“You’ve told me so much. I’m going to have to think about this. Can I come back and ask you more questions?”
“Yes. Oh, before you leave, check in with Ted and Cid. I think they need to make some adjustments. You look very nice by the way. Very handsome. Don’t let them ruin your suit. Maybe take the jacket off first,” she suggested.
“I will. Thank you, Mia.”
“No, thank you for the visit, the flowers, and understanding,” she said sweetly.
Mark got up to go.
Ted was at the door. “Hey, kiddo, could I measure the spot between your eyes?”
“Yeah sure. Why?”
“Come on, and I’ll show you. Hold on.” Ted went to the deck’s edge and called out, “Paging Igor, paging Igor, meet Doctor F in the kitchen.”
“Doctor F?” Mia questioned and then moaned. “So you’re Doctor Frankenstein today?”
Ted smiled, showing Mia all his teeth.
“Don’t do that. It gives me the creeps.”
Mark laughed. The two of them walked into the house.
Mia looked over at the flowers and smiled. Her eyes drooped as the fatigue she was keeping at bay overcame her, and she fell asleep and dreamed of flowers.
~
Mark left the cottage feeling very positive. Ted and Cid were optimistic that their invention would work after a few adjustments. He walked up the drive and paused as an expensive sedan stopped at the end. The window rolled down, and the driver asked, “Is this where Mia Martin is residing?”
“Yes, sir.”
The driver got out and opened the passenger door before going around to the trunk.
Mark watched as a small man got out. He smiled at Mark. “Hello, young man. “I’m Orion. I’m Mia’s grandfather.”
“I’m Mark. Mia and I are friends.”
The driver had two bags in hand.
“Just put them down. I think I can manage the rest of the way. Thank you.”
Mark reached for a bag, and Orion took the other, pleased by the old world manners this child had, very rare on this continent. There was something else about the boy that interested Orion.
“Excuse me, but what is your last name?”
“Leighton.”
“It all makes sense now,” Orion said.
“What makes sense?”
“Sorry, Mark, I was talking to myself. Bad habit, runs in the family.”
Mark walked him into the house and placed his bag down. “Mia is sleeping on the porch. The rest are around somewhere,” he said. “I have to get back home to my gran. Nice to meet you, Orion.”
Orion shook his hand and his suspicions were confirmed. The boy left, and Orion spoke his thoughts again aloud, “There goes Prophet Leighton, seer of angels.”
Mia heard the sliding door and opened her eyes expecting to see Ted. Orion smiled. “Hello, Mia.”
“You’re here so soon.”
“Angelo’s driver doesn’t believe in speed limits. He calls them suggestions. It was quite a wild ride. I wonder if he gets away with that with Angelo.”
“I doubt it.” Mia tried to sit up, but the pain pulled her back down.
Orion rushed to her side and pulled off her gloves and held her hands in his. “Oh, my poor dear. As you suspected, if it wasn’t for Sariel’s armor, you would be in two pieces.”
“Murphy called it a negative elemental. Have you heard of such things?”
“On the rare occurrence of a demon death, they are offered rebirth as an elemental. It’s a demon ghost. It can have a physical form, but most times it looks like bubbling tar. Always black.”
“Can it be killed or do I have to catch it and take it away?” Mia asked.
“Do you have Sariel’s sword with you?”
“Yes.”
“Use that.”
“Will it cause an imbalance?”
Orion looked at her. “You have been spending too much time with Paolo Santos. His balance, phooey.”
“Phooey?”
“It’s all this talk of balance that has gotten us sidetracked. It has focused our eyes in the wrong direction, and now we have a big problem.”
“Care to share?” Mia asked, worried about Orion’s blood pressure.
“Later. One problem at a time. I see you met the prophet Mark Leighton.”
“Whoa,” Mia said. “He’s the boy that the old house calls to, the reason why we asked the PEEPs here. I felt he was in trouble.”
“He was, but not anymore. You turned him in the right direction. He can see angels, Mia,” Orion said slyly. “Be careful.”
“I’m not an angel.”
“Not completely. Angelo told me about the wings.”
“Shhh,” Mia said and put her hand on Orion’s head and spoke to him through it.
“I haven’t told Ted I flew to see Angelo in person yet. There never seemed to be a good time, so many people around. I’m afraid that now, if he finds out, everything I fought for will crumble.”
Orion thought back, “He won’t hear it from me, but Angelo I can’t guarantee. Find the time, Mia. The longer you wait, the worse it will be.”
Mia released her hand and studied her grandfather. “Thank you for coming.”
“I would have stayed after the mall investigation, but I had Audrey’s research to do, and I sensed that you and Ted didn’t need my interference.”
“Guidance,” Ted said from the doorway. “You gave me good counsel when things were darkest.”
“I hope so, but it didn’t take, did it?” Orion accused.
Ted looked down. “That was my fault.”
Mia hoped that Ted would assume that Orion had read the information from her, and not from Angelo telling him.
“Son, I am but a scribe. I have little experience with matters of the heart. What I do know is that my granddaughter took a part of herself and planted it in your heart. This is the ultimate sacrifice anyone can do for love. She will make mistakes. She has made mistakes. But she loves you. Whenever you doubt this, put your hand here,” Orion said, taking Ted’s hand and placing it on his heart. “Feel the beat. The second beat is stronger. This is where Mia is.”
Ted did
