The police were there in force already. Not surprising given how close the station was. One of them moved to stop Helena as she stepped past the crowd surrounding the area. “Sorry ma’am this is a crime scene. I’ll need you to-“
“Curse Gunner Helena Aoede,” she said simply. “I solved the Liang case. Bring Inspector Kilduff to speak to me.”
“The witch?!” The officer blinked then waved over one of his fellows. “Max, tell the Inspector that witch we hired for the Liang case is here.” He turned back to her. “Sorry ma’am I can’t let you in until the Inspector confirms.”
“I understand,” Helena said.
Camila shook her head. “How did you know he’d be here? There’s got to be dozens of crimes all over the city.”
Helena folded her arms as the Inspector walked out of the crowd of police. “Dozens of crimes, yes. Serial murders by someone that looks a lot like an angel? I’m pretty sure this is the only one.” She raised her voice to call out to the tall Irish cop walking towards that. “Isn’t that right Inspector?”
“So you’ve guessed it.” He said as he walked up to them. The stench of tobacco was thick around him. Apparently his plan to cut back had been interrupted as well.
“Thanks for telling us yesterday,” Camila growled. “Woulda been nice to know there was a serial killer about.”
Kilduff grimaced. “This victim’s the third. We didn’t know it was a serial killer until now. Two dead demons with dark rituals scrawled around them is bad but might still be coincidence. I figured someone pretending to be an angel wouldn’t be mixed up in that either. Seems I was wrong.”
“I’d like to look over the scene,” Helena said.
“I’ve already hired a priest,” Kilduff replied. “Father Peter can look over the devilry. And he’s a lot cheaper.”
Helena sniffed. “And I’m a lot better.” She gestured to Acedia who was moping behind her. “Since I’m involved, let’s make a deal. You give me access, and I’ll tell you everything I know for free.”
Kilduff rubbed his chin. She could tell he didn’t like the idea, but it was an offer that didn’t come around every day. “Fine. But no magic without asking. And try not to fight with the holy father.”
“Deal.” She let him lead her to the shattered stalls.
“So everyone saw the glowing light that Acedia did?” Camila asked.
Kilduff motioned some officers to step aside. “Sixty witnesses. All say the light was blinding. The lot ran, and I can’t say I blame them.”
Helena stepped into the gap and gasped. She’d expected the dried blood and the scattered pieces of the destroyed stall. She hadn’t expected the complex magical ritual seared into the ground. It was three times the height of a man, and at least half that wide. “Was that at the other two murder sites?”
“Aye lass.” Kilduff shook his head. “That’s the other reason I thought the attempted murder might not be related.”
“Inspector, why are these heathens here?” The voice seemed more shocked than angry.
Helena turned to see a man in the black suit and white collar of a modern priest approaching them. He was short, around the same height as Acedia, and he was gripping his bible tightly.
“The demon here was attacked by the murderer last night and survived somehow,” Kilduff said. “The witch offered her help for free.”
The priest looked them over, and Helena could almost see the misconceptions forming in his mind. Unfortunately the word ‘witch’ had connotations in certain religions. He edged closer to Kilduff and whispered “I can understand her interest, but did you need to let the lesbian drag her demonic lovers with her?”
Of course the whisper cut through the air well enough everyone could hear it. Camila’s jaw dropped while Acedia just rolled her eyes. “I’m from Thebes, not Lesbos,” Helena stated simply.
The priest stumbled back in shock while Kilduff pretended he wasn’t seeing anything. “Guess I didn’t miss anything not showing up to confession these last few years,” Camila said dryly. Helena dismissed the man and turned towards the runes. Perhaps she could learn something from the spell.
She grimaced as she looked over the writing burned into the ground. The script was easy to recognize at least. Every European magician knew it to some degree. “Hebrew letters, filling the tree of life. It’s kabbalistic.” She bent down and sniffed the streets, but her only reward was the stench of the cobblestones. “No flame. The runes must have been seared in after. A ritual tied to sacrifice?” She looked over the complex spell trying to learn more about it.
“It looks like a summoning ritual. For an angel,” Acedia said.
Helena turned back to the demon. “You’ve seen one before?” Angel summoning was rare. They didn’t like being summoned, and they were strong enough to make most magicians regret it.
Acedia stared at the runes, a shiver passing through her. “I just… know.”
“I think even angels might be put off if someone tried to summon them through sacrifice,” Kilduff said.
“Not a very good thing to do,” Camila agreed.
The priest held his bible closer. “Slaughter of the unrighteous is allowed by the Lord, but practicing magic is forbidden. A true believer who wished the help of the divine should pray for it. Not conduct blood rituals.” He shook his head. “Though it’s likely this is someone with no connection to the Christian congregation. The Hebrew makes that very unlikely.”
“There’s a bigger question here,” Helena pointed out. “The murderer has an angelic aura, a holy sword, and apparently is strong enough to slaughter lesser demons with a single blow. Why would they need to summon an angel?”
“A good question, lass,” Kilduff said.
“Can angels possess people?” Camila asked. “Like, I know demons can. Maybe the killer’s tapping into angel powers or something.”
“It’s not impossible,” Helena said. “Though that would imply an angel was willingly helping the killer.” She considered it. “I think it’s more likely someone who has sacred artifacts.”
“A newly fallen angel would keep their abilities as well,” Father Peter admitted reluctantly. Helena nodded. She didn’t really understand how angels ‘rose’ or ‘fell.’ But it added another possibility.
Helena looked over the ritual. Now that she knew it was summoning via sacrifice she could piece some of it together. “Whoever it is, they’re a modern caster. Definitely not a trained magician. They’re using modern Hebrew instead of ancient.” Not a fallen angel then, unless they were working through someone to remove suspicion. She traced the lines, desperately trying to remember what her tutors had taught her about kabbalism. “It’s sloppy magic. Too much redundancy, not enough limits. Even if it’s not a summoning ritual the spell is all over the place. It has to be a dabbler or novice.” She looked at the center of the ritual where the blood soaked the ground around the lines.
A sense of wrongness hit her when she looked at the letters there. These letters seemed different. Magic was strongly tied to intent. And the limited magic remaining hated those words. But the blood was too thick here to see them all. “Inspector, can I cast a spell to read the runes here?”
Kilduff grimaced but nodded. “Aye. Best get this miserable information into the light.”
Helena took a deep breath and fished out a wand from her pocket. This was a new spell, but it shouldn’t be too dangerous. Language was a magic all of its own. The magic of communication. She had to call upon that. Draw it out.
She slowly sketched the alphabet of ancient Thebes, the language created by their first king. As she did she infused it with her will. Speak to me. Show me your form.
Raw magic poured into her loose spell and overflowed. The letters in the air began to glow black and red, and the runes on the ground responded with a hatefully pure white shimmer. Slowly the glow cut through the crimson stain of the blood.
The letters finally burst through, gleaming on the dark cobblestones. Acedia started shivering violently, cowering behind Camila. Camila planted herself in front of the demon, but the jiang-shi woman was obviously at a loss for what to do. “What’d you find?” she asked.
Helena looked at the letters, the translation spell she kept on at all times slowly twisting the shining letters so she could read them. “It’s a list of the seven deadly sins.” She sighed. “With acedia replacing sloth. Three have been marked out.”
“So someone’s out for our new friend’s blood,” Camila said.
“A christian heretic,” Helena said. “Who’s apparently summoning an angel.”
Father Peter crossed himself. “I should go tell Nezaiel, Ryan. Do you need me for anything else?”
“It should be fine, Father,” Kilduff said. He pulled out a cigarette. “I’m not going to be getting much sleep it seems.” His eyes focused on Helena. “I know I can’t get you to mind your own business girl. But you’d best tell the department what you learn.”
“If you want a report you’ll have to pay me,” Helena replied. “But I swear I’ll tell you if I find any evidence.”
Kilduff lit the cigarette. “Best I can hope for I suppose.” He turned to Camila. “Good luck keeping these two on the straight and narrow, lass.”
“That’s impossible,” Camila replied happily. “Best I can do is keep the damage down!”
The policeman went back to his men, shaking his head all the way.
As he left, Camila put a hand on Acedia’s shoulders. “You doing okay?”
The demon had stopped shivering, but she still looked rattled. “It doesn’t matter,” she managed to mutter.
Helena banished the spell making the runes glow. “Let’s get to the post office. We can chat there.”
“This is kinda important, no?” Camila said. Still the jiang-shi took Acedia’s hand and started following Helena out of the crime scene. “Someone’s trying to murder Acedia here. Along with a lot of other demons.”
“I don’t care if I die,” Acedia said.
Camila made it past the police line before whirling on her. “You seemed pretty scared for someone who doesn’t care about dying!”
Acedia sank away from the woman. “That’s instinctual. I can’t help it.”
“Demons have fought angels before,” Helena said quietly. “It’s natural for you to be afraid, but you could resist it.”
“Why are you bothering me!” Acedia flung Camila’s hand away. The demon’s wings unfurled, and flames crackled around her eyes. “Are you trying to save me? Using me as the prop in your stupid redemption fantasies?! I’m a demon! I am Acedia! You can’t save me from myself!” The woman raked her hands down her face, leaving bloody furrows that healed a second later. “THIS IS WHAT I AM!” She sank to her knees. “You can’t save someone from themselves.”
Camila looked down at the demon. “I was an undead puppet. An assassin for some jackass who needed a research subject. The only reason I’m still my own person is because someone saved me.
“If you like who you are you can leave whenever you want. Hell you can stay and ignore me. But I kinda feel suicidal depression isn’t what you want to be. And if not then I want to help you.”
Acedia’s wings fell limp. The twisted mad majesty disappeared. “I hate you,” she whispered.
“That’s fine,” Camila replied. “You still want to go to the post office?”
“I want to lie here and die,” the demon replied in a hoarse voice.
Helena stepped forward. She kept her voice low and even. “That summoner isn’t just after you. They’re likely after anyone who fits the sins. But I’m guessing they prefer demons. It’s easy for zealots to write off those of us who are ‘innately evil’ in their minds.”
“So?” Acedia spat.
Camila’s eyes widened as she figured it out. “You’re saying Acedia’s sisters are targets too?”
“If they’re anywhere nearby, yes. Whoever is doing this isn’t afraid of being caught. Murdering someone in the middle of the marketplace isn’t subtle.” Helena folded her arms. “Sin demons will be prime targets.”
Acedia heaved a great sigh before standing. “Fine. I’ll warn my sisters. I’m sure they’ll figure it out from the papers before my letter gets there, but whatever.”
Helena looked at Camila. “They’re not the only targets of course. As I said, it’s easy for zealots to decide some people don’t deserve to live. Witches and undead top that list.”
“You think they’d come after us?” Camila blinked. “Like, that seems kinda stupid. No, really stupid. Even if Acedia can’t fight.”
“Two sins in one place? And a target who got away?” Helena shook her head. “It’s possible.”
Acedia turned her eyes to Helena. “You think you’re worthy of being a sin?”
Helena gave a thin smile. “Of course. Every true magician has one sin. The sin that gives us power.
“Pride.”