But both Tori and Brianna stared at the little girl, blinking.
Tori knelt before her. “Carla, can you tell me what Onafiel looks like.”
The girl nodded, her curls bouncing in the wind. “He’s kinda short, about the size of Thomist.” She gazed up at him then back down again. “He’s gold and bright light. And he has wings.”
Tori shook her head as the realization hit her. Onafiel wasn’t some imaginary friend. He was an angel! “And you’re sure Aaron doesn’t have an angel with him?”
“This is ridiculous!” Aaron shouted.
The little girl shook her head. “No angel.”
Rising to her feet, Tori faced Aaron. “Now, I know exactly what to do with you.”
???
“Finally!” Zarall exclaimed, drawing his throwing ax. “She sees!”
Arithem continued to watch. “Not yet, my friend, but she is well on her way.”
The beast sneered at the Holy Angels, then feigned a look of innocence at the humans.
“What are you talking about? This is insanity.” He gestured toward little Carla. “You listen to the imaginings of a three-year-old!”
“No.” Tori spoke with authority, making Zarall beam with pride. “I speak on the authority of the Most High.”
“Ah ha!” Zarall shouted.
Onafiel hovered over Carla and Callie, lest the beast unleash a curse upon them, while Anahel stood before Brianna, brandishing his mace.
Thomas slipped between Tori and the hellion. “Come on now, Tori. We are all upset about Sara, but Aaron—”
“This isn’t about Sara,” she snapped, whipping a strand of hair from her face yet never loosening her gaze upon the beast. Light penetrated her mind, visible light in the spirit realm, light that chased away the darkness of deception.
“She is figuring it out now,” Arithem said to Zarall.
Pushing past Thomas, Tori approached the beast. “It was you.Youcalled in that drone attack that nearly killed us all, you generated that tsunami, you created that tornado!”
The beast pointed his cane at her to keep her from advancing further. “Preposterous! How could I have done such things?”
“You,” Tori continued, “gave Sara something to dull her senses, soften her fears, so—” Tori gulped down emotion, shaking off her rage. “So she would more easily receive the Mark of the Beast.”
The fallen one tsked. “You’re nuts! The girl was petrified after she saw those people crucified. I tried to console her as best I could.” He shifted his eyes over the group. “I told her not to go to Atlanta, didn’t I?”
“Tori,” Thomas said. “This is crazy. He did try to talk you out of going to Atlanta. He’s one of you, for God’s sake!”
“No, he is not,” she responded, keeping her eyes on the beast.
Arithem drew his golden blade. “Wait for my command,” he told the other angels.
Zarall could hear his own breath, feel his muscles contract in anticipation.
“One thing I can’t figure out,” Tori said, hands on her hips. “Is why you didn’t want us to go to Atlanta so bad. Seems it worked out in your favor in the end.”
The beast’s gaze swung to Thomas ever so briefly before returning to Tori.
She glanced at Thomas, the light inside of her growing brighter and brighter. “Ah… you didn’t want him to see the evil your boss is perpetrating, is that it?”
Thomas huffed and moved to stand beside the vile creature. “What are you talking about, Tori? Aaron has been like a father to all of us. He’s been a huge help.”
