Jake grins and stands with Seth. “I guess we get to ride in style?” Seth says with a huge smile.
“Elsbeth asked me to give these to you.” Simeon tells them holding out a small box with pride.
Heather is the first to move. When she removes the lid, she gasps. Inside, resting on black velvet are silver dragon pins. They are curved around a small blue bead. “They are blessed and will shield your threads, preserving your strength for the journey.” He explains.
“They are exquisite, but how did she know?” Heather asks.
“Elina.” Simeon replies simply. “There are enough pins for all of you, including those we leave behind.”
“Thank you,” Makaio says, looking down at his wife. Heather hands him a pin and with trembling fingers, he is quick to pin Leilani. She returns the favor as Heather quickly hands them out.
Simeon watches these humans, who are ready to fight and sighs. “If you wish, Makaio, I can place your family in a protected place until this is over. I can assure you of their safety.”
“Thank you, I would be honored to place their safety in your hands.”
Leilani covers Makaio’s hand with hers and he kisses her forehead. Outside his granddaughters are playing and his sons are waiting for him, ready to do as he commands.
Simeon bows and leads the way outside where three angels wait. The children stare at the angels, with a look of awe on their young faces.
One of the angels flaps his wings at the children, battering them with wind. The girls squeal in delight and the youngest, at two years old toddles over and lifts her arms, “Up, up, birdie.” The angel smiling, squats and lifts her.
They all laugh, as goodbyes are made. Makaio kisses his wife softly, whispering, “A hui hou’. Until we meet again.”
In the silence that remains, the sons are led in prayer by their father. Finishing with a quiet “Amen.” Makaio looks back at the large angel watching them, “We are ready.”
Chapter 27
The archangel, and keeper, wait in the silence of the alley for Maeling to skip past. She is headed to the ship and Elina knows this must be perfectly timed. She knows the pen is on the ship, but not exactly when she finds it. Alex told her he found it in the ship’s galley.
Maeling hums and skips along unaware of the evil awaiting her.
As an archangel, Malach can cloak both of them from being seen, so they follow silently behind the child. They watch as she sees the ship, and feel her excitement as she wanders along.
Elina smiles at the joy in Maeling’s voice when she calls out to her father. They watch as he lifts her into a hug and barks out orders to the workers loading the ship.
Maeling suddenly goes still. Her smile fades away to be replaced by shock. She moves quietly watching the demon shadows following the men.
They creep quickly along, avoiding the afternoon sunshine by using the long antennae on their heads to guide them. The fluidity of their bodies is amazing as they flow along effortlessly up the side of buildings, along roofs, into cracks, and crevices.
They resemble a centipede with four foot long, fur covered bodies. Each of the twenty, multi-jointed legs have black stripes with spiked tips on the ends.
Maeling jumps in horror when one of the demons leaps onto the back of its victim. Lightning fast, it wraps its legs around the victim before sinking it’s antennae into the unseeing eyes, sucking the life force out of them.
The victims are unaware of what is happening to them except that they feel lethargic as though a heavy presence is pushing them down. Elina follows Maeling to the top deck for a better look and Malach stays close behind.
“Maeling, what are you doing? It is not safe here, if you want to watch do it from the Captain’s deck with me,” her father orders. When he turns to walk away, she sees that he carries a small wooden tea crate.
“Yes, Ba-ba.” She replies sweetly following him up the wooden steps to the deck above.
Malach takes Elina’s arm gesturing to the demons below. They seem to be cowering in fear and those that don't run, drop down in fear. Elina looks at Malach and her stomach drops. His face reflects her thoughts.
“Mocker.” She hears the word in her mind.
Maeling’s father’s voice draws Elina’s attention.
"It’s a tea service, which I must find a place for. Maybe you could help me with that?” He asks. A sudden crash and her father quickly sets the tea set down and rushes off.
When Elina looks back the child is gone.
"She went down into the ship, you follow her and I will stay here and guard our exit. Hurry!" Malach urges.
Without a word she rushes along down a ladder and along a hallway.
Maeling enters a small doorway leading into the galley. Elina catches up in time to hear a crash. Stepping into the dark room, Elina sees Maeling in the throes of a vision.
In her tiny hand she holds a wooden pen. The tea crate is scattered around her on the floor and Elina knows, this is what she has been searching for.
Maeling gasps when the vision releases her, and jumps up desperate to hide the pen. She spins in fear when she hears a sound behind her.
"Hello, Maeling." Elina says softly in perfect Chinese.
The child clutches the pen close against her chest. Eyes wide with shock, she stares at Elina. “They said you weren’t real.”
Elina squats down eye level with the young girl. “What do you think, Maeling?”
Maeling steps closer and touches Elina’s cheek with one hand. “I know you are real, and I know why you have come.”
Elina smiles, “You are in danger, Maeling.”
Her brown eyes fill with tears, “They killed the
