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“No. I foresee a lot, but I guess death was not something I was privy to see. If I had, everything would be different,” she said quietly.
“Well, what’s done is done,” I said, a phrase I’d come to live by in life. There was no undo button, no changing anything. You just had to press on, move past it and come to terms with it.
“Doesn’t make it right.” Her eyes were stormy as they met mine, like she truly hadn’t forgiven herself for many things. It was hard for me to look past it too. But in the grand scheme of things, what did it matter? She’d done her best, loved me unconditionally, and died for me.
Sure, I didn’t agree with her keeping things from me, but I understood her desire to give me a normal life. Besides, would I have even believed her if she’d been truthful?
“But I forgive you,” I found myself seeing, and the wave of shock and relief that swept over her was completely visible as she rounded the counter and wrapped me in a tight hug.
“I don’t know why, but I think that’s what I needed to hear,” she whispered, her voice breaking as she clutched me like I was going to abandon her.
“You’re my mother,” was the only response I could give, and she just drew in a shuddering breath as she pulled back to smile at me.
“And it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I’ve lived a long life, but the years I had with you made it perfect.” She smiled lovingly at me, her gaze trailing over me. “I still can’t believe the strong woman you’ve grown into. I’m so proud of you, just as your father would be.”
I smiled softly as I fought back the rising tide of emotions once more.
I wanted to pretend there was no Armageddon coming, that staying here was something I could do. That I could go back to the way things were before her passing, to live a normal life in this Heaven she’d forged for herself.
But as I stood, she gave me a knowing look.
I couldn’t do that. I was racing against time too now. The longer I spent here, the more time demons and angels had to find my friends and hellhounds. To possibly use them against me., or just to kill for the sake of it. I wouldn’t put it past them.
“How do I get to Michael?” I asked as I steeled myself and focused on the task.
Pride shone in my mother’s eyes as she straightened herself.
“I’ll show you.”
* * *
We stood at the archway in the park I’d frequented as a kid, a few children playing on the playground.
I had been impressed by the number of people I’d recognized on the walk over from my childhood. My mother had recreated our old life right down to the three-legged dog Mrs. Darcy owned on the corner.
I’d asked about it, and she’d explained Heavens were created from our fondest memories, forged into the ideal setting for us to spend eternity.
“So Dezikiel and Jophiel are prisoners,” she mused as we stared at the stone arch. The children and parents in the park were oblivious to it, although they’d waved to my mother. Thomas and I were intruders, unseen by her Heavenly creations here.
“Yeah, should we find them?” I asked as Thomas shifted uneasily before the archway.
“No. I’m sure when you speak with Michael, he’ll get it sorted,” she said as she turned to me. “I hate having to say this, and I hate that it all rests on your shoulders. I wish I could take the burden for you. But you need to focus on this mission,” she said as she held my gaze. “You’re the only one who can do it.”
“Will I…” My words caught as she frowned softly, searching my eyes for my question. “Will I survive?” I ground out.
“Oh honey, you think I would’ve allowed you to continue this path if the result was your demise?” Her face fell as if the sheer thought crushed her as she rested both hands on my shoulders. “No, despite everything that will come your way, everything you will face, I knew you’d survive it. And closing the gates of Hell will not destroy you. It will set you free from being hunted, having a target on your back,” she assured me.
Hearing her say that was like a crushing weight had been lifted. I still had to somehow close the gates, but it wouldn’t require my death.
That was something I needed to hear, and it relieved me beyond belief.
“Lily, there is something you need to know. I can sense it within you. If you feel like you need help, or things are dire, I want you to focus your magic on your pendant. It’ll still protect you, okay?” she said as she stared hard at me. “Promise me that you’ll do that. You may need to do it sooner than you think.”
I just frowned but nodded. “What will that do?”
“Protect you, now, we need to get you to Michael,” she said as she looked at the archway. I wanted to know how, but if she thought we were pressed for time, I was going to listen. After all, she’d foreseen everything else.
“How? When I thought of Michael last time, I ended up here,” I said as my mother studied the archway.
