Aeva’s Challenge – IV

A tale of angels, demons and dragons…

“Put your hand on the wings,” Gabriel spoke firmly and Aeva did as she was told.
There was briefly burning pain, but the snake stilled and it seemed that she wore a chain of priceless black links with a pair of diamond wings resting in the notch of her collarbone. However, the palm of Aeva’s hand now bore a blackly outlined tattoo of feathered wings. She stared at her marked palm.
“What and why?” she said flatly.
“The dark lord thus marks his own,” the Fighters chanted.
“It is,” Lucifer said drily a sign of my protection. “I appear to have been particularly lax in my duty where you were concerned.”
Aeva looked into his handsome lying eyes and snorted. “The truth would be appreciated, Dark Lord.”
When Lucifer said nothing she walked to within two handspans of his golden-skinned magnificence.
“Well. I’ll just tell you what I think then. This has little or nothing to do with protecting me. Indeed I am given to believe that you think my existence almost as inconvenient as does the creature who fathered me. No. I think this has to do with making examples. Judging by those of your creatures it has been my fortune to meet, they aren’t exactly dependable and it will only be fear that keeps them in line. And it is my thought that my father and his leman tried your patience too far so they have been made examples of to remind all of your children that you are not a gentle, tolerant father.”
The silence was so profound that the susurration of breath seemed almost indecently loud.
Gabriel’s voice was dry. “We seem to be making a habit of underestimating Aeva Darkstar’s intellect.”
Lucifer grunted, but there was a spark of something that might almost have been respect lurking in the depths of his pitiless eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but Aeva had no wish to hear any more half-truths from anyone so she held up her hand – tattooed palm outwards.
“Just tell me where the missing Messenger was last heard from and I will be about my business.”
Thor cleared his throat in an apologetic manner. “He was last seen flying into the sunset.”
“From?”
“Olympus.”
“Are you seriously telling me anybody was stupid enough to try and fly anywhere from the Greek Gods’ place?”
The goddess of wisdom raised a white, muscular arm. “Yes. We are.”
“You lot are beyond price. You let some fool of a boy leave your mountain in the way most nearly guaranteed to get him killed. And when his family reports him missing you send for me to investigate. What a very good way to abnegate responsibility.”
Athena stood up and stared down at Aeva from her superior height. “Have a care, mortal.”
“Grow up, Athena.” Poseidon sounded hugely irritated. “Have you not been paying attention? If you meddle with the Invigilator, you will also be tangling with Lucifer and his minions. I, for one, will not support you if you fall into a quarrel with that lot.”
The goddess subsided into offended silence and Aeva switched her attention to the sea god. “Is there the remotest chance somebody can be persuaded to talk to me?”
“Oh, I think so. I see no profit in withholding information.”
He waved a negligent hand and an imposing figure with a plaited beard marched stiffly into the chamber. He was followed by a young man in the garb of a priest, a nervous-looking female acolyte, and a veiled seeress. The bearded one opened his mouth then his brain made a connection with his eyes and he pressed his lips together.
Poseidon laughed. “Precisely. Now, of your goodness, tell us what you know about the missing Messenger.”
Beardy bowed. “I know little. Those with me saw more. But I shall begin. The Messenger brought me a package and once I accepted it he was shown from my presence by a newly anointed priest of the temple.”
The priest took up the tale. “The Messenger seemed to me to be excited. He was bright of eye and his movements were quick and jerky. As is my duty, I offered him sustenance. He refused. Smiled as if he had a secret. I handed him over to one of the door keepers and that was the last I saw of him.”
He prodded the acolyte with one bony finger and Aeva knew the impulse to slap him. Hard. But the girl gulped and spoke shyly.
“The draca could not enter the temple, as shifters are anathema. She assumed her mortal form and I thought her beautiful. We spoke together and she told me of the bond between her and her partner. When he came to the gate he was swaggering, but his draca greeted him with a smile. He said some strange words to her and she Changed. They flew off into the sunset and I was afraid for them.”
Aeva smiled. “Can you remember what the Messenger said to his draca?”
“I didn’t understand it. But it sounded a bit like manzy haby.”
“Thank you.”
The veiled seeress spoke in a voice that sounded like the wind in the trees. “For all the sound and fury those two have not passed beyond.”
“No. I don’t suppose they have.”
At the flat pragmatism of Aeva’s voice, the sybil put back her veil and showed the black holes that had been her eyes.
“Art thou she who they call demon’s daughter?”
“I am.”
“Then I am permitted to tell thee this for thy own self. There is a fork in the road close to thy feet, and thou needst one who loves thee in order to pass through.”
Aeva inclined her head. “Thank you.”
The seeress put her veil back over her face and she and her companions stepped backwards through the portal that appeared at their feet.
Aeva turned her attention to Thor as he sat on his bone throne.
“May I have the holding of the names of the missing ones?”
He frowned at her. “Is that needful?”
Aeva just looked at him.
“The mortal is Ove Gunnarssen and the draca goes by the name of Water.”
Now Aeva was truly angry. “I should,” she said icily, “refuse this task and return immediately to my books. You and yours disgust me. You would have sent me and my guards to hunt for the only male born to the most powerful band of berserkers in the whole of Northland in a thousand years without the knowledge that was our geas.”
She ran out of things to say, instead raking the banked seating with hot, angry eyes. It was Lucifer who broke the heavy silence.
“You were not the only one in ignorance, little half-mortal.” He stood up and his dark height suddenly dominated the place. “Who,” he asked in an awful voice, “thought it right to send out an Invigilator without a vital piece of the puzzle she must decipher?”

Aeva’s Challenge by Jane Jago will continue next week