Page 389 of Castings & Curses

"I meant to ask you whether you helped Lucia. I noticed her sleeping when I went looking for you."

I wondered if he'd chastise me about repeating my actions, which he hadn't approved of, but Raphael didn't say anything about it.

"I helped her," he replied. "She should have an easier recovery from her grief now."

* * *

I setdown near the Enchant bar and re-took human form. There didn't seem to be anyone else outside. As I walked up to the shielded area, I carefully examined the physical shield.

I was sure a human mortal wouldn't be able to see it, but they could feel its physical presence. It was unclear whether the runes' area of effect would discourage mortals from going near it.

I could see the shield. It shimmered with a light golden glow. It wasn't as visible in the daytime as it would be at night, when its pale light would stand out more starkly against the darkness.

When I laid my hand against the shield, I felt a jolt of electricity, like a light electric shock, and a sense of physical presence. When I tried to use my mind to open a doorway in the shield, it didn't work at all. It was surprisingly effective magic.

Soon, I caught sight of Melinda as she walked from the front door of the bar and approached me on the inside of the shield.

"Do I have you to thank for returning my powers?" Melinda smiled as she stood there with her hands on her hips.

With her mane of fiery red hair, she looked like a force to be reckoned with — not the powerless goddess on the run she had been before. The difference was like night and day.

"Yeah, it was partially my doing," I replied. "I saw the shield was cracking, and Enchant wasn't going to last. I knew you were in danger, and so were the other people here."

Melinda didn't make me ask to be let in, though I was growing mildly impatient with her.

With a wave of her hand, she opened a doorway in the shield.

I hurried in, and saw her seal it again the moment I'd passed through.

It was interesting to see her with her powers back. Melinda seemed like more of herself than she had been before.

I didn't have any locks of the same sort, because I'd been a human spirit before my ascension to angelhood.

"Someone tried to kill Raphael and they almost succeeded," I explained as we walked together toward the front door. "He was attacked in the air."

"That's a disturbing thought. Raphael is so powerful, I'm startled that they could threaten him. Is he going to be alright?"

I nodded. "He's recovering now. I've been urged to continue the investigation, if you would still like to help me?"

She took a moment to ponder the situation before eventually nodding in agreement. "I would, though I fear it might be beyond our ability to defeat them."

"I'm told we will have angelic backup if we need it, so we won't be entirely alone in this," I replied. "I think we're both potential targets, as well as Riga, and the Enchant bar itself."

"How comforting," she replied with a pronounced note of sarcasm.

Melinda’s expression turned apologetic as she sat down at a table near the bar, and I joined her there. There was no one else around. Everything was tidy except for a folded newspaper that had been left on the counter.

"Please, tell me what you have in mind. I'll go with you, but I want to ensure Riga can support the shield first. I'm tired of being on the defensive, and I want to hunt the one responsible. I mean, investigate. Mostly."

I smiled at her, because I felt the same way. I just wasn't sure if she meant that a bit more literally than I did. I was guessing she did.

MELINDA

The smellof days-old trash and accumulating laundry greeted us as we took human form inside the house. It was the home the angels had assigned me and where I lived before I went on the run. The trash had been there even before Misha passed. I’d been meaning to tidy up and hadn’t quite got around to it.

I looked around, grateful to be home, even if it was just for a little while. My feelings were bittersweet at seeing the sculptures decorating the shelves of a cabinet by the window. They were among Misha's best works.

"This probably isn't a good idea," Aurelia said, biting her lip softly.

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