Lilith stepped forward.
“I did not say he was dead. I merely pointed out that he might not survive if you attacked a second time. But my threat still stands.”
“And I will gladly help,” Amethyst croaked.
Lilith crossed her arms and fought the urge to make her wings appear to strengthen her words.
Xelma turned pale again and looked back at Colm.
“What happened?” she whispered, eyes wide.
Colm shook his head.
“First things first. This is business. So, let’s sit down and have some tea,” he stated.
Xelma closed her eyes for a moment, and some of her tension dissipated. Then she smiled.
“Always the same, Colm, my dear, always the same.”
A few minutes later, they were sitting around a small table, all with a cup of tea in front of them. Xelma had made sure to sit as far away from Lilith as was possible at a round table.
“If this is business, why did you bring a child?” Xelma asked frowning after a moment.
Milly felt it was her moment to add something, so she said, “I’m almost ten, so I’m basically not a child anymore.”
She grinned proudly. Lilith couldn’t help but smile.
“Because she is important for this discussion, perhaps even its most important contributor,” Colm said quietly.
This time it was Xelma who sighed.
“What is it you want? You have that look in your eyes. Whatever it is, you’ve been planning it for quite a while, haven’t you?”
A little smiled appeared on Colm’s lips.
“You know me too well,” he accused her lightly. “Of course you’re right. I am here to officially declare the independence of the Highlands. From today onward, we are going to be our own nation.”
Xelma simply nodded as if she had been expecting it already. She probably had, Lilith reasoned. After all, Lilith herself had been rather clear, and Xelma clearly knew how Colm thought.
“To sign the official documents, we need to establish our spokesperson, and political system. That’s why I brought the girls,” Colm continued.
Xelma’s frown deepened.
“Surely you’re not suggesting that they-” she stopped when she saw his expression. “Don’t you think that you would be a much better choice?” she started again weakly.
Colm shook his head and smiled.
“No one could be better than them. Before we finalize everything, I will explain a few things to all of you. Mildred, I think that you should be leader of the Highlands. You are young and inexperienced, yes, but you know the people and the people know you. As long as you don’t hesitate to ask for help when you need it, you’ll be fine. Make wise decisions that will benefit your people. When you’re old enough, we will send you to Fintel so you can learn at the university.”
Milly nodded, her eyes wide, her mouth open in astonishment. Colm turned to Lilith.
“Lilith, I want you to be Mildred’s right hand. There will be official international meetings that our leader will have to attend. She is too young to hold her own and be safe, so I want you to take her place in those until she is old enough. That is especially important now at the beginning of our nation. People will underestimate us, but when they see you as the official spokesperson, directly beside our ruler, they will think twice.”
Lilith nodded as well, feeling honored and burdened by so much responsibility. Could she really handle it? She and Milly looked at one another, both caught in their surprise and worry about what the future might hold. Then, Milly took her hand, squeezed it, and smiled.
“What about me?” Amethyst cawed sullenly.
Colm laughed.
“I haven’t forgotten about you. I want you to keep both of them safe. You are the official bodyguard of our leaders.”
The raven flapped his wings happily at those words.
“But you don’t have a trained army,” Xelma interjected. “If someone were to attack while your devil is abroad, you are not going to be able to defend yourselves!”
Colm smiled slyly.
“We have an army. It may be small, but they are very skilled and strong. If put to the task, I am sure that with their cunning and strength, they could easily defeat any opposing forces.”
Irritated, Xelma looked from him to the girls, completely ignoring the raven. Then she sighed.
“Oh, very well. The Highlands have been your lands for over twenty years anyway. Pbecrah doesn’t know what to do with it and Quintz has certainly been told off. I don’t like it, mind you. Most of the remaining bureaucrats are going to curse me for this.”
“You’ll find a way to explain it to them, I’m sure. You always do.”
Colm was rewarded for his words with a coquettish smile.
“Stop it, you. I’m only agreeing because it’s you. I wouldn’t stand a chance.”
She sent a servant to fetch the according documents for her, only to be told that such things did not exist. Annoyed, Xelma asked for pen and paper instead.
“We’ll just have to write it up ourselves. It should not be a problem as long as the signatures are there,” Colm tried to soothe her. Within a few minutes it was done.
Xelma had just added her last signature when everything disappeared. The room, Milly and Amethyst vanished and only darkness surrounded them.
Lilith frowned. She had experienced this before, but this time, Colm and Xelma were here with her. She didn’t like it. And there the woman was, the woman who had introduced herself as Death. She was facing Colm.
The balance must be restored, old friend. The meddling must be undone.
He nodded.
“I expected you would come back sooner or later. Now it’s time, eh? Thank you for the borrowed time.”
Death bowed her head.
It was necessary.
Xelma rushed forward, shaking.
“What do you mean, borrowed time? Does that mean that I- back then-?”
She clasped her hands before her mouth in horror. Colm smiled gently and nodded.
Lilith stepped closer.
“I do not understand, what is going on?” she asked, still frowning. Death turned around to her.
I have come to take his pain away. He had already died once, but I gave him more time, because it was needed. Now that time is over.
Lilith’s lip began to tremble. Vehemently she shook her head.
“No,” she yelled. “You can’t! I still need him!”
There was a begging tone to her voice and Lilith hated it. Tears left her eyes against her will and rolled down her face. No matter what she did, they would not stop. Something soft and cool touched her cheek. Lilith looked up, right into Death’s eyes, which were golden like the setting sun, no, green like the forests, or perhaps blue like the sky, or white like snow? They kept changing whenever Lilith thought she had a grasp on it.
You are a warrior, my dear Anomaly. You have exceeded the purpose for which you were created. I am a wonderer, perhaps I should wander.
The Enforcer of the Separation of Soul and Body thought for a moment.
Perhaps there is a way, she mused. Lilith’s eyes widened, and she grabbed Death’s hand desperately.
“I will do anything,” she promised. Death nodded.
Very well. Then from the Soul Festival onward, you will take on my job.
“Your job?” Lilith echoed, confused.
Yes. I want a holiday. I think I deserve one. I haven’t had one in millennia. And since you have become my child’s master, you are more than capable of carrying out that task. You will be the Enforcer until I return. Death declared.
“But I don’t know how to do that!” Lilith panicked. Death smiled gently.
That is why I will train you until the Soul Festival. Don’t worry, it will feel odd at first, but you’ll get the hang of it. You don’t even have to give up your mortal life for it.
Lilith swallowed and chewed
on her lips uncertainly. She gazed at Colm, her father, who stood beside her, impartial as ever. Xelma watched in utter confusion.
Becoming the Enforcer would mean that Colm could live on, that he could continue teaching Milly, help out the villagers and be Lilith’s father. Perhaps it was not such a bad idea. Being the Enforcer meant taking people’s pain away, right? It meant helping them. That was something Lilith could accept.
“All right,” she said. “I will take on that responsibility.”
Death nodded, smiling, and the darkness vanished, as Xelma’s castle reappeared. Milly and the raven hadn’t even noticed anything. The other three didn’t speak of it. There was no need to.
As they left the castle a little while later and returned to Ayalon, Amethyst asked, “Are we going on any more crazy dangerous journeys soon?”
Lilith smiled at him and said, “Maybe. But first, we are going home.”
-The End-
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to start by giving thanks to you.
You, who have read this novel, please know that it means the world to me.
Those of you who have recommended it to a friend or written a review – you’re fantastic! Trust me, even if you offer criticism, it’s the best thing a writer can wake up to. After all, how are we meant to improve if no one tells us what we need to focus on?
Thanks to those who have motivated me with their enthusiasm for my writing and those who have given me suggestions on how to improve.
Now that we’ve put aside the obscure and nameless gratitude, there are a few people I would like to call out for the part they’ve played in the creation of this book.
Eimear Bannister - My wonderful editor who always comes through for me and tells me clearly when something doesn’t work. Thank you so much for sharing your perspectives with me and helping me along the process to finalize the script.
Peter Hanrahan – My other editor – I admire the patience with which you have listened to me go on and on… and on some more… about my characters, the world and the plot. I’m sure you must have gotten sick of it at some point, but you never betrayed even a hint of it. Thanks for all your valuable input and advice.
Maxine Janerka – Just after writing the first draft of White Devil, we shared our stories with one another on a long walk along train tracks and our mutual gushing about each other’s stories and characters that followed was something else that gave me a lot of motivation, excitement and enjoyment. I look forward to reading more of your writing.
My mother – Your constant urges to translate my works, so you can buy it in the local book store and spread the word, are wonderful. It shows that you believe in me no matter what, and I don’t think you know just how much I appreciate it.
Finally, I should thank my computers - they’ve been through a lot thanks to this creation, and the map has made one of them almost crash on multiple occasions, but it still came through for me. Thanks! I literally could not have done it without you, oh robotic overlords.
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A TOUCH OF MAGIC
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7 Authors. 10 Stories. Crafted with potions, curses, and fairy dust, each one of them is infused with just a touch of magic.
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Among historical, contemporary, and futuristic tales, there's enough magic to spirit you away.
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