not think of what it would mean until I held you, and realized I would lose the one being in life and death who’d taken a moment to care what happened to me. I am sorry.”
She watched him still, not moving. Finally, she spoke again. “I am not sorry. Not yet. I had nothing, and that is why I left it behind so easily. I expected nothing, and was offered this. I will not decide so quickly that I hate it, or you. Too much has happened, and not all of it bad.” Her face softened a bit at this. “I wanted adventure, and that you have given me, and plenty.”
Gustav rose then, voice devoid of emotion. “I have much to do here. The vaults must be cleaned and repaired before Rome gets it in their head to send someone to investigate security. The artifacts must be re-packed and inventoried. It will take time, but that is never a problem for me.”
“You have always guarded your secrets well, Gustav,” Kli Kodesh said softly. “Even Santos was not better in that respect, and he was very powerful.”
Gustav walked away and did not look back. The others fell silent, splitting off slowly as the dawn approached.
EPILOGUE
Deep within the vault, which had been temporarily sealed, a vial lay cracked and forgotten against one stone wall. One glass side had broken, leaving a tiny opening. The vial was empty.
About the Author
David Niall Wilson has been writing and publishing horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction since the mid-eighties. An ordained minister, once President of the Horror Writers Association and multiple recipient of the Bram Stoker Award, his novels include Maelstrom, The Mote in Andrea’s Eye, Deep Blue, the Grails Covenant Trilogy, Star Trek Voyager: Chrysalis, Except You Go Through Shadow, This is My Blood, Ancient Eyes, On the Third Day, The Orffyreus Wheel, The DeChance Chronicles, including Heart of a Dragon, Vintage Soul, My Soul to Keep, Kali’s Tale and the stand-alone spinoff Nevermore – A Novel of Love, Loss & Edgar Allan Poe. His novels in the O.C.L.T. series include The Parting, Crockatiel, and the novella The Temple of Camazotz. He is also the author of the memoir / cookbook American Pies: Baking with Dave the Pie Guy. David can be found at http://www.davidniallwilson.com and can be reached by e-mail at [email protected].
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