Aftermath

“So let me get this straight, lass,” Inspector Kilduff said as he wrote down on his pad.  “You killed them all, then sent their damned souls to Hades, ‘in self defense.'”

Helena gripped her elbows to keep from scratching at the burn Aoi was healing.  “You have it backwards.  I dragged them to Hades then killed them.  In self defense.”

“They deserved it too,” Camila muttered as she tried to get the blood off her hands.

Kilduff sighed, then put the notepad away.  “Normally I’d call that a pack of lies.  But seeing as your friend was yelling about your wounds I suppose I’ll have to accept it.  Any beast that can hurt you is a danger to us all.  Next time, at least bring back the poor fools so the record keepers can keep track.  Now I have to rely on the words of an honest to God satanist to confirm all this cult is gone,” he said looking over at where Yvonne was sitting.

Helena winced as Aoi finished her healing spell with a charm to protect against infections.  Apparently the priestess still believed good medicine hurt.  Aoi wrapped the wound in a bandage.  “That should do.”  She turned to Kilduff.  “I don’t think she’ll lie to you.”

The man pulled out a cigarette.  “I don’t either, but ‘think’ isn’t good enough in this business.”  He sighed and looked down at where Acedia lay.

A white sheet was covering the demon.  A cold clinical reminder of Helena’s failure.  It seemed wrong to cover up the crime, to hide the injustice.  But she understood why.

“Do ya know how to contact her next of kin lass?” Kilduff asked quietly.  “The lads at the morgue will have to tell them.”

“I’ll do it,” Helena said.  “I should talk to them myself.”

Kilduff shook his head.  “Needs to be official.”  He hesitated.  “I can’t stop you from speaking on your own.  Or sending condolences.  But the lawyer types need to make sure they know from us.”

Helena closed her eyes.  She should deal with it, but she couldn’t.  Not until she’d found that fake angel.  “Have them look up an Invidia.  I’ll message her later”  She looked away.  “Just tell the morgue or whoever handles this if those coins don’t get cremated with her I’ll research a curse just for them.”

“So you did send her to the Sanzu,” Aoi said.

“Huh?”  Camila perked up.  “What now?”

Helena found herself the center of attention.  Even the other investigators and Yvonne were looking at her.  It made her feel sick, but she answered anyway.  “Yes.  I couldn’t help her in this life.  Reincarnation was the only fair option.  And your hell takes bribes.”

“You can do that?” Camila shook her head slowly.

“Benefits of serving Hecate,” Helena replied.

Aoi sighed.  “It was still foolish doing that before a fight.  It could have waited until after Obon.  And her family should have provided some of the passage.  It’s their right.”

“It’s her money,” Helena said.  “I didn’t deliver.”

Camila put a hand on her shoulder, “Don’t blame yourself.”  The woman looked away and muttered in portuguese, “I was the one-“

“Listen to your own advice,” Aoi said quietly.

Kilduff sighed.  “Not a good day for us fine lads either.”  He waved over a female cop.  “Chris, tell me the fools ‘cross the river have sent one of those fine psychologists to help us with the kids.”

“Sorry Inspector.  They won’t be here for four hours,” Chris replied.  “At least we’ve confirmed none of them know anything about the cult.  And there’s enough social workers to keep the place staffed….”

“But the owners are off dead in Greece,” Kilduff gave Helena an annoyed look.  “Well then, do ya want to take a swing at telling the bonnie children that their favorite chef is going to jail, their missing friends were murdered, and oh by the by this place is a satanist front.”

“No, but I’ll do it anyway,” Chris said.  “Oh, and there’s some good news.  The lawyers got the money tied up.  We can keep the place open, though it’ll only last until we find a new owner.”

Helena looked over at Yvonne.  “Wait, you’re arresting her?”

Kilduff gave her a look.  “Accessory to murder lass.  Multiple murders.  She didn’t know a thing about the orphan kid they killed or she’d get the rope, but she’s guilty.  Admitted it herself.”  He took another pull on his cigarette.  “Be ten years likely.  Time off for good behavior.”

She wanted to be angry at that.  But she couldn’t muster up any emotions now.  The grief she had bottled up would swallow everything else if she let it out.  She motioned to the woman.  “Can we speak to her?”

“So long as you can keep it civil,” Kilduff said.  He waved the other inspectors over to give them privacy.

Helena looked over at Camila.  The jiang-shi nodded and drifted over to the former cultist.  Helena followed.

Yvonne didn’t meet their eyes.  Understandable.  They’d only learned her name from the police after all.  The woman was staring at Acedia’s form beneath the white cloth.  Tear lines ran down her face, and the tears had probably only stopped because she’d gone numb.  “You probably hate me,” the woman murmured quietly.  “She died because of me.”

“She died trying to save you,” Helena replied.  She shook her head.  “The difference doesn’t mean much to me.  But it meant everything to her.”

Yvonne wiped at her eyes.  “I… see.  I didn’t know her well I suppose.”  The woman hugged herself close.  “I suppose I didn’t know anyone well.  I’m such a fool.”

“You know the kids right?” Camila said.  “You know people outside the cult.”  She gave her arm bobbing shrug.  “Like, you can’t know everyone.  Some people will always fool you.  Some people fool themselves.  But you can learn.”

“The kids…”  Yvonne shivered.  “What will happen to the orphanage?”

Helena motioned to the Inspector.  “It sounds like they’re going to try to keep it open.  Some legal tricks.”  She sighed.  “It’ll probably end up owned by the church.  Or some church anyway.  They’re the only people who can afford to keep this place running long enough to raise a kid.”

The woman choked back a sob.  “I… can’t complain can I?  We were worse than they could possibly be.  They… they killed him.  They murdered poor George.  It was supposed to protect the children!”  Helena felt pain creep through her numbness again.  She knew she couldn’t have saved him but still…

She hated feeling powerless.

Yvonne wiped her eyes again.  Then looked up at them with questioning eyes.  “Was it all a lie?  Everything they claimed was good?  Everything they said was evil?  What can I believe?”

Helena shook her head.  “Not even a magician can answer that.  You’ll have to find out for yourself.”  It was a cruel truth.  But an inescapable one.  When you controlled someone else’s reality you controlled them.  For good or ill.

“But, ya know, it was an honest to God demon that saved you,” Camila added.  “For her own reasons yeah, but that’s how we all act.”

Yvonne looked back at Acedia’s body and nodded.  “Thank you.”  She sniffed.  “So… do you hate me?”

“A little,” Helena admitted.  “But it’s not fair, because it’s not your fault.”  She sighed and turned away.  “Acedia died because I screwed up, but she died saving you.  I guess I feel responsible now.  I want you to make something of your life, even if it is from a prison cell.  We owe it to her.”

“I don’t hate you,” Camila said.  “But yeah.  We all owe her.”

The former cultist wiped her eyes.  “Alright.”

Helena turned away.  Kilduff nodded then waved his investigators back.  “You can go home whenever you like, lass.  If the lawyers care to ask more questions they can send a letter.”

She wanted to collapse but there was still a long way home.  “Thank you.”  She gave Acedia’s body one last look before turning to Camila and Aoi.  The two nodded.  It was time to leave.

The summer sun had just begun to set.  Helena glared at it then moved to take the route that would give them the most shade.  She had no interest in Helios’ light.  The crowds that had encircled the building when the police had shown up were gone, so at least she didn’t have to push through questioning masses.

She’d reached the end of the block when Aoi tapped her lightly on the shoulder.  “Will you be okay, Helena?”

“Yes.”  She was going to be fine.  She was going to make it home, then get ready to kill that damned fake angel.

Aoi didn’t let go, so she motioned back to Camila.  “We’re not alone.”

Camila nodded slowly.  “We’ll pull through.”

The shrine maiden seemed to accept that.  “Very well.  I’d like to stay with you but… O-bon is still ongoing.  They need me at the shrine.”

“Yeah.”  Helena paused.  “Get us a lantern please.”

“I will,” Aoi said, before hugging Helena.  She didn’t normally like closeness.  But right now she appreciated the gesture.  She returned the shrine maiden’s embrace.  Aoi had to be hurting as well.

Aoi gave Camila a hug as well before bowing and hurrying back towards her shrine.  After that it was just her Camila and the darkening streets.

They walked in silence.  Helena knew she should be looking for clues, for possible attackers, but she couldn’t focus on the world.  She was detached, fighting back her emotions and magically drained.  The high of true magic left another scar in her mind, and she found herself struggling to remember the turns she needed to make.

Finally she completely blanked.  She was standing in the middle of the street and she had no idea where she was supposed to go from here.

“Uh, we’re back Helena.”

She looked over to see Camila standing next to the shop they’d bought.  “Sorry.  I was walking on instinct.”  Helena unlocked the door, opened it to let Camila in then followed before shutting it and locking it behind her.

And then it all fell apart.

Her eyes burned with tears as she blindly staggered to the bed.  All she could feel was the grief pouring from her eyes and the pain as she pounded the bed with futile rage.

She’d failed.  And Acedia was gone.

The tears began to choke her and she was forced to wipe them away.  Her anger seeped out as she hiccuped and sneezed to breathe again.

She noticed a hand on her shoulder shaking her.  That’s right.  She wasn’t alone.  She turned and hugged Camila close, wiping her tears on the other woman’s shirt.

“Helena-“

She shook her head and wiped Camila’s tears with her shaking hand.  Now was the time for grief, not words.  That was tomorrow.

For now she cried herself to sleep.