Light in Dark Places

Chapter Fifty-Three

Hiraeth has moved them to the top of the clocktower as a better chance to see everything. There is Misery in this city, and people are panicking.

The Kings do not know how Creosote is getting past Seung-ri's barriers. And there is not much that the Kings can do in this situation, anyhow. Benedict is still not entirely sure he knows what he can do.

Yes, you do, Hiraeth's whisper is still in his mind, and he's glad about that. Strangely, as much as he is glad that Hiraeth has a physical presence beside him now, Benedict is sure that he would have regretted not having that calmness in his mind. You know what you need to do.

I'm not...brave... Benedict says, looking all around him. The Misery is sprouting from the earth and it's a familiar thing. He knows where it's coming from and how to stop it. You are, Hiraeth says. And he wraps his arms around Benedict and says low into his ear, "Beloved, you have walked the harder path for so long. There is nothing you can't do."

And it's so hard to believe that. But Hiraeth is right next to him, telling him that it's true. So it must be true.

"OK," he says. "OK. Take me to the Thunder King."

*

Agatha screams because she is furious, and horrified, and she hates herself a little because she really should have expected this. You never can predict what Creosote will do. And was it really so surprising that he would do this?

Halcyon moves first. Creosote doesn't expect the god's movement and so does not expect it when Halcyon rips off his head.

Death will not stop Creosote long, of course. But it doesn't need to stop him for long.

"Agatha!" Halcyon shouts.

"I know!" she says, and she's with Joan, cradling Joan's head in her lap, watching Joan's blood spill out.

"Ag—" Joan starts.

"Sh," Agatha says. "It's OK. It'll be OK." She's shaking; adrenaline is high as a fear she didn't think she could still experience wracks through. Joan isn't gone, not yet. There's still time.

There's always still time.

Agatha takes in a deep breath and speaks.

"across the turning world and back again."

*

I'm not...brave... Benedict says, looking all around him. The Misery is sprouting from the earth and it's a familiar thing. He knows where it's coming from and how to stop it.

You are, Hiraeth says. And he wraps his arms around Benedict and says low into his ear, "Beloved, you have walked the harder path for so long. There is nothing you can't do."

Beloved, you have walked the harder path for so long. There is nothing you can't do.

The words echo and the world echoes and Benedict feels slightly off kilter; that profound sense of deja vu that has been plaguing him for quite some time now once again revisiting him full force.

He meets Hiraeth's gaze, and the god looks immeasurably sad.

"Something," Benedict says, licking his lips. They haven't acknowledged it yet, and now's not really the time. "Something must have happened to Joan."

"We have other things to worry about now, Beloved," Hiraeth says.

"Yeah," Benedict says uneasily. "OK. Take me to the Thunder King."