Awakening (Children of Angels) (12 page)

“Wait…do you mean…do you mean that he would have to be somewhere I had physically been? Like the place I was born?”

“
Mm,
”
Leonara nodded absently
“
yes, but he hasn
’
t been there. I
’
d know if he had. Besides, I tried tracing you from there and it didn
’
t work, because of those hours in between, when you were lost. It
’
s funny, how that works
…”

A realization dawned on Mia, and a picture flashed into her mind. A picture of a blurry figure in the background of a photograph.

“
Or the place I was
found
”
she whispered.

“
Hmm? What
’
s that?
”
Leonara asked, snapping out of her daydream and clearly curious as to what Mia knew.
“
The place you were found? Of course, we went there, with your father, but we were too late and you were gone. But if we were there at the moment you were found, we could have traced you.
Yes, that would work - if there was a clear and unbroken line, that you were always found up until the present day.”

Excitedly, Mia explained about the newspaper cuttings. She showed Leonara the photographs, in which she’d spotted the boy. The Angel smiled grimly.

“
He
is
a clever one. Yes, I believe you Mia. I believe that he went back to the Truth of you being found at that place. Certainly your mother could have told him, or one of their kind, where she had left you. Indeed, she
must
have, to send them to find you. When they sent him to find you, he was inexperienced at shifting Truths - he must have been, to be caught on camera. He, or one of his superiors, must have realized the mistake and corrected it, which is why he disappeared from the pictures. But you say he disappeared the moment you noticed him?
”

Mia explained that he was gone by the time she handed the picture over to her parents to examine, and the Angel’s brow furrowed into a frown

“
That, Mia, is not good. That means they are watching you, even now. They knew that you had noticed and corrected it quickly. It would otherwise be too much of a coincidence. And coincidence is another of those silly human fancies - there are no coincidences in the lives and deeds of Angels. Why then, have they not taken you?” she pondered, and although she had asked a question, Mia got the feeling that it was not directed at her, rather that Leonara was speaking aloud to herself.

Mia mulled over the question herself anyway, why
hadn
’
t
they take her? They clearly could, any time they liked. The boy was much more powerful than she was, so much so that he had been able to break through into her dream and change the world that Leonara had created there. And she was a
full
Angel. The thought scared her more than a little. It was not natural for something to be that powerful. She found herself staring at her own hands, wondering how much untapped and unused power was within
her
, whether she could defend herself if it came to that. Whether she could protect her family from this
thing
threatening her. But most of all - why the games? Why invade her dreams, why watch her and change things like the pictures? Why did it matter if they were just going to kill her?

“
I don
’
t know - I am just wondering those things myself
”
Leonara muttered, as though Mia had asked the questions aloud.
“
Sorry
…
I didn
’
t mean to eavesdrop on your thoughts. I just
…
you were practically shouting
”
she smiled playfully.
“
But you are right. It makes little sense to toy with you like this. Perhaps they are just trying to sound you out, figure out how strong you are. If you know what you are and who you are. Determine if you would kill them all with a snap of your fingers
…”

“
Are you suggesting
…
are you seriously saying they might be afraid of me?
”
Mia found the concept laughable. She was one of the least intimidating people that had ever lived. The thought of anyone being afraid of her was beyond ridiculous. And yet, it seemed to make sense. If they wanted to find out how dangerous she was, they would not come in all guns blazing. They would make sure they could take her out first. It made sense that they wouldn’t want her to see the boy in the pictures, but what she still couldn’t fathom out was the boy entering the dream.

What use could that be to them? To find out if she was capable of getting rid of the boy herself? To make contact, perhaps?

“
Yes,
”
Leonara
’
s voice rang out loudly, breaking the silence
“
that
’
s it. That makes sense, that they would not only want to figure out how much of a threat you are, they would want to figure out how
useful
you are.
”
Her eyes shone brightly with excitement.
“
T
hat must be what they want Mia - they want you to
join
them. They have one Angel Child and so do we. It would be a blow for them to take you away from us
…”

The Angel was lost to her own thoughts then, and Mia returned to hers as well. Making contact to
recruit
her? Well…there was no danger of that. She shuddered at the memory of how the dream had turned. The way the fire had licked at her bare skin, and how the boy had become that demonic creature, reaching out for her. She wondered whether he could only do that in dreams, or whether he could
really
do that.

“
It is possible,
”
the Angel murmured quietly, still mostly absorbed in her own thoughts, but seemingly still listening in on Mia
’
s at the same time
“
it depends on his Truths, I suppose. It does not do to dwell on these things though little one. Worry not what
he
is capable of - if he wanted to hurt you her could have, at any time. Now we need to figure out what
you
are capable of. Once they find out you won
’
t be turned, they will likely be angry, and will want to eliminate you sooner rather than later. These creatures do not give second chances Mia, they are not as forgiving as we are. To them you are either an asset or an obstacle - it is entirely your choice which you would rather be.
”

There was no choice, of course, Mia knew that. She would not become like him. The thought disgusted her, and she pushed away the image of his hideous form from her mind.

“
Okay, where do we start?
”
she asked aloud, with a sigh. She knew speaking aloud was unnecessary, that Leonara could hear her thoughts and already knew her decision. But speaking aloud made it all the more real for
herself
and that was what she needed.

“
Mia, if you truly want to do this
…
you know what has to happen. You have to leave this place. Your parents
…
they can
’
t
…
they can
’
t know any of this. They can
’
t know you anymore.
”

Mia bit her lip - she didn’t want to leave her parents behind, but she wanted them hurt even less. Knowing that they could be hurt or killed because of her was almost too much to bear. That their kindness in taking in the unwanted baby who had been front page news for a few days and then forgotten by the rest of the world, could be the thing that brought them the greatest suffering of all, that was too much. She nodded, and fought back the tears that threatened to fall.

“
What will we tell them?
”
she asked.

“
Tell them?
”
repeated Leonara, her face puzzled.

“
About where I
’
m going. Why I
’
m not coming back?
”

“
I can make them forget - you don
’
t need to tell them anything. Everything will be as it should have been to begin with. It would be as though you never came here. They would never miss you because they would never have had you to miss. It
’
s a simple enough Truth Switch, it won
’
t harm them at all. They won
’
t worry about you, and they won
’
t be in any danger anymore.
”

Mia nodded, and the tears fell then, she knew this was the only way to keep them safe, but leaving them
forever
, fifteen years of family life erased from their memories, that she could meet them in the street and be a complete stranger to her - it hurt.

“
I
’
d like to say goodbye to them - please
”
she whispered with a hiccupy sob.

Leonara regarded her carefully, then softly replied “okay”.

Human emotions were a peculiar thing indeed. This should have made the girl feel the emotion that they called happy. They were not even her real family, after all. She was returning to the world she belonged in, and these people she cared for would no longer be in danger because of her. She would be going back to her real family, and becoming what she was born to be. Yes, she should definitely be happy. And yet the Angel knew she was not.

Leonara remained sitting on the girls bed, looking around the room as the girl went downstairs to say her final farewell to her parents. She realized the girl, being a sentimental creature (
that
was another human trait. It had no use in the affairs of Angels) would probably want to take some of her own possessions with her when they left. Absently, she began pulling photographs off the mirror and putting them into a small pile on the dressing table. She pulled a duffel bag out from under the bed and began throwing clothes into it. She chose the clothes that felt like Mia the most, and because she felt Mia on them, she knew these were the ones she wore most often. She supposed she should help to make the transition as easy as possible for the girl.

CHAPTER NINE

D
ownstairs, Mia approached the kitchen with apprehension. A sick,
heavy feeling had settled on her stomach. She managed to stop any more tears from falling, and hastily dried the ones that had already slipped down her cheeks.

“
Oh
there
you are, you
’
re going to be
…
Mia, what
’
s wrong sweetheart?
”
asked her mother, putting down the cup she was washing, and drying her hands on her skirt. She rushed across the kitchen and put her warm hands on Mia
’
s face.
“
A
re you sick? You don
’
t look good at all!
”
Mia closed her eyes and savoured this sensation, knowing it would be the last time she ever felt it. She struggled to keep the tears back.