by Zoey Derrick
“Do we have that kind of time?” Mikah asks from behind Vivienne.
“You do. As I said, you’re fully protected within the apartment, and when you go out the same applies. We can drop the protection anytime and expose you to Riley when you’re ready.”
“But if we’re fully protected, why do we even have to expose ourselves to him at all? Or to anyone for that matter? What is the point of all of this?” Vivienne is rather upset. “Why can’t we just leave it alone and forget about it?”
Mikah takes a deep breath. “I think I can answer that one, Vivienne. If we don’t fight, you will never be in the clear.”
“Mikah is right,” Elizabeth says. “Riley is not all you will have to worry about in your lifetime, however he is the one who poses the biggest threat to you now. The devil knows that he’s found something in Riley. The anger that, for whatever reason, Riley holds against you is a very powerful tool, and Link will do whatever he can to exploit that. If you, Mikah, and the guardians eliminate Riley, you send a message to the devil that even his best men will be unsuccessful.” Elizabeth paces again. “Link is too blind to see that evil will always exist, that it has to. There has to be a balance in the world of good and evil. When Riley fails, he will turn to his next tactic.”
“Which is what exactly?” Mikah says flatly.
“An heir.” Zirah steps forward. “The devil will seek an heir to his throne so that when your daughter comes of age and if she decides to defeat him, the circle of hell continues with that heir.”
“What happens, hypothetically speaking, if my daughter defeats the devil and there is no heir?”
Elizabeth, Zirah, Seraphina and Red all look at each other, but no one seems about to answer.
“I don’t recommend ignoring that question,” Vivienne says, a warning note in her voice.
Elizabeth looks at her, anger in her eyes, but she softens when she realizes who it is that she’s talking to.
“If the devil has no heir when he is defeated, a state of anarchy will break out within the walls of hell. When that happens, hell on earth will be born and the destruction of mankind imminent.” All eyes are on Elizabeth, fear and understanding radiating throughout the room. “You see, again, it is about the balance of good versus evil.”
No one says anything. Vivienne takes a few steps back to sit back down. “We have no choice.” Her voice is weak and quiet.
“Believe me, I wish there was.” Elizabeth’s voice has taken on a somber tone, and Vivienne places her head in her hands again, deflated and exhausted.
“Is there anything else we need to know?” Vivienne says through her hands.
“No, not right now,” Elizabeth says. “You, Mikah, Red, and the other guardians can work on your plan. Mikah, when you’re ready, speak to Red and you two can discuss training. Vivienne, you will need to come to Elysium for yours. Zirah and Seraphina will be more than happy to help you. I suggest that you don’t wait too long to get started. The sooner we can end this, the sooner it will be over.” Elizabeth, sensing his determination to be done with this, approaches Mikah. “But you do not need to do this alone, my son. Those in this room will help you, and you will have Elysium on your side when you go.”
Mikah takes his mother by the arm and kisses her cheek. He whispers in her ear so that only she can hear it. “I know. And you know that I will do anything to keep both of them safe.”
“Do not be a martyr. Protect them and yourself,” she whispers back. She knows how much Vivienne and her daughter mean to him, though he may not yet realize it himself.
He kisses her cheek once more, and she goes to Vivienne and kneels in front of her. “I knew from the very first moment I saw you, so many years ago, that you were special.”
Vivienne raises her head to look at her. Elizabeth’s eyes are soft, warm and a comfort, but they are wary too.
“Your strength, your determination, and most of all your heart are pure. Call on me at any time if you need to talk.” Elizabeth kisses Vivienne on the cheek. “Go now and rest.”
TWENTY-THREE
“What do we do now?” Mikah asks. He, Vivienne and the guardians are back in his penthouse, standing in the dining room.
“We need to establish some type of daily routine for Vivienne. Like walking along the river or going to a store nearby. And while she’s engaged in this activity, we have to drop her protection.” Red says.
“No. Absolutely not. She cannot go out unprotected and alone.”
“Mikah, she will not be alone. We will all be there with her. But she has to appear alone. We need to be able to draw Riley out, get the attention of Link, who will send Riley in to do whatever it is he wants him to do. But in order to do that, we have to lay the trap, and in order to do that, her presence needs to register with the devil’s watchers. They need to know at what time of day they can expect her to show up. Once they’ve identified her pattern, they will pass the message along. Exposing her one time will not draw out what we’re after.”
“I don’t like the idea of using Vivienne as bait,” Mikah says, but his tone is more plaintive now than commanding.
Vivienne looks at Mikah. “We have no other choice.”
She’s right of course, and Mikah knows it, but fear grips him; he is putting her in danger, something he swore to himself he would never do again.
“She’s right, Mikah, we have no other choice,” says Red.
“I know, it’s just...it’s so dangerous. He got to her once and I couldn’t live with myself if he gets to her again.” He looks to Vivienne, on the verge of tears at the idea of anything happening to her.
“We have a plan in place,” Red says, “we just need you two ready and willing to make it happen. No harm will come to Vivienne, we will make sure of that. We will do everything in our power to make sure no harm comes to anyone, but Vivienne’s protection is our main concern.”
Red’s commitment to keeping Vivienne safe makes Mikah feel a little better about the situation, but still he’s not convinced.
“You don’t think I worry about you?” Vivienne whispers to Mikah, aware that his concern for her safety could drive him to try and stop this from happening. “All of you? It would kill me if anything happened to any of you.”
“We know,” Red says, compassion in his eyes.
Something occurs to Vivienne. “I’m not sure that I’m understanding all of this,” she says. “If the devil likes control, why doesn’t he handle things himself?”
“The devil doesn’t do his own dirty work because he knows that there is always a chance that someone could defeat him. He uses ‘tools’ like Riley to keep himself out of harm’s way.”
“Okay, so where do we come into all of this? How does our defeating Riley change any of that?” Mikah asks. It is the same question that’s weighing on Vivienne’s mind.
“The devil killed Riley, thus making him a tool at his disposal to do his work. Until the demon Riley is destroyed by something other than the devil, Link can continue to use him as he sees fit. When he is destroyed, Link has no choice but to send him into hell.”
Vivienne recalls the stories of Dante and the circles of hell and wonders idly which circle Riley will fall into once he is destroyed.
“We destroy Riley,” Red says, “and Riley is no longer a threat to either one of you, and the devil goes about his task of finding an heir.”
“I’m willing to do anything if it means that Riley never bothers me again and I know that my daughter is safe,” Vivienne says with more confidence in her voice than what she’s had since Red knocked on the bedroom door.
“That, my dear, is why you are an angel,” Red says.
“When do we start?” Mikah asks.
“Tomorrow morning around nine. We will have Vivienne go for a walk, and we’ll drop her shields, putting her on the radar. My guess is that it will take at least three or four days before the watchers report back to Link. They will be certain that this is a daily thing before they report. If there is anyon
e they don’t want to piss off, it’s the devil.”
Mikah and Vivienne nod as Red, and the guardians turn to leave. Neither one of them says anything for some time as they consider what comes next.
TWENTY-FOUR
The next morning the guardians arrive around 8:30. All three men are wearing black cargo pants and black hooded pullover sweatshirts. But what catches Vivienne’s attention the most is what’s attached to their legs. Strapped to Red’s and Andrew’s right thighs, and Connor’s left, are black guns.
Mikah notices Vivienne’s unease. “Are those necessary?” he asks them.
“They are.” Andrew steps forward and hands Mikah a bag. “Inside you will find pants, a sweatshirt and a pair of boots.”
Mikah takes the bag from him. It weighs more than what pants, boots and a sweatshirt should weigh, and Mikah knows that there is a holster and gun inside for him. The gun doesn’t bother Mikah – he knows how to shoot; it’s just been a long time.
“Why don’t you go change? We’re going to explain some things to Vivienne.”
“I’d like to be here for that.”
“No need, lad,” interjects Red. “We’re just going to discuss what she’s going to do and how she’s going to do it. Go change.”
Mikah nods hesitantly, then looks to Vivienne and smiles. He heads into the bedroom just as Andrew starts talking to Viv.
“Okay, we’re all going to walk out the front door toward the river. Once you’re on the riverside path we will lower your shields.”
“Will I be able to notice the difference?”
“Not likely, but you might. Here,” he says as he hands her a tiny black sphere that’s about the size of a blueberry. “That goes into your ear. You will be able to hear us, and we will be able to hear you if you talk. We will be walking with you, but you won’t be able to see us. You may, depending on your skills, be able to sense us with you.”
“I’m pretty good at sensing Mikah,” she says, thinking about how sometimes she knows he’s there even when she can’t actually see him.
“That should be enough then. Today we’re going to have Celeste walk with you.”
Vivienne nods her understanding and looks at Celeste, who smiles back at her.
As if to prove what she said about sensing Mikah, Vivienne turns to Andrew. “He’s behind me, isn’t he?”
Andrew laughs. “Well done. Yes he is.”
Vivienne turns to look. The sight of Mikah in the black pants and sweatshirt send her heart fluttering like crazy. He looks tough yet so normal. Then she notices that he, too, has a gun strapped to his thigh, and her excitement over seeing him turns to anxiety.
“Are those really necessary? Will they even work against anything that might be coming after us?”
“Actually, yes. They’re gold-tipped bullets. Though we’re not sure how effective they’ll be against the likes of Riley, they should be enough to at least slow him down.”
Andrew’s confidence is comforting to Vivienne and even a little to Mikah.
“Vivienne,” Andrew continues, “once you hit the river path we’re going to walk north, to your right, for about fifteen minutes and then turn around and come back toward the house.”
“That’s it?” Mikah asks.
“Yup, that’s it.”
“What happens if someone shows up?” Vivienne’s voice is halting and Mikah can feel the fear that she’s feeling.
“Unlikely, but should it happen, you’re Celeste’s first priority, even if it means transporting you to Elysium. If it is anyone other than Riley, Red can transport Mikah, and Connor and I can handle it. Better to keep the two of you safe.”
Vivienne reaches for her jacket, which is hanging on the back of the stool at the breakfast bar, and Mikah notices her hand shaking. He doesn’t say anything as he walks up behind her.
She leans into him. “I’m scared.”
“Don’t be, sweetheart, you’ll be safe. You’ve seen these men in action already. You know what they’re capable of.”
Mikah’s words calm her significantly, and he helps her into her jacket.
“You’ll do great,” Mikah reassures her, despite his own reservations. He knows that he needs to be strong for her.
She nods as she zips up her jacket, turning toward the line of men. “I’m ready,” she says, her voice surprisingly confident given the fear raging through her veins.
Celeste grabs her own coat and goes to stand next to Vivienne.
“Alright, let’s go,” Red says and leads the way.
Once they reach the lobby Celeste and Vivienne take point. Vivienne takes great comfort in the fact that Mikah is close behind her. It makes it a little easier to walk out the door.
Celeste leads them toward the river. It’s only a couple of blocks away, but there is not a whole lot between the condo and the river. The north side of the condo complex is paved walkways and manicured lawns, trees and bushes. Winter has left the trees bare, but the color of the evergreen bushes stands out against the brown grass. It hasn’t snowed much yet.
As soon as Vivienne’s feet hit the asphalt of the river path she feels the strangest sensation, like a shimmer across her back. Andrew announces in her ear, “Shields are down.”
As Vivienne and Celeste walk side by side Vivienne can feel the presence of the guardians and Mikah in her wings. “Are you surrounding us?” Vivienne whispers.
“Yes. Why?”
Each sensation in her back is a little bit different. She immediately knows Mikah’s because his is the warmest and softest, more like a caress than the other three spots. “Mikah is to my back and left. Celeste is next to me, obviously. But...”
“Go on, Vivienne,” Red says. When he talks, a spot on her back stings and she is quick to determine that his voice, or whatever he is doing, is registering.
“Ah, Red, you’re to my front right.”
“Well done.” Connor’s voice is oddly comforting, though her back’s response to him is a little sharper.
“Back right?” she says back to him.
“Excellent, Vivienne,” Andrew says.
“Front left,” she says. “But how can I feel you guys?”
“Can you feel Celeste?” Andrew asks.
“Not the way I feel you guys, but I can sense her, despite the fact that I can see her.”
“You can feel us.”
“Whoa. That tickles.” Her ear is filled with soft chuckles of the four men around her, and suddenly the sensations have all shifted. “You moved.”
“We did. You can feel us because you’re in tune to us. When we lowered the shields you became more aware of the things around you. If you concentrate hard enough you may be able to feel more than us, but we will worry about that another day.”
TWENTY-FIVE
They finish their walk without incident, and then Mikah, Andrew, Red, and Connor all head downstairs to Vivienne’s condo to begin Mikah’s training. Vivienne isn’t sure what they will be doing and she doesn’t have time to dwell on it because Celeste opens a portal to Elysium and they both step through.
Standing on the other side of the room are Seraphina and Zirah, both wearing white haltered pantsuits. Next to them, Vivienne feels self-conscious in her yoga pants and t-shirt.
“Hello, Vivienne.” Zirah steps forward, then turns to Celeste. “Celeste, you may go.”
Celeste doesn’t hesitate; she walks back out the door they just came through.
“Are you ready to learn how to protect your guardians?” she asks Vivienne.
“I’m ready, but I haven’t a clue what to do.”
Seraphina steps forward. “That is why we are here. Fighting, in your condition, is not going to be your strongest skill, so we’re going to teach you how to heal and use some basic protection techniques.”
“Okay,” Vivienne says uncertainly, but she’s eager to know what it is that she needs to do – or can do – to protect Mikah.
“Come with us.”
Zirah and Seraphina both
turn toward a door. Through the windows on either side of it, Vivienne can see green grass and flowers. A garden.
Vivienne follows them out the door and into the vast garden. It is probably one of the most beautiful sights she’s ever seen. Stone paths lined with all different types of flowers crisscross the garden, and between the paths is lush green grass that is soft under Vivienne’s feet. Two benches surround a brick walkway around a fountain in the center of the garden, and four pathways lead away from the fountain to arches in the bushes and hedges that mark the borders of the garden. Beautiful white flowers peek out from the hedges. Vivienne can’t see what lies beyond that.
“In order to show you what you need to do, we first need to teach you what not to do,” Seraphina says as she plucks a white rosebud from a nearby bush. She brings the bud to Vivienne. “Hold out your hands.”
Vivienne does as she says.
“Now bring them together to make a bowl.”
Vivienne brings her hands together pinky to pinky and cups them, then Seraphina places the rose bud gently in her palms.
“Now, I want you to close your eyes and visualize the rose in your hands. Let it become a part of you.” Vivienne closes her eyes. The flower is light and soft against her palms.
From somewhere behind Seraphina there is a loud noise like two pieces of wood slamming together. Vivienne starts. A white-hot flash kisses her palms and she drops the rose.
Opening her eyes, she looks at Seraphina, then down. The rose is no longer a rose but a pile of black ash on the ground.
“What happened?”
Zirah says, “You lost your concentration, and instead of healing the rose, you burned it.”
“But—” Vivienne is confused. She didn’t even know what had happened until after it was already done.
“This was to show you what can happen when you lose focus. Your ability to heal also has a negative side. You cannot have the ability to heal without the ability to destroy. Balance,” Zirah says, and Vivienne understands immediately.
