Divine Intervention

Some Help Would Be Nice

   Esmarelda had a brother! All this time, Esmarelda had a brother and Morrigeth never knew! How do you live with someone for fifteen years and never tell them you have a brother? What else was she keeping from her? What, was she an alien or something?

   This was what Morrigeth was internally ranting about as she saddled up one of the caribou in the stable Esmarelda had dumped her in. She tuned out Esmarelda's brother's whining as she tried to figure out exactly how to do so. In fact, she was sure she'd gotten it this time.

   "Alright," she said, impressed with her work. "How's that?" she asked the caribou.

   "It's backwards now," he replied.

   Morrigeth groaned. At this rate, she'd never get to Esmarelda. Who knew what would happen to the pack then?

   "And another thing," Esmarelda's brother said, his voice drifting back into Morrigeth's awareness. "Why do you keep talking to the reindeer? Do you think he's talking back? You're really immature, did you know that?"

   Morrigeth rolled her eyes. "Omnilingual spell. All Angels have one put on them. Why do you think I can talk to you?"

   Rather than answer Morrigeth's question, Esmarelda's brother just scrunched up his face in annoyance. And he said she was the immature one. "You know, you have a lot of nerve, just barging in like this and thinking you can do whatever you want."

   Morrigeth stretched out her numbing fingers in between attempts to fix the saddle. "Someone asked for help, and we're giving it. Stop twisting everything around like that," she said. She looked over the saddle again. This couldn't be right. She hated to do it, but... "Can you help me?"

   "Oh, now you're asking me for help? I guess the Angels aren't as powerful as they make themselves out to be, now are they?" Esmarelda's brother put his hands on his hips.

   "Calm down, it's just a saddle," Morrigeth said as she moved out of the way. Nose in the air, Esmarelda's brother brushed past her and fixed the saddle within the span of a few seconds. He turned to her with a smirk. Morrigeth just narrowed her eyes. "Thanks," she halfheartedly said before hopping on the caribou's back.

   "Where are you going with him, anyhow?" Esmarelda's brother asked.

   "I'm going to find Es," Morrigeth replied.

   "And how, exactly, are you going to find her?"

   Morrigeth's face burned. "Uh... doesn't the caribou know his way around?"

   Esmarelda's brother laughed. "No. He's an idiot."

   Morrigeth looked at the caribou, imagining he would take offense to such a statement if he could understand him. She had bigger priorities than defending him at the moment, she decided. She also had bigger priorities than ridding herself of this guy. She sighed. "Then... can you help me?" she asked, refusing to make eye contact with him as she did so.

   Esmarelda's brother huffed. "If you insist. I suppose losing a few wolves wouldn't do much harm if it'll get you to leave us alone."

   Morrigeth brushed away her surprise at his agreement. "A 'yes' would have been fine."

​

   GenTwo wandered aimlessly through the halls of the palace. Anntoinette had to be there somewhere, right? But where? She didn't even know half the rooms in this place. That last comment Anntoinette had made the night before had really gotten to her. She was definitely onto her. So now GenTwo had to get her... off of her?