“That’s not fair.” Taranis growled as Kryss held him aside by the ear and checked his phone. No matter how hard he trained, Kryss was miles ahead of him.
“I said to wait a minute.” Kryss glance over at him and laughed at his struggle before he sighed heavily at the message from Ansel and slid away his phone. A second later he let go of the pup’s ear and surprised him with a swift kick to the side. “Pay attention.”
“You only win because you cheat!” Taranis recovered quickly and pounced at him, but as usual Kryss deflected every blow.
“Taranis is a big shot.” Aurora laughed through her impromptu melody on his behalf as she teased Taranis, carelessly plucking at the strings on her guitar. “Thinks he’s actually got a shot. All bark, no bite, no class. My dad is gonna kick his ass!”
“Damn it, Aurora!” Taranis whined as Kryss kicked the back of his knee and he hit the floor.
“Language, language!” Nat scolded playfully as they entered the hall. “My little rock star.”
“Hi, mom.” Aurora waved her greeting and went back to picking out a melody she had been working on. She only glanced up long enough to smile at a warm welcome between her parents and to steal a glimpse of Taranis pouting impatiently on the floor. There were other guests, but until she was introduced she stayed out of the affairs of her parents.
“Is Kage here?” Evadia looked up at Tsumi’s Third hopefully as he came to greet everyone. She displayed her neatly tied scroll and smiled with hopeful enthusiasm. “I brought a letter for my Father.”
“I’m afraid Lord Kage is not available.” Kryss answered sadly watching disappointment wash over the child’s face. “Lord Eidolon is unfortunately busy with a guest of his own as well. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Evadia quickly wiped away a tear that tried to escape as her ghost reminded her that the chance of a visit had been slim. “I’ll just leave this in the mail.”
“Aurora can keep you company afterward.” Kryss offered and let her stroll off before he made note of Geoffrey’s expression. “You seem just as disappointed. Is everything okay?”
“It is probably nothing.” Geoffrey watched Evadia make her somber delivery and stare sadly at the unmoving door. “I was only hoping for a word with one of the Circle if she managed to have her visit.”
“You realize I am one of the Circle.” Kryss managed a quirky smile as Geoffrey turned to him in a moment of panic.
“I meant no offense.” Geoffrey bowed deeply and chided himself silently for being so careless with his words.
“Relax.” Kryss laughed at the angel’s overreaction. “I know I’m not the preferred company around here, but I’ll help if I can.”
“Bullshit.” Taranis muttered to himself. “We’re better company than those stuffy Watchers any day.”
“Cool it.” Nat quietly scolded Taranis and they made goofy faces at each other while the conversation continued. “Adults are talking.”
“As I said; It may be nothing.” Geoffrey tried to regain a bit of grace as he continued. “I just sensed something off this morning.”
“Impressive.” Luka remarked and looked to Kryss for his agreement. The angel had sensed a presence that was quite adept at hiding itself without making any effort.
“Well it isn’t nothing.” Kryss explained quickly as he knew they would likely be faced with the uninvited guests very soon. “We are aware of it though, and it’s nothing to concern yourself over. Tsumi is ours to protect.”
“I spent so long as guardian of sorts.” Geoffrey was relieved and yet the affirmation of something in Tsumi made him worry. He admitted he was out of line to put himself in the middle of it. “It is taking me time to adjust to life here. I’m supposed to be staying out of trouble, not seeking it out.”
“You’re still a guardian, Geoffrey.” Gigi climbed up his red hair and tugged at it until he focused his attention on Evadia. The girl had sat a few steps behind Aurora to listen to her play.
“You did nothing troublesome.” Luka added. “You sensed danger and were looking out for her well-“being. It is part of raising a child.”
“Maybe you should go and join her.” Kryss focused on the door and gestured with authority toward the stairs. Ansel was returning and Kryss feared he was not alone. “Nat, go with them.”
“You may as well show yourselves.” Ansel suggested as he entered the hall and joined the pack. “We’re bored of hide and seek.”
“Is this how you greet guests?” Ria coalesced in front of them as he answered Ansel’s invitation to join them. “So defensive.”
“We expected better from servants of the Falcon.” Threa rose out of the earth behind Ria and clung to the back of his coat before peeking around him at their hosts.
“Geoff.” Evadia tugged on Geoffrey’s arms until he picked her up and held her. She held tight as she could to him as she stared at new arrivals in the hall. “It’s the monsters from before.”
“I won’t let them hurt you, Evadia.” He watched the source of her worry angrily as the child shivered in his arms. He had never seen her frightened.
“Neither will my dad.” Aurora assured the girl quietly. “We get rid of monsters in Tsumi.”
“If you wanted a warmer welcome you should have tried knocking.” Kryss heard Evadia’s whispers to her guardian angel and grew all the more defensive. They were all warned to expect the Djinn at some point and to be cautious in their dealings. No conflict unless it started on their end, but wariness advised because they were treading through uncharted waters with these creatures. “Why have you been sneaking around in the shadows?”
“Why are you here at all?” Kaneko asked angrily from the balcony. Eidolon had sensed them in Tsumi and hoped they would depart, when they entered the hall he was furious but he was dealing with Azrael’s grief. If he were to take Azrael out with him it would only agitate the Wyrm and sadness would turn to fury. Eidolon asked Kaneko to speak on his behalf so he could gauge the situation from a distance and keep his promise to look after Azrael. “Lord Eidolon is too busy for a social call. If you’re here to start trouble…”
“He lets the girl speak for him?” Threa stepped beside Ria and eyed the Falcon’s bride curiously. “Interesting.”
“The girl is his bride.” Kryss cautioned the Djinn. “And formidable on her own.”
“We are aware of who she is.” Ria smiled and bowed his head to Kaneko. “You can inform the Falcon that we mean no harm.”
“You didn’t answer Kaneko.” Kaneko tapped her foot angrily. “Why are you here?”
“If you mean no harm, why the stealth?” Taranis blurted out angrily. “You expect anyone to trust you?”
“Please.” Ria gently wrapped his arm around Threa’s shoulders. “You all misunderstand our intentions completely. This hostility is misplaced. We are eager to make friends in Tsuriai, not enemies. We are simply inexperienced.”
“We will be no trouble.” Threa nodded. “It was agreed.”
“You better not be.” Kaneko jumped onto the railing and perched there. “We have a really angry Wyrm up here and Kaneko would be happy to let him out.”
“An empty threat.” Threa shrugged. “And we have done nothing wrong.”
“We just want a chance to get acquainted.” Ria looked to Kryss for an agreement. “Is that reasonable?”
“She’s still shaking.” Aurora noted as she noticed Geoffrey trying in vain to soothe Evadia. “What’s wrong?”
“She doesn’t want to talk.” Iesu answered for Evadia and continued despite noticing the shock on the faces of those that could hear. He kept Evadia’s terrified eyes fixed on the Djinn and started to explain. “She has seen that creature torture children to gain freedom for itself.”
“Shh…” Kaneko shifted to them and clamped her hand over Evadia’s mouth. She hugged them close and told the others to play nice a moment while she took them home. Instead she took them upstairs to Eidolon. Kaneko sighed as she sat them on the couch across from Eidolon and the grieving Azrael. “You can’t do that. You can wish he was dead all you want, but don’t start trouble, kid.”
“Sorry for the noise.” Karla played proper hostess as she rubbed Azrael’s back. He had been wailing against Eidolon’s chest for hours. “He is really upset. Can I get you anything?”
“Kaneko is going to make sure things stay quiet outside.” Kaneko gave Eidolon a quick kiss on the cheek and went back to the hall.
“I apologize.” Geoffrey bowed his head as he laid his arm around Evadia’s shoulders. “I know I am supposed to prevent things like this.”
“You can’t keep him from speaking.” Eidolon noted somberly. “I don’t expect you to. Despite what the expectations of the others may be, I know the limitations of what you can do. I also understand that she is a child and Iesu is his own entity. There will be times when things are at odds. I can honestly say that you have all done remarkably well to adjust so far.”
“I seem to recall you being against my release.” Iesu answered calmly.
“I was.” Eidolon admitted. “Not for any wrong you or Evadia had done, but for the wrong that could be done through you.”
“And why is that beast weeping?” Iesu asked. “Some theoretical chance that someone could exploit to cause him pain?”
“Point taken.” Eidolon stroked Azrael’s hair as the wailing started to quiet slightly into a far more manageable sob. Evidently the conversation was interesting enough to distract him from his grief. “Still rules are rules and you all agreed to live by them.”
“I wasn’t attempting to expose my nature.” Iesu explained. “The girl associates those creatures with her loss. It sent her into a shock of sorts.”
“I can’t say that I blame her.” Karla remembered the terror of the power they used, but Evadia had been through so much. She noticed Eidolon’s empty tea cup and stood to go make more. “She lost everything.”
“But she was given a Geoffrey.” Gigi hoped to ease some of the worry and sat on Evadia’s shoulder. “Come back and give him a hug before he cries.”
“Just keep in mind; all of you, that we cannot be the ones to start a problem with the Djinn.” Eidolon insisted on more discretion. “Your recollections of the events in Eden are yours, but I advise against sharing them when it will provoke others to violence.”
“I don’t want to start any fights.” Evadia wiped her face and leaned against Geoffrey. “I’m sorry. My ghost was only trying to help.”
“Your ghost has my word that I will tell your side of things to my pack in detail when I can ensure they understand not to retaliate and cause further trouble.” Eidolon was somewhat flustered by the secrecy between him and the pack over the events in Eden anyway, and there was a simplicity to Iesu’s defense of Evadia when she was frightened. Even if it first wounded those that heard it, the truth often led to better understanding. Perhaps it would even be better to stop concealing the identity of her ghost, but that was not a decision he was willing to make on his own. “Until then…”
“I’ll be more careful.” Evadia nodded and found relief in the tight embrace of her guardian angel who seemed to take the news even better. He squeezed her so tight she could barely wriggle her arms. “Can you… I left a letter for my Father.”
“I’ll be sure that he gets it.” Eidolon accepted the warm cup of tea from Karla, letting his fingers graze hers as he took it. He sipped it awkwardly as Azrael shifted against his chest and whined. “You should be safe enough to return home. The Djinn seem content pestering my wolves.”
“Thank you, Lord Eidolon.” Geoffrey stood and bowed his head and was surprised and a bit anxious to see Evadia step closer to the other couch. “We won’t keep you any longer.”
“Mister.” Evadia tapped Azrael’s knee until he looked at her puzzled. She rubbed his knee softly and tried to express the odd compassion she felt. “I know you don’t like me very much, but I’m sorry you are so sad. I’m sad too sometimes. I hope you can be happy again.”
“Ondota Kalu.” Azrael muttered and patted her head softly. He was bewildered by her behavior. Why should this child give him sympathy? Azrael gingerly moved her fingers from his knee and curled against the couch in a state of confusion. Bombarded by so many emotions he had reached a point of exhaustion. He huddled there and let tears run down his face almost paralyzed by uncertainty and sadness and hoped Samael would return soon to rescue him from it. “FeFe.”
“Did I make him mad?” Evadia looked at Eidolon sadly.
“No.” Eidolon smiled as he stood and grabbed a blanket to toss over Azrael. “He is tired and seldom receives that sort of kindness from anyone but Samael. You just surprised him.”
“Let’s go home.” Geoffrey offered his hand to Evadia and she took it.
When they were gone, Azrael pulled the blanket over himself and tried to sleep and Eidolon watched over him from his desk while Karla kept a closer watch from the opposite couch.
“Lord Eidolon.” Karla asked quietly as she pondered the visit. “Are you really going to tell them all what happened? Aren’t we supposed to leave it alone? I knew the risks when I went, we all did. But the resolution is shaky at best, I don’t want to be the one to knock it over.”
“While I realize some truths make it difficult to keep the peace, would you respect me for serving a silence that denied others the right to make decisions with a full understanding of what they were dealing with?” Eidolon posed the question before he tried to explain his position. “Truth is delicate, and I’ll use prudence. For example, I couldn’t risk having it exposed when it would light a fire of rage in my wolves at a moment that could have endangered them, I won’t however let them go on endlessly assuming that these Djinn have done no wrong. They attacked you in Eden. Had it been a matter unattached to the council…”
“I know.” Karla smiled at him. “I guess I’m just so used to everyone hiding things I started to think maybe it was for the best.”
“How disgustingly divine.” Eternity scowled. “Hide the ugly parts to make the truth pretty?”
“Or worse.” Eidolon muttered to himself as he thought of how much Lucifer had hidden away. Hiding the truth had not done them any favors. “Besides I will not be branded a hypocrite by those that I care for. I can’t ask the pack to stand beside me if I can’t remain honest with them.”
“De haka na vonek kuraxa.” Azrael mumbled in his sleep.
“What was that?” Karla asked quietly afraid that their conversation was going to wake him up.
“He wants to go home.” Eidolon rested his head sadly in his hand and sent a message to Gabriel hoping that there was some news of Samael being finished with the gruesome task at hand. The response was cold and precise.
It is done. Lucifer is being informed.
Eidolon felt crushed on Azrael’s behalf. Returning home would only be the next stage in his grief.
Tsuriai 