Dark Water

Chapter Eighteen

The water next to Flynn stirs and he turns just in time to see Caeserni rise up onto the plateau with a fish clamped in his jaws.

The ex-Hollow seems surprised to have been caught with food and quickly devours the fish before scrambling out onto the rocks next to Flynn.

"I read your journals...how old were you when yo-"

"Twenty. It was two weeks after my birthday."

Flynn nods and rolls onto his stomach to find that Caeserni has assumed the exact same position.

"We're the same age then Caeserni."

Flynn notices the look he receives when he uses that name, a mixture of relief and gratitude.

"I had forgotten how it sounded when others said it."

"You redevelop quickly though, already your speech has improved from what it was. You just have to start using it a little more."

He nods at Flynn's words slumping down slightly, just enough that through the tears in what had once been a vest that Flynn can see fresh scratches on his scaled skin.

"I'm sorry that Claire shot at you, the demons and I hadn't had the chance to explain to them what was going on...Claire and Gareth are the two angels by the way. You already know who Sammael is."

"All too well unfortunately."

"You'll get your justice, I promise. I won't let you live alone and in pain anymore."

Caeserni stares at him and then drags his huge form forwards in order to lean his head on Flynn's shoulder.

Despite the scales and scars he's warm blooded and Flynn can feel the way he shakes when he very slowly raises one hand and rests it on the back of the others neck to try and offer some sort of comfort when he hears something that sounds almost like a sob.

They stay like that for a short while until finally Caeserni seems to have stabilised himself.

They remain quiet for a moment longer until the sound of metal clicking against rock and someone gasping interrupts the silence.

Flynn turns to see both demons walking cautiously towards them. He waves them over and turns to Ceaserni.

"The woman is Sagan and the man is Zanzi. They won't harm you."

To Flynn's surprise it's actually the ex-Hollow that initiates the conversation once the demons arrive and sit down with them, turning to Sagan with a vaguely sheepish look on his face.

"I apologise for what I did the other night, to the boat and to you. I was afraid you were all angels, wanted to scare you off."

"No harm done, knowing what we know now I understand why you did what you did. I do have one question for you though, it's the same one everyone else has."

"The angels aren't dead, they're in the cavern system below here. I've been stealing food from your boat to give to them."

Sagan raises both eyebrows and then speaks again.

"Why take them in the first place?"

"Bait. I knew that he would show up at some point when he realised it was me."

"Oh. So Sammael has known the whole time then?"

Caeserni shrugs, twisting his huge form to sit cross legged with hunched shoulders.

"I cannot say that he knew earlier but there are not that many things capable of abducting angels. He saw me earlier anyway, tried to follow me down to the bottom."

Zanzi is holding Flynn's notebook and he very slowly looks Caeserni up and down before turning to a certain page.

"Your mother. Who was she?"

"Her name was Aileenia, she was a worshipper of Hannelore. I believe you call him Satan?"

"We do indeed call him that. I'm assuming you were also a follower?"

"I suppose I still am even if my altar was destroyed."

He gestures with one clawed hand towards a circle carved into the rock surrounded by small runes.

The four of them remain sat on the plateau until early the next morning, discussing the plan to use the shark cage in the next dive and how to explain to Claire and Gareth what is really going on.

The group bid Caeserni farewell just as the sun comes up and he slips into the water feeling, for once, that he's not alone.