More Things In Heaven And Earth

Chapter Fourteen

She'll destroy us!

She'll save us!

Appeal to her. Perhaps she'll intervene.

She is without real power.

I wondered idly if I was like Oprah to them. A huge name in entertainment. Didn't they have anything else to talk about? I wasn't thrilled to be the center of attention for the beings of the realms again.

"Of course, you are quite well known," Raziel replied to my thoughts.

"Of course," I agreed with a bit of sarcasm.

We walked together in a silence that was reasonably comfortable and, before long, came to a path where the quality of light seemed to take on an indefinably different cast.

"You have done well, Simone. You have been faithful and bold and you have done everything that has been asked of you."

"But more is about to be asked." It wasn't a question.

"There is much happening in the Realms," Raziel replied in his oblique way.

"No doubt."

The further we walked the more things changed until, emerging from the other side of the little woods we found ourselves bathed in a rich, golden glow that emanated from the rocks themselves. The trees gave way to an endless prairie, covered with grass and wild flowers in every shade of the rainbow. As I stared in every direction, wide-eyed and eager to take in this new wonder, Raziel continued along the path.

A bird with an impossibly long sea-foam green tail flew above us. I pulled the veil from my face to get an unobstructed view of the gorgeous iridescence of the feathers. As soon as I was uncovered, the creature arced through the sky and came back toward us. It landed on the path in front of us, beautiful beyond all reason and far larger than it had appeared in the sky. For a moment it stood, looking straight at me. A little spray of green and yellow feathers sprouted from the top of its head, reminding me of a royal crown. It bowed down to touch its forehead to the ground in front of me and spoke in a sweet, singing voice. "Welcome, prophet. On behalf of my people, I pledge loyalty and ask that you allow me to guide you to The Golden One."

The Golden One could only be Freyja. It was a perfect description of her. "Thank you," I said, quite at a loss. Perhaps I'd fallen asleep after all. Even after everything else I'd seen, this seemed a little too dreamlike to be real. He took off once more, staying much lower this time. The angel and I walked behind him, our feet crushing flower petals that sent up scents so sweet it was impossible to refrain from breathing in the longest, deepest draughts I could.

She crossed the realms!

The prophet has moved!

They come!

She is nothing to us.

They are fools.

It doesn't matter.

It wasn't long before we crested a small hill and Freyja's home appeared. She lived in a castle of gold and turquoise that, like the rocks beneath our feet, glowed with a soft, pleasing radiance. It was the most beautiful, elaborate structure I'd ever seen. It reminded me of an ornate Muslim temple I'd seen once, all rounded domes and intricate spires. The craftsmanship was exquisite. I couldn't look at it without weeping.

No road or path led to the dwelling. It seemed to have grown in its place on this dreamscape prairie.

I stumbled and would have fallen if not for Raziel's steadying hold on my arm. "Are you well?" he asked.