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"We can’t go in there," Roland said,away from the church

"Oh, yes," Dee said, "the incendiary business You think you can’t go in because it’s a sanctuary of God--"

"It’s the sanctuary of God," Roland said "I don’t want to be the guy who takes this place down"

"Only it isn’t a sanctuary of God," Dee said simply

"Quite the opposite This is the place where Jesus suffered and died Therefore it has never been a sanctuary as far as the Throne is concerned, and that’s the only opinion that really e from harm Mortals step within these walls to pray, in their infinitely morbid way, but as far as your curse is concerned, you will not be affected" Dee paused

"Which is good, because Sophia and your friends are inside"

"How do you know?" Luce asked

She heard footsteps on stone on the east side of the courtyard Dee squinted down the narrow street

Daniel grabbed Luce’s waist so swiftly she fell into hin that read VIA DOLOROSA, two elderly nuns strained under the weight of a large wooden cross They wore simple navy habits, thick sensible sandals, and beaded rosaries around their necks

Luce relaxed at the sight of the old believers, whose average age seehty-five She started toan instinct to assist the elderly with a heavy load, but Daniel’s grasp on Luce’s waist did not loosen as the nuns approached the great doors of the church with excruciating slow-ness It seeroup of angels twenty feet away--they were the only other souls in the plaza--but the struggling sisters never so els’ direction

"A little early for the Sisters of the Stations of the Cross to be out, isn’t it?" Roland whispered to Daniel

Dee straightened her skirt and pinned a rebellious strand of hair behind her ear "I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but we’ll silanced at one of the feeble, sun-weathered woray eyes sat like pebbles in the deep folds of her face "You want to kill those nuns?" Dee frowned "Those aren’t nuns, dear They are Elders and they must be disposed of, or they will dispose of us"

"I’m disposed to say they already look disposed of" Arriane shifted her weight from side to side "Apparently Jerusalem recycles"

Maybe Arriane’s voice found the nuns and startled theht location, but at that moment, as they reached the church doors, they stopped and turned so that the long beaels, like a cannon

"Tiht lips

The pebble-eyed nun bared veiny gu on the base of the beam

Daniel shoved the satchel into Luce’s hands, then positioned her behind Dee The older woman didn’t cover Luce exactly--the top of her head caot the idea and ducked The angels unleashed their wings with brutish speed as they fanned out on both sides--Arriane and Annabelle veer-ing left, Roland and Daniel diving right

The giant cross was not a pilgrim’s penitential bur-den It was an enormous crossbow, filled with starshots meant to kill everybody there

There was no tiister with Luce One of the nuns released the first shot; it sizzled through the air, heading for Luce’s face The silver arro larger in Luce’s vision as it swirled closer in the air

Then Dee jumped

The tiny woman spread her arms open wide The starshot’s dull tip collided with the center of her chest

Dee grunted as the arrow--harlanced off her tiny body and clattered to the ground, leaving the transeternal sore but unharmed

"Presidia, you fool," Dee shouted at the nun, dragging the arrow backith her high heel Luce leaned down to pick it up and slipped it inside the satchel "You know that won’t hurt estured broadly at the angels darting forward to disarm the costumed Elders

"Stand down, defector!" Presidia replied "We require the girl! Surrender her and ill--" But Presidia never finished Arriane was at the Elder’s back in a flash, brushing the habit froel’s fists

"Because I respect h her clenched jaw, "I feel Ithe Presidia by the hair The Elder kicked the air as if pedaling an invisible bicycle Arriane pivoted and slammed the old woman’s body into the cornice of the church’s façade with such force it left an indention when she collapsed in a twisted heap, hands and legs sticking out at grisly angles

The other incognito Elder had dropped the cannon-cross and was trying to escape, running hard for an alley in the opposite corner of the plaza Annabelle took up the cross and beca coil, springing to release the heavy wooden T