Sister Mary Angela didn't say anything; she just picked up one of the lit votives and looked at me expectantly. When I didn't say anything, she prompted, "Do you have a quarter?"

"Yeah, I think so." I dug into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out the change I'd gotten from the Coke machine earlier that day. There were two quarters, two dimes, and a nickel in my hand. Not sure what she wanted me to do with any of it, I held the change out to her.

She just smiled and said, "Good, put all of it in place of this candle, and let's go upstairs."

I did as she told me and then we walked back to Grandma's room while she shielded the flickering flame of the votive with her hand.

The flutter of wings did not greet us as we entered Grandma's room. And there weren't any dark shadows that flitted suddenly at the edge of my vision. Sister Mary Angela went to the statue of Mary and placed the votive in front of it; then she took a seat in the chair I'd been sitting in all day and took her rosary from around her neck. Without looking at me, she said, "Hadn't you better be going, child? You have your own evil to battle."

"Yeah, I do." I hurried to the side of Grandma's bed. She hadn't moved, but I tried to believe that her color looked a little healthier and that her breathing was a little stronger. I kissed her on the forehead and whispered, "I love you, Grandma. I'll be back soon. Until then, Sister Mary Angela will stay with you. She won't let the Raven Mockers take you away."

Then I turned to the nun who looked so serene and otherworldly sitting in the hospital chair, fingering her rosary in the small flickering light of the votive that danced shadows on her and on her goddess. I was just opening my mouth to thank her when she spoke first.

"You don't need to thank me, child. This is my job."

"Sitting with the sick is your job?"

"Helping good keep evil at bay is my job."

"I'm glad you're good at it," I said.

"As am I."

I bent and kissed her soft cheek, and she smiled. But there was one more thing I had to say before I left. "Sister, if I don't do it . . . If my friends and I don't get Kalona stopped and he does rise, it's going to be bad for people around here, especially female people. You'll need to get somewhere underground. Do you know someplace, like a basement or a cellar or even a cave, that you can get to quickly and stay for a while?"

She nodded. "Under our abbey there is a large cellar that was once used for many things. Including hiding illegal liquor during the twenties, if old stories are to be believed."

"Well, that's where you should go. Take the other nuns--hell, take all the Street Cats, too. Just get underground. Kalona hates the earth, and he won't follow you there."

"I understand, but I am going to believe you will be victorious."

"I hope you're right, but promise me that you'll go underground if I'm not, and that you'll take Grandma with you." I looked into her eyes, expecting her to remind me that getting a wounded old woman out of intensive care and into the cellar or a nunnery wouldn't be particularly easy.

Instead she just smiled serenely. "You have my word on it."

I blinked at her in surprise.

"Did you think that you were the only one who could wield magic?" The nun raised gray brows at me. "People rarely question the actions of a nun."

"Huh. Well, good. Okay, then, I have your cell phone number. Keep it close. I'll call you as soon as I can."

"Don't worry about your grandmother or me. Old women know how to take care of ourselves."

I kissed her cheek again. "Sister, you're just like Grandma. You two will never be old."

Chapter Thirty

I didn't want to wait for Darius when I could have practically walked the short distance to the school in the time it would take him to get to his car, start it, and drive to the hospital, but I couldn't make myself. The night had gone from being a friend to a frightening, elusive enemy. While I waited for him, I dialed Stevie Rae's number.

But she didn't answer. It didn't even ring, and instead went straight to her voice mail. And again I wondered just what kind of message I was supposed to leave. Hi, Stevie Rae, big prophecy and ancient evil I wanted to chat with you about before you walk into the middle of it tonight, but I guess I'll catch you later. Somehow I didn't think that would be very smart. So while I waited for Darius, I chastised myself for not calling Stevie Rae earlier, but Grandma's accident had consumed me.

Which is exactly what the Raven Mockers had intended.