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"They’re with us now, Ca, tucked into Phil’s lapel

Cam sed, crossed his aries I did not know that" He cleared his throat, adding, "That explains why the Outcastson the bridge in Avignon were fighting the Elders e arrived They never had a chance to explain before all of them were--"

"Killed," Phil said "Yes The Outcasts sacrificed themselves for your cause"

"The universe is everyone’s cause," Daniel said, and Phil gave a curt nod

Luce hung her head All that dust on the bridge It hadn’t occurred to her that it could have been Outcasts

She’d been too worried about Gabbe and Molly and Cam

"These last few days have dealt a heavy blow to the Outcasts," Phil said His voice betrayed a shade of sorrow "Many were captured in Vienna at the hands of Scale Many non Four of us remain May I show them in?"

"Of course," Daniel said

Phil held out a hand toward theand three irl Luce didn’t recognize, who Phil introduced as Phresia; Vincent, one of the Outcasts who’d stood guard for Luce and Daniel at Mount Sinai; and Olianna, the pale girl from the palace rooftop in Vienna Luce flashed her a sirl could not see But Luce hoped Olianna could sense it, because Luce was glad to see her recovered All the Outcasts looked like siblings, ly pale

Phil pointed at the dead Elders under the"It looks as if you need some assistance with the disposal of these corpses May the Outcasts take theh "Please"

"Just eriatric roadkill any respect," Cairl, who dropped to her knees before the bodies, slung thes, and shot through theLuce watched her cross the sky, carrying away the last of Miss Sophia Luce would ever see

"What’s in the duffel bag?" Ca strapped over Vincent’s shoulders

Philon the center altar It landed with a heavy thwuori asked retting that all I had to offer was cheap unhealthful snacks, the kind of foods my Italian irl what sort of things she liked to eat She led ed and his voice lilted in a question at the end

"Are you saying I’ at a solid brick of falafel?" Roland raised a doubtful eyebrow at Vincent’s bulging bag

"Oh no," Vincent said "The Outcasts also purchased hu called tabbouleh, cucuranate juice

Are you hungry, Lucinda Price?"

It was an absurd a to eat on the altars, so they spread out a sel, mortal--tucked in Theand hot and exactly what all of them seemed to need Luce showed Olianna and Vincent how to make a falafel sandwich; Cam even asked Phil to pass him the hummus At some point, Arriane flew out theto find Luce some new clothes She returned with a faded pair of jeans, a white V-neck T-shirt, and a cool Israeli are-and-yellow flame

"Had to kiss a soldier for this," she said, but her voice didn’t have the sa for Gabbe and Molly, too

When none of thereeted the Outcasts politely and rested a hand on Daniel’s shoulder "Do you have the relic, dear?"

Before Daniel could answer, Dee’s eyes found the goblet She lifted it and twirled it in her hands, exa it carefully from all sides "The Silver Pennon," she whispered "Hello, old friend"

"I take it she knohat to do with that thing," Cam said

"She knows," Luce answered

Dee pointed to a brass plate that had been welded into one of the broad sides of the goblet, andShe ran her fingers across a hae depicted there

Luce inched forward for a better look The illustration looked like angel wings in free fall

At last, Dee looked up to face thee expression on her face "Well, now it all makes sense"

"What makes sense?" Luce asked

"My life My purpose Where we need to go What we need to do It’s tiathered all the artifacts now, but she didn’t understand any better what they had left to do

"Time for my final act, dear," Dee said warh it, step by step"

"To Mount Sinai?" Daniel rose from the floor and helped Luce to her feet

"Close" Dee shut her eyes and took a deep breath, as if to draw the s "There’s a pair of trees in the mountains about a mile above Saint Catherine’s Monastery I’d like for us to convene there

It is called the Qayom Malak "

"Qayom MalakQayom Malak," Daniel repeated

The word sounded like kayome malaka "That’s in es,under his breath At last, he held it out for Dee to see Luce stepped forward to take a look At the bottoer pointed at a faded note scribbled in a language Luce didn’t recognize Next to the note he had written the saroup of letters three times: QYWM’ ML’K’ QYWM’ ML’K’ QYWM’ ML’K’