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Chapter Twenty: Part 2

“How did it look?” he said tersely. “Her neck. Was it just skin and muscle damage? Or did she tear any arteries?”

            “I...I don’t…” Alice tried to think back, but the image made her feel physically ill.

            “No arteries.” Altair came to her rescue. “There would have been a lot more blood.”

            “Good,” Ambrose said grimly. “If Allira did not touch the carotid artery, then the child may not be gone forever.”

            “She was dead,” Alice said.

            “Take me to her.”

            “Why?”

            “Perhaps I can help.”

            “I don’t see how.” Or why. But she was already turning to leave. If he really was a Titan, god of Afterthought or not, maybe he could bring people back from the dead.

           

            Gabriel was there when they arrived, pacing back and forth, obviously wracked with guilt. He looked as though he’d just woke up, his eyes glassy and his blonde hair in tangles. He started to stammer an apology as they came in, and then saw Ambrose following closely on Altair’s heels. He sputtered angrily.

“You brought him here? How do we know he didn’t send that horrible woman to do this?”

            “We don’t,” she snapped, “But we have no other choice.” All three of them - Azura, Gabriel and Shakra - looked at her incredulously (as much as a Tiger could look incredulous) and she said, “He seems to think he can do something.”

            Ambrose appeared to be all business as he walked into the bedroom, surveying Maya with arms crossed.

“It looks bad, but we may be able to do this.”

            “Do what?” Alice asked cautiously. “What can we do?” Ambrose murmured something she couldn’t quite hear, placing his hands over Maya’s face, his palms hovering in the air just above.

“Her spirit hasn’t moved onwards. I can save her for you.” Ambrose looked at her sideways, his voice suddenly sly. “But there’s a price.”

            She should have known. How could she have been so naïve? He certainly wasn’t going to help her because he had any kind of feelings for her. She had known there was something he wanted from her, and at last he was going to tell her what it was. But it was her fault Maya was dead.  Allira was herenemy, not Maya’s.  Not to mention Gabriel was obvious being eaten by guilt. Clearly he thought he was responsible, since he’d let Allira in. She glanced at the girl’s prone form, tears blurring her vision.

“What do you want?” She knew he would answer her honestly, at last.

Ambrose drew closer, and Altair made a small, outraged noise as he reached out and stroked the side of her face. “You.”

            “Enough!” Alice snapped. “I was blind enough to think that when I first met you. What do you want from me?”

            “I want you to train under me, be my apprentice - swear you’ll be by my side forever.”

            She glared at him in angry confusion. “That doesn’t make sense. Why do you want that? I’ve never even seen you use magic.”