sure how I felt about being pulled from the room when I was sure
anything they discussed was something I needed to know, but Maria was
perceptive and she laughed.
"Battle is battle, Naphil . They can discuss it all they want, but it will play
out the way all battles play out. People will fight. People will die. I am more
interested in you."
Maria's hand was at the small of my back
now, and she pressed me gently forward. I moved, but slowly. Maria's cane
tapped against the stone floors, and I considered slowing more, but then
thought better of it. I truly believed Maria was much healthier than she let
on. The cane was a ruse I was sure. She liked to have people underestimate her.
"You are very bright now. Your
power is as strong as your father's."
I turned to face her.
"And this is a good thing?" I
asked.
Maria looked up at me. Even as short as
I was, she was still shorter than me.
"Your father is a wise man, Naphil . He was one of the first to fall from Heaven. He has
been around since the beginning of time. Do not underestimate his power or
yours."
"I don't underestimate his
powers," I argued.
Maria slammed her cane down on my foot,
and I yelped.
"No, but you underestimate him ."
I cursed under my breath, which felt
really wrong considering I was in the Abbey and considering the fact that Maria
was playing with one of her many rosaries hanging from around her neck. Her
long bright blue house dress covered her feet, and I watched as she tucked the
tip of her cane just under the edge of her skirt.
"I don't know how I feel about
him," I admitted quietly.
Maria "harrumphed".
"Sure, you do. You feel betrayed,
and you do not trust him, eh? This is okay, no? But remember this, Naphil . Everything Heaven does is not always understood.
Your father would not have left you if he thought it wouldn't make you
stronger. What you have endured will give you the strength to do what you will
need to do in the end."
I felt numbness stealing over me. Maria
knew too much. She always did. She saw things, studied things, and understood
things even when she wasn't supposed to know about them.
"And what will I need to do? In the end?" I asked.
Maria chuckled.
"Oh no! I not make
things that easy for you. Just know that I trust you to make the right choice.
There is always a choice, Naphil . Always."
" Marcas ?" I whispered, leaning in close. I left
the rest of my question unsaid, but she knew. She always knew.
Maria's eyes met mine, her gaze serious.
"When you feel like you are
falling, Naphil , and you think you can't hold on any
longer, remember something," Maria said, her old hand patting mine softly.
"Remember what?" I asked.
Her fingers curled around mine.
"Don't let go. Let him pull you
free."
Chapter 14
He is a strong leader. He will not falter. And in
the end, he will be forced to win.
~ Bezaliel ~
I hated vague helpful suggestions, and
Maria's "Let him pull you free" montage kept ringing through my head
even as we stood back inside the refectory, arguments flying over the way a
Civil War in Hell should be handled. Maria was right about one thing. It was
absolutely pointless discussing battles.
"You're free of the bond now and
the Seal. Trusting you isn't something we can afford to do, Demonio .
How do you intend to rally the hybrids?" Alessandro asked.
The S.O.S.'s leader was standing, his
knuckles tapping the table occasionally as he glanced around the room. It was
an annoying habit, and I was seriously considering throwing something at his
hand. Marcas was also standing, facing Alessandro.
The only thing separating them was a table.
"I don't intend to rally anyone. I
intend to challenge Lucifer."
The whole room went up in an uproar, and
I pushed away from the wall I had been leaning against, my face aghast. He
intended to what ?
"Challenge him for power?"
Sophia asked, her elegant voice high and shrill.
Marcas glanced at her.
"Over the
hybrids, yes."
"Challenge?" Sophia
repeated. "You
anything they discussed was something I needed to know, but Maria was
perceptive and she laughed.
"Battle is battle, Naphil . They can discuss it all they want, but it will play
out the way all battles play out. People will fight. People will die. I am more
interested in you."
Maria's hand was at the small of my back
now, and she pressed me gently forward. I moved, but slowly. Maria's cane
tapped against the stone floors, and I considered slowing more, but then
thought better of it. I truly believed Maria was much healthier than she let
on. The cane was a ruse I was sure. She liked to have people underestimate her.
"You are very bright now. Your
power is as strong as your father's."
I turned to face her.
"And this is a good thing?" I
asked.
Maria looked up at me. Even as short as
I was, she was still shorter than me.
"Your father is a wise man, Naphil . He was one of the first to fall from Heaven. He has
been around since the beginning of time. Do not underestimate his power or
yours."
"I don't underestimate his
powers," I argued.
Maria slammed her cane down on my foot,
and I yelped.
"No, but you underestimate him ."
I cursed under my breath, which felt
really wrong considering I was in the Abbey and considering the fact that Maria
was playing with one of her many rosaries hanging from around her neck. Her
long bright blue house dress covered her feet, and I watched as she tucked the
tip of her cane just under the edge of her skirt.
"I don't know how I feel about
him," I admitted quietly.
Maria "harrumphed".
"Sure, you do. You feel betrayed,
and you do not trust him, eh? This is okay, no? But remember this, Naphil . Everything Heaven does is not always understood.
Your father would not have left you if he thought it wouldn't make you
stronger. What you have endured will give you the strength to do what you will
need to do in the end."
I felt numbness stealing over me. Maria
knew too much. She always did. She saw things, studied things, and understood
things even when she wasn't supposed to know about them.
"And what will I need to do? In the end?" I asked.
Maria chuckled.
"Oh no! I not make
things that easy for you. Just know that I trust you to make the right choice.
There is always a choice, Naphil . Always."
" Marcas ?" I whispered, leaning in close. I left
the rest of my question unsaid, but she knew. She always knew.
Maria's eyes met mine, her gaze serious.
"When you feel like you are
falling, Naphil , and you think you can't hold on any
longer, remember something," Maria said, her old hand patting mine softly.
"Remember what?" I asked.
Her fingers curled around mine.
"Don't let go. Let him pull you
free."
Chapter 14
He is a strong leader. He will not falter. And in
the end, he will be forced to win.
~ Bezaliel ~
I hated vague helpful suggestions, and
Maria's "Let him pull you free" montage kept ringing through my head
even as we stood back inside the refectory, arguments flying over the way a
Civil War in Hell should be handled. Maria was right about one thing. It was
absolutely pointless discussing battles.
"You're free of the bond now and
the Seal. Trusting you isn't something we can afford to do, Demonio .
How do you intend to rally the hybrids?" Alessandro asked.
The S.O.S.'s leader was standing, his
knuckles tapping the table occasionally as he glanced around the room. It was
an annoying habit, and I was seriously considering throwing something at his
hand. Marcas was also standing, facing Alessandro.
The only thing separating them was a table.
"I don't intend to rally anyone. I
intend to challenge Lucifer."
The whole room went up in an uproar, and
I pushed away from the wall I had been leaning against, my face aghast. He
intended to what ?
"Challenge him for power?"
Sophia asked, her elegant voice high and shrill.
Marcas glanced at her.
"Over the
hybrids, yes."
"Challenge?" Sophia
repeated. "You
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