The Above || Completed

41 On My Own

I spent the day in monotony. After Erica and I finished her chocolates, I refused to show up at lunch and instead went to go pay a visit to my grandfather. I was looking for information and I had no more time to lose. I barged into his office and got straight to the point. He was lucky to be alone.
"Listen, old man, I know you want nothing to do with this but I'm your granddaughter and you're the only family I have left right now. I don't know where to start looking for my father. If your daughter managed to grow up to be anything like you, then I should hope you have a good sense of justice too."
I paused to look at the calculating look on his face.
"I'm going to finish what my parents started and I'm going to need all hands on deck. Are you in or are you out?" I said determinedly.
Bruno sighed, closing his eyes. Then he stood and came closer.
"You're a lot like your mom," he said through his grey mustache. "But I'm afraid I can't help you. I lost track of Luziel almost as soon as he was captured. It's difficult to determine whether he's even dead or alive."
"Isn't there any other way that you would be willing to try and help?" I pleaded, knowing there had to be something he could do.
He placed his hands on my shoulders and led me out the doorway. "I don't know how. Aeron can help you out just fine. And well, I suppose Quin was always more like her mother."
Before I could even begin to explain that I had no one left, he had shut the door. I really was on my own.

After that, time passed in a blur. I spent my time in the library, reading THE HISTORY OF ANGELS. Nothing particularly new awaited me among the pages. All I found was a bit of information about wing structure. Was there anything that could help me locate an angel? Any angelic ability that could help identify one? By now, I was feeling discouraged. I had tried so hard to find some kind of information that could help. It turned out that I hadn't tried hard enough. I sat and thought myself into a deep corner of my own mind. But just when I thought I had nothing left to turn to, that I was a vulture scavenging for food on barren land, I remembered the flute.

^^^

I skipped dinner, knowing that I couldn't eat even if I tried. I didn't want to; that scene this morning had totally thrown off my appetite. But now was not the time to be thinking about that. My emotions were not going to get in the way. I was hoping that the majority of the guards would be off duty since it was dinner time. But, of course, the schedule had to leave some guards on duty. I had reason to curse efficiency. I would just have to convince them that I'm leaving on council business. Aeron and I were hired by the council after all.

I strode to the main gate, where a burly, bearded guard awaited me with a stern stare. I straightened my posture and lifted my chin almost indignantly. I had to look somewhat authoritative.
"Good evening," I said, trying my best to lilt my voice the way Venus so naturally did.
I wanted to gag.
The guard overlooked me and shifted his weight. "Evening. How can I help you?"
"I wish to leave the grounds on council business. I'm sure Venus has informed you of her employment?" I said questioningly.
"Of course." He narrowed his steely eyes. "But I remember being told there were two of you."
"There are," I uttered, wording my response carefully. "My companion decided to take the night off."
The guard shrugged, opening the main gate. "Good luck."
"Thank you."
That turned out a lot better than I thought it would. I was just glad I hadn't run into Robertson or Stadler again. I whistled silently. That was something to remember.

The streets were illuminated by the eerie light of the stars tonight. Just as it had been the night before. The mist enhanced the scene and somehow, I felt the suspense and adventure settle in better on my own. I admit, feeling this independence worked well in serving my confidence. But I couldn't let that overshadow any of my trepidations. I was going back to my father's art gallery alone, after discovering that the council had angel-sensing technology installed all over the Above. If I had to use my powers here, a malfunction wouldn't work as an excuse a second time. It barely had the first. I was lucky the glass door hadn't been replaced yet. Then again, this place was abandoned anyway, right? For a moment, I was grasped by hysteria. Then I stepped into the gallery, thinking:
I'll find you, Dad.

As I strolled through the gallery, glancing at different artworks and artifacts, I thought of how my parents hardly let me come here. As a child, I had few memories of the limited times I'd played in the aisles. I stopped coming when I grew older. Perhaps my parents didn't want me getting too inquisitive about the artifacts. I came to the solitary chamber where my father decided to place his most precious possession, the angel wings my mother crafted for him. The reason we're all in this mess. And one of the reasons I'm going to fix it. My hands caressed the coarse veil over the ice. Despite my memories having just been revived, they were still so vague. I sighed. Memories are constantly filtered through time, and soon, it's like looking back through a dusty telescope. Taking a deep breath, I decided it was time to take the flute and go. I rounded the sculpture and bent to retrieve the artifact. It was cool and smooth to the touch. A slender, graceful instrument. Strangely, I felt as though every nerve in my body sung with electricity as I held it. It hit me that this flute possessed true power. And so did I.

"Maddison..."
I stiffened, turning to stone.
It was Aeron.

^^^