Chapter#05

"And your third question?" Activating the Mirror meant asking all three questions at once. The Society members leaned in with interest.

"I asked the Mirror if Sarah still lived," Elizabeth said, her steady gaze on the High Priest. It was not the question the others would have asked, and she knew they judged her for it. "The Mirror laughed again."

More mumbling at the table, low whispers that sounded like a bundle of snakes. Elizabeth stared straight ahead at the shadow, wondering what its reaction would be.

"I believe this matter will require more personal attention," the High Priest said, the temperature in the room dropping. "Something more than simply going to the house and threatening the Caretaker. Kali and Sebastien. I want you to travel to the States and assist Elizabeth and Daryl with recovering the dagger and my succubus. Find somebody who has already been in the house, someone who has been invited. They are the key to breaching the barrier of the Geas."

Two of the shadows at the table nodded, their full attention on their leader.

"And Mike Radley?" Daryl asked.

"If the opportunity comes, kill him. But take no chances." The High Priest faded from view, the lights in the room brightening as he left. His final instructions echoed along the walls, half command, half warning.

"And find my succubus!"

-

Wiping sweat from his brow, Mike squinted up at the setting sun. He and Tink had made quick work installing the new decking on the front porch, establishing a rhythm where Tink would lay one plank and set it with a single screw, and then Mike would put in the next three while Tink measured, cut, and set the next board. Luckily the day had been relatively cool, but Mike's shoulders were sore from working for the last three hours, and he was thirsty.

Standing, he walked inside to refill his water bottle, sucking greedily at the cool fluid, and wondering if he should start thinking about making dinner. He had defrosted some burger meat, which would go perfect on the little gas grill he had purchased and put out back near the fountain. Burgers were simple enough, he decided, strolling out the back to preheat the grill. Tink would hardly even notice his absence - the little goblin was a workhorse, and would soldier on without him.

Naia floated lazily in her fountain, watching tiny birds land in the upper basin to bathe. A stray duck had taken up residence in the fountain, swimming quiet circles around the nymph and quacking softly to her. Several small animals had begun making daily pilgrimages to the fountain, drinking and bathing in its waters. Mike's presence didn't seem to bother them in the least, and on more than one occasion he had heard Naia singing to them. She was like a storybook princess, and Mike wondered if someday a prince would come and steal her away from him.

"How is it going out front?" Naia asked. Unable to leave her fountain or the enchanted tub in his bathroom, she was bound to her spring.

"Good. Tink will probably finish in the next hour without me." Mike knelt beneath the grill, turning on the gas. "Once the porch is done, we can get the trellis in and work on replacing those bushes."

"Sounds like you've been working hard." The nymph vanished beneath the water, reappearing moments later, the fabric of her dress clinging to her breasts. "Maybe you should take a break?"

Mike chuckled. "I suppose I might be up for some rest and relaxation. I warn you though, I stink." Clicking the starter on the grill, he heard it roar to life.

Naia laughed, a sound like tiny bells. "Maybe I don't mind how you smell?"

"I think you're about to find out." Walking toward the fountain, Mike lifted his shirt over his head, temporarily losing sight of where he was going. Without warning, two powerful hands grabbed him around the waist, yanking him straight up in the air. Crying out in alarm, he heard Naia laugh in response. The flight was brief and tumultuous before he was gently set down on a hard surface.

"What the fuck?" Pulling his shirt back down, he realized that he was now on the roof of the house between two turrets. This portion of roof was very slightly sloped, but flat, and appeared to be reinforced with metal.

"I didn't mean to startle you." A powerful tail wrapped around his waist, turning him in place. He was staring into the dark eyes of Abella, the house gargoyle. "Naia was supposed to lure you out into the open for me, but I didn't expect you to start stripping down already."

"Lure me out into the open?" Mike asked, looking down off the roof he realized he could see part of the fountain and most of the garden around it. The old iron gate that separated the back yard from the forest was the only part of the wall around the property that wasn't made of stone. "Why?"

"I've been watching you all day. Seeing you work. Watching you sweat." The powerful creature before him looked at her hands, her fingers weaving together and apart. "Naia told me I needed to be more forward with you, but it's been so hard to get you alone since last week."

Mike knew exactly what she was talking about. Ever since the incident with Sarah, Cecilia or Tink were always by his side as a precaution. Abella's body was made of stone, which meant she couldn't easily come inside the house without potentially damaging the floor. Looking across the roof, Mike realized that Abella's usual perches were reinforced with steel beams that had been painted to match the wood.

"Get me alone for what?" He held back a grin, watching the gargoyle for a response. Her stony skin darkened, a color that traveled down her neck and across her upper chest. When her wings were folded in, she appeared to be wearing a soft grey cloak, but recently he could tell that she had adjusted her wings to reveal more of her cleavage.