New York: Allie's War, Early Years

I looked over at the two of them again, and saw the seer touching the face of Jon's cop with one hand. She was smiling at him still, and kissed his cheek while I watched, gesturing again with her hands. If they were talking, their voices were pretty damned low, because I hadn't heard him speak a single word at that point.

Fighting again to get vertical, I made it to my hands and knees, then grabbed the support on one end of the log. Gasping a bit, I dragged myself shakily to my feet.

I was still leaning against the log when I saw Jon's cop heading back towards me. I heard him make a strange clicking noise as he motioned towards me. Behind him, I saw the female seer limping away from the clearing altogether, towards the hallway with all of the columns and the arches. I could tell she was hurt too, that time. She was cradling one of her arms and wincing at each step, wiping blood off her mouth.

Then Jon's cop spoke, forcing my eyes back to him.

I flinched at the sound of his voice, only realizing then how quiet it had gotten with all of the religious fanatics dead.

"Take it easy," he said, sounding faintly irritated. His voice had that same German accent I remembered. "You were drugged. Don't get up too quickly...I can still feel it on you."

"Are you letting her go?" My jaw didn't seem to want to work, and I realized the gag had wrenched it enough that it ached. "She's leaving?" I said.

He nodded, catching hold of my arm as he reached my side.

"She does not want to stay."

I gave a humorless laugh. "Yeah. I bet."

"She wanted me to thank you," he said. His pale eyes met mine when I looked up, holding a hard kind of scrutiny. "She was very grateful to you."

I nodded without really making sense of his words, still trying to work my jaw.

"What for?" the man said, blunt. "Why is she grateful? She wouldn't tell me."

I shook my head. "I have no idea. Honestly."

The man frowned, but he didn't let go of my arm.

"Are you okay?" he said.

I couldn't help it. My voice turned incredulous as I looked up at him.

"Peachy," I said.

He made that clicking noise, and I heard the irritation in it again.

"Thanks," I said, before he could speak. "Given that I was kidnapped, drugged, nearly burned to death in some end of the world apocalypse ritual and then almost shot...I'm good. I'm alive. So thanks."