The Candle (Haunted Series Book 23)

by Alexie Aaron

  “It seems to be too coincidental for my comfort. I liked Quazar as much as one can like a gargoyle. I hate to think that he was in league with my grandmother.”

  “We haven’t talked about that. I know you loved your grandmother.”

  “One can love villains. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many of them,” Mia said.

  “Cute, Mia. Um, I was wondering if you would mind if Cid and I played Bayonetta 2 in the living room?”

  “You’re going to fight angels and demons while Altair is here? Brave man,” Mia commented. “Actually, he wants me to test out my wings. How about you listen in for the boys. Lazar goes on the clock in an hour.”

  “Happy flying. Bring me back something French,” Ted teased.

  “Don’t be so glib. It could happen.”

  ~

  Mia and Altair broke through the canopy of clouds into the between. She hovered there a moment and said, “K, the wings work. Time for me to go…”

  “Wait. We have to talk.”

  “I agree, but talking and flying is like walking and chewing gum,” Mia said.

  “Cut it out,” Altair said. “You need the practice, and I need you to bring me up to date.”

  “Brian saw Quazar a week before the candle thing happened.”

  “But he seemed so genuine. Gargoyles are usually so upfront,” Altair worried. “I think there is another element at play here. Yes, Quazar seems to be involved, but although a merchant of magic, I don’t see him planning something like this.”

  “Could he be in league with the council?” Mia asked.

  “Gargoyles and the council? That’s something to ponder. Let’s see if Orion has any thoughts.”

  “Do you trust him?” Mia asked.

  “Don’t you?” Altair countered.

  “Right now, I’m ashamed to say that, aside from you, Murphy, Ted, Cid, and my children, I don’t completely trust anyone anymore.”

  “Not Michael?”

  “Please, I wouldn’t put it past him to send me back in time in order to give me an It’s A Wonderful Life moment so I would appreciate all that I have, especially him.”

  “Now that sounds more like Roumain to me.”

  “Last time I was in Purgatory, Roumain was frightened of me,” Mia reported. “He could have sent me backwards to delay the assassin coming out.”

  “But evidently nothing stops that,” Altair said.

  “Which brings me back to my engineers, aka the Council of Women. Roumain dissuaded me from facing them. He said that they would destroy me. He pointed out that Mother Nature was protecting me, and they would never go against her.”

  “Have you ever spoken to her?” Altair asked.

  “No. Have you?”

  “You don’t seek Mother Nature out; she seeks you,” Altair said. “I’ve been on the naughty list, so I don’t think I’ll ever get an audience with her. She doesn’t trust me, and neither should you, Mia.”

  “That’s honest.”

  “I’m not sure what my role is in this world. I’ve tried to leave the place, but something keeps pulling me back.”

  “You came back to save my butt.”

  “Oh that… I was already headed back when my sword appeared. I thought you had sent it and, in doing so, were in peril.”

  “So you came back for me?”

  “You and I have this odd relationship. When I was a demon, I thought of you as my daughter. Now I’m an angel, I think of you as my friend. And as your friend with fatherly concerns, I would ask you to seek out Roumain before you face the council.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not sure, but if he didn’t slow time twice to delay the effects of the volo candle, who did?”

  “It may have been a calling card. Speaking of cards, tell me about the one in my head, the one Angelo left, and how can I get rid of it?”

  “That was a surprise. Taught me something about obsession.”

  “He put a tracker on me, but that disappeared when I went back in time with Shivers, along with all that annoying angel tattooing. Why not his calling card?”

  “You didn’t lose your mind when you traveled. Shivers kept you completely aware of everything.”

  “I’m not sure he had the choice,” Mia said honestly. “I have another question. Please, try to give me an honest answer.”

  Altair grinned. “I’ll try.”

  “How is it you can remember the alternate past but Orion and the birdmen can’t?”

  “No one was more surprised than I was,” he said honestly. “It’s a hell of a headache to separate the two timelines. I was looking for the answer when Glenda found me. I thought I could find it in a book. Evidently, I don’t have enough books. I heard tell of a book that speaks about a prophesy that could involve me and you, but I can’t seem to put my hands on it.”

  “Captain Waite of the Devil’s Pride, a ship that sails in the GSD, mentioned a prophesy involving a particular set of wings showing up on an angel. Since I can’t become an angel, I assume I pass them on. Maybe you get them when I kick the bucket?”

  “Please, you already gave me a set. You really have to put more thought into your gift giving.”

  Mia lifted an eyebrow.

  “But your Captain Waite has given me an idea of where I may find this book.”

  “The GSD?”

  “No. This prophesy would have been spoken to him. Tales on ships were passed orally. That’s why you can’t really put much store in a lot of them. Look what Melville did with the simple story of a whale… But I think it’s a book written about prophesies. That is where I’ll find my answers. You’ll find yours, or some of yours, when you speak to Roumain.”

  “I don’t want to talk to Roumain.”

  “Mia, you don’t have a choice. Wait, you do. You can go about life dumbly until you’re T-boned by whomever is messing with you. I can’t guarantee it will come out as pleasantly as this did. You were lucky. There was no way what you did back then should have given you this result.”

  “Why?”

  “It’s against the rules of magic.”

  “Someone mentioned somewhere that if you don’t believe in the rules, then they don’t pertain to you.”

  “Dangerous ground,” Altair warned. “Take care, there are many dimensions that make up this world. Each has its own set of rules, as you found out the hard way with the demon world. Please make nice with Roumain. Tell him Altair said to tell you about Azrael. They go way back.”

  “Wait, answer me this?”

  “Don’t ask me the question, ask Roumain,” Altair said. “Time I got back to work.”

  “Before you go, could you point the way back?” Mia asked.

  Altair moved next to Mia. “Down there is France. You just have to head west, and eventually, you’ll hit America. Look for the Great Lakes, and then you’re in your neighborhood.”

  ~

  Mia walked in the front door and into the living room, not at all surprised to see Ted and Cid still playing the video game. She dropped a large white bag on the coffee table.

  “What’s this?” Ted asked, reaching for the bag.

  “Something French,” Mia said.

  Cid smelled the aroma of warm pastries as soon as the bag was opened. The game was forgotten as the two pulled out flaky croissants.

  Mia smiled and walked into the kitchen where she thought she heard the boys laughing. Finding it empty, she followed the sounds of happy play down the hall. She knocked lightly at the open door of Lazar’s suite.

  “You’re back,” Lazar said, looking over at Mia.

  “I brought some pastries back with me if you’re interested. I’d get to them before Cid and Ted eat them all.”

  “No, I’m good. My mother insisted I eat a ‘good meal’ at home before I came back here.”

  “How was the wedding?”

  “Loud.”

  Mia walked over and sat on the ground where the boys were playing some kind of game Mia didn’t recognize.

  �
��I brought this back with me. I used to play it when I was a kid.”

  “You’re very kind. I’m sorry I didn’t want to put you to work right when you got back, but I had a meeting.”

  “I missed the rascals,” Lazar said honestly. “Anything happen while I was gone?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do I need to know what went on?” he asked, concerned by the paleness of Mia’s face.

  “Maybe,” Mia said. “Especially since you protect my best buds.”

  “Let’s take the kids outside and let them run off some steam,” he suggested. “We can discuss it in the sunshine. Maggie!”

  The family dog appeared with her leash in her mouth. She dumped it in Brian’s lap which caused him to laugh.

  It was exhausting to get the kids ready to go outside, but once the boys were outside, it was worth it. Brian let Maggie pull him all around the yard. Varden clapped his hands, encouraging the mayhem. The group worked their way up the hill to the aerie. Mia did her best to explain what had happened along the way. After she had finished, Lazar was quiet for a while. Mia left him to his thoughts and corralled the boys.

  “Time for a good roll down the hill,” she said, pointing to the northside of the hill where Murphy had worked tirelessly on making it a smooth grade down to the old pasture.

  Lazar watched Mia and the boys play as he digested what she had told him. He knew from reading Cid’s mind when he came home that something happened. He didn’t have any memory of the events, but he trusted Mia, Murphy, and Burt’s telling of the story. He knew that the men were worried but were at odds as to what they could do now. Lazar was familiar with volo candles. His grandmother wanted to use one to get his leg back, but he refused. He was glad he did, considering what happened with Burt’s wish.

  Maggie barked with joy. Lazar focused beyond the Martins, who had worked their way to the bottom of the hill, and saw Dieter and Mark walking back from the stream. They were carrying fishing equipment. It looked like a pastoral painting, apart from the ghost who watched them from the trees.

  Lazar didn’t quite understand his role in this assemblage. He knew he wasn’t simply an employee. The Martins weren’t the type of people to have employees, even though he and Susan Braverman were payed very well. He felt more like family. His mother kept nagging him during the wedding trip that he should be thinking about starting his own family, not simply taking care of other people’s kids. He had met a young woman who was interested in him, who didn’t seem to be repelled by the absence of one of his legs. But it was early days yet. He knew he still had problems of withdrawing within himself that he had to work on. Until he could live with what the war had brought him, he couldn’t expect any woman to deal with the scars he had.

  “I caught the most fish,” Mark bragged.

  “We let the little ones go,” Dieter said, “so I caught the most eatable fish.”

  “Did your Uncle Burt teach you how to clean them?” Mia asked, more to remind the boys that she expected them to clean the fish and not to foist them off on Lazar or Cid.

  “Yes. Do you think we could eat them tonight?” Dieter asked.

  “If Cid hasn’t already made plans. I suspect he hasn’t. He and your dad have been playing games all afternoon.”

  “Cool,” Mark said. “I’m inviting myself to dinner since I’m supplying most of it.”

  “Half of it,” Dieter reminded him.

  “Mark, you’re certainly welcome. Dieter, could I talk to you for a moment away from little ears?” Mia asked.

  “Sure,” he said and followed Mia a few yards away.

  “Could you contact Roumain and ask his permission for me to visit him at his convenience?”

  “No problem. Is everything alright?”

  “I have some questions that I feel only he can answer. Plus, I would like to mend a few fences.”

  “I’ll contact him as soon as we get the fish cleaned,” Dieter promised. “Mom, be careful around Roumain. He likes you a lot, maybe too much.”

  “I have never led him on, and I wouldn’t hurt him, intentionally,” she promised.

  “Can you bring Murphy with you?” Dieter asked.

  “This time, I have to ask about things Roumain may not want to answer in front of Murph.”

  “Okay.”

  “Dieter.”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you for being the voice of reason in my chaotic world.”

  “You should tell Old Lady Templeton that. She would fall off her high horse.”

  Mia put a finger to her lips and whispered, “Cid’s dating her.”

  “Much to the disgust of Mark and myself,” Dieter said. “I better get these fish cleaned.”

  Murphy watched Mia join the others and Mark run to catch up with Dieter. He wanted to be part of this but didn’t want to crowd Mia. She looked over at him at that moment as if she could hear his thoughts. She smiled and waved him over.

  He hefted a bale of straw up and walked over and set it down.

  Lazar looked at the bale.

  “Sit,” Murphy said.

  “I can sit on the ground,” Lazar snapped.

  “It’s harder to get up off the ground. Plus, you’re killing my grass.”

  Mia kept out of it. She knew better than to explain Murphy’s intentions.

  “I’m sorry to be rude, but I don’t want to be coddled,” Lazar explained.

  “You are rude. I’m just trying to be hospitable. Your mother would offer me a chair in your house, wouldn’t she? This is my home, and I’m offering you a chair.”

  Brian had become interested in how this was going to end.

  “Well then, I’ll accept your hospitality, thank you.”

  Brian decided all was well. He spoke up, “Lazar, my dad let me use the computer.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes, he also said if I was more helpful and less an ass, he would make me a computer of my own.”

  “Whoa,” Mia said. “Did he really say ass?”

  “No, I just thought it would add color.”

  “I’ll add color to your bottom if you swear again in front of your mother,” Murphy warned.

  “Ah gee, I thought we were all adults here,” Brian pouted.

  “Ahem, what about Varden?” Lazar pointed out.

  “Him? He doesn’t count.”

  “Yes, he does. Now you’re just showing off.” Mia knelt by her son and said, “I know it seems like we’re picking on you, but there is a reason for our concern. You see, if you don’t have good manners, people discount you. They won’t listen to your insightful ideas and good counsel if they are offended by your language. I struggle every day because I didn’t have people around me to point out when I was being rude and obnoxious.”

  “But you’re a warrior! Warriors don’t have to behave or speak well.”

  “Lazar and Murphy are warriors, and they speak well in front of civilians,” Mia said. “And warriors have to follow orders and behave.”

  Brian looked at Lazar. “He’s not a warrior.”

  “Yes, he is. He fought to save the freedom of others, and now he’s watching over us when Murphy is busy. You don’t have to be whole in order to be whole, remember that.”

  “Yes, Mom. I’m sorry, Lazar.”

  “It’s okay, kiddo.”

  “Hero!” Varden chirped.

  “Where?” Murphy looked up in the sky.

  “Not Hero the bird, but hero as in a person who is admired for his courage, achievements, and noble qualities, according to Uncle Cid,” Brian told him.

  “Then we have a lot of heroes here,” Mia said. “It makes me feel safe.”

  “I know a song about heroes,” Lazar told Brian and Varden.

  “Sing it!” Brian said.

  “Your heroes will help you find good in yourself

  Your friends won’t forsake you for somebody else

  They’ll both stand beside you through thick and through thin

  And that’s how it goes with her
oes and friends…” Lazar sang.

  “That’s beautiful,” Mia said.

  “They’re not my words. Randy Travis sang it. My unit adopted it after hearing the sarge singing it in the shower.”

  “When I sing in the shower, everybody leaves the house,” Mia said, bummed.

  “There are two things you should stay away from when you’re in the water,” Murphy advised.

  “Okay, I’ll bite. What?” Mia asked.

  “Singing and rowing boats.”

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Mia stopped off at the aerie to change the sheets and give the place a once-over. She did this herself after her guests left. Lazar took the boys home so she could get some work done. She ran up the stairs and ended up at the beach.

  “Whoa, that was the smoothest transition yet,” she said, flipping off her shoes. She looked around her and didn’t see Roumain immediately. She pulled off her sweatshirt, rolled up her pants, and waded into the water. It was bathwater warm. The sun sparkled off the water.

  “Somehow, I feel a bit used,” Roumain said from behind her.

  “I thought about all the times you brought me here and I bitched about it. I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf. Are there sharks in here?” Mia asked, turning around.

  “Just me.”

  Mia laughed. She could see the tall, strong, black entity was doing his best to be cordial. “I’m sorry. Whatever I’ve done to make you hate me, tell me so I can apologize.”

  “I don’t hate you. I fear you.”

  “Why?”

  “You’re one of the few creatures who can kill me.”

  “Impossible,” Mia said.

  “Mia, you killed the demon-with-no-name. Dispatched him in minutes according to gossip.”

  “Ruax was overconfident. Nicholai taught me well. I was operating on automatic.”

  “Very well. What can I do for you?”

  “Right to business, K. Did you have anything to do with a volo candle?” she asked.

  Roumain remained silent, and his face gave nothing away.

  “Let me rephrase this. Did you originate the candle?”