She was never that lucky.
“You wouldn’t be holding out on me would you now lass?” Kilduff said as he looked over the feather she’d handed him.
“I’m afraid that’s all that I know,” Helena replied as sincerely as she could. “I’m honestly as confused as you are. I’m going to have to get in contact with some of my friends.”
“Excuse me,” Camila said as she carried one of the beds from the apartment into the front door. “We gotta get through.”
Kilduff stepped aside, looking at Acedia flopped on top of the bed. “Right helpful lass isn’t she.”
“I’m working on my grip strength,” Camila said as she moved to drop the bed in the back.
It was pretty impressive Helena had to admit. Jiang-shi were something else. She turned back to the officer. “Again, that’s all I have. Unless you’re lucky enough to have someone with a guinea worm infestation show up at the hospital.”
“Aye and what even would that be?” Kilduff asked.
“They’re parasitic worms that burrow out of the lower leg. Very painful.” Helena smiled. “Given the level of the curse I used, they shouldn’t be able to walk. If it worked that is.”
“Vixe Maria!” Camila hopped in. “Isn’t that a little much?”
Helena folded her arms. “People complained when I used leprosy. This is far less contagious.”
“I’m supposing asking you not to be an evil witch is impossible.” Kilduff finished writing in his notebook. “Well unless there’s something which you’ve forgot to tell me, I guess I’ll be waiting for you to send a message to the precinct about what your various demons tell you.”
“Only a quarter demon,” Helena said.
“Oh that makes it all better lass,” Kilduff muttered. He turned on his heel. “I’ll be heading back. And don’t forget to send us that information. Things are getting bad.”
Helena nodded. “I will.” She knew the police were taking this very seriously. They were already under fire for their previous Captain’s corruption. Letting serial killers run loose would have even the most disinterested cop looking for clues.
“We’ll get this bastard,” Camila said quietly. Kilduff gave a weak wave to the jiang-shi before heading out to the steps to the street.
Camila stretched as much as her rigid body allowed. “I got the dresser and both beds over. The place looks super empty but we should have everything we need here for the night. Should I grab anything else before we go back to bed?”
“The mirror please,” Helena said. “I’ll need it to contact Lyudmila and my teachers.”
“Right. Hope that thunderbolt didn’t shatter it,” Camila muttered as she hopped outside. Helena grimaced. It had been pretty loud.
She walked into the back. As Camila had said the place was fairly barren. It wasn’t just bigger than her apartment, it lacked all the little touches the Samuels family had put it to make the place look homey. She might have to look into some magic to fix things up. But that was later.
Her bed groaned as she sat down on it. She looked over to where Acedia was spinning her finger along the floor. “Sorry we weren’t able to solve this quickly. It seems this angel or whatever it is won’t stick around for a stand up fight.”
Acedia’s face bunched up like she was going to say something, but the demon didn’t respond. Helena looked at the woman and considered what might be going through her mind. “I apologize for not sensing it earlier as well. I’m still trying to figure out how it slipped past me. Fortunately you seem pretty good at dodging.”
“Good at running away,” Acedia muttered. “A waste at everything else.”
“Were you expecting to fight an angel?” Helena asked.
“That’s the point of demons right?!” Acedia threw herself upright, wings snapping open. “Demons fight angels. Demons corrupt the weak. Demons are symbols of fear and ruin!” Acedia slapped herself. “I’m not even a BAD demon. I haven’t rejected my dark past! I just lay around uselessly and fail to kill myself!” She leaned down to look Helena in the eyes. “Isn’t that just pathetic! I can’t even commit suicide! I was trying to hang myself when the angel attacked me and I couldn’t even get my shitty noose on the ceiling fan.” She slumped back to the concrete floor. “I’m a failure.”
Helena watched Acedia as the demon shivered on the cold ground. “I suppose that’s true,” was all she could say.
“What is with you two!”
Camila settled the mirror she was carrying in, none too gently on the ground before bounding over to them. “The hell is that? You suck at this Helena!” She looked at Acedia and sighed. “And didn’t you say this is who you were? What you were created to be? If that’s true then aren’t you exactly what you’re supposed to be?”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Acedia hissed. “I’m supposed to be a failure?”
“Well that’s what you told me before, no?” Camila said. “Like, I don’t know much about depression, but if you were made to be depressed, this is what you were supposed to be. And that means you’re succeeding, kinda.” Camila lowered an arm. “And if it isn’t then you can change it, right?”
Acedia glared at Camila. “That’s stupid.”
Helena shook her head. “It actually makes sense. If you were made to be acedia, you’re succeeding.”
“What, aren’t I supposed to move past this. ‘Think positive and fight on’? Aren’t I supposed to be doing something, anything!” Acedia punched the floor then shook her hand in pain. “Isn’t just laying about like I’m supposed to be the height of failure?!”
“Oi, you just totally changed your argument,” Camila said.
Helena suddenly felt a presence. A light tap at her consciousness. Someone was trying to contact her, but wasn’t putting enough force into the spell to wake her up. Her friend Lyudmila’s face flashed in her eyes and she stood. “It seems I have a caller. But Acedia, something to think about: If you weren’t who you are, you wouldn’t be here helping us protect your sisters right now.”
“So much help,” Acedia muttered as the demon dragged herself onto the bed.
Helena walked to the mirror and looked into it, staring past her reflection. She pictured her friend. The woman’s sharp eyes and jaw that seemed at home frowning. The long dark green hair that showed her fey ancestry. She remembered her friend’s voice and mannerisms.
After a moment the magic connection to her solidified and the mirror shifted to show Lyudmila. Her friend was wearing the heavy working gown and thin circlet that Lyudmila had come to favor. “Helena, I’m glad I was able to reach you. I was afraid we were going to have to just send a letter.” Lyudmila looked around. “Wait, where are you?”
“In my new shop,” Helena replied. “It’s a fixer upper, but it’s better for defending against angel attacks. So what’s new Lyudmila.”
Lyudmila slowly rubbed her forehead. “How? How are you already in a fight again, Helena? It’s been less than a season.”
“Sorry,” Camila raised an arm. “My fault. Well and Acedia here’s.”
Lyudmila peered past Helena. “A sin demon?” Her expression grew grim. “Damn it. Did someone start up an Inquisition in your realm?”
“They might be working at it,” Helena said. “Someone’s been murdering demons in a ritual that seems designed to summon an angel. We got in their way, so we’ve been added to the kill list it seems.”
“I see. Well I can’t blame you for that. Zealots need to get wiped out quickly.” Lyudmila sighed. “What terrible timing though. I’d run over to help you, but something big came up. Kseniya and I will be out of contact for a month.”
Helena’s heart skipped. “What happened?! I can-“
Lyudmila held up a hand. “Worry about yourself. This part of the journey is safe. Just issues with time distortion. It’s related to our geas. We’ve got an item to keep secure.”
“Ah.” Helena nodded slowly. When they were children they’d sworn an oath to never knowingly kill one of the fair folk. And they’d learned far more than was safe about the fey courts and the fair folk as a race while they were at it. Great for getting favors, but favors needed repayment. “I’ll avoid calling up any greater fairies if I can help it. You sure you’re safe?”
“Yes. The people we’re escaping don’t know about this place,” Lyudmila smirked. “And that means they can’t possibly catch up. It’s the after I’m worried about.”
Helena motioned to the building around her. “If you’re still in trouble, come here. I’m part of this mess too.”
Lyudmila nodded. “That’s the plan. You just make sure you’re alive when we get here.” She paused. “Is there anything I can send your way to help?”
“You might be able to help with our mystery.” Helena held up one of the feathers. “Like I said we fought an angel, but they seemed to be trying to summon an angel as well. And the feathers, well they’re covered in truesilver.”
“That is odd.” Lyudmila tapped her chin. “Very odd. It can’t be a real angel then. To alter their body would be an insult to God. Angels are perfect in form after all.” Lyudmila looked at the feather. “Also if its wings were covered in truesilver they’d have to be fantastically rich.”
Helena glared at the feather again. “You’re right. How come all my enemies are rich beyond my wildest dreams? I should complain to Plutus.”
“Beyond that, they have a supplier. Even using vacuum coating that will take a lot of truesilver. I don’t know anyone who has that much silver, aside from the Pfaltzgraff we met. And they aren’t mining anymore,” Lyudmila said.
“I’ll write her too,” Helena said. “Might as well. Anything else?”
“Sorry no. Ryumi-sensei is your best hope,” Lyudmila said.
Helena nodded. “That’s what I thought. Still thank you.” She bowed. “Good luck. And tell Kseniya and Shizuka ‘hello’ for me.”
“Same to you. Keep an eye on her, Camila,” Lyudmila said.
With that the mirror returned to its normal reflection.
“Seems it’s just the three of us,” Camila said. “Well, it wasn’t too hard a fight!”
Helena nodded. “Let’s hope it stays that way.” She grabbed her hat and reached into it, looking for the lines of ‘ownership’ that connected everything she had to her, and her to it. With a few tries she fished out paper, pen, and ink. “I’ll get that letter finished. Then we can sleep.”