“If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it,” said Suzie. For her, it really was that simple.
“But ... there’s no-one else.”
“That’s my John,” said Suzie, putting her arms round me. Her black leathers creaked loudly. “Always ready to take the weight of the world on his shoulders. And always convinced no-one else can do the job as well as him. Maybe that’s why our mysterious benefactor sent Excalibur to you. Because they know you can be trusted to use it wisely. I’m not sorry Walker’s dead. Or that you killed him. I worked for the man, but I never liked him. He played chess with people and never gave a damn about the pieces he had to sacrifice.”
“I worked for him,” I said. “I respected him, and sometimes I liked him, against my better judgement.”
“Were you and he ever friends?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “It’s complicated.”
“Two of the Nightside’s greatest lights have gone out,” said Suzie. “We shall not see any blaze so brightly again in our lifetime.”
I gave her a stern look. “You’ve been watching the History Channel again.”
She laughed and let go of me. She started towards the table, reached out to grasp the sword’s hilt, then stopped.
“This sword fascinates me,” she said slowly. “It’s one of the greatest weapons in the world. But as much as I want to, I can’t bring myself to touch it. I don’t think it wants me to. As though ... I’m not worthy.”
“Hell with that,” I said immediately, carefully keeping it light. “If I’m worthy, you’re worthy. No, I think it’s just ... we’re back to the destiny thing again. It wants me.”
“So we’re back to the main question,” said Suzie, glaring at the sword with her arms folded firmly across her chest. “Why would anyone send Excalibur to you?”
“I think it’s my turn to feel hurt,” I said. “Are you implying that I am not worthy?”
She snorted briefly. “Don’t start getting ideas above your station.”
“I am, let us not forget, the son of a Biblical Myth.”
“And look how that turned out.”
“Good point,” I said. It was my turn to look thoughtfully at the sword. “Maybe ... I’m supposed to hold on to the sword, guard and protect it, until its rightful owner turns up.”
“You mean Arthur? King Arthur? The King Arthur?”
“Why not?” I said reasonably. “We spent enough time in Merlin’s company ... Dead, but definitely not departed enough for my liking. A lot of people believe Arthur is still out there, somewhere, sleeping in state until the day shall come when he will be needed again, to lead us all in the Final Battle. I used to love all those books when I was a kid.”
“This is sounding worse and worse,” said Suzie. “If Excalibur’s turned up, does that mean we’re on the verge of the Final Battle? I’ve already been through the Angel War and the Lilith War. I think I’m entitled to a little rest between Armageddons.”
“I wish everyone would stop talking about those two wars as if they were my fault!”
“Well, they were.”
“Only indirectly!”
“Don’t shout, or I’ll give you a headache,” said Suzie. “Still, it has been a little quiet of late. I could use some exercise. It’s been a while since I killed a whole bunch of people.”
“I’m starting to get a really bad feeling about this,” I said.
Suzie looked at me thoughtfully. “How did the sword feel when you handled it?”
“Light,” I said. “Almost weightless. Good balance.”
“No, John. How did it feel ...”
I thought about it. “Like it could do anything. Like I could do anything. Like nothing in this world could stand against us as long as we fought in a noble cause.”
On an impulse, I picked up the scabbard and slung it over my shoulder. Leather straps appeared out of nowhere, and I pulled them into place, securing the scabbard on my back. My hands moved expertly, knowing exactly what to do. I could feel the weight of the sword, hanging all the way down my back, almost to my heels. I could sense the hilt standing up behind my left shoulder, waiting to be drawn. I could feel Excalibur’s presence, like a shield at my back that no weapon could ever pierce. Like another pair of eyes, watching out for me. I was so taken up with all these new feelings that it took me a moment to notice that Suzie was looking at me very strangely.
“What?” I said.
Suzie walked round me in a tight circle, examining me from all angles. “The moment you strapped that sword into place, it vanished. Gone. Invisible. Are you sure it’s still there?”
“Yes,” I said. “I can feel the weight of it, the pressure of its purpose. And it feels like it’s got my back.”
“You used to feel that way about me,” said Suzie.
“I still do!”
“Shouting again ...”
“I trust you with my life, Suzie. Which is more than I’ll say about Excalibur. I can’t help feeling that this sword has its own agenda.”
“Yes, well, that’s magic swords for you,” said Suzie. “And destiny, for that matter. I suppose it’s too late to mark it RETURN TO SENDER and throw the thing out?”
“Almost certainly,” I said. “It’s no good, Suzie; I’m going to need help with this one. Very specialised help and advice. And there’s only one place I can think of that’s a real authority on all things Arthurian. I’m going to have to leave the Nightside and go back out into London Proper. And talk with the London Knights.”
“You have got to be kidding. Those arrogant, stuck-up, conceited little prigs?”
“Yes,” I said. “That’s the ones.”
“You are not going anywhere until we’ve talked this through very thoroughly. You don’t have to leave the Nightside, John. This place is lousy with all kinds of experts, on every subject under the sun, and a whole bunch of other things that can only thrive in permanent darkness. There are people here who know something about everything, everything about something, and ... there has to be somebody here! There has to be.”
“Not this time,” I said gently. “Excalibur is too ... pure for the Nightside. Pure in purpose and nature. It has to be the London Knights. After alclass="underline" who has a better claim to Excalibur than the last defenders of Camelot?”
Suzie sniffed loudly. Her way of saying that while I might have convinced her, there was no way in hell she was going to admit it. And being Suzie, she immediately attacked from another direction.
“I thought you said you felt a responsibility to take over Walker’s position, here in the Nightside?”
“I do,” I said. “But that can wait. This ... is bigger. I’m hoping Excalibur has reappeared to prevent a Final Battle rather than start one. But I can’t know for sure, and I won’t know what to do for the best until I’ve talked with the London Knights.”
Suzie looked at me for a long moment with her cold blue eyes and her cold, expressionless face. She might be easier with me physically these days, but emotions were always going to be difficult for her.
“You’ve been gone from London Proper for a long time, John. They didn’t treat you at all well, out there in the real world.”
“No,” I said. “I can’t say I was ever happy there. And there are probably still a lot of really nasty people who would love to have another crack at me. Never mind those I still owe money to. But I was hiding my light under a bushel in those days, pretending to be merely another private investigator. I’m so much more than that now.”
“Ah well,” said Suzie. “If you’ve got enemies there, that simplifies things. I’ll have to go with you. Hang on while I go gather up my guns and grenades.”
“You can’t come with me, Suzie.”
“What? Why not?”
“Because you can’t walk round London Proper loaded down with guns and grenades like you do here. The police would arrest you on sight. And you know you wouldn’t get on with the London Knights. They’re very ... spiritual.”