“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.

  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.

  I couldn’t see her, but I could feel her. The same feeling she had left at the Belmont, that first time. The indelible sense of her, that she was present, and had been present. It was something I hadn’t gotten from any other angel I had met, and I had met quite a few.

  “I guess we should find her,” Ulnyx said.

  We were standing on a white marble floor, surrounded by marble posts from which hung huge swatches of white gossamer fabric that shifted and billowed in a soft breeze. The sky was bright and blue above us, and everything about the place reminded me of her.

  The fabric was translucent, and looking through the surrounding weaves revealed more posts and more cloth; a maze of silk. I turned to Ulnyx. The Were was out of place here, with his destroyed blue jeans and ‘F*ck Good’ t-shirt. A thought, and he was in a tux.

  “Have some respect,” I said. A half-smile was his only reply. “Josette.”

  I called out to her. The sound of my voice echoed into the sky, and reverberated through the maze, but there was no reply. I shouldn’t have expected this to be easy.

  “We can just cut through the cloth,” Ulnyx said, his hand growing out into his weapon of choice.

  I was inclined to agree, but it ran counter to the metaphor. “No. Try to think peaceful.”

  He laughed. “Me? Should I sit in lotus position and start ohm-ing?”

  “Just follow me.”

  I walked past the first opening in the posts, and turned right, following the fabric twenty yards and then making a left. Every few seconds, I called out for Josette again.

  “Do you think she knows we’re here?” Ulnyx asked.

  “I don’t even know where here is,” I said. “But I hope so.”

  The where was the interesting part. Was this her Source? Was it mine? What had being Calm tag-teamed done to me? I focused, trying to lift myself into the sky, a test to see if we were in Purgatory. Nothing happened.

  “Landon.”

  The voice came from around the corner, and I could see the shape of the speaker through the fabric.

  “Sarah,” I said. “What are you doing here?”

  “I felt you calling,” she replied. “So I came.”

  She was wearing a modest white dress that covered her shoulders and fell to her ankles. Her hair was put up like she was headed to a wedding, and her red-gold eyes sparkled in the light.

  “She’s here,” I said. “I just don’t know where.”

  “I know. I can feel her too. We’ll find her together.”

  “Hey, don’t forget about me, hot stuff,” Ulnyx said.

  We started walking again, threading through the posts, plotting a course through the maze. It didn’t take long for me to discover that even when I intentionally made a square, we never wound up back in the same place.

  “Do you know where we are?” I asked Sarah while we walked.

  “Your soul,” she replied. “It reflects your emotions and your feelings. You’re at peace, but conflicted. Why are you conflicted, brother?”

  I wasn’t having that conversation here, or now. “You don’t know?”

  “What I told you… about killing you?” she asked.

  “Yes,” I replied. It was part, but not all.

  She smiled, her entire face brightening. “It doesn’t have to happen, and it won’t happen. I know you’ll protect me.”

  I kept myself focused on the path ahead. Protect her by killing her?

  There was no way to measure how much time passed. It seemed like hours, and I would have lost hope, except I could feel Josette slowly growing closer. I understood the maze to be my conflict, and maybe Josette would help me come to some kind of resolution. In order to smooth the edges, to reconnect with her wounded soul, I had to accept whatever would come to be.

  The marble floors and walls of white cloth slowly began to fade away, replaced with a thick layer of low green grass forming the shore of a small lake. A thin fall of water tumbled from the spring sky, splashing gently into the pool and kicking up an invisible mist that tickled my face. It was in the pool, floating face up, her arms crossed over her chest, that I found her.

  I know right away she wasn’t dead, only resting. Waiting.

  “Stay here,” I said to Sarah and Ulnyx, deliberate in my fully-clothed entry to the lake, calm as I waded in to retrieve her. The water was only waist deep when I reached her. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was steady. I put my arms under her and lifted, the water streaming from her white dress as it emerged into the warm air. “Josette,” I whispered. “Can you hear me?”

  She smiled before she opened her eyes. “Landon. I knew you would come. It’s been lonely here, but I’ve tried to stay centered.”

  I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “Of course you did,” I said. “Sarah is with me.”

  Her eyes beamed. “She is here? Now?”

  I nodded, but took a serious tone. “We’re in a lot of trouble,” I said. “Sarah most of all.”

  It didn’t quell her spirit. “We will overcome,” was all she said.

  I carried her to the shore, and lowered her to her feet. Sarah rushed over, wrapping her arms around the angel with the fierceness reserved for mother and child.

  “I’m so happy to see you,” she cried.

  “As am I,” Josette replied. “I’m proud of you Sarah, for turning away from the destruction of the Beast.”

  It didn’t seem possible, but she dug her head deeper into her mother’s shoulder. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for being here, for giving yourself up for me. For sending Landon.”

  Ulnyx approached them, falling into a deep bow. “Princess,” he said, his voice half a snarl.

  “Monster,” she replied. They both smiled.

  Sarah broke her embrace, and mother and daughter stood face to face, just looking at one another.

  “I never imagined I would get to hold you again,” Josette said. “To see you here, to look on you.” She glanced over at me. “I didn’t know what waited, when I gave up my soul to you.”

  “I didn’t think I would ever know you at all,” Sarah said. “Izak told me about you, about how gentle and good you are, and how I should be proud to be like you. I want to keep making you proud.”

  “You will,” Josette said.

  Her faith drove a knife into my chest. You can’t stop the madness. Only delay it. I decided not to tell Josette what the Father had said. Not yet. She deserved this moment.

  “What of the Beast?” she asked me.

  “He is gathering his power,” I said. “He’s still trying to get Sarah, because he can’t juice up enough to take Heaven and Hell without maxing out his levels. He already made one grab for her. He…”

  “Sent father to take me,” Sarah interrupted.

  “Gervais is alive?” Josette asked, her shock evident.

  “No,” I said. “The Beast brought him back. He’s not living.”

  “More like a puppet without strings,” Ulnyx said.

  “But we retrieved Avriel’s Box, and Dante found a clue left by the angel Malize.”

  “Who?”

  “The angel Malize. You were there, in the cave with Charis and me. Do you remember?”

  She shook her head. “I remember the cave. I don’t recall an angel.”

  The Forgotten. “It doesn’t matter,” I said. “We need to go back to Paris and rescue Avriel from Abaddon. I don’t think I’m at the top of his friends list, so I was hoping you would be able to reach him.”

  She sighed. “Landon, you made a promise to him, and then broke it. You put him back to be cruelly tortured by the demon.”

  “I know,” I said. “I didn’t know I would need him again.”

  She sighed again. “Listen to yourself, brother. This is not only about what you need or don’t need in any given moment.”

  It stung, but I deserved it. “I didn’t have a choice.”

  “There is always a choice. You took the easy path, because it was easy. It is fitting that you aren’t finding it so easy now.”

  I couldn’t disagree. “So you won’t help me?”

  “I will help you,” she replied. “My advice is to be respectful, and apologetic. Sincerely apologetic. Avriel is known for his sense of justice, and he is a faithful hand of the Lord. He will forgive, if you are true.”

  “She told you,” Ulnyx said.

  “Shut up.”

  “I know every moment is precious,” Josette said. “Still, I would be grateful for a few minutes to spend with my daughter.”

  I would never deny her that, even if the world were collapsing around us. “Come on Ullie,” I said. I could sense him bristle at the nickname.

  We wandered away from them, going to sit by the lake.

  “What do you think she’s saying to her?” Ulnyx asked.

  “I don’t know.”

  “You going to tell her that her kid’s psycho?”

  “You’re one to talk,” I replied.

  “Look, meat, I may not be the nicest guy around, but at least I’m stable.”

  I looked out at the waterfall, pouring from the sky. “I don’t think it’ll help. Not now anyway. With any luck, having her mother around will keep her on the golden path until we can get the Beast in the Box. We can worry about her prognosis after that.”

  “I’m not looking forward to it,” he said.

  “If it means we stopped the Beast, I’ll take what I can get,” I replied. They were words spoken, but not words that sat well. Sarah was two inches from coming apart at the seams, and I was going to have to watch helplessly while it happened.

  We were sitting silent when Sarah and Josette approached. They were holding hands, and Sarah looked more content than I could ever remember seeing her. Enjoy the moment, anyway. It was the only thing I could do.

  “We’re ready,” Sarah said. “Let’s go catch a Beast.”

  I closed my eyes, and tried to will myself awake. It didn’t happen. “Somebody needs to wake me up,” I said.

  “It’s nice to see you so calm, brother,” Sarah replied. “Even if it is forced.” She squeezed Josette’s hand one last time, and vanished. A moment later, the earth around us began quaking, knocking us to our knees.

  “See you around, meat,” Ulnyx said.

  The world darkened and disappeared.

  Chapter 14

  “Well, what do you think?”

  We were all gathered in Father Tom’s office, all except Izak. The priest was sitting behind his desk, looking worried, while the rest of us took up the extra chairs and sofa. I had only been out for about an hour, but it was long enough to be concerned that Kassie and the Inquisitors would pop in at any moment. Kassie and the Inquisitors. I pictured angels playing electric guitars.

  Obi turned the papyrus over and looked at the script on the back. “I don’t know, man,” he said. “I’m not that clean on my Egyptian antiquities, and I don’t know that much about pyramids. This drawing looks like a standard triangle with a few lines so you know its more than just a triangle.”

  I reached out to take it back. “Don’t worry about it. I figured I’d ask.”

  He didn’t hand it back over right away. He turned it over to the pyramid side again and stared at it. “You know, I do remember reading something not too long ago, about the Great Pyramid. There’s this guy… I can’t remember his name. Hamas or something. Anyway, he claimed that there’s a secret chamber inside. I read about it online somewhere. I know, that’s probably not that helpful.” Obi handed the papyrus back.

  “I’ll take what I can get right now,” I said. “It may sound like a long shot, but what else do we have? We’ll start with the Great Pyramid.”

  I put the fragment back in my pocket, and set myself to deliver the news.

  “I need you to stay behind,” I said, bracing for impact.

  “Aww, come on, man,” Obi complained. “You need me, and I’m sick of getting left behind. Heck, I just gave you your only lead. I should be there to see if it pans out.”

  “Someone has to stay here and keep Kassie off our tails.” I said. “We can’t fight both of these battles at the same time.”

  It wasn’t my favorite approach either, because as resilient as the former Marine was, I didn’t think he could stand up to the seraph. What I did think he could do was get creative, and keep her dashing at shadows while we tried to reach Avriel. I would have preferred to leave Izak with him, but now that he and Sarah had been reunited, he outright refused to leave her side.

  I put my hand on his shoulder and leaned in. “You’re the only one I can trust to do this.”

  “Look on the bright side,” Melody said. “You get to spend more time with me.”

  “I don’t think we’ll have much time to ourselves while we’re playing hide and seek with Miss Inquisition,” he replied. He was upset, but there was nothing I could do about it.

  “If the seraph shows up here, I’ll be defrocked for sure,” Father Tom said. “Harboring three diuscrucis, and a demon of all things. The sooner you all get out of my church, the better I’ll feel.”

  “Obi?” I knew he would acquiesce. He always did, but it made him feel better to complain first.

  “Yeah, okay, man,” he said, after a silent pause. “So Kassie is going to be following Melody, right? Because she thinks she’s with you, or will lead her to you.” He looked at the angel. “But are you with us?”

  Melody’s face contracted, and she looked torn. “I’m with you, Landon, as long as what you’re doing is in line with the Lord’s plan. The Lord trapped the Beast once, I don’t think He intended for it to be free. I can’t help that my brothers and sisters refuse to see the truth. It’s easy to deny what we don’t want to see.”

  It wasn’t a full pledge of support, but I hadn’t expected one. We’d still come a long way since our first meeting. “Thanks, Melody,” I said.

  “What are we waiting for?” Sarah asked. She was looking much better, having found a shower and a change of clothes in the short time since I had woken. She had lost the ringlets in her hair, choosing to contain the natural curl by pulling it back into a tight ponytail. The makeshift dress had been traded for a pair of jeans and a simple black pullover hoodie she’d found in a box awaiting pickup by Goodwill.

  “Nothing,” I replied. I swiveled my gaze around to Obi, to Melody, to Thomas, and to Father Tom. “Good luck, all of you. Stay safe.”

  Obi reached out, taking my hand in his and clasping it tight. “You too,” he said, leaning in and clapping me on the back. “We’ll keep you clear to do what you need to do.”

  “I know,” I said. With that, I made for the door, Charis and Sarah following behind.

  We headed down the hallway and back into the basement, where Izak was putting the finishing touches on a rebuilt transport rift. I felt kind of stupid for asking him to get rid of it, and then remake it, but I hadn’t been thinking very clearly at the time. I could sense his anger when I had made the new request, but it had subsided when he had noticed the change in my eyes.