Cinderfella 3: Life Continues - 41. The Dream

We had Bond-day.  Yesterday was Cryday.  I watched a movie, Philadelphia?  Tom Hanks.  I reacted as I was supposed to.  Angry, furious and...Damn it!  At the wake and the song Philadelphia is sung, I was crying my eyes out.  A life ended!  Clinically, I understand.  Mom, Dad, Daniel...they're all dead.  My world is dying.  Don't run to call 911, I won't do anything.  I'm angry and I was CHEATED!  There is nothing wrong with what you are!  Live, find love.  I really miss you, Daniel.  

The Dream

I hated this. A nightmare so real and sharp, I came up fighting. They were so clear when you wake up, but fade as we were awake. Naturally, the others were concerned. I got them here and only I could get them back! I needed to plan on what to do if I couldn’t. It would be a while before anyone got to the other to return everyone home the long way.

There’s a feeling I get when I’ve made a fool of myself and that feeling grew was the images in my head faded.

Demetrius was walked up quickly and sat by me. “What happened?” He quickly asked me and others around me.

“I fell asleep,” I said feeling embarrassed and silly now. “Is it still a nightmare if it happens in the daytime?” I wiped my face with my hand and then licked it. My eyebrows rose delighted, “It sort of tastes like apple.” I let it play on my taste buds. “But not quite.” My mind was going over samples I had stored in my head. “Not at all too tart…”

“It’s aporo kikokiko,” Demetrius said with a smile.

“That wasn’t a helpful answer,” I grumbled.

“Flesh apple,” Demetrius chuckled. He reached over and grabbed what I assumed was an apple. He grabbed a knife and cut the apple in half and showed me…I knew apples! Really. The pale inside color of the firm and juicy fruit, wasn’t pale! Had the apple soaked in something red? Where the pale fruit normally was, it was stained red! It seemed to have soaked in from the fruit surface and covered the apple. “It only grows here in the cooler South.” He pointed to the reddened portions. “The lack of…”

“Maybe,” Seth nodded, but refused to take his eyes off me, “I’ll be fascinated, I’m sure,” he said, “Later. I have never seen anything like this with Erik.” I heard the alarm in his voice, “I shook him!” He shook his hands in front of him and shook them violently, “He would NOT wake up! He was trapped in this world I couldn’t get him to wake up.”

Seeing that, I could no longer just dismiss what happened. “I’m sorry, Seth.” Taking a hand.

“Oh,” Seth asked. “It was your plan to scare me.” He nodded and took on wicked grin, “You did it on purpose.”

“Really?” I asked in a mutter.

“Then don’t apologize,”

“Every person has parts of the body that work,” Martha’s voice said from behind everyone. The gathered parted to let her get closer.

Seth looked at her puzzled. “Some of us don’t speak Fairy Godparent speak as well as others.” Seth explained. He suddenly shook his head once or twice, then said, “What?!”

Martha smiled sitting by me and asked, “Tell me about sweet, the taste.”

“Sweet!?” I knew the man. It was pretty easy to figure out how my scary dream and the sweet taste were related.

“And no flavor comparisons.” Martha said. “No like honey, or even grape juice.”

Now, Seth’s mouth closed and he thought a moment or two. “I can’t!”

“We all have mouths and tastebuds,” she reasoned. “Just tell us.”

“You won’t know if you don’t know!” Seth said.

“No common point of reference?” Martha asked to confirm.

“Yeah,” Seth nodded. “That’s it.”

Martha nodded and looked at me. “There is a group of people…” she pointed in a direction, “not far from here, believe dreams are a part of reality. The Dreaming reveals the four aspects of life, where the past, present and future coexist. All can be seen. There are techniques they use to harness those dreams. They can even share dreams…”

Seth looked confused, “He can read the future?”

Martha looked as if she were going to say yes, and gave a short nod and said, “No.”

“A simple yes or no isn’t possible?” Seth growled lightly.

“No.” Martha answered quickly. “That was a simple yes or no question.” She smiled at Seth. “A drop of water hits your head. What does that mean?”

“Can I assume no birds were flying overhead?” Seth asked. He looked at me and pointed out, “She said water, nothing else hit me. Without light and conditions, it maybe about to rain. Any thunder?”

Martha laughed. “No, you’re fine. You know to look at signs to draw a conclusion.” She looked at me. “I dream, you dream, but we all have our own dreams. I will tell you what I’ve learned. Using visual images, I can direct you toward having more control when dreaming.” She you’ll be dreaming, but aware enough to direct your…” she waved at me, “whatever that was.” She looked at Seth. “You’ve spent a long time with Erik. You’ve never known him to have a nightmare? This has been difficult past few months.”

“No,” Seth answered quickly. “I’ve had a few, but he was the one to comfort me.”

Martha nodded, “Things that difficult in childhood, take a few years to sort out as adults.” She caressed his face gently. “I think you’re doing a great job.”

“Thanks?” Seth nodded and then suddenly shook his head. “Wait a minute. Lukus got me to remember my mother with a single…” he wiggled his fingers over an invisible skull, “thing. This was one nightmare.”

Martha nodded again chuckling at Seth. “Yes, one dream about a coming event that hasn’t been resolved yet.” She leaned closer to him. “He may have another. The message is incomplete.”

"Back to Sunday School with you, Seth,” I chuckled. “We get messages about future events often.” I said holding my hand out. “And not just our own.”

“Who?”

“Joseph!” I said back quickly. “Sold by jealous brothers as a slave in Egypt. Arrested after resisting advances by his owner’s wife on lies she told, and forgotten. Two other in-mates had dreams they didn’t understand. Joseph correctly interpreted them. The king had a dream no one could understanding proved it was true.” I chuckled. “One of the men served the king, told about a guy interpreting his all those years ago,” I shook my head, “It’s amazing something like that would slip you mind.” I brightened again. “Joseph did understand them. Seven years of surplus and seven years of nothing. The king put Joseph in command of gathering and storing the surplus. The only one that outranked him was the king himself.” I chuckled. “I would have loved that woman that accused him were to run into him accidentally afterward.”

“It was a few decades,” Demetrius said to me in mock confidence, “She could have died or gotten better at it.”

“If I knew who he was and what he became,” Seth shook his head. “I would have left Cairo,” Seth’s mind was working, “Or was it Alexander? Hell! All of Egypt!!”

I waved that thought off. “Mortality rates and women don’t age as well as men…”

“I beg your pardon?” Martha objected.

“You don’t count,” I did it on purpose and Martha went with it willingly. “And don’t beg. It’s unbecoming and beneath you.” I said simply. “From what I’ve seen, there isn’t a single Child of Lilith that’s ugly or even a little plain. Humans are amazing and often pretty. Children of Lilith shame everyone being as gorgeous as they are. So, saying one of you is pretty is sort of unnecessary.” I pointed at Demetrius. “Even he’s pretty!”

No one spoke a few seconds, then Demetrius stage whispered to Seth, “Was I just complimented? Do I thank him?”

Seth thought about what I said and then said slowly, “I…think…soooo,” And answered more with a shrug.

“Joseph was warned to flee Bethlehem…” Martha continued, “just before king Herod attacked and killed all male babies in Bethlehem.”

“The most common,” I did finger air quotes, “bad dream, is when I am supposed to do, but haven’t gotten around to yet. I know I should…”

“And yours were memories that were blocked,” Martha added. “Erik’s was a dream, that’s different.”

“Okay, I get it,” Seth said in a hurry, raising his hands I surrender. “What do we do?”

“The dream wasn’t forgotten, but I need to get it back up to the primary memory. Now, it’s in the dream-memory. Tomorrow, or whenever you sleep again and it comes back, you should remember more.” She smiled. “Ready?”

“Is there something I should do?” I asked.

Martha shook her head, “Not really.”

All my complaints about the lack of anything happening to tell me something was happening…well, I’m doing it again. Other than Martha putting her fingertips to my forehead at the temples, she leaned forward a bit and said something quietly in each ear. One word. “Yad.” I had no idea what that meant or even what language it was. You probably aren’t surprised when I tell you it was said in a particular way. Short! But particular. It was a soft, just above a whisper, but below a spoken word for others to hear. A rolling syllable the echoed…in my head…and not due to it’s empty-cavernous interior either.

“That’s it?” I groused. “What was that you said? I don’t feel anything.”

“You’ve had this done before?” Martha asked.

“No,” I said.

“Then how do you know that wasn’t it?” Martha asked.

“He wanted fireworks or something,” Demetrius confessed.

“A light show,” Seth chuckled, “at least.”

I shook my head, “I still don’t remember any of the what that just was.” I pointed at Demetrius. “You can do the pop and glitter!” I looked around at the crowd. “Where’s Dara? She did it with Ella. A pumpkin into an elegant coach, horses from mice! And you, Dara, and Lukus did it with the house in Royal Valley! Shooting stars and this sound as the house changed from Thorne’s mansion into our home. I’ll always remember that.” I pointed at Demetrius. “That was a light show.”

“That was for you!” Demetrius shot back. “Technically, I didn’t have to do that! I fulfilled my part of the bargain and was done. I was being nice.”

“Slowly,” Martha said loud and quickly, but smiling bigger and finished at a more normal pace and volume, “you will remember parts. I made the suggestion in your head. Don’t rush things.”

When it was over, it still wasn’t as late as I thought it should be. It was by date, afternoon here. It was almost nine-thirty in the next morning was here. My head began hurting a bit, so I quit thinking about it.

I didn’t worry about it. Seth and I only slept apart a small amount of time in our lives. I trusted Seth with my life. I knew it wouldn’t happen again. We also learned about these unique apples here. Depending on how dry and hot it was, the weather affected the red color! The redder the flavor and the sweeter…I think. It was like eating concentrated apples in one cup and something else. It was good. No wonder I was sticky when it was poured on me to wake out of that…whatever. True to her words, I was enjoying the warm weather. Being on this high grassed topped crest allowed cool breezes to make it almost perfect. There was also a stretch of sandy beach. Seth and I honeymooned in part at Seaside Vista, in A’Dore. That paled by comparison with Arapawa Beach. The sound of the wind through the thick trees and surf was hypnotic. We walked the beach and no chilled anything passed us. For a while, I just put up with the looks. Finally, I smiled patiently at Seth. “I know it was scary. But I swear, when I remember anything, I will let you know.” I shrugged. “It may not be what we think.”

It was and I knew it. Why? I have no idea. Thinking about those men marching here, I mean there. Back where the Natives lived and I heard the rumble of booted soles of the men advancing. It would be soon when they got to Gitchi. We needed to be back so when we could be at that mountain pass ahead of them. Why us and why now? A dark-haired man again I didn’t recognize was there. Again, I was frightened for Demetrius. Demetrius was in danger. I took Seth’s hand and nodded.

“Nothing clear,” I said, “but I saw a face before…in that…dream?”

“You don’t know him,” Seth said to confirm.

“I don’t recall if I do,” I said. “I heard the sound of marching and many booted feet heading west. I feel the threat they pose.” I shrugged. “It’s not exactly like seeming some guys and what you want to know, if asked, will get a reply.”

“Damn it.” Seth said quietly as he grinned, “Wouldn’t that be nice?”

What Dara did that evening, I wondered if I could learn to do? To serve a dish of anything, you had to know how it was done without using magic. You had to be able to cook it even if you didn’t cook it! No clean up time!?

Confused? I hope so. I enjoy confusing people! It’s fun! I resolve it. To make a meal with magic, you had to know how to make the meal! How long any sauces had to be made ahead of time, breads that needed to rise for how long, how long to bake at what temperature? The Children of Lilith cooked. They had time to learn and took that job seriously. Thing about it. Someone gets you mad, you don’t win your point by cooking well or bad, but slightly burned crusts, undercooked meats make that important point! Cook like you expecting royalty or slopping hogs…you have to know how make it. I don’t know what’s in pig slop, but…why would I want that?

The table was long with long bench-like seats you could sit on or lounge on while dining. I’ve eaten seafood and enjoyed it. There was a large…fish? Baked or broiled and tender making chewing and option. There was a large…I don’t know! Some mollusk? Snail, maybe? As big as our hands and absolutely delicious!

It was just great having the wait time during preparation and serving time cut. And no clean up! No dirty pots, pans, utensils, plates, bowls…everything was cleaned and put away. One more how to do it. I wonder how Dara learned to make a pumpkin into a coach. Did that count?

It was a good day. It was a long day. It was morning when we got here. The sun was going down now in the part of this world.

Humans made some great strides! We learned to put the kill on the fire and cook it. Then, he learned to mix this and that to create a sauce and it was even better!! The seafood was sweet and the sauces added a tang or sour flavor that…it was good! Very good.

I did notice that Toby and Kohona were speaking together…silently. The use of sign language worked better for them. I know with Sign Language in English, what was said was also spoken, or at least mouthed. Toby did it. There was no spoken word with Native Sign Language. Reese, Max, Val, Beau, Ceto…all sat together. Thomas and Hana didn’t really speak to anyone else. There didn’t seem to be a language problem with them.

Protocol. The world operated by Protocol. Procedures and red tape. My brother was the pioneer with one aspect of protocol. All protocols were honored, except one. The witnessing. Most of the time the two about to be married had never even MET! She didn’t know him, he didn’t know her which meant the first night during confirmation of the vows, it was pretty and crowded in their bed room. I wonder if they gave pointers? Anyway, I didn’t want an audience. Christian was far too shy. Proof that he knew what he was doing was at the table and looked JUST LIKE HIM.

No protocols were followed now. Thomas and Hana spent a lot of time together and often (gasp!) alone! That would never have happened in A’Dore. The still unmarried Crowned Prince and young woman alone!? NEVER!! I’m sure Ella and Christian had some long walks on the palace grounds, but was never out of sight from the chaperones. Don’t forget the guards in the hall near Ella’s room. I know there were lengthy explanations about protecting virtue and all that. They made sure it didn’t even look possible that anything was done…inappropriately. Besides, you know Ella by now. If she doesn’t make it to Heaven, none of us stand a chance! What could I do? Sit between them for the rest of this? I’m not doing that! Thomas was not that reckless.

Then, a flash of memory. Sounds with no local source. There and gone. Then again and gone.

I tried to be quiet about it. Why worry everyone.

The first man flashed back, but a new face came. He was a silhouette of black. His head was covered in the dark crimson hood. Then that hooded shadow flashed faster and faster, hand lowered the hood and he looked at ME! That face I knew! He’d gotten older, but…my heartrate sored, I gasped a quick inhalation of air as I grabbed Seth’s hand.

“What did you see?” Seth asked quickly.

“Father Markum!” I said in a rough rasp. “I saw Father Markum.”

“Father Markum!?” Seth asked

“Who?” Chitto asked.

Chitto had been a thousand miles away and may not have known this part.

“Father Alfred Markum,” I answered as Seth encircled his arms around me.

“He was the priest in Thorne Valley,” Seth answered. “He was the priest for the first year or two when it became Royal Valley.” He quickly explained the man Arthur Thorne paid to influence the people working at the vineyard and winery. I made it no secret that I didn’t like or trusted that priest. Just being a priest or nun didn’t make anyone more holy. He stole and he lied. He challenged me with his knowledge, or lack of knowledge about the scriptures. He got Margert Hammel to press charges against FSE in Royal Valley and we had quite a few by then that lived openly together. Father Markum was going to either negate Seth’s and my marriage and have us executed. Arthur claimed Seth as a son of his second wife and not of the royal family line. You know at that ball Seth was Prince Philip and eldest son of King Alexander and his wife! Punishment was offered in two ways. Execution for treason or banishment. Royal Valley, Blethos, and A’Dore!! They would not have survived in Creid. Stripping Seth of the crown and he would not have passed it on to Sam! Things were confusing for a while, but I encouraged the priest’s challenge and proved Seth was Philip, King Alexander’s son! You remember how and why we did it that way! Legally, it was rock solid! Seth was king and we were married! In the long run, those charges were dealt with and done away with. Marriage between two adults, eighteen was the age to enter in a contract, but parents or a guardian adult could consent. Yes! There were abuses all over the place! You try to write and enforce laws to regulate human behavior! It is NOT easy! Juvenile offenders often lay low a while and let the law pass. It wasn’t difficult. Men still beat the one they claim to love and apologize profusely afterward. Sometimes. There were females that did it, too! Fewer of those were reported for usual manly reasons.

A girl beat you up, man? Really?

I should ask Daisy to pay them a visit.

“Deena and Father Markum are causing to seriously rethink my stance on capital punishment.” I grumbled.

Seth buried his face to my neck and said in my ear, “Father Markum chose and Deena was crazy.”

Thomas had listened and shrugged, “It sort of makes sense.” He looked at some surprised faces that were no listening more. He chuckled and threw his hands out. “Well, where could he go?” He waved at Seth. “He was banished from Blethos and everyone knew him in Royal Valley.” He waved at me. “You know as soon as we heard about the charges in Blethos, Dad had all those laws destroyed!”

“Destroyed?” I asked with a smile.

“I know there are books about A’Dore’s history,” Thomas nodded. “Dad had the laws governing marriage changed. So, when people in the future read it, the law was changed as you married Uncle Seth.” He shrugged. “The entire law book was rewritten and every reference to a legal challenge by combat was done away with as were the laws of marriage.” Thomas grinned. “He even had a little party scheduled and had the books with those old laws and marriage structure laws burned. All of the arbitrators in town and some from neighboring towns came, each read and burned to a crisp.” He leaned toward Hana, “He loved the words like perverse and deviant when he read those laws and as they burned said, call my brother a pervert or deviant. I dare you! If you were alive, I’d burn you, not those stupid rules.” Thomas grinned defiantly. “You know? We’re not really members of A’Dore’s Royal Family.” His eyebrows rose twice.

“We’re not?” I grinned. I knew what he meant, but…

“Sure,” Thomas nodded, “Chitto shouldn’t be here. Grandpa’s and Grandma’s marriage was forbidden because it was against the Law of Ethnicity. She was Muskogee!! Dad burned that one, as well.”

I nodded, “Further back than that!” I held up two fingers. “We also have two additional grandmothers who are Cherokee. I think that was why we just sat on those old laws. We didn’t enforce them because we didn’t agree.”

“What did you feel?” Martha asked. “Was this Father Markum threatening for you in what you saw?”

I sat back a little and thought. “He was threatening,” I admitted. “But not to me.” I looked around the table until I got to Demetrius. “No. He’s a threat to you, Demetrius. Just you.”

“Why?” Seth asked.

Lukus leaned closer to me. “Isn’t that one of the reasons we came here?” He held his hand up as he remembered where he was. “I mean there.” He wavered a shrug. “To find out? Dream more.”

I nodded, “Sure, I’ll get right on that.”

“But no one can harm a child of Lilith!” Seth objected, “Not even a Child of Lilith.”

“Yes,” Martha nodded and sighed, “Do you know about angels?”

“They are very mysterious,” I shrugged, “They are often the voice of God. One even told Mary she was carrying His child.” I gave a short chuckle. “HIS child! Some guy from the,” I did the air quotes again, “Church says God wants us to believe this and that because God spoke to him. He doesn’t talk to Mary, the mother of His child, but He talks to you!? There is no way in Hell I believe him!”

“Would you know one if you saw them?” Martha shook her head. “No. Where do you believe angels came from?”

I shrugged, “I can’t tell you. I know they were all created.”

“Demons. We know many that believe,” Martha began, “that Lilith became a demon and she gave birth to demons.”

“You’re not demons!!” Seth practically shouted. “Arthur Thorne was a demon, but not you! None of you are!”

Demetrius smiled, but it wasn’t the playful zany smile Demetrius often on his face. I could see Demetrius was touched deeply. A sparkle glittered in Demetrius’ eye and he leaned around and hugged Seth.

“Right at the beginning,” Demetrius said, “when I first met you that was the second question out of your mouth. Was I a demon?”

“You’re not,” Seth assured hugging Demetrius tightly.

“Thank you,” Demetrius said.

“There is a mention of a war in Heaven,” Martha said. “Lucifer and who he was before…”

“When he was the Venom of God?” I asked. “Samael.”

“Samuel?” Seth asked. “Like my brother Sam?”

“No,” I shook my head, “I does sound like I’m messing up the name, but it’s ancient Hebrew. (Sam-I-el). It’s in the Talmudic and post-Talmudic…the Kabbalah in the History of Mankind...”

“There’s more than the Torah,” Seth nodded understanding it was a huge task.

“A Hell of a lot more,” I laughing at the overwhelming complexity. “A man could dedicate their life to understanding all of it, but…he’d only get the surface of it.”

“I’ve seen you fight! Damned well!! When did you train!?” Seth asked, “I know you’re smart, but…”

I smiled with a laugh, “I told you. My eternity depends on it. I sort of have to. I made time.”

“You’ve been blessed with a hunger of knowledge,” Martha nodded. “That’s what fuels the drive to know.”

“I can’t argue with evidence when it’s shown me,” I shrugged. “I can’t say anyone has a finger on the right answer. I could be way off base. The answers are there. Perhaps we simply don’t know! It might be impossible to know and understand now.” I pointed straight up. “He’s very clever.”

Martha chuckled. “Neither do we and no proof.”

“I know it says we will judge them,” I said. “That was in one place.”

“No,” Martha smiled, “there are others in the old and new scriptures that say you will.”

I thought carefully and shook my head, “No, because those times they spoke of demons.”

“I ask you again,” Martha began with a growing smile. “Where did they come from? An angel that does something wrong is not new. The war in Heaven? They sin. It’s only a theory, but the demons were angels first.”

“All because of Samael,” I nodded.

“The Venom of God?” Max asked.

“He was God’s Muscle,” I shrugged, “He was…the Angel of Death.” I grinned. “When God condemned people to death, Samael was sent to do make it happen.”

“He was evil?” Toby asked.

“Samael was an Archangel with a shitty job.” I didn’t dare say I felt sorry for him. No one was there to report what happened. “He was good and evil as Samael, as Lucifer…” You don’t feel sorry for Satan. It was Satan! “Why are you bringing him up?”

Martha looked a little uneasy. “I felt something…” Martha said carefully. “It’s magic…I think. It’s not magic from a Child of Lilith or a Child of Eve. There are four creatures capable of magic.” She chuckled, “Five if you count God. The Children of Lilith, the Children of Eve, angels and demons. This wasn’t a Child of Lilith or Eve. I’ve never knowingly come across any angel, but this had…a dark shroud around it, so I don’t believe it was an angel…”

“Why not?” Seth moaned. “Le Nah used those grey demon snakes…” He looked at those around us. “You know? Real sea waves have the eb and flow. This has just been coming ashore and coming ashore with no end in sight! It’s not a great crushing massive wave, but it keeps coming!”

“Wait!!” Thomas was shaking his head. “I had Professor Potter.” He shook his head at me. “You left a large void behind in A’Dore. He was so proud of you, but you disappointed him.”

I nodded, “I know,” I said reluctantly and smiled. “I begged the man to stay at the palace and continue to educate me.” I grinned at Seth. “I volunteered to go to extra times to learn. It was supposed to last three or four years.” I laughed. “He finally tells me he exhausted what he had in five, but he got more! It was almost ten years total.”

“Damn,” Seth sat back. “He really did want you to be a priest?”

“What!? Oh, No!” I blurted laughing at that idea, “He literally HATED the Church. He never met a priest he ever liked. He trusted none of them. He did want me to become a Theologian…”

“Or at least stand toe to toe with anyone in the Church and challenge them and force them to admit defeat!” Seth smiled at me. “I’d say you are.”

“My point is, I can’t compete with you!” Thomas stated. “No one was a better student than your Uncle Erik.” He said glumly then sat up quickly. “And I thought the Kabballah was written in the twelfth century.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I chuckled. “If when I read something new or hear something new, if it doesn’t make sense, I leave it behind. If it requires and explanation to make sense, I’ll give it a chance. I can’t tell anyone to believe one way or another. I love the open society of the Natives. I respect their acceptance of the many facets of Human Life. Chitto and his family are welcome parts of my family and I hope they aren’t ever ashamed of me…”

“Not yet,” Chitto grinned at me. He looked around and waved at the surroundings. “And I can expect more frequent visits now?”

I grudgingly nodded, “That would be a safe expectation.” I smiled. “Just don’t look for me for answers, I may have it all wrong!”

“You don’t believe that.” Ceto said by Beau.

“That’s another thing my Native family does I like,” I shrugged. “What I believe doesn’t do a thing. Whoever is in control will not suddenly appear or disappear based on my belief or anyone else’s. This controlling entity knows my doubts as I’ve voiced them frequently. My desire to learn the truth is also known. I know that solved if He wants it solved. I had a job to do!” I nodded at Martha. “I didn’t feel Father Markum was after me. I don’t know what this other man is, but I don’t feel he is after me either.” I pointed at Demetrius. “They are after you. Why?”

“I have no idea,” Demetrius answered.

“If he is a demon or a fallen angel,” I glanced at Seth and asked quietly, “Aren’t they the same thing?”

Seth shook his head, “I know you’re not asking me, but I’d say no.” He saw my questioning of his reasoning and just said. “If Samael was an Archangel, he was bad before he fell.”

I pulled Seth into a kiss. “Yeah, you are much more than a pretty face.” I smiled at him. “You’re that, too. And smart!”