Page 37 of Firefly

Rebecca straightened, and Alexander beckoned her to follow. He turned, not looking back, confident he had her, sure she would do as he asked now that he knew Sarah’s secret.

Chapter 28

Simon

Simon slapped a hand over his mouth to stop the sound from escaping his lips as another of his men was sent to his knees. The gun cracked, sounding through the night.

He was a coward, hiding while the men were dragged off the ship and lined up. One by one, they gave their name, rank, and unit. As each man gave the information, he was forced to his knees.

He had thought there would be time, assumed he could find a way to save them. But everything had happened so fast. Now, only thirty-three of the men were left, waiting their turn to die.

Each watched as the man in front of him took his place. Resignation and defeat hung from their drooping shoulders.

Even knowing they would die, not one of them had given him up.

The hairs on the back of Simon’s neck prickled, and he sensed him the moment before he appeared beside him.

“Sssimon.”

Simon wiped a hot tear from his cheek, ignoring the demon beside him.

“Alesssander bid me bring you home.”

“I haven’t brought him his one hundred demons. I can’t go home.”

“He sssent me to assissst.”

“I’m done helping him.”

“It appearsss to me you are exactly where you mussst be to complete the tasssk.”

Simon glanced sideways at the insubstantial form beside him, swiping his eyes again. Another shot rang through the air as he glared at Astaroth. “I have come no closer to a solution now than I had a year ago.”

“We will transssport the demonsss in the bodiesss of the dead.”

Simon started. “What do you mean?”

“The war isss over. Your friendsss are going home.” Astaroth’s gaze darted to Simon. “In boxesss.”

Something tore in his chest. Some vital part of him wrenched in two. “How?”

Astaroth hovered beside him, seeming to consider his words.

Simon swallowed the bile threatening to rise in this throat. “Demons need live bodies.”

Astaroth gave him another appraising look. “We have someone helping on the other side.”

The next shot startled him as he leaned into the wall. They had looked up to him, trusted him, but Williams had been something more. He had found a place in Simon’s dead heart. His friend slumped to the ground beside the others; a piece of Simon’s humanity fell with him.

Simon would have asked: Why these men? How? But all his questions suddenly felt irrelevant.

There had been no shortage of death in the year he’d spent abroad. He had watched as countless skeletal men were worked and starved until they took their last breath. He had seen innumerable horrors at the hands of monsters and watched as the last of those he’d tried to save took their final breath.

There was only one person left alive who cared for him: Rebecca. The only thing that mattered now was getting back to her. Suddenly, it felt vitally important that he go home.

“What do I need to do?” His voice was flat, even to his ears, but he couldn’t muster the energy to care.

Chapter 29

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