“She looks like she’s a Soviet sparrow in training,” Orion said.
“Why do you care?” Fredericka spat.
“Amanda, Charles is my son, isn’t he?”
Fredericka didn’t speak.
“I know you didn’t love me when we were together, but you had to know I’d love to be part of my son’s life.”
She still sat mute.
“I know you’re a victim of the Cooper curse, something that I’m surprised is already documented. That means someone prior to me has looked it up. Whomever that was failed to flag you as toxic.”
“I didn’t encourage you, Orion,” Fredericka lied.
“You stalked me,” Orion accused. “I think I know why, and it’s horrible. How could you?”
Fredericka walked over to the sink and looked out, not really seeing anything.
“A demon recently pointed out to me how cold birdmen and Gray Ladies’ parents are. Selling their children to the Brotherhood. But you’re worse. You allowed yourself to be a broodmare in order to create what? What is Mia going to become? What was your payoff for opening your legs to me?” Orion asked.
“A seat at the Council of Women when I die,” she said. “I can do so much good. Right now, they’re an antiquated, matriarchal group overseeing the fight for good over evil. I can supply them the person who will turn the tide in our favor. Genetically, she is a marvel. We just have to harden her heart. Make her bitter. Make her hate the fallen, hate ghosts, and hate demons. Soon, all her hardships will appear to be caused by these foul creatures. I think, maybe, she should be forced into the Brotherhood. I think a few years under their training will prepare her for her encounter with…” Fredericka stopped talking.
Orion could see her hands shaking. “But she’s your granddaughter, how can you sit back and watch this happen to her?”
“The end justifies the means,” Fredericka said.
Orion rose to leave.
“If you’re thinking of telling the child, or Charles for that matter, think about what Mia could do for the good side. She has demon in her; she could just as easily slip into allegiance with them.”
“Are you aware that right now she’s with Wyatt Wayne and they’re headed to New Orleans?”
“How did this happen?”
“He lives in the same town. Did no one ever check?” Orion asked.
“How did you get involved in this?” Fredericka asked. “Scribes aren’t the Brotherhood’s go-to guys for intrigue.”
“I’m not sure exactly? Wyatt Wayne put a book we’ve been pining for up for sale. I was sent to authenticate it.”
“Seems to me…” she stopped and shook her head. “None of this makes sense.”
“I’ve seen and talked to her. She’s a little bratty, but she’s smart, older than her years. Angelo had an immediate visceral attachment to her. He claims he’s been in her mind before, but that could be a trick to draw him in.”
“She’s not as beautiful as I would like, but that will change as she matures. Still, she can attract a birdman who has a sworn oath to never hurt a child. Excellent.”
“Tell me one more thing, and I’ll leave you and your little project alone,” Orion lied.
“Go on, I’m listening.”
“Is Émile Neyer involved? You needed Amanda as another broodmare.”
“He’s clueless, the spineless fence-sitter. But Amanda’s ballet teacher, Piers Savatier, was involved,” Fredericka said with a smirk. “And her first boyfriend, André Chaput, but he’s dead now, killed by Amanda.”
“You let my son marry a murderer?”
“It’s the curse, Orion, the Cooper curse. Now, get out,” Fredericka said, holding the door.
Orion left but transformed himself into a humming bird and hovered outside Fredericka’s window listening.
She picked up the phone and waited for it to be answered. “I think we have to kill Mia and start again. Let’s make Amanda fertile again. This time, she’ll bear a baby that she positively hates. Charles won’t bat an eye when I suggest we adopt the child out. With luck, we’ll get the sociopath we wanted in the first place. If not, the child being a midlife, unwanted baby may be enough to twist her. I’ll make sure she knows this every time I see her. Yes, find Mia and kill her. She’s of no use to us now,” she said and hung up the phone.
Orion flew as fast as he could to where Victor and Angelo were waiting for him. “What have I done?” he asked once he explained what had happened. “I just wanted to warn her that her demon-enriched grandchild was now the pet of a fallen angel.”
Nicholai looked over at Angelo. “It explains your urges.”
Angelo closed his eyes. “No, it was as if somehow the woman Mia had been transformed into a child. Who would do such a thing?”
“But the evidence is, Mia was born twelve years ago. She is a child,” Orion insisted.
“In our timeline,” Nicholai said. “Is there magic that can send someone back in time?”
“I don’t know of a time travel spell,” Orion said. “Other magic could be used, I suppose. It would have to take a genius to sort it out.”
“It seems to me such a genius is sitting in a particularly long time-out,” Nicholai said.
“You don’t mean?” Orion stopped him from saying the creature’s name. “It’s true he can already slow time, but can he control it?”
“But why? Why send Mia Cooper back in time?” Nicholai asked.
“Because grown Mia is a danger to him. He can’t kill her without Heaven and Hell wanting to know why. But if he can get the council to do it, or us, then he’s once again in the clear,” Orion said.
“Gentlemen, can I have you
