Breaking the intensity of their play acting, Travis asked, “Do you think she wants to absorb him, like all the other creatures from the Stygian?”
Lowering my hand, I said, “That’s possible.” I regarded Snarp closer. Now that my brain was free of the alcohol haze, I could search his energies to see if there was anything unusual. I unfolded my arms. “He has changed.”
“What?” Krystan looked back and forth between me and the bird.
“His essence has changed. It used to be a dark red color, not quite the pitch black of truly malevolent entities, but still evil. He is casting an aura of bright orange now, as if his nature has been diluted.”
Travis fist pumped. “I knew Hostess was the way. Come over to the light side, we have snack cakes.” He released his grip enough for Snarp to struggle free, flapping his way back to the kitchen.
Krystan clicked the lamp off. “The saying goes “come to the dark side, we have cookies”.”
Travis shrugged. “I know, I revamped it. It was intentional and genius, if you ask me.” Walking over to pick up his son, he added, “Tristan thought it was funny.”
The baby’s face did not reflect Travis’ case. His tiny forehead scrunched up before his face turned red and he burst into tears.
“Yeah, it’s your genius that scares him,” Krystan said in a deadpan voice.
Something buzzed across the room. As Krystan took Tristan from Travis, she cast a glance past the living room to the front hallway. “That’s your phone, Terminator. We plugged it in this morning.”
I left to give Krystan some privacy as she sat down and raised her shirt to feed Tristan.
Picking up my phone, I immediately answered when I saw the name on the caller ID.
“Did you find them?” I asked.
Gregory’s voice came over the other line. “We did. The High Priestess was less than forthcoming but we managed to persuade the Spiritus.”
His tone suggested the persuasion had been forceful, if not a little violent.
There was a shuffling then Diana’s voice came over the line. “Calan, we know why she needs the books.”
I stilled.
“They are a barrier. Their very existence was built on measures to keep the Stygian to its own realm. Emma isn’t trying to use them, she is destroying them. With each one gone she grows more powerful.”
Ice encased me as I took in Diana’s words.
“Calan, are you there?” Diana asked.
“Are you saying the books’ sole purpose is to keep the Stygian at bay and by removing those powerful anchors, she can collapse the two dimensions into one?”
A bit of pride was in her voice. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
She had three of the five. “There are two anchors left then.”
“Which two are left?” Gregory asked this time.
“Tenebrae and Luxis, but Ylang has both books.”
“Good,” he said, some relief in his voice.
“What do you mean good?”
“The Luxis is by far the most powerful Order. Their book is the oldest and strongest. If there is anyone capable of keeping the books out of her reach, I believe it is them.”
“Are you saying that because of your bias?” I asked. Not to say I didn’t share his bias, but at least I knew to ask the question.
“The Luxis are tricky bastards. They’d not only heavily ward the books with their most heavy hitting objects, the books would be hidden. Perhaps in a different dimension even.”
