Unafraid by Michael Griffo Page B

she turned back to her ward. “No, it’s just the two of us.”
    Imogene’s body shook more violently as if reacting to the lie. “She’s right in front of me! Can’t you see her!”
    Brania held onto Imogene tighter. Whatever the girl was seeing, whatever the girl was going through, she prayed it would pass, because even with all her incredible strength she had no idea how to make it stop. All she could think to do was try and find a way to console her. “Please, Imogene, look at me, look at Mother and everything will be all right.”
    Imogene turned her head to face Brania and abruptly her body became motionless. Her expression did change, but not in the way Brania had hoped. Her fear turned to contempt, and words poured out of Imogene’s mouth like daggers into Brania’s heart. “You should suffer for what you did to me! You should burn in hell like the witch that you are!”
    What? No, no! Imogene would never speak to me like that, Brania reasoned. She trusts me, she loves me. “Imogene, don’t say that,” Brania cried out desperately. “You can’t mean it.”
    And Brania was right.
    â€œYou’re getting everything you deserve, Edwige!” Imogene ranted. “And this is only the beginning of your suffering!”
    She wasn’t talking to Brania. Somehow, in some unexplainable way Imogene was communicating with Edwige. Watching her adopted daughter’s face coil into a mask of pain, Brania couldn’t help but feel relieved. Not only was she not the source of Imogene’s anguish, but she had discovered that Imogene and Edwige were linked.
    Even as she held Imogene and whispered in her ear that there was nothing to be afraid of, Brania began formulating a plan, a plan that would exploit this newfound connection and restore her birthright. She was overcome with a sensation of peace, because in no time at all she would be back where she truly believed she belonged, sitting on the right side of her father.

chapter 6
    â€œWelcome back home.”
    Standing at the podium, David knew that every person in St. Sebastian’s—student and teacher—was looking at him, listening to his voice, and he reveled in the attention. He only wished he could reveal his true self to them. How they would gasp when they saw his magnificent black wings and saw that he possessed powers beyond comprehension. But there would be time for that. Now, he had to welcome the students and faculty members back to Archangel Academy for yet another school year. This year, however, would be more special than ever.
    â€œAnd welcome to our Tri-Centennial Celebration.” David waited for the applause to subside before continuing. “This year we will commemorate three hundred years of academic excellence here at Double A.” He paused again, knowing that the students would cheer at his use of the school’s nickname. He personally disliked colloquialisms, but it made the students feel more comfortable in his presence, as if he were one of them. He laughed to himself and couldn’t believe how incredibly easy it was to deceive people, even those who knew he was a vampire, with only a few choice words. What fools they all were.
    When it was once again quiet, David explained that even though Archangel Cathedral and some of the main buildings were built in the fifteenth century, Double A had begun life as a monastery, a religious enclave where monks and those seeking sanctuary could worship without fear of persecution. Conveniently, David didn’t mention that not every monk had spent his days praying to God, but rather to what he considered to be a superior deity. That wasn’t a truth that needed to be disclosed just yet, but when the time was right, he would savor the opportunity to introduce them all to Zachariel’s power. Until then he would stick to the more mundane facts. “It wasn’t until three centuries later that the