Eternally hers

the Shroud is Ripped in Two

"You mean like tarot cards, fortune telling and all that?"

"No. I mean like demons, witches and such."

Jumping to my feet, I shake myself off. I can't help but to start pacing around the gazebo. This like man this is just too much to take in right now. For the longest time and I mean the longest time I thought I was the only odd being. Then I meet Kaira and find out there are a lot of her kind. I even met one. Next, I find out that there is someone bigger, stronger and basically a god on Earth with the power of none walking around. After that I meet an actual god who doesn't see herself as a god. I'm slowly finding out that everything I was taught in school is a lie.

Now I am being forced to consider that this world I have lived in. This world where I am from is filled with more supernatural beings than I could have ever imagined. I mean I have never even thought of myself as a supernatural being. I mean come the fuck on demons and witches, like damn dude what is next.

"What exactly is Nerezza?" I ask turnings back to Ezzy.

"She is darkness, death. I suppose if you were talking in spiritual terms, she would be considered the devil," she solemnly says. "She is pure true evil."

"Why hasn't Adit just killed her already her?"

"Come," she suddenly says, "there is a book in the athenaeum that you should see."

I began to follow her back to Aja's home. The people are still blindly celebrating together, being at peace not knowing what is going on around them. I want to go back to that time where it felt as if the world couldn't hurt us. Our only worry was about my longevity. And maybe which course in college Kaira wanted to take next. We were blissfully ignorant to everything.

"How long?" I ask.

"How long what Imani?"

"How long have you all been protecting us?" I ask. "How long have you all be guarding us? I know over the years our lives couldn't have been nothing but peace, joy and happiness on the outside as it was inside. This recent threat couldn't have come out of nowhere. So again, how long?"

"We have always looked over Kaira and you," she answers. "No matter where you went someone was there."

"Why not just come out and tell us Kaira's life was threatened?" She looks at me then and I see a look I've been seeing all the time since I got here. The look that says I wish I could tell you more. "It's ok, I understand there are something you aren't at liberty to share. I just want to get back to Kaira."

"You have always been good to her," she tells me. "Even when you ran, you came back to her."

"Do you all have something to do with us getting together?" I need to know. I need to know if our love is real.

"No, matters of the heart can't be tampered with." She stops walking and turns to me. "What you two share no one forced and no one definitely saw coming. For all purposes you can say Nerezza brought you two together."

"What does that mean?"

Turning back to continue to walk, I believe she will not answer the question.

"Remember I told you Nerezza controls the dark world." she says, surprising me. "She likes to believe that she has the advantage of knowing things to come. Her going after Kaira was her way of trying to change her faith. But what she doesn't realize is in her doing that she has secured her original faith."

We continue walking while I process her statement.

"In essence you're saying that Nerezza marked her," I conclude. "That if she hadn't tried to get Kaira, she would be living life, not being protected by you all."

"Bingo, kiddo."

Oh, this is too much.

Arriving at the house, I see Aja waiting for us at the door. She and Ezzy share a look before she steps back granting us entrance into her home. As I go to pass, she stops me. Reaching to grab my face she turns my head side to side. She is studying me.

"Are you ok?" she asks.

I nod my head. I notice Ezzy standing in the background with a small smile gracing her soft features.

"Come," Ezzy says as she begins to lead me back towards the book room. She looks at Aja and see that look pass between them again.

Following her up grand stair cases, my body feels like it's on autopilot. I can't even bring myself to the admire the paintings that we pass. I barely acknowledge the various artworks in the rooms and hallways. I know you can't get tired here but I am tired. My body and mind are tired. My soul is drained.

Ezzy pauses just outside the door leading in the room. She looks at me and gestures for me to go ahead. Not thinking much of it, I open the door. First thing I see is a big black book sitting on a table in the middle of them room. The table wasn't there earlier. The book itself is dark and filled with malice. The impression coming from it is violence and death. I make my way to it slowly. I can't tear my eyes away as my heartbeat picks up. The book is dangerous. I don't want to go near it let alone pick it up and read it.

Movement form the corner catches my attention. Turning my attention to it, thinking it is just Ezzy, my breath is caught in my throat. Sitting slouched back and relaxed, her tall form casually folded in a lazy boy with her foot propped up on her knee, is Adit.

Her golden eyes glowing in my direction. I immediately take note that she is not looking at me but more behind me. I turn and see Ezzy standing there having a silent stare off with her. Both of their eyes are unblinking. I feel as if they are communicating with one another. Ezzy raises her eyebrow in a challenging way. I turn to see Adit smirk and give a quick slight nod of her head.

"I was nice talking to you Imani," Ezzy says. "We will continue our conversations at a later time."

With that she closes her eyes. You can feel the current in the room change. A modest breeze enters the room before dissipating the space Ezzy once stood is now empty. She has didn't leave but simply disappeared. Leaving Adit and I in an eerie silence. I look at her with her eyes still on the spot where Ezzy was.

"What just happened?" I ask.

Turning her gaze to me, those glowing orbs of hers seem to soften,

"She has woken up from her stasis and is with Kaira," she says softly. "I figure it is time for you and I to talk."