Between Two Fires
by Christopher Buehlman
Contents
Eighteen: Of the Penitents, and of Auxerre
Overview
Thomas, Delphine, and Père Matthieu trail signs of flagellants and find a dwarf voluntarily crucified. In Auxerre, Rutger the Fair’s Penitents theatrically raise three dead, swaying the town. Defying a warning angel, Delphine restores the dead to real death, provoking a mob. As devils manifest, an angel intervenes, creating Delphine’s escape.
Summary
Following strange tracks marked by periodic mass prostrations and snapped branches, Thomas, Delphine, and Père Matthieu reach Ponchelvert and find a dwarf tied to a cross, crown of thorns on his head. He insists on suffering as a town-appointed honor to appease God at the Penitents’ direction. Thomas hauls him down, then, moved by the dwarf’s resolve to “do the one thing I can,” ties him back up.
In Auxerre, Emma LaTour, recently widowed by the plague, hears a beautiful German boy heralding miracles. He gathers townsfolk to St. Etienne, where flagellants march in, bleeding and chanting under their scarred leader, Rutger the Fair. Rutger offers salvation by tithing bodies or crucifixions, then whips up a frenzy. At sunset, his acolytes scourge three corpses—Emma’s husband Richard, a barmaid, and Yvette Michonneau—until they rise, shocking the crowd.
Near Perigny, Thomas and Père Matthieu camp, letting Delphine sleep. She wakes from a vision of a devil in Auxerre and sees the sad messenger angel, who warns her to stay and continue to Avignon; she slips away toward town regardless, leaving “STAY HERE” on the cart.
At the cathedral square, Rutger promises immunity and obedience from the revived. Emma protests the blasphemy. Delphine arrives, kisses each revenant’s hand or foot, and each collapses back into true death, including the German boy who reverts to his plague-spotted corpse. The crowd turns, branding Delphine a witch; acolytes seize her and the mob moves to drown her.
Suddenly, those closest to Delphine are struck blind, chaos erupts, and she wriggles free. Devils appear: a lion-faced knight on a monstrous horse with mouths for eyes, while Rutger’s eyes multiply. A hidden angel reveals itself to Delphine, topples a shop to block the devils’ sightline, and commands one word: Run.
Who Appears
- DelphineDisobeys an angel to confront Rutger’s miracle; kisses revenants to true death; survives a mob as blindness and an angel save her.
- Rutger the FairCharismatic leader of the Penitents; orchestrates flagellation and raises the dead; reveals monstrous traits as events unravel.
- German boy heraldBeautiful, barefoot announcer; summons Auxerre; revealed as a resurrected plague victim and returned to death by Delphine.
- Emma LaTourWidow of Richard; challenges Rutger’s blasphemy; witnesses her husband’s false revival and collapse.
- Père MatthieuTravels with Thomas and Delphine; camps near Perigny; reads Delphine’s “STAY HERE” note after she departs.
- ThomasAttempts to free a self-crucified dwarf, then respects his vow; camps outside Auxerre, unaware Delphine has left.
- Self-crucified dwarf of PonchelvertVolunteers to suffer on a cross to save his town; insists on resuming despite rescue.
- Richard LaTourEmma’s husband; corpse is whipped to stand, then re-dies when Delphine touches him.
- Yvette MichonneauBishop’s mistress; exhumed and raised during the spectacle; returned to true death by Delphine.
- Auxerre barmaidRecently dead beauty revived by the Penitents; restored to death by Delphine’s kiss.
- Messenger angelWarns Delphine to avoid Auxerre; later topples a shop to shield her and commands her to run.
- Lion-faced knightDemonic figure arriving with a monstrous horse; menaces the square as chaos erupts.