Radicle (Terminal trilogy #2, can stand alone)

15: Flare

 Conifer lead me through an apprehensive but passive crowd, and pointed me in the direction of the Hellmouth.

I wasn't looking forward to returning to Hell. I guess technically there was no reason for me to stay very long, actually, and I didn't really have to let Tecie know I was back. All I had to do was abduct some kids.

But I also wanted to stick around, even for a day, and I wanted to be staying with Tecie while I did so. I think I might've started to miss her if I didn't, even if she was a mere demon trying to plant doubt into my mind.

I didn't bother heading back to the group home and jumping in the portal. I just leapt into the Hellmouth- a difficult feat, really, since the opening was quite small and meant for climbing.

I was instantly in Hell, at the bottom of a pit that would have seemed endless from above. I headed for the elevator in the side room- I had been on so many elevator rides today- and headed up to Pride. It was all very tiring, but had to be done to get anywhere in this confusing world.

I didn't have to do much sneaking to get through the main lobby and into Pride. And even then, I had a feeling no one had been told about the angel that had been caught in Hell- The Few would have wanted to keep that secret.

I headed straight for Tecie's apartment without much thought. I still didn't know where it was, exactly, but I had proven myself pretty good at guessing my way.

I found it after a good hour's worth of searching. When I got up to her door, she was actually standing outside it. She didn't seem the slightest bit surprised to see me, but she did smile.

"Back so soon?"

"Things came up." I was doing my best, still, to be wary of her and her lying ways. But I think I was okay with seeing her again.

"I haven't touched your stuff." I sort of wanted to point out to her that none of the stuff in that bedroom was mine, but decided against it. She gripped her handbag for a moment. "I think I'll skip work today. Come inside. I'd love to know what's happened."

I stood outside the door. Truthfully, I did want to go in. But if I did now, it'd seem like I was accepting her request to speak of highly confidential information. And I didn't want to do that. "It's not your business."

She sighed. "I think I will head to work today, then. Keep under the radar while I'm gone. Stop talking to Stacy, your weird cultist friends, et cetera."

I did not say anything. I may have sought her out, but I had no need to be friendly. Michael had told me not to trust her. And I was going to default to his orders.

I got to my bed- the bed, really- and settled down on it. My back was still incredibly sore, and I was starting to nurse a headache.

I lay back for a while, just dazed and relieved to be laying on something soft. Then I took a shower- I needed a moment to check my wounds.

It had been as Conifer had said- the area where my wings appeared on my back had been cut and heavily bruised on my left side. When I touched it, it stung, and I couldn't wash it with soap. I only rinsed myself quickly in the shower before getting up and readdressing my bandages. I probably needed some new, not bloody ones soon.

I had only been gone for a day, so I wasn't expecting any real changes in regards to the church or anything. But I thought it might be nice to check out how they were doing, and to defy Tecie's requests for me. Who knows? Maybe one of the followers knew a thing or two about children.

I put on a sweater, and, after a moments thought, one of Tecie's hats and dark glasses. I couldn't risk getting caught this time around, and I would certainly never let myself act so irrationally again.