Heaven Sent

Chapter Thirty-Two

                                        Cassandra

                                             Egypt

"As sorry as I am to say it, I really don't know what else I can do for you," Stohl insists, trudging through the narrow tunnels with Elijah and I in tow. "We've scoured through every document in my possession. We've traveled to every location that could possibly carry such an artifact. I've spent any favors I had with the Vatican."

After an entire month running around in circles, coming up with nothing concrete, I refuse to throw in the towel. "You confirmed it to be of Egyptian origins, Stohl."

"And I meant that. I do believe in my years I have seen it. The problem is even if we find it, it means nothing without the proper documentation. You say you require the meaning of this... this code you are in possession of."

We enter the main room, more of a library than anything. Packed-full of vampires, the room lowers to a hush at our entry. Many of them recall the power I exerted in my downfall to darkness years ago, traumatizing a creature for questioning Elijah. I could barely restrain myself then, feeding on Samael's intelligent words and the endless possibilities of my mind and body.

I felt invincible. I was invincible, and it nearly destroyed my spirit.

Since arriving weeks ago, excited with our new victory, a step closer to freedom, our anticipation has gradually decreased, like air seeping from a pinprick in a balloon. Our days end and begin on the hunt for an impossible formation of lines.

"We cannot give up on this, Stohl. Cassandra and I cannot," Elijah insists.

"If I knew what this was in regards to..."

I lace my arms together, chilled. "We told you. We can't say... but it's important."

Stohl studies me closely, nodding to himself. "Yes, I suspect it is. With you two, only matters of life and death seem to follow."

Elijah rubs his temple with his knuckle. "It's certainly not by choice."

The monk grabs my hand, his thumb nudging the ring on my finger. "You should be enjoying each other. If you really are human now, Cassandra, as you say you are, and if he doesn't plan on changing you, you must cherish this time. It will be gone in a flash."

The matter of Elijah's immortality and my lack thereof is not a subject we broach, ever. Being so focused on victory, there is no time to contemplate what happens if we win or what happens if we lose. All I know is Jehovah has promised a future for us, one that is worth this terror.

"If you cannot help us any further, we'd understand, Stohl—"

Stohl sighs, squeezing my fingers. "I'd never turn you away."

                                                  ***

"If we are caught," I say, out of breath in our current excursion, "tell me, what I should expect?"

"Jailtime, for certain."

I slide down the grainy bricks of stone with blind trust until I feel Elijah's cold hands on my thighs, softening the fall. "Oh, that's comforting."

There is no light that can enter this far underground, not that there was much above ground this late at night. Although I'm blinking, waiting for an adjustment, there is only darkness surrounding us. The tunnel has a murky smell and a stuffiness that makes my human lungs struggle to function properly.