“That’s honest.”
“I’m not sure what my role is in this world. I’ve tried to leave the place, but something keeps pulling me back.”
“You came back to save my butt.”
“Oh that… I was already headed back when my sword appeared. I thought you had sent it and, in doing so, were in peril.”
“So you came back for me?”
“You and I have this odd relationship. When I was a demon, I thought of you as my daughter. Now I’m an angel, I think of you as my friend. And as your friend with fatherly concerns, I would ask you to seek out Roumain before you face the council.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure, but if he didn’t slow time twice to delay the effects of the volo candle, who did?”
“It may have been a calling card. Speaking of cards, tell me about the one in my head, the one Angelo left, and how can I get rid of it?”
“That was a surprise. Taught me something about obsession.”
“He put a tracker on me, but that disappeared when I went back in time with Shivers, along with all that annoying angel tattooing. Why not his calling card?”
“You didn’t lose your mind when you traveled. Shivers kept you completely aware of everything.”
“I’m not sure he had the choice,” Mia said honestly. “I have another question. Please, try to give me an honest answer.”
Altair grinned. “I’ll try.”
“How is it you can remember the alternate past but Orion and the birdmen can’t?”
“No one was more surprised than I was,” he said honestly. “It’s a hell of a headache to separate the two timelines. I was looking for the answer when Glenda found me. I thought I could find it in a book. Evidently, I don’t have enough books. I heard tell of a book that speaks about a prophesy that could involve me and you, but I can’t seem to put my hands on it.”
“Captain Waite of the Devil’s Pride, a ship that sails in the GSD, mentioned a prophesy involving a particular set of wings showing up on an angel. Since I can’t become an angel, I assume I pass them on. Maybe you get them when I kick the bucket?”
“Please, you already gave me a set. You really have to put more thought into your gift giving.”
Mia lifted an eyebrow.
“But your Captain Waite has given me an idea of where I may find this book.”
“The GSD?”
“No. This prophesy would have been spoken to him. Tales on ships were passed orally. That’s why you can’t really put much store in a lot of them. Look what Melville did with the simple story of a whale… But I think it’s a book written about prophesies. That is where I’ll find my answers. You’ll find yours, or some of yours, when you speak to Roumain.”
“I don’t want to talk to Roumain.”
“Mia, you don’t have a choice. Wait, you do. You can go about life dumbly until you’re T-boned by whomever is messing with you. I can’t guarantee it will come out as pleasantly as this did. You were lucky. There was no way what you did back then should have given you this result.”
“Why?”
“It’s against the rules of magic.”
“Someone mentioned somewhere that if you don’t believe in the rules, then they don’t pertain to you.”
“Dangerous ground,” Altair warned. “Take care, there are many dimensions that make up this world. Each has its own set of rules, as you found out the hard way with the demon world. Please make nice with Roumain. Tell him Altair said to tell you about Azrael. They go way back.”
“Wait, answer me this?”
“Don’t ask me the question, ask Roumain,” Altair said. “Time I got back to work.”
“Before you go, could you point the way back?” Mia asked.
Altair moved next to Mia. “Down there is France. You just have to head west, and eventually, you’ll hit America. Look for the Great Lakes, and then you’re in your neighborhood.”
~
Mia walked in the front door and into the living room, not at all surprised to see Ted and Cid still playing the video game. She dropped a large white bag on the coffee table.
“What’s this?” Ted asked, reaching for the bag.
“Something French,” Mia said.
Cid smelled the aroma of warm pastries as soon as the bag was opened. The game was forgotten as the two pulled out flaky croissants.
Mia smiled and walked into the kitchen where she thought she heard the boys laughing. Finding it empty, she followed the sounds of happy play down the hall. She knocked lightly at the open door of Lazar’s suite.
“You’re back,” Lazar said, looking over at Mia.
“I brought some pastries back with me if you’re interested. I’d get to them before Cid and Ted eat them all.”
“No, I’m good. My mother insisted I eat a ‘good meal’ at home before I came back here.”
“How was the wedding?”
“Loud.”
Mia walked over and sat on the ground where the boys were playing some kind of game Mia didn’t recognize.
“I brought this back with me. I used to play it when I was a kid.”
“You’re very kind. I’m sorry I didn’t want to put you to work right when you got back, but I had a meeting.”
“I missed the rascals,” Lazar said honestly. “Anything happen while I was gone?”
“Yes.”
“Do I need to know what went on?” he asked, concerned by the paleness of Mia’s face.
“Maybe,” Mia said. “Especially since you protect my best buds.”
“Let’s take the kids outside and let them run off some steam,” he suggested. “We can discuss it in the sunshine. Maggie!”
The family dog appeared with her leash in her mouth. She dumped it in Brian’s lap which caused him
