“Not exactly.” Armand shook his head and the bells jingled in his braids. “He is looking for Nanna and Marduk and the others. He said that he was tired of waiting on them. The evil is growing. He feels the need for immediate action.”
“Was Sophia with him?” Lucio picked up his tankard and turned it up. He froze as he caught sight of Lili descending the stairs with a white woolen blanket clutched to her breast.
He set the tankard slowly on the table and stood up.
“Greta?” He frowned at Armand as Vanni met her halfway up the stairs and took the baby from her.
Armand nodded and cringed.
Vanni brought the wiggly bundle to the table and held it out to Lucio.
“Your granddaughter.” Vanni smiled at him. “I was going to wait until she was a bit older and bring her to visit you.”
Lucio held the tiny girl in his arms. She was perfect! Big dark eyes, olive skin and a head full of curly black hair over pointed ears.
“But who? When? What?” Lucio did not know what to say.
“I named her after you and Greta and Santa Lucia.” Vanni told him proudly. “Her name is Lucia Apolonia.”
“Santa Maria!” Lucio sat down in the chair again and pulled back the covers to inspect the baby. She was very new. “Where is her mother? You are married?”
“In a way.” Vanni looked up at the ceiling. “Things are different with the elves. I simply told Il Dolce Mio I would like to have a daughter.”
“You told Il…” Lucio’s face went slack. “Then she has no… you have no… Is there no… Where is… Great Holy Mother!”
“It’s all right, Brother.” Armand shrugged.
Vanni looked quite disappointed at his father’s reaction to his daughter.
“But I had plans!” Lucio looked about as if lost. “I had someone in mind for you. A very nice Italian girl…” He looked up at his son. “One of the Knights of the…” His voice trailed off as the baby began to coo. He looked down again and the baby smiled at him.
“She likes you.” Vanni told him and bent over the tiny girl. He touched one finger to her forehead. “Say hello to your grandpapa!” He smiled at her and she kicked her feet. “She is very strong and smart, father.” Vanni straightened up and his expression changed. “I will not give her back. She belongs to me.”
“But, Vanni!” Lucio looked pained through and through. “I wanted you to marry one of the girls from St. Ramsay’s! I wanted…”
“Brother.” Armand pressed his hand on Lucio’s arm. “He can still marry. He’s not ruined. He didn’t have the baby, he is simply the father. Lili will take good care of her for him.”
“I see.” Lucio said shortly and handed the baby back to his son. Did it never end? The baby looked almost exactly like Lucia had looked when he had taken her from Lothian and lost her in Egypt. The memory of that terrible time struck his heart like a hammer and he wanted to cry. He covered his mouth with his hand and blinked back tears.
“I’m sorry, father.” Vanni frowned at him. “I didn’t know that you would be so disappointed.”
“I’m not disappointed. She’s beautiful.” Lucio managed to tell him.
“In case you are worried about my virginity, it’s still intact.” Vanni told him and handed the baby back to Lili. The faery took the baby back up the stairs.
“That’s not the point. It’s just that…” Lucio began and then stopped. “No! No! Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know. Really! She’s beautiful. You should be proud of her.”
“Pride is a sin, Father.” Vanni sat down and picked up his tankard.
“Of course.” Lucio swallowed hard. “Now…” he turned his attention back to Armand. “You say Sophia was with him? Which way did they go? We don’t have much time. I need to see him.”
“Why?” Armand asked him blandly.
“What?” Lucio frowned again.
“I said why? Why to do you need to see him?” Armand repeated the question. “It would not be a good idea to interrupt him. He is probably already in the Abyss by now. Perhaps…”
Lucio stood up again.
“I need to see Sophia.” Lucio blurted angrily. “I believe I know who she is.”
Armand stood up quickly and grabbed him by both arms.
“Brother! I would advise against this.” The golden Knight’s eyes were wide with terror.
“What is wrong with you?!” Lucio jerked away from him. “I can’t stand much more of this! First Vanni and now you. Santa Maria! What are you trying to do? Give me a stroke? If Mark Andrew is all right, that is the main thing. The Master and everyone else are looking for him desperately! They think that the Evil One has him. My God, Armand! Doesn’t he care at all about us? He runs off in all directions and doesn’t tell anyone where he is going. Leaving us to search about for him like a gaggle of fucking geese. What is wrong with him? And to take Sophia with him… he should be beat! He should not have taken her. Why did he do it? Tell me that? Why would he not have told me about her? Do you know what she means to me? How much I’ve missed her? If I had only known.” Lucio backed toward the door.
“Brother, please…” Armand followed him slowly, holding out both hands. “Don’t do this. It is hopeless. Let it go. We cannot change the will of God! Save yourself some pain. Heaven knows we’ve all had enough pain.”
“I won’t let it go. It’s not fair.” Lucio turned away from him. “Vanni! Come on!”
Vanni followed his father outside to where the horses waited. Lucio automatically grabbed for the red horse and the stallion tossed his head and backed away from him. He cursed the horse in Italian and climbed onto the mare.
He looked down at Armand, his face full of anger.
“I don’t know why you and everyone of my Brothers always think you know what is best for me. You have your sons. He has his! I’ve lost Marco to Lucifer. Great God in Heaven! Does it never end?”
“Marco?” Armand frowned.
“Galen!” Lucio corrected himself and cursed again, jerking the horse about in a tight circle. “When I catch up to him this time, I’m going to run him through. I’m sick to death of him keeping secrets from me.”
“Who? Lucifer?” Armand was very disturbed.
“No! Santa Maria!” Lucio almost shouted at him as the mare turned in a tight circle. “Mark Ramsay!” He almost shouted the name and then rolled off a string of unhealthy sounding Italian words.
Armand said nothing but stood watching in trepidation as Lucio kicked the mare and rode away with Vanni trailing after him.
“God be with you.” Armand said quietly and turned back toward the keep.
Vanni caught up with him while he was looking for traces of the other horses in the field.
“Father.” Vanni rode around him. “Why are you going to cut out Sir Ramsay’s heart? And what, exactly is a pike pole?”
“Go home and study your dictionary some more.” Lucio muttered as he picked up the trail of the other two horses on the plain and followed after them in the failing light. The trail played out in the woods. He climbed down from the saddle and looked about the ground in desperation. He knew in his heart that he was too late. They were already in the Abyss and he could not afford to follow them there… not with Vanni! He would not risk his remaining son’s life on such a perilous quest.
“Santa Maria!” He muttered again as he sank to his knees in the leaves under the trees.
“Father.” Vanni got down beside him. “Why is it so important for you to see Sophia?”
“I know who she is, Vanni.” Lucio looked up at his son’s face in the pale moon light. Tears streamed down his face. “I just wanted to speak to her. To tell her I miss her. That I love her.”
“She knows that you love her.” Vanni told him.
“That’s not the point. We parted on such bad terms. I have never forgiven myself!” Lucio told him. “I only want to tell her that I’m sorry about what happened.”
“She understands! Believe me.” Vanni hugged his fa
ther.
Lucio disengaged himself from his son’s embrace and his face lit up suddenly. He wiped his face and sniffed loudly before standing up.
“There is more way than one to skin a cat, Vanni.” He said and got back on his horse. “If we can’t go to him, I’ll make him come to us.”
“No, father!” Vanni shook his head. “Don’t do that. What Armand said is true. He needs to roust out the Watchers. He will come back and she will return with him. You can see her then. We need to get back before they miss us.”
“I will not leave without seeing them.” Lucio said stubbornly. He looked up at the tree branches and then closed his eyes. “Chequetet, Arelich, Volmalites! Chequetet, Arelich, Volmalites!”
“Father! Please!” Vanni grabbed for the reins of the mare.
“Chequetet, Arelich,” Lucio almost fell from the horse as Vanni yanked on the reins and the mare shied away.
“Vomalites!” Lucio said angrily and then opened his eyes. He looked about quickly.
He could see a glowing patch of white away under the trees.
“He’yah!” He cried and kicked the horse viciously. The mare bolted toward the glowing light. She skidded to a stop in the soft earth, almost throwing the Knight over her head, when he reined her in too quickly. Lucio slid off her rump and slapped her flank. The horse bolted away under the trees and he spun around to face Mark Andrew. The glow had faded and the Knight of Death stood looking at him in the light of the pale moon. His mantle and clothes were snow white. Another figure stood obscured behind him, also clad in white.
“Lucio!” Mark Andrew held up both hands as the Golden Eagle advanced on him angrily.
Vanni rode alongside them and dismounted.
“Why are you doing this to me?” Lucio shouted at him.
“Lucio! Brother!” Mark backed away from him, pushing the woman behind him. “What are you doing? What’s wrong? Why did you call me?”
“I want to speak to Sophia.” Lucio continued to advance on him, drawing his silver sword from the scabbard. “You would take my only daughter from me? How could you?! I heard what Lucifer said. You have been keeping her in your room. I should have killed you long ago, Brother!”
Mark continued to hold up his hands and shook his head in confusion.
“Your daughter? I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lucio. Please! Stop this!”
Lucio raised the sword and swung on him. The blade passed through Mark’s hands as Vanni tackled his father from the side, bowling him over in the leaves.
Lucio fought with him momentarily before he realized who had attacked him. He was outraged and his anger was clouding his judgment. He struggled away from Vanni and held the sword pointed at him.
“Father!” Vanni frowned at him. “Put the sword away. There is no need this for this!”
Lucio backed away from him, confused and disoriented. He stumbled on a thick tree root and went down again, striking his head against the trunk of the oak. Stars danced in front of his eyes for several seconds. When his vision cleared, he thought he was hallucinating. He held up his empty hand in front of his face and wiggled his fingers.
“Lucio?”
“Andrea?” He blinked at the woman who knelt in front of him, dressed in shining white.
“Yes.” She nodded as he scrambled to his feet.
“You are just a dream.” He told her and rubbed his face with his hand. “This is a trick! Get away from me! What did you do with Lucia?”
“Lucia is not here, Lucio.” Andrea told him. “Mark!”
Lucio looked around her cautiously.
“Santa Maria!” He whispered and then felt his head spin. “I thought… I thought…” He began and felt himself sinking to his knees again.
Vanni helped him to his feet.
“Father!” Vanni shook him slightly. “You must get hold of yourself. I thought you said you knew who Sophia was.”
“I thought that Sophia was Lucia.” Lucio shook his head and leaned on his son’s arm. He stared at Mark Andrew and then at Andrea Larmenius.
“No. Sophia is not your daughter, Lucio.” Mark Andrew told him. His normally black hair was silver. His eyes almost glowed. “I’m sorry, Brother. You should not have come here and you should not have called me.”
“But why did you leave?” Lucio asked him. “We thought you were taken! We thought…”
“Mark Andrew is not here.” Mark told him and Lucio slapped his hand against his forehead.
“I don’t understand. Tell me what is happening!”
“Mark Andrew is not here.” Mark told him again. “Now please send us back. We need to find the others!”
Lucio closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes again, they were gone. Only Vanni remained.
“We must get back, Father,” Vanni told him. “Ride with me. The mare will not come back.”
Lucio allowed Vanni to pull him up behind him on the red stallion. He drew a deep breath and hung his head. His desperation was complete and he had made a complete fool of himself.
Finished.
Quatotations taken from the King James Version Bible, the New Testament and the Old Testament, the Revelation of St. John, Jude, Mark, Luke, Matthew. The Testimony of the Mad Arab and the Necronomicon. The Emerald Tablets of Thoth, the Atlantean, the Centuries of Michel de Nostradame.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One of Twenty-Two
Chapter Three of Twenty-Two
Chapter Five of Twenty-Two
Chapter Six of Twenty-Two
Chapter Seven of Twenty-Two
Chapter Nine of Twenty-Two
Chapter Ten of Twenty-Two
Chapter Eleven of Twenty-Two
Chapter Twelve of Twenty-Two
Chapter Thirteen of Twenty-Two
Chapter Fourteen of Twenty-Two
Chapter Fifteen of Twenty-Two
Chapter Sixteen of Twenty-Two
Chapter Seventeen of Twenty-Two
Chapter Eighteen of Twenty-Two
Chapter Nineteen of Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty of Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-One of Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Two of Twenty-Two
All That Is Fallen Page 31