Page 45 of Revelations

“Lost your mojo, doll?” Thomas quipped behind her, although she did not find it at all amusing.

“What the hell? There must be something supernatural keeping this floor sealed from the rest. Has to be. Question is…how do we break it?”

They both squatted on the ledge of the fire escape. “Come on, Thomas. You’re the book smart one. You teach classes on witchcraft, spells, and magic potions—at least the history of them, anyway. Don’t you have some small sliver of information in that melon of yours that will get this window open?”

“Sorry. I don’t have a lot of experience with oracles and their own brand of magic. It’s all new to me. Of course, up until a couple of hours ago, I didn’t really believe in actual angels. Learn something new every day, I guess.” His chuckle did not resonate with his implied optimism.

All of a sudden, he jumped up, rattling the rusted metal landing. “Hey, I got an idea. How about you pray to—or wish or telepath—good ole Gabe and he can open the window?”

Greylyn rolled her eyes. “Don’t believe it works that way, but nice try.”

With a pout to rival a five-year old begging for a puppy, Thomas stared at her until she caved.

“Okay. Fine. I’ll try it, but don’t expect anything.”

Out loud, she started praying. “Gabriel, powerful and loving messenger of the Divine, we seek your guidance and wisdom. We need your assistance in locating the oracleyousent me to find. Any help would be appreciated.”

Casting glances around for the archangel, they both finally gave up after several minutes.

“Told ya. It was worth a shot, though.”

Thomas truly seemed disappointed, with his warm puppy dog eyes downcast.

She continued, “If it’s any consolation, he gave me the impression when we met that he couldn’t help out too much. Maybe it would get him in trouble or something.”

Greylyn admitted that her patience was running thin. If Gabriel really wanted to help, why not answer her call? But she had spent over four hundred years mostly on her own, except for the occasional help from Jasper and now Thomas. Why should this be any different?

“I’m not leaving here without some answers. If there’s an oracle in there, then I am getting in.” She stubbornlykicked the window; again, nothing. “Let’s go back to the second level and see if there’s a break in the protection spell from the interior stairwell.”

As they trudged through the wreckage of the second floor apartment to the corridor, she warned, “Watch out for loose needles. Don’t want to run you to the hospital for a tetanus shot in the middle of all this.”

Chuckling, he nodded. “Yeah, maybe you should ask Gabriel how you can get healing powers for others. That would come in handy from time to time.”

“I’ll add it to my list of questions, but don’t hold your breath.”

Just as she’d thought, once they reached the stairs, the door was supernaturally sealed.

“I’ve seen places protected from evil. I’ve seen places protected from good. But this seems stronger somehow. I think it’s protected from both.”

“Let me try something,” he added thoughtfully.

Thomas reached out with his large hand to grasp the doorknob. Once he had a good hold on it, he turned it…and it opened, just like that!

“Looks like it was protected from good at least. Can’t say if it’s shielded from evil, too. But a mere mortal seems able to enter just fine.”

Flabbergasted, Greylyn responded, “Wish we’d tried that sooner.”

With a wink, Thomas pushed the door open further. “I do come in handy sometimes.” Bowing slightly, he added, “After you, my lady.”

A tendril of fear weaved from her gut to the rest of her body, nearly paralyzing her. It was not the pitch-black stairwell that made her hesitate on this side of the doorway; an energy pulsated—neither good nor evil—through the darkness, something unknown, but more powerful than she had ever encountered; a force beyond her own understanding. Stuffing trepidation back down her own throat, Greylyn put her hand out to test the other side of the door. For what, she had no idea. Nothing zapped her. Nothing happened at all.

All of that nothing slid around her, penetrating her auric field, and seeping into her skin. That nothing smacked of something she did not want to discover.

Chapter 11 – Riddles from On High

The stairwell was not free of pitfalls, mostly supernaturally cast, but some were not. Greylyn had barely planted one foot on the stairs when a slithering pile of snakes descended upon her. That had been enough to send her screeching back out the door, but Thomas had grabbed her arm.

“Snakes. It’s always…frigging…snakes,” she sputtered.

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