The Journey (14 page)

“No. Not a lot. Well, not as much as I’d like to. So… why here?”

“I don’t know. But if you ever want me, all you have to do is cross this bridge at dusk and—”

“Dusk?” I reflexively took a step back. “But… Azazel made me promise never to step through worlds at dusk.”

“He
what
? Wait… You are listening to that forever-damned Angel, over
me
? What the— Jem? What are you thinking?”

“I’m not— I mean… I’ll
always
listen to you, Drella. You know that. It’s just… well… he only just told me about the
veil
and the
blending
and warned me not to go into the Nether at dusk.”

The redness reaching all the way up Drella’s forehead started to slowly melt away. The enlarged veins at his temples began to smooth back down. He sighed and shook his head.

“Okay… yes. I will agree with him on
that
point. If you can avoid it, never use the Nether at dusk. But I didn’t say this bridge brought you to the Nether, Pooh. It brings you to me, and
only
me. When the veil lifts at dusk, cross this bridge. You won’t even get the chance to blink, before you’re wrapped up in my arms.”

And then he did just that, hugging me to him like I might disappear at any moment.

“I got you something,” he softly whispered.

I giggled and squeezed him tighter. “And just when did you
get
me something?”

“When we stepped out of the noodle shop.”

I looked up at him then, my brows now furrowed. He chuckled.

“What? You thought we could just walk through a place like this, especially with a festival going on, and I wouldn’t get you a trinket to remember it—our first date.”

“Date?” Tears burned my eyes then.

“Yeah…” He smiled softly. “It’s been a long time in coming, but I think it was worth the wait, don’t you?”

I barely nodded. There was no way my voice would work without cracking, and
that
would definitely bring my tears.

“It isn’t much.” He pulled the slim silk pouch from inside his cloak. “Just another trinket, really. But I knew you’d like it.”

My eyes widened when he carefully spread the delicate, intricately decorated fan out in front of me.

“Drella…” I lightly touched the scene painted there on the thin sandalwood. “It’s sooo beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you.”

I glanced up at his gorgeous smile, then into his breathtakingly blue eyes. “This… This is the best first date
ever
.”

“I agree,” he said, gently closing the lovely little fan as he leaned down until our lips softly touched. “I love you, Jem Stone.”

“And I love
you
, Drella Walker.”

I giggled when he placed the delicate
trinket
in my hand. “I’ve always wanted one of these little beauties.” I carefully opened it and began fanning myself, batting my lashes. “Does it suit me,
Darling
?” I used my best Betty Davis impression.

“Perfectly.” He chuckled. “
And
, when I saw that lovely little butterfly painted there…” He gently wrapped one of my curls around his finger. “…I just couldn’t resist,” he whispered softly. “Couldn’t resist the chance to make you smile like you are right now. You take my breath away, Jem.”

“Drella…” Tears spilled down my cheeks then. “The most precious things I have in this world… they all came from you.”

He smiled with only one corner of his mouth. “The only
unnecessary
things you keep in that old backpack.”

“No… not unnecessary, Drell. Treasured. My Pooh Bear, my butterfly shawl, my scarf.” I reached toward my ponytail as I spoke. “The only material things I count priceless enough to keep with me at all times.”

“Stop it, Pooh, or you’re gonna have
me
bawling as well.” He tenderly brushed the tears from my cheek before kissing me there. “And
you
are the only thing I count priceless enough to keep with
me
at all times. If only…”

“Yeah…” I rested my head against his chest when he hugged me. “If only…”

*****

“How much longer do we have together, Drell?” I closed my book and rolled over to face him. “How many more hours do I have… before I’m no longer surrounded by your delicious scent?”

He chuckled and pulled me closer. “Delicious, am I?”

“Yes… always.” I kissed his chest, cuddled up against his side there upon the bed.

“A day, Pooh. Two at the most. But it’s not like we won’t be seeing each other quite often. Just, not every moment of every day.”

I hugged him closer. “Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?”

“Yes… and so can a guy.” He kissed the top of my head. “We don’t have to rush it, my love. We will have eternity together… someday. As for right now, there’s much work to be done—for the
both
of us.”

And Drella was right. Halfway through our second day together in Ise-Shima, he was compelled to go, called away on business. It was extremely hard for him to leave me there. We both shed more than just a few tears.

Once he was gone, I did what it is I do—snoop around in ancient places. I went back to that enchanting bridge Drella had led me to, and crossed over to the Ise Shrines.

The priests at the Inner Shrine—Naiku—were the friendliest I’d met anywhere in the world. I didn’t actually get to visit the Outer Shrine—Geku—on
that
visit, though. Yet, I
did
get the wonderful opportunity a bit further along on my journey.

After I had acquired what I needed at Naiku, I stopped for another bowl of ramen. Sitting in that noodle shop, all alone this time, was almost more than my poor old heart could take. I sighed wearily before begrudgingly heading back to my now-empty room.

“I will
not
slip back into mourning,” I grumbled aloud as I flipped another page. “He isn’t dead to me anymore. I’ll see him again. He promised I would. Drella would
never
lie to me.”

I smiled then and began to relax, focusing back on my reading.

And that’s what I was doing—studying through those old books I’d only just acquired—when I suddenly looked up… and found myself in the Nether.

Chapter

5

As I’ve said before, the worst part… is the smell. How can I describe it? It’s like, three-day-old egg salad spread atop burnt tuna, dipped in a bucket of chum, and then left on an East Coast beach in mid-August to rot. Yeah, kind of like that. Gag-inducing doesn’t even
begin
to describe it. I have stood by the River of Dead—that’s what
I
call it—in India. It was a place where mosquitos blotted out the sun and maggots covered the banks like wiggling, grotesque living sand. The river was lined with Temples on both sides. It was a place where dead loved ones were set adrift atop the rancid waters—their families watching and mourning as they floated toward their Otherworld.
That
smelled better than the Nether. And that’s what made me look up—the smell.

I had been so engrossed in my latest tome, I didn’t even realize I had shifted. I’m not even
entirely
certain how long I’d been there. The vomiting started before actual realization had set in.

“Could a woman possibly
be
any more revolting than you? No. Not even if she tried.”

I slowly raised my head, trying to catch my breath. There stood a man leaning against the wall—arms crossed over his chest, jet black hair falling down across his shoulders, and a look of pure disgust upon his face.

“Revolt—” I gagged again. “Revolting is the stench of
this
hellhole.”

He snorted. “What do you want? Why did you come here? Get up off your damn knees and face me properly.”

I took a few more breaths before staggering to my feet, picking up the now-crumpled book I’d been reading. “Who the hell are you that I should have to answer anything? I’m here because I’m here. And as for what I want and/or need from you, that’d be nothing. Not a damn thing.”

He raised a single eyebrow and stared at me for a few silent heartbeats, his utter disgust still obvious.

“You impudent little— Let’s get one thing straight,” he snarled. “I don’t like you. I don’t like the look of you. I don’t like the smell of you. And I sure as hell don’t like your insolent tone.”

“And just
why
would I care if a demon likes me or not? Seems to me, that’d be the best possible luck I could have.”

“I am not a demon, Witness. I am Paltiel. You should take care how you speak to me.”

“I don’t remember asking for your name. I really don’t give a crap
who
you are. And
you’re
the one who started speaking to
me
. Not the other way around.”

He glared at me, his dark eyes glinting maliciously.

“Just… leave me be, Demon. Let me concentrate on getting back out of this godforsaken place.”

He smiled then, but it was twisted, dark.

“And just
how
do you think you can accomplish that?”

“I have the key.” I grabbed my pendant. “I can pop back out wherever I want.”

“Yes, you can. So, tell me where it is you need to go. The sooner you tell me why you came here, the sooner you can leave my sight.”

“What? I don’t—”

“I am the Gatekeeper for the Witness. You pop into
here
, I send you back out through
there
.” He motioned toward a rather plain looking wall. “That is, as long as you have the key, enough fuel, and your destination in mind.”

“But I don’t
know
where I’m supposed to go. I didn’t even mean to come here. Azazel told me to—”

“Azazel? You
spoke
with him?”

I didn’t answer.

“Of course you did.” He snurled up his nose. “I still smell him on you.”

“Smell him?” I lifted my sleeve to my nose as I mumbled.

“
That’s
the atrocious scent stinking up the place. It is revolting.
You
are revolting.”

“Yeah, we’ve established that already. But if you think I’m the one who’s smelling up this joint—”

“Where do you wish to go?”

“I… I don’t know.”

He rolled his eyes and made sort of a disgusted clicking noise with his tongue. “Just… give me the damn thing.”

He snatched my book before I even realized he had moved. He glanced back at me while flipping through the yellowing pages.

“Your meter’s already half empty. Take care you don’t get trapped here. If I thought I had to spend eternity staring into those big old clueless eyes of yours, I’d gouge my
own
out, here and now.”

I slowly looked down at my pendant. He was right. I began to panic.

Paltiel slammed the book shut. “Carpathia,” he said dryly as he jabbed the large tome against my chest. “Here’s how this works. You appear before me. You say
one
word—the place you wish to go. In this instance it would be Carpathia. Then
poof
, you are gone. No chit-chatting. No small talk. And definitely no retching on the floor. You pop in. You pop out. That’s it. Know where the hell you’re going before you use the key. Got it?”

“No, I—”

“Goodbye.”

Then, I was standing in an unfamiliar looking forest… grinding my teeth.

I inhaled deeply, and ever so slowly let it out again.

Well,
that
went about as bad as you could possibly imagine.

I took another deep breath.

Pffts… Handled that little volatile situation like a real champ, Jem… Not!

I sighed and popped the bones in my neck.

“And what’s he talking about, anyway?
Me
?
Smell
? Idiot. How could he possibly smell
anything
over the stench of that vile place? Ugh!”

*****

I stood in the middle of a nearby clearing as the cool wind washed over me. I stayed like that for a long time, until the chill reached almost to my bones. I couldn’t help it. I wanted the rancid Nether blown from my clothing.

“My curls still reek. Not much else I can do about that right now. Okay… let’s see.”

When I opened the ancient book, the chilling breeze picked up, flipping through the many pages. It slowly stopped a little over a quarter of the way through. I began reading.

“Hmm… looks like fate wishes to see me in Hronsek. I’ve heard about that old church. It’s supposed to be marvelous.”

And it was. Built within a single year back in the 1700s, it was handcrafted minus any metal parts whatsoever. No nails. No brackets. Exquisite woodwork only. It was breathtaking. The old Protestant church is shaped like a cross—with five different doorways—and can seat up to eleven hundred people for worship.

“Huh… Shipbuilders. It
had
to be crafted by those artistic Viking shipbuilders. There’s no other explanation for such mastery. Breathtaking.”

I didn’t even
try
to hide my awe. My breath audibly hitched when I stepped inside… and was completely surrounded by the exquisite, living past. It was a core moment for me—a scene in my life I shall mark, and never forget.

Drella had been right. Once I became a Witness, obtaining what I desired became sooo much easier. I respectfully asked for the volume my soul desired, and then handed the ancient writing I had carried with me in exchange for the new one. The middle-aged man didn’t even make eye contact with me. Simply handed me one priceless treasure for the other, and turned to go.

“Hmpft. Guess my new
job
has afforded me the privilege of owning my very own celestial library card. This might not be so bad after all. If it weren’t for having to deal with Palpateen—or whatever black-haired dude’s name was—I would say this could become rather enjoyable.”

*****

I shivered involuntarily when the chilly breeze of my chosen meditation spot was suddenly exchanged for the hot, dry air of the wretched Nether.

“Howdy, Palestine. I need to go to Keiss. Keiss Castle, actually. In the Scottish Highlands.”

I’m not sure why, but I giggled when I said
Scottish
Highlands
.

“The name is Paltiel,” he said, slowly walking up behind me. “I will do you one favor,
woman
.” He hissed out the word like it was a black curse. “Never will I do you another. Best go see your beloved Azazel… while you still can.”

The vile, dark-haired man grabbed a fistful of my curls and shoved me forward with such force, I hit my knees hard before falling flat on my face. Fine dirt filled my mouth, entering my nostrils when I suddenly inhaled. Needless to say, I coughed and gagged as I hurriedly rummaged through my backpack, spilling as much water down my chin as I got in my mouth. I swished and spit three times before I looked up and realized where I was.

“Bloody hell. Already?” I checked my nearly empty pendant and sighed. “This is gonna take some serious getting used to. Stupid Paladio. I hate that guy. Wonder if it’s too late to put in for a different
escort
? Or, whatever the hell he is.”

I dug out my flashlight and started down the tunnel, almost glad to be somewhere familiar for a change. This time, I didn’t miss a single beat. I ran down that darkened passageway just like it was an unlit Temple hallway. Now that I think back on it, I believe I was even whistling a little bit. Azazel started yelling before I ever reached the bottom.

“Jem! Come, child. Run! Faster!”

“What? What is it?”

My heart suddenly started racing like a thoroughbred at the Derby. It was pounding in my ears, drowning out some of the frantic Angel’s shouts.

“Douse your flame and come to me. Now!”

I clicked the little black button and blindly sprinted toward my mummified seraph friend.

“Here! Here!”

Just as I started to slow down I felt his brittle hand latch onto my wrist, pulling me down against him with such force I feared I would soon hear his ancient ribs crack beneath me, the dust of his remains puff up in the air and surround me.

“What?” I tried to catch my breath. “What is it? Are you hurt? Did something happen?”

“Did you not see him? Not sense him?”

“Him? Who him?”

“He was after you. I am certain of it. I smelled his treacherous essence only half a heartbeat after your divine scent wafted over me.”

“Whose scent, Azazel? Who did you smell? Who’s chasing me?”

“Paltiel—foulest little absconder who ever claimed wings.”

“Oh…
him
… Nah, he ain’t chasing me.”

“Y-you
know
him?”

“Yeah. If you can call it that. We’ve met a couple of times.”

“Met?” He grabbed a handful of my hair, inhaling deeply. “You have done more than
met
, little one. Why is it your beautiful locks reek of that worthless traitor?”

I gently untangled his ancient fingers from my curls as I tried to sit up.

“I guess you could say, he’s my Gatekeeper.”

“Gatekeeper? Why do you need a Gatekeeper? You still have the keys, do you not?”

“Yeah. I still have them.”

“Then… why can you not pass through the Nether as you please?”

I snorted. “You’re asking the wrong person, Angel.” I dug out a few tealights while I was talking. “You seem shocked by this news, well so was I. Drella didn’t mention anything about having to go through Paltiel, either. Who knows? I mean, I don’t have a
clue
about that place. I’ve only gone there on purpose
once
, and that was right before I popped out here just now. After I left you the last time, I went with Drella to Japan.”

“Drella.” He sort of growled. “He made you scream when you left me.”

“Heh. He stepped from the shadows and startled me. That’s all.”

“That is
not
all. He had anger in his voice. Did he punish you?”

“That wasn’t anger. That was fear. He was afraid
you
had harmed me. I stayed too long, remember?
And
I broke the only rule he gave me.”

His voice softened. “…Sharing with me.”

“Yeah.”

“Did he punish you?” He lightly placed his hand upon my back. “Did he mark your lovely flesh?”

“Pffts. No, Azazel. He did not
punish
me. Things don’t work like that. Not anymore.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, people aren’t allowed to just
hit
you. At least, not where
I
come from. Although… I suppose it
does
happen. But it’s no longer socially acceptable. It’s against the law, Azazel.”