DESCENDED

FOCUS

My eyes futter open, and a white stucco ceiling comes into focus above me. Sitting up, I look around what I suspect to be our hotel room. Listening for where everyone might be.

But I don't hear anything...

Climbing to my feet, I pad over to the only door in the room and open it. It leads out into a living area where I finally find everyone. Only, none of them seem aware of my presence. Liz is looking at Sebastian's wounds, which have almost completely healed, and Gabriel and the others are staring at a map of the Musee Du Louvre.

"How long have I been out?" I asked. Startling everyone.

"Two days," Sebastian answers.

"Wow... I must have really been tired."

"Well, I hope you're well rested. Because we need to move again."

Of course, we do...

Walking over to Sebastian to check his wounds for myself, I stop cold. Because the moment my foot touches the floor, everything changes. I'm back in the beautiful place I always went to whenever I needed to speak to my handler. Only something is different now. And I can see someone.

A woman.

She's standing in the ethereal garden surrounding us, clipping the white roses with the gold stems. And as soon as she clips them, another white rose instantly grew in its place.

Curious, I watch the woman. Wondering who she is and why she's here in my dream or whatever this is. Her skin, like mine, Sebastian's, and my handler's, is translucent and her hair is paper white. Flowing past her thin waist.

Her eyes are almond shaped, and they're the color of chrome. She's dressed in a white robe that blows in the wind and is tied at the waist with a golden rope. She doesn't seem to notice me standing here, and I can't take my eyes off her.

She's beautiful.

Like the Messengers, she has ancient symbols etched into her forehead in gold writing. Just before her hairline.

Wanting to get a closer look, I take a step closer to her. She moves to another row of white roses with gold stems. And as she reaches up to cut another rose, I catch a glimpse of the gold bracelet clasped around her wrist. There are ancient symbols on it followed by some ancient writing.

Studying it, I realize one of the symbols on her bracelet matches the symbol on her head. Reaching out to touch it, I gasp when she suddenly goes stiff. Slowly, her head turns in my direction. The moment her eyes meet mine, I see familiarity in them.

Something about her speaks to me.

And I feel like she's trying to tell me something. Only, her mouth isn't moving.

"Angelique," Sebastian places his hand against my face.

Just like that, I'm back in the room with Sebastian and the others.

Back to reality.

I feel a trickle inside my nose and quickly clasp my hand to my face as blood pours from my nose. Sebastian gasps. And suddenly, I feel faint. A second later, the room starts to spin and I reach out to grab hold of Sebastian to keep myself upright.

"What's wrong?" He asks me.

"I don't know," I breathe heavily. "I feel dizzy."

"What happened?"