A Kiss of Life (Bk2)

Chapter 5

But then mother was back with her hands splayed on her tiny waist fluttering her wings before me. I didn't have to look at her scowl to know of her anger.

With an apologetic caress down my cloak I did the only thing I could, I blamed the cloak.

"So sorry mother but you know I cannot control the actions of the cloak," I said with what I hoped was a contrite expression. But my expressions were as usual beyond me. That too depended a lot on the cloak itself. It did however usually choose to allow me my own expressions.

Mother stared at me hard before finally relenting.

"You have been extremely tardy in your work of late," she said to William who stood behind her.  I looked past her at William with some sympathy as I watched his face shift from amusement to a rush of anger.

William has been in a sore spot with mother of late. The statistics were against him. The growth in world population told it's own story. Death has been shoddy in doing his work. But the fault of that lied not with him but with me. It was my fault he developed a conscience. The life I gave him made him reluctant to take the lives of others. Not unless he had no other choice. Only when he absolutely had too.

My talk with Lady Destiny had helped some what. Turning the tide of good fortune so that accidents happened. Indeed the rate of death from accidents had increased but the credit for that went not to Death but to Lady Destiny as did the praise for the terrorists wars and every other mortal missfortune. Lady Destiny being a distant cousin of mother's took some pleasure from the pain and suffering of others.

My request had been a boon of sorts... an incentive to set aside her borefom and delve into her passions and seek her pleasures in the demise of others.

Naturally William knew nothing of my help in this. Knew nothing but suspected plenty.

He quirked a brow at me and threw me a dirty glance before saying firmly to mother," I don't report to you. How I go about my business is for me to decide."

"I wouldn't get too cocky with me if I were you. I have shown you my nastier side before," said mother throwing a mocking scowl at Cloak before continuing," you do not want to tempt me... again."

I groaned.

"Mother," I called wanting to draw her attentions away from poor William. "You're here to help us with the Stonehenge?"

"The Stonehenge?" She quirked a tiny brow at me. "I would never be so stupid to try here darling." She fluttered around to face Fin." No my dear that dubious honour belongs to someone else entirely."

At that Fin let out a bout of explicits that did not raise my esteem over angels. I snorted at his rude display. I had been right all along that visiting the Stonehenge was a ridiculous idea. Everyone knew it was a pile of rocks put together by those who had practiced witch craft to summon the devil no less. And here she was. The devil herself. Summoned no doubt by Fin's foolish prancing around these very stones. Be careful what you wish for.

I sighed heavily.

Taking in a deep non-existant breath I tried to let my roving thoughts settle. I looked at Fin and his obvious disappointment jolted me in the cavity where my heart once was. I decided then that enough was enough. It was time I got some answers. It was time mother revealed just how the cloak was made. For I was certain it is in the making of it that we can find the answers we seek.

Sadly, it was time that the cloak and I parted.