He took a slow, deep breath and said, "Pity. Good evening, Dresden. Best of luck to you in the new world. But I expect we won't meet again in this life."

He turned to go.

And my heart sped up again.

Shiro said I would know who to give the sword to.

"Wait," I said.

Nicodemus paused.

"I've got more than coins to offer you."

He turned, his face a mask.

"You give me Ivy and I give you eleven coins," I said quietly, "plus Fidelacchius."

Nicodemus froze. His shadow twisted and twitched. "You have it?"

"Yeah."

That ugly whispering sound came again, louder and faster. Nicodemus glanced down at his shadow, frowning.

"Suppose you get Ivy," I said. "Suppose you turn her and manage to control her. It's a great scheme. Suppose you get your apocalypse and your neo Dark Age. Do you think that's going to stop the Knights? Do you think that, one after the other, new men and women won't take up the Swords and fight you? You think Heaven's just going to sit there letting you do whatever you want?"

Nicodemus had a better poker face than me, but I had him. He was listening.

"How many times have the Swords broken up your plans?" I asked. "How many times have they forced you to abandon one position or another?" I took a stab in the dark that seemed worth it. "Don't you get tired of waking up from nightmares about taking a sword through the heart or the neck? Turning you into one more discarded Dixie cup for the Fallen? Terrified of what you're going to face once you shuffle off the mortal coil?

"I've got the Sword," I said. "I'm willing to trade it and the coins alike."

His teeth showed. "No, you aren't."

"I'm just as willing to give you the Sword and the coins as you are to give me the Archive," I said. "I'm handing you an opportunity, Nick. A chance to destroy one of the Swords forever. Who knows? If things go well you might have a shot at taking out the other two at the same time."

The whispering increased in volume and speed again.

Nicodemus stared at me. I couldn't read his expression, but his right hand was slowly clenching and unclenching, as if eager to take up a weapon, and hate poured off him like heat from an oven.

"So," I said as nonchalantly as I could, "where do you want to do the exchange?"

Chapter Thirty-eight

I walked back up to the house again a few minutes later, Mouse at my side. Michael had been right: Before we went inside, the big dog shook himself thoroughly. I decided to follow his example and stomped whatever snow I could off my numb feet, then went in.

I walked into the living room and found everyone there waiting for me-Luccio, Michael, Molly, Sanya, and Murphy. Everyone looked at me expectantly.

"He went for it. We're going to have to haul ass in a minute. But I need to speak with you first, Michael."

Michael raised his eyebrows. "Oh, certainly."

"Alone," I said quietly. "And bring your Sword."

I turned and walked on through the house, out the barely functioning back door the gruff had damaged before all this began, and on to the workshop. I didn't stop to look behind me. I didn't need to look to know that everyone was trading Significant Glances.

If Nicodemus actually did have people in the tree house, they were gone now. I wouldn't put it past the bastard to have been lying about them, just to keep me honest. I went inside the workshop and laid my staff down on the workbench. It had a lot of dings and nicks in it. It could benefit from a set of wood-carving tools, sandpaper, and patient attention.

Michael came in silently a moment later. I turned to face him. He wore his fleece-lined denim coat again, and bore Amoracchius in its sheath, attached to a belt he'd slung over one shoulder.

I took my duster off and put it next to the staff. "Draw it, please."

"Harry," Michael said. "What are you doing?"

"Making a point," I said. "Just do it."

He frowned at me, his expression uncertain, but he drew the blade.

I added my energy rings to the pile on the workbench. Then my shield bracelet. Finally I took off my mother's silver pentacle necklace and put it down there too. Then I turned and walked over to Michael.

I met his eyes steadily. I'd already looked upon Michael's soul. I knew its quality, and he knew that of mine.

Then I reached down with my left hand, gently grasped Amoracchius's blade, and lifted it to rest against the left side of my neck, just below my ear. The jugular vein. Or the carotid artery. I get them confused.

Michael went pale. "Harry-"

"Shut up," I said. "For the past couple of days you've done all kinds of not-talking. You can do a little bit more of it until I've said my piece."

He subsided, his eyes troubled, and stood very, very still.

What can I say? I have a gift for getting people's attention.

I stared at him down the length of shining, deadly steel, and then, very slowly, took my hand off the Sword, leaving its wickedly sharp edge resting against the beat of my life. Then I spread my hands and just stood there for a minute.

"You are my friend, Michael," I said, barely louder than a whisper. "I trust you."

His eyes glittered and he closed them.

"And you want to know," he said heavily, looking up again, "if I can say the same."

"Talk is cheap," I said, and moved my chin a little to indicate the Sword. "I want to know if you'll show me."

He lowered the Sword carefully from my neck. His hands shook a little, but mine didn't. "It isn't that simple."

"Yes, it is," I told him. "I'm your friend, or I'm not. You trust me-or you don't."

He sheathed the Sword and turned away, facing the window.

"That's the real reason you didn't want to hat up and go gunning for the Denarians right at first, the way I wanted to. You were worried I was leading you into a trap."

"I didn't lie to you, Harry," Michael said. "But I'd be lying right now if I didn't admit that, yes, the thought had crossed my mind."

"Why?" I asked, my voice perfectly calm. "What reason have I ever given you for that?"

"It isn't that simple, Harry."

"I've fought and bled to defend you and your family. I put my neck in a noose for Molly, when the Council would have killed her. I can't even tell you how much business I've missed out on because of the time I've got to spend teaching her. What was it that tipped you off to my imminent villainhood?"

"Harry..."

Tags: Jim Butcher The Dresden Files Suspense
Source: readsnovelonline.net