Chapter 21

**Noch**


When I opened my eyes again I felt refreshed. I stretched full length on my bed and let out a hearty yawn. Silence and darkness greeted me in my little cove, just the way I like to kick off my mornings.

Smiling to myself I showered using the glowing runes on the shower walls, dressed and walked towards the wall on the far side of my room. Walking towards it I could sense the stones of the building already making way for me to walk on through.

The minute I was about to emerge from my cove though… I was bombarded by shadows and dark hair, then another head of lighter brown hair and green eyes. I yelped as I was suddenly tackled backwards back into my room and into the darkness. The wall closed up again and the candles flickered back to life once the sense of my presence was back again.

“What in the blasted name of-!” I started, but was cut off by two sets of hands clamping down over my mouth.

“WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON NOCH?!” Two sets of female voices rang through my eardrums.

Oh joy … Jasnine and Raska were back …

“We were walking past the Atrium’s side and ran into Fog close to the armory. He was busy sharpening, and oiling some weapons while smiling! Dusting off, sharpening and oiling weapons is already weird enough, but he was SMILING!” Jasnine exploded, her light brown hair flaring around her face and her green eyes flashing.

“Not only that!” Raska chimed in. “We walked past Arasule’s old work room and obviously expected it to be empty. But she was in there! Cleaning! And Humming to herself!!! Humming Noch! HUMMING!” Raska freaked with her silver eyes wide with astonishment and her black hair tied tightly in a stylish ponytail behind her head.

“And not only that either!” Jasnine decided to add. “We saw Hezerial! We saw the fricken golden haired guardian angelic humming and cooking in the fricken kitchen with a fricken apron around his waist on our way here!!!”

“So just what in the name of Tartarus and all things cursed happened while we were gone?!” Raska glared at me like she was trying to rip out all the events from my mind.
When I just lay there with an eyebrow raised at them they gave me impeding looks of murder and frustration. I sighed inwardly and sent a jolt of magic through my body, shocking them and making them let go of me.

I sighed outwardly this time and glowered at both of them. “Can I get some coffee first?”

“NO!” The both of them yelled incredulously.

I glowered at them and decided to have a little fun. “You have missed quite a bit while you two were gone. And it all is best discussed over some wine or coffee.” I stood up and walked back to the wall again. Raska and Jasnine both scrambled over themselves to get out of the room while the wall was open. They both knew full well that once the wall closed, they wouldn't be able to get back out again until I returned, which in some cases, sometimes turned out to be weeks later…

I had to admit, seeing Jasnine and Raska of all people like this was already wanting to make me blow my façade and crumble in helpless laughter.

I led the two glowering women to the kitchen, and sure enough the winged guardian was standing in the kitchen finishing up two plates full of Merianna’s favorite breakfast foods, and a few fruits. As the angel walked past me with the two plates in hand, apron still tied around his waist, he couldn’t stop smiling and even nodded a greeting at me.

I nodded back and yawned as he walked past Jasnine and Raska who were both gaping at him like they had never seen him before. I went straight to the coffee and took my time while making myself a cup. I took special glee in seeing the two of them simmering from the corner of my eye. I opened a bottle of wine and sat two long stemmed glasses in front of them and poured them a good portion.

After that was done, I had my steaming cup of coffee in my hands and two steaming woman sitting in front of me.

On any day Jasnine and Raska are considered steamily hot women, beautiful enough to win Ms. World ten times over with nothing but their looks. But right now they were steaming for another reason, and I was silently snickering at the accomplishment.

“Now tell us what is going on Noch.” Raska demanded with a glare as Jasnine looked about ready to jump out of her seat to throttle me.

I smiled against the rim of my cup and took a deep drink.

“Well, the only thing I can say that would be simple enough for you to understand right now, is …” I looked up at them and saw that they were barely sitting on the edges of their seats waiting for me to tell them, “that we held that vigil for the little brat far too early.”

It took a few seconds for their puzzled expressions to clear and their eyes to widen in disbelief and Raska’s face to fall into troubled doubt.

“You are talking about Merianna?” Raska asked in a pained whisper.

“I am indeed.” I said taking another sip.

“But, Hezerial said he couldn’t feel her anymore back then, her essence was gone.” Jasnine said, her face now also falling into a mask of doubt as well.

Raska turned back around and watched the hall where the angelic had disappeared into with the smile on his face. Her mostly expressionless face turned into a smile the longer she stared and realized what direction he had walked in.

“She’s truly alive?” She asked softly.

“Yes.” I said looking her straight in the eyes so she knew I wasn’t lying to her.

“And she is here?” She breathed, almost too afraid to hope.

I took my cup away from my face, and couldn’t hide the smirk no matter how much I’d have wanted to.