eyelids fluttered.
“Binding…what…” Auriel didn’t finish his question before falling asleep.
Kaliel stroked the boy’s forehead for a moment. “You know, he is not really a bad child. Most of his problems are because of the choices we have made here in the Overland. We have eliminated warriors such as you, Rahmiel. But in doing so, we have made no place for boys such as my son, who would have thrived in the ancient days, as Guardians. We thought they could be police, or craftsmen, or healers. But that is not their natures. They live in a world that has no place for their talents.”
“The Guardians are not what they once were. I find the changes are not noble ones.”
Kaliel paused for a while. “For the Angeli, the changes seemed gradual…and logical. But I see how they affect my son, and I wonder if our withdrawal from Earth was the right thing for the Angeli. Perhaps we could find some time to talk.
“Now, let me see your cuts,” Kaliel said, and did a few things to Rahmiel’s arms that Kari could barely follow. She healed his arms. Not even a scar remained.
Kaliel moved toward the door. “Come, let us have some refreshments and catch up.
Somehow, Rahmiel, I knew the ice prison would not be the last we would hear from you.”
Kari followed them down the glistening hallways and lacey stairs. She felt grubby, with smears of Rahmiel’s blood on her shirt. Her hair hadn’t seen a brush in… How long? She had lost track of time.
“Rahmiel, what day is it on Earth? I can’t quite remember,” she asked during a lull in the conversation, when Kaliel went to get them refreshments.
“Well, we were to return to your house at sunset, after spending the day at the island, remember? But the Guardians took me into custody. The boy and Amber went to your house at sundown while we were escaping from the Guards and going to Ether.
Now, on Earth, it would be middle of the night.”
Kari looked at him, horror welling up within her. “Rahmiel, my mother returns home today.” She thought of her mother, returning to the house where the demon would find her. The vision of Lisbet, thin and crumpled on the floor, filled her mind.
She grabbed Rahmiel’s arm.
“I have to get home right now. Mom’s flight will be coming in this afternoon. I have to meet her. Then, where will I take her? Kaphawn knows everyone I know.”
Kaliel turned to her. “Kaphawn? That’s who did this?”
“Yes,” Rahmiel answered for her.
“How did Kaphawn get free? He’s been neutralized for thousands of years.”
“Um, I did it,” Kari admitted. “By accident. I wanted to lose weight and saw a spell…”
Kaliel looked at Kari with an expression of shock in her face. “You summoned this demon? Are you a shaman? Or a sorcerer?”
“No. I just thought it would be better than dieting.”
“Rahmiel, how could a young girl do this?”
“I don’t know, Kaliel. I suspect she is descended from Angeli blood. I did a calming on her, one she should not remember, but she remembered it.”
“I have to get home to my mother,” Kari insisted. “I have to keep her away from Kaphawn. I guess we have to get a motel room or something. Rahmiel, I need to go.”
“All right. I’ll take you home. Kaliel, Lemuel and the boys are tracking me, so once I leave here they may pop up again to throw me in a cell. So I will need Tehmuel to check on Kari frequently.”
Kaliel frowned. “Lemuel is trying to put you in holding when Kaphawn is loose?
Many humans ha ve died?”
“Many humans have died, but nothing like in the past. Not so far. I managed to wound him tonight before he disappeared, so he will be weak and looking for easy prey. People he knows about, like Kari’s mother. He has yet to reach full strength.”
Kaliel nodded. “Tehmuel will be back soon with the other woman. You can take him with you to get Kari’s mother, bring her here
“Binding…what…” Auriel didn’t finish his question before falling asleep.
Kaliel stroked the boy’s forehead for a moment. “You know, he is not really a bad child. Most of his problems are because of the choices we have made here in the Overland. We have eliminated warriors such as you, Rahmiel. But in doing so, we have made no place for boys such as my son, who would have thrived in the ancient days, as Guardians. We thought they could be police, or craftsmen, or healers. But that is not their natures. They live in a world that has no place for their talents.”
“The Guardians are not what they once were. I find the changes are not noble ones.”
Kaliel paused for a while. “For the Angeli, the changes seemed gradual…and logical. But I see how they affect my son, and I wonder if our withdrawal from Earth was the right thing for the Angeli. Perhaps we could find some time to talk.
“Now, let me see your cuts,” Kaliel said, and did a few things to Rahmiel’s arms that Kari could barely follow. She healed his arms. Not even a scar remained.
Kaliel moved toward the door. “Come, let us have some refreshments and catch up.
Somehow, Rahmiel, I knew the ice prison would not be the last we would hear from you.”
Kari followed them down the glistening hallways and lacey stairs. She felt grubby, with smears of Rahmiel’s blood on her shirt. Her hair hadn’t seen a brush in… How long? She had lost track of time.
“Rahmiel, what day is it on Earth? I can’t quite remember,” she asked during a lull in the conversation, when Kaliel went to get them refreshments.
“Well, we were to return to your house at sunset, after spending the day at the island, remember? But the Guardians took me into custody. The boy and Amber went to your house at sundown while we were escaping from the Guards and going to Ether.
Now, on Earth, it would be middle of the night.”
Kari looked at him, horror welling up within her. “Rahmiel, my mother returns home today.” She thought of her mother, returning to the house where the demon would find her. The vision of Lisbet, thin and crumpled on the floor, filled her mind.
She grabbed Rahmiel’s arm.
“I have to get home right now. Mom’s flight will be coming in this afternoon. I have to meet her. Then, where will I take her? Kaphawn knows everyone I know.”
Kaliel turned to her. “Kaphawn? That’s who did this?”
“Yes,” Rahmiel answered for her.
“How did Kaphawn get free? He’s been neutralized for thousands of years.”
“Um, I did it,” Kari admitted. “By accident. I wanted to lose weight and saw a spell…”
Kaliel looked at Kari with an expression of shock in her face. “You summoned this demon? Are you a shaman? Or a sorcerer?”
“No. I just thought it would be better than dieting.”
“Rahmiel, how could a young girl do this?”
“I don’t know, Kaliel. I suspect she is descended from Angeli blood. I did a calming on her, one she should not remember, but she remembered it.”
“I have to get home to my mother,” Kari insisted. “I have to keep her away from Kaphawn. I guess we have to get a motel room or something. Rahmiel, I need to go.”
“All right. I’ll take you home. Kaliel, Lemuel and the boys are tracking me, so once I leave here they may pop up again to throw me in a cell. So I will need Tehmuel to check on Kari frequently.”
Kaliel frowned. “Lemuel is trying to put you in holding when Kaphawn is loose?
Many humans ha ve died?”
“Many humans have died, but nothing like in the past. Not so far. I managed to wound him tonight before he disappeared, so he will be weak and looking for easy prey. People he knows about, like Kari’s mother. He has yet to reach full strength.”
Kaliel nodded. “Tehmuel will be back soon with the other woman. You can take him with you to get Kari’s mother, bring her here
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