"Mm," Raguel says vaguely. He's not quite looking at Crowley.



Without warning, behind and slightly to Crowley's right, there's an explosion. A huge column of flickering yellow flame roars up from the ground, billows outward and peaks more than fifteen feet in the air. After about three seconds it disappears, leaving only a distracting afterimage and a scorched place on the ground.

"Missed one," Raguel says sheepishly.