by M. R. Forbes
"It is what we have, signore," the poet said. "If we must, we will search every pyramid on this Earth, because what will happen if we do not is untenable."
"He's right," Charis said, putting her hand on my shoulder and squeezing.
I knew it was true, but that didn't make it any less frustrating. The pompous, arrogant, evil smile invaded my consciousness, leering at me. There was no way I was going to let the Beast win.
"I'm sorry," I said. "It's been a rough couple of days. We'll head to Egypt to see if we can find the path we're being led towards. I think we should make a pit-stop in Paris and get our hands on Avriel first. We have the Box, which means he's the Beast's most probable next target."
"Agreed," Charis said. "We need to reach him before he does."
Dante smiled. "Excellent," he said. "I will return to Purgatory to see if I can find anything to help you narrow your search. I'll let you know as soon as I find something of value. Here, take this." He handled the piece of papyrus like it was an infant, passing it carefully over to me.
With that he was gone, vanishing in the space between one moment of time and the next. The three of us stood together, saying nothing, until Izak broke it up by returning to his spot on the floor. I took the parchment and focused, finding the weakness and age in the structure, and putting it back together, strengthening it enough so that I could fold it up and stick it in my pocket. I could imagine Dante making his angry face at me for doing it.
Charis' hand was still on my shoulder, and she squeezed it again as she leaned up and in, her lips brushing against my ear. The move reminded me of when she had given me the Grail, and her warning. Even then, when I believed she was the enemy, her closeness had electrified me.
"You wanted to talk?" she asked. "In private?" Her breath was warm, and it smelled like cinnamon.
"I did," I said, reaching up and taking her hand, holding it in my own. I turned to face her, so I could look into her eyes. I could see the flames behind them, the red soul of the demon Vilya watching everything from her place within. I hadn't looked in a mirror lately, but I was sure my eyes were red these days too. I took a deep breath, my heart throbbing in my chest, every muscle feeling a charged ache from being near her. Privacy would be good. I leaned forward, tilting my head and placing it against hers. "But now I can't remember what I was going to say."
Our noses were almost touching. I could feel the heat from the blood running through her face, and smell the mixture of her breath and hair and skin with the heightened senses Ulnyx provided. It was intoxicating.
"You don't need to say anything," she replied. Her mouth was right there, her lips parted, inviting mine to join them. Never before in my life had I wanted anything else as much.
I pulled back. I regretted it right way, because I didn't know when I would get another chance, but I also knew it was what I had to do. She knew it too, because she didn't get mad, or embarrassed, or shy.
"You owe me," was all she said, and then she smiled. The ease of it made me smile too. "So I guess we're headed to France. You know where Avriel is?"
"I know where I left him," I replied. Hanging from a meat-hook, being tortured by one of the most powerful demons ever created. I wasn't thrilled about the prospect of going back there. I had promised the angel I would end his misery, and then reneged because it didn't suit me. I didn't regret that decision, I just hated that I was going to have to take the consequences head-on. Being Divine didn't take away every level of my human cowardice. This would be a lot easier if Josette were around to help me talk to him.
Charis let go of my hand. "We should get a move on then," she said.
I nodded, but hesitated. "Josette." I called out for her, focusing and reaching for the frayed ends of our connection, trying to pull them together, to smooth them out. Chaos raced along the trail, my mind pulled in so many directions. Avriel, the Beast, Gervais, Sarah, Rebecca. Why did it always come back to Rebecca? Even when I let go and accepted my growing attachment to my counterpart?
"You saw what happened, between the angel and I?" I asked.
"You did what you had to do," she said.
"Tell that to Avriel. You needed Vilya back to get us through the rift. I need Josette back if we're going to convince him to help us. He was called 'the Just' for a reason."
"Landon, there isn't time," she said. "Especially if the Beast's next move is to bring Abaddon under his sway. If he gets the demon on his side, and sends him for Sarah..."
She didn't need to finish the sentence. I knew what would happen. Sarah would try to Command him, and if she failed, she would be taken, and we would be destroyed. Abaddon had caused Izak to run. She would fail.
"I'm close," I said. "I just need a chance to rest for a little while." It was a lie. I had no idea how close I was, but the feeling that I needed Josette was becoming more concrete in my soul. Or was it my backbone?
"Landon!" The shout came from the top of the steps. Obi. I tapped Charis' eyes with my own, and we rushed up the stairs, Izak not far behind.
The first thing I noticed was the blood, running in a tight red line, following the seam of the hallway's stone floor. My first thought was that Obi was hurt, but it was wrong. The second thing I saw was the former marine, kneeling close to the floor, cradling a woman in his arms. Thomas was standing behind him, a nasty gash in his cheek. The second thought was confusion, and the third anger. The woman was Divine, an angel, Melody. Her toga-like dress was stained red along her stomach, and her tucked wings hung limp behind her, the blood using them to run down off her body to the floor, creating the line I had followed.
The fact that she was bleeding could only mean one thing. She had been attacked by one of her own, with a blessed weapon. The fact that she still had her wings, meant that her attackers had traded in theirs for a different set.
"There's holy water in the rectory," I said, running over and dropping to my knees opposite Obi. "Thomas, go."
The angel looked dazed. He glanced down at me, and then turned and headed off to get the healing agent.
"Melody," I said, my voice soft. "Can you hear me."
Her eyes were closed, but they fluttered open when I spoke to her. A small smile made it onto her lips. "Landon," she said. "I came to... to warn you." Her voice was broken and weak. The rectory wasn't far, but she was as close to gone as I could imagine. Thomas wasn't going to make it.
I reached down to her stomach, finding the hole in her garment where the sword had stabbed her. "You aren't going to die today," I said, closing my eyes to focus on the wound. We needed to hear whatever she had to say, and I knew Obi had the hots for her. Then there was the third reason to heal her. A selfish reason.
I had healed Josette once this way. It was the only other time I had even tried it, but the action felt familiar as I concentrated on the wound, finding the torn internals and willing them back together, knitting the muscle and tissue and staunching the bleeding. I could hear activity around me, a subliminal understanding of speech and motion, but I didn't pay it any mind. I pushed my energy into her, feeling her flesh grow warm to the touch, and knowing that she would live.
My eyes opened, and I pulled back my hand. I was weak, but not weak enough. The selfish reason. I wanted to pass out, to find the sleep that was the only thing that would put Josette and I back together again. It was denied to me, but at least I had saved her.
"What do you think you're doing, laddie?" Father Tom was leaning over me, yelling into my ear. Charis had a grip on his arm, trying to pull him away. Obi's face was stretched tight with concern, and Thomas was holding out a paper cup filled with holy water. "You have no right to touch the flesh of such a creature."
I flipped my gaze over to meet his, and didn't back down. I managed to maintain my calm as I spoke. "I just saved her life," I said.
"You did," Melody said, her voice quiet but strong. I looked away from Father Tom to check on her. Her eyes were open, staring up at me with a reverence and respect I didn't deserve. "Thank you."
"Melody," Obi said, leaning down over her. "I'm happy to see you, but can we meet under better circumstances next time?"
"Now what fun would that be?" she replied, reaching up and tapping his cheek.
"How are you feeling?" I asked.
"A little out of sorts, but I'll survive, thanks to you."
"Father Tom, do you have a bed, or another couch?" I knew the one in his office was already taken.
"She can swap with me," Sarah said. She had come up behind the priest, her face haggard but more relaxed than it had been since the day she had been taken. It was good to see, even knowing it wasn't going to last.
"Come on then," Father Tom said. "Clear a path. Carry her in, and be gentle boy-o."
Obi lifted Melody as he rose to his feet, and carried her easily past us and into the Father's office. The priest genuflected when they passed.
"I can't even begin to understand the Lord's plan for me in all of this," Father Tom whispered as we shuffled into the office behind them.
The Beast was loose, Abaddon was free, and angels were attacking angels. I wasn't convinced the Lord had any plan at all, or that His eyes were even open. Maybe there was some twist of fate involved, and maybe there wasn't. We were all here, now, and we knew what we had to do. "I'm the last person who can answer that for you, Father," I said," but I'm thankful for your hospitality."
Obi laid Melody on the couch, still warm and indented from where Sarah had been laying. Melody fluttered her wings once and sunk into the leather, squeezing the former marine's hand before allowing him to withdraw.
"Okay," I said, resting with my back against the desk. "What the heck is going on?"
Melody turned her head so she could see me. A bead of moisture began to form under her eyes. "They don't believe in the Beast," she said. "They don't believe he's real."
My eyes shifted to the splotch of red on her stomach. "They attacked you," I pointed out. "You're saying they weren't servants?"
She shrugged. "I don't know if those blokes were servants or not. After you fled the farmhouse, I had a little chat with the two you left eating dirt." She smirked. "They dragged me back to Heaven, and brought me before Kassie."
"She's the Head Inquisitor," Thomas said, before I could ask.
"Kassie forced me to Confess, again. She was anything but gentle. I told her everything I knew about you, from the first time we had met in the airport." She shifted her gaze to Izak. "They made me tell them who he is. They're scared, knowing he's with you. They thought he was out of play."
Izak's grin was priceless. He might have softened up since meeting Josette, but he took delight in his reputation.
"They said I was sullied, and would need Cleansing."
I heard Thomas gasp behind me. "Cleansing?"
"When Confession isn't enough," Thomas said. "It's an... interesting ... form of torture. It's supposed to purge impurities from your soul. The Inquisitors created it as a way to get information without being cast out for cruelty."
Heaven got more interesting with every bit I learned. Even with all of their black and white rules, there was still room for a lot of grey, and it didn't sound pleasant at all.
"The details aren't important," Melody said. "Kassie ordered me to be Cleansed. My interactions with you, and your demon, and my..." She paused and looked at Obi. "My growing affection for your sidekick supposedly poisoned me."
"Man, why do I have to be the sidekick?" Obi asked. "I'm bigger than you. And smarter."
"Let's see you turn into a fourteen foot tall beast monster," I replied.
"Boys, can we focus?" Charis said, her tight smile betraying her amusement. I still thought levity was the best cure for tension, and I could always rely on Obi to instigate.
"So you escaped?" I asked.
"They were bringing me to the Cleansing chamber. I used a move Obi taught me, getting free and making a run for it. I was almost away, but Kassie managed to head me off. We fought. I lost."
"But you didn't fall," Sarah said.
"I didn't use my weapon against her. I knew what it would mean. I never expected her to stab me, but she was furious."
"So she fell?"
Melody shook her head. "Inquisitors have extra leeway, as long as their motives are pure. She didn't stab me out of malice, but because she thought I was a threat to all of the seraphim. She'll have to answer to an archangel, and likely Confess to be sure her actions were appropriate, but it isn't an automatic out. Anyway, Obi had given me a cell. I called him, found out where he was, and came to him."
"That's why you went outside?" I asked. He nodded. "So, you came to warn me. About what?"
"Kassie," she said. "The Inquisitors are convinced you have a Canaan Blade, and they're going to come down on you hard to get it. They may even get Gabriel involved. Like I said, they don't believe the Beast is real."
"Don't they know they've got demons and angels right outside of this church attacking both sides?"
"Landon," Thomas said. "The angels are only attacking demons. They may be helping the demon servants locate targets, but it's business as usual as far as Heaven knows."
I took a deep breath, and kicked my foot back against the desk, hearing the wood crack behind the force. Father Tom winced at the sound, and I immediately felt guilty. "Bad to worse," I said. "What the hell is so important about those swords?"
"I told you everything I know," Thomas replied. "I wish I could tell you more."
"I know," I said. I brought my hands up, resting my head in them. I needed time to think, to rest, to take a breath and escape from being me for a minute or two. The Beast, Abaddon, Gervais, Sarah, Inquisitors, Avriel, Josette. It was too much to deal with at one time.
"Just kill 'em all," Ulnyx said, choosing the wrong time to make his opinion known.
"Shut up," I replied, ignoring the resulting laughter.
"Landon?" Obi asked. "You okay, man?"
I hesitated. "No. I'm not." I dropped my hands and stared down at the floor. "I didn't sign up for this."
Charis was at my side in a second, her arm draped around my shoulders. "It's okay," she said. "None of us did. Not like this. Take a look around for a second though. An angel, a demon, a priest, a fallen angel, a mortal, a pure diuscrucis, me. We're a motley bunch, but we represent every facet of what God created, either directly or indirectly." She swung around in front of me, putting her hand under my chin, lifting my head to meet my eyes with hers. "You brought us together. You. We're all on your side first and foremost, regardless of our personal reasons. There is nothing out there that could have planned for that, or planned to go up against that. Maybe you can't do it on your own, but you don't have to."
It was a good speech. A little cheesy, but effective. I smiled at her and nodded. "You're right," I said. "Thank you all for being here."
"Anytime, man," Obi said, speaking for all of them.
"So now what?" Sarah asked.
I looked at her, and then at Melody. "Now it's time for a nap," I said.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
I kicked everyone out of the office, except for Melody, Charis, and Sarah. Obi protested the loudest, but he was still evicted. My motivation might have been dubious, but the fact is that I believed I needed Josette back, and that was enough. Charis was right in that I had brought a disparate and diverse group together by following my path without question, so it only made sense to keep going with the flow, rather than rushing against the tide.
"Are you ready?" I asked Melody. I had taken her spot on the couch, and she and Sarah were kneeling over me, next to one another. Charis was standing behind my head. She didn't have to be there, but I had wanted her nearby.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said. "It's tough having Ulnyx in here without anyone to help keep him quiet."
"You're getting on my nerves," the Great Were said in response. "We don't need the White Princess back."
"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" I replied.
&
nbsp; My hope was that Josette would help me deal with Avriel, and maybe even the Inquisitors. If she knew anything about the Canaan Blades, that would be an extra special bonus. I figured we could fix the connection if I were sleeping, the same way Charis had with Vilya, but that was going to take some time. My new plan was to have Melody and Sarah Calm me, together, and hopefully put me into a state of being that sped up the process.
"Just don't ask me anything personal," I said to Melody.
"Like the color of your knickers?" she laughed.
"I'm not wearing knickers," I lied.
"Naughty, naughty."
I closed my eyes and breathed in, a deep breath that caught the smell of Charis standing behind me. The warm cinnamon of her was comforting, and I focused on pulling apart every molecule of it.
"Tell me about Josette," Melody said. I felt the pressure of her Calming words, my mind reflexively trying to defend against it. I doubled my efforts to capture Charis' essence. I hadn't been sure Melody would be strong enough to Calm me, which is why I had Sarah standing by.
"Yes, Landon," she said. "Tell me about mother. Tell me about how you met, and what she means to you."
The words started flowing without thought or effort. It wasn't that I even recognized when the Calm began to take hold. First it hadn't, and then it had. "The Apple Store, of all things," I said. "I was trying to keep a low profile, to get some information and figure out what I was supposed to do. She saw me, and I saw her, and I don't know... it didn't start that well, but there was just something about her. We were always meant to meet, I think. We were always meant to be friends, or something..."
I knew I was still talking, somewhere in the back of my mind. I knew words were still coming out, because I caught a phrase every now and then, "plain, but pretty", "fun and exciting", "taught me so much". The world was dark behind my closed eyes, dark and comfortable and calm. It was peaceful in a way I hadn't experienced in years, and that peacefulness picked up the world I was in, and carried it away. Or maybe it carried me away, from the trouble and the worry to somewhere else, another life, another existence, I don't know. The important thing was that I was there, and he was there, and she was there.
