Angel of Fire - Requiem of Lost Souls - Book Two

Immortal Masquerade

Chapter 19

"If you expect me to help you," Luna began, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. "I need you to get out of my way."

Both eyebrows shot up in alarm. "Why? What am I doing?"

"Your energy is throwing me off," she insisted. "I'm a solitary witch for a reason. I prefer to work alone."

I raised both arms in the air, flailing them about. "Where am I supposed to go? What am I supposed to do?" Sure I was acting like a drama queen, but after everything I'd been through, I no longer cared. I'd had plenty of time to be alone. Doctor Drool had seen to that.

"Go home," Luna said impatiently. "Come back the day after tomorrow. By then I'll know the location of the Witches Ball. Let's shoot for 3:00 pm. We'll get dressed and then leave from here." Snapping her fingers together, she added, "Oh, don't forget to bring your violin. I'll pass you off as a last minute entertainment guest."

Instead of asking how she knew I played the violin, which is what I should've done, I found myself  worrying about something else she'd mentioned. I had to ask, although I wasn't quite certain I wanted to know the answer. "What do you mean, get dressed? I hope you don't expect me to show up looking like some kind of witch freak."

Luna narrowed her silver eyes. "How else do you think you're going to gain access? Even an entertainer is supposed to look the part. You can't expect to crash an event as formal as a Witches Ball dressed like that."

I frowned. "My name's not Cinderella, and I'm not going to the ball to find my Prince Charming."

"Right. But you are going there to destroy Serenity. We need the element of surprise to be in our favor." Hesitating, Luna added, "Unless you think she'll be expecting you."

I shook my head. "No. She still thinks I'm contained in my watery grave."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Luna paused as if deep in thought. "Did she act like she knew it was possible for you to escape?"

"You mean, other than the fact that I promised her I'd be back to make her pay?"

Luna sucked in her breath as if afraid. "You threatened a witch?"

I rocked back and forth on my heals. "Yup."

"I'm surprised Serenity didn't kill you right then and there. Did she say anything else?"

I waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, I don't know. Something about me being a Phoenix, and rising up out of fiery ashes to stop the Dark Ones from taking over the world."

Luna narrowed her eyes into thin slits. "What kind of powers did you say you have again?"

"I have the ability to move things with my mind," I repeated, not sure what it had to do with anything. "I can also call fire, among other things."

"That's it!" Luna shouted. "A Phoenix is a mythical bird that symbolizes resurrection and immortality. When the human side of you died down in that bomb shelter, you experienced a metamorphoses known as vita immortalis. Now, the angelic side of you is all that remains." I stared at her confused. "Don't you get it?" When I didn't answer, she said, "You are immortal now. That's why you don't have an aura."

Standing motionless to allow her words to sink in, I still thought I was missing an important piece of the puzzle.

"Something else has changed," I insisted, shaking my head. "My undeadedness still doesn't explain why I needed to be saved like a damsel in distress from the Devil's Soupbowl, or how I somehow found the strength to save myself from the clutches of Doctor Drool." Not to mention the fact that I no longer felt incapable of controlling the swirling power within. I had a light-bulb moment. "Do you think Serenity actually expected me to somehow come back as an immortal?"

Luna scratched her head. "I'm not sure, however, I wouldn't put it past her to try to use your new unearthly condition to her advantage. She's definitely up to something, besides activating her army of death to do her bidding, that is."

"Well, I do know one thing...she gave me an important gift," I admitted ruefully.

"How do you figure?"

"Serenity is the one who taught me how to use my powers." I tried, but I couldn't stop smiling. "And now, I'm finally going to get the chance to use them on her. This time for real."

"I hope you don't think you can just waltz right up to her and exact your revenge," Luna cautioned, voice a warning. "She's going to be fiercely protected. Witches practicing the dark arts will be coming from all over the world to show their support."

I made a sound at the back of my throat. "Don't you know an angel always wins against the power of darkness?"

"Yes," Luna admitted. "Although I think your confidence is going to make you very reckless."

My smile widened. "Oh, trust me. You haven't seen nothing yet. Reckless is my middle name."

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