Morpheus arrived in the office with the sound of wings, hugging jacket, bouquet, and pack shielding River in its pocket. He sucked in a breath as he spread his wings. His mobile started chirping and whistling as it automatically connected to a local network. He found Steven standing behind a desk and staring at him.

"You'd think it would make a big sound when you pop in, like in super-hero movies, but it's more like a broken disc drive. It's like you unfold into the space."

Morpheus shrugged, "Some people think it sounds like shuffling cards." He sat down in the nearest chair, his wings were positioned high enough to clear the padded arms of the chair. Morpheus unzipped the front pocket of the backpack on his lap, so that River could climb free. "Right time and place?" His mobile was still chirping and chirping....

"It's been a while," Steven said, as he sat the other side of the desk. Morpheus had focused on Steven and the way he looked, scrying with him from this office, to inform his flight between worlds. The office looked the same as in the mirror. "I should tell you there's a power of attorney in use, so Opium could make some decisions about your music."

"Oh." Why mother hadn't just called or appeared Morpheus didn't fully understand. It didn't seem her style to listen to Shade, even if she encouraged others to do so, especially considering Morpheus was her own son.

"Your plants are in the kitchen window."

"OK." None of this seemed what was important. "You said there was trouble?"

"Julien wants to tell you," Steven said, letting out a deep sigh as he said it. "But he wants me to tell you..." Steven lifted a hand to his brow.

Morpheus nodded, getting the idea, even if not the full message. "It's not personal, right? He wants someone else to tell me, before I even see him, that it's not for him I'm here."

Steven nodded. "Do you need to leave again, afterward?"

"No. I was planning to return when I got your call." Morpheus saw Steven smile at this answer, but continued, "I left my guitar behind, but I can pop back for it."

Steven nodded several times. "Good. That's good. I feel you've been missed. Only Shade and Julien seemed to know why you'd gone. You didn't actually tell Opium, did you?"

That was what it was! She was mad he hadn't found her to say goodbye or explained why he was going. "No," he said, managing a lopsided smile. "She was probably mad, huh? It wasn't like I was hiding from her. I mean, I was having family dinners with Maya! I had tea with her dad!" But he hadn't gone to the tower. "I wasn't avoiding her house because of her!"

Steven chuckled. He stood. "It'll be fine. Just tell her that. But, go see Julien first. He said to meet in his sitting room."

"Thank you." Morpheus stood, setting his things on the chair. He and gave a thought to his attire. Didn't matter if Julien said it wasn't personal. Morpheus wasn't going to see the resident fashion designer after a long absence without calculating his look. Black boots and bondage pants. Pale blue dress shirt. Gray double-breasted vest. Black necktie. He glanced up at Steven.

He made a pinching gesture with thumb and forefinger. "Take it in until it looks almost a size too small."

Morpheus laughed and made the adjustment. He saw Steven's thumbs-up.

"You coming with me, Riv?"

"We know what happened last you were here and went to see Julien without me."

Morpheus extended his arm so River could climb up to his shoulder. He also knew that Jibril had scolded him for not enabling River to be as helpful as possible. "Just checking."

"Mess up your tie," River whispered.

Morpheus smiled as he manually shifted the tie askew. He took the bouquet into his right hand, and held it behind his back as he flew.

Julien's suite of rooms looked a lot like Morpheus remembered. He didn't see Julien immediately, but doors to hall and bedroom were all closed. The drapes were closed allowing only narrow beams of sunlight that lit the floor, but the digital clocks amid the audio components indicated it was after 5, meaning it was summer.

The door to the hall opened and Julien came in, his back to the door as he wiped the back of one hand over his mouth. Morpheus knew he would have normally fixated right on Julien, but he sidestepped, trying to confirm whether the webbed ornament hanging on the door, above the note to staff, was what it looked like.

"Is that a real dream snare?"

"What?!"

Morpheus focused on Julien, finally. He was wearing black kurta and shalwar with fuzzy white slippers. He looked beautiful. He was sleepy-eyed, and his mouth rigid with concern, but still as naturally pretty as Morpheus remembered. "I-" He kind of forgot about the dream snare. Instead, Morpheus offered the bouquet of six white roses. "These are for you."

Julien reached out and took the flowers, then promptly hissed as he touched a thorn.

"Careful how you cut yourself."

Julien looked up, met Morpheus' eyes. Oh, Honey, don't even start. The message seemed conveyed so strongly in Julien's gaze alone that Morpheus questioned if he had even used telepathy, but he knew ultimately that Julien had.

"You've gotten better at controlling that," Morpheus said aloud.

Yes. And then aloud, "These need water. Wait here." Julien walked around the sofa toward the bedroom doors. "Actually, there's something there on console for you, but you might want to listen to the queued digital track first."

As Julien passed through the pair of doors, and closed them behind, Morpheus moved around the low coffee table to the collection of audio components of various vintages. The room was tidy and ordered, as Morpheus believed it usually was, so long as Julien wasn't too depressed to clean up after himself. The only out of place item on the top of the shelves was a single audio cassette.

Morpheus took the cassette and found its player.

"He said play the other first," River reminded him.

Morpheus turned and looked back towards the doors. He couldn't hear anything, not running water, or any clear sign of movement.

River leaned from Morpheus' arm and pressed the controls of one of the devices so that they queued track began to play. "You want to bet whether he's changing his clothes?" River asked, as the music started.

"Oh, I know he is, but he'll look good, so I win either way." Morpheus was more focused on the song, the synthesized sounds of the instrumental intro were familiar, yet he didn't recognize the song. It was not until the vocals started....

You feast upon my very innocence

And now your fangs gnaw at my every defense

"Holy- stuff that's holy!" It was Morpheus' own voice!

River laughed, probably at Morpheus' disease with cursing. Someone had produced the heck out of the acoustic version to mix Morpheus' vocals with the electronic rock. The driving guitar and percussion through the chorus weren't those played by him or Traps, Morpheus could tell, but it sounded good....

We lay upon the desert sand

Covered by the wings of Night

You put your hand into my hand

And held me 'til the morning light

Morpheus returned to the sofa, which Julien had made the optimal listening position with his arrangement of speakers and balance of audio channels. He shortened his wings to sit comfortably, without withdrawing them into his body. Morpheus found the remote on the table and restarted the track from the beginning.

Morpheus didn't even hear Julien return, or sense his presence properly, until he knocked into his legs. Morpheus was forced to look up at Julien from a slight distance, so at first glance he only saw softly whiskered blue jeans and a brown leather belt. Somehow, they seemed to be wearing the same pale blue dress shirt, only Julien paired his with a canvas blazer a slightly darker gray than Morpheus' vest.

Morpheus shook his head. "You look good."

"I know." Julien sat down directly in front of him, on the table, so their legs touched. "Your tie's crooked." He put his hands to Morpheus to fix the tie, which was, honestly, exactly what Morpheus had expected to happen when River suggested he purposely put it askew.

Morpheus just smiled.

Julien put his hands atop Morpheus' knees, but he kept his fists balled-up.

"I'm back," Morpheus whispered.

"It's been three years."

"I was planning to come back. Ready. But, Steven summoned me from now."

"Almost. Almost three years."

"It didn't seem as long for me."

"I've missed you."

"I did miss you."

"I didn't believe you could stay away so long."

"I think Shade told the others not to disturb me."

"From all of us...because of me?"

"No. Not exactly. I really did have things to do. You know...."

"I love your song."

"I love you, but even after three...."

"Almost."

"Almost three years, you're still not ready."

"I never said I would be ready."

"Julien."

"Right now it's Athen."

"Is he OK?"

"No. He collapsed outside some club in Hollywood. He's here now, in his room. He can move, but he doesn't talk. He cries. Shade said maybe something's happened with Faye."

"How can I help?" Morpheus asked.

Julien reached for Morpheus' hands, which were either side his legs, and held them. "Be honest with me?"

"I am."

"Murph."

"I will."

"I know that you can see things. Sometimes you know things. Not only you, but you can. I don't know how. Magic mirrors, crystal balls, time travel, telepathy, rings carved from horn and tusk? Doesn't matter. I know. You need to tell me I'm right."

Morpheus knew he had made some of this clear, but otherwise, he suspected someone else had been talking. Though, it was possible, with time - three years maybe - Julien could have pieced together clues from Human historical sources; some of those guesses had been weirdly specific. But, that wasn't the same as having proof.

Morpheus raised his brows in question. "River?"

"Which does the most good? Telling him or not?"

Morpheus focused on Julien's eyes. "You're right."

Julien sighed. "I knew it." He released Morpheus' hands and placed his own lightly upon Morpheus knees.

"It's not God level," Morpheus told him, "Not omniscient. Just many people most of the time. Some people and events are easier to see than others."

Julien looked off to the side, then nodded. "I just need you to look at Athen, and tell me if you do know what's wrong with him. Then, I need you to try to find Faye."

"Yeah, OK."

Morpheus had thought that if he ever entered Athen's private chambers that he would find a dungeon, or else something really clean-lines and minimalist. The corner suite was larger than most others and had an extra chamber, which Athen dressed as a small parlor, so that he could use the large front room as a study. He really did have crossbows hanging on his walls, as Morpheus had imagined, and there were actually restraints left on the head and foot of his bed, but it didn't look so much like a spooky dungeon as the studio of a so-called Renaissance man.

Athen was lying on a small, red-brown leather couch amid tables, desks, and chairs cluttered with media and devices; facing out at a bank of monitors. None of these were powered on, and though Athen was still, his enviable emerald green eyes were open, which made Morpheus wonder whether he might actually be scrying in the dark, blank surfaces.

Julien moved to the one chair that wasn't cluttered with paper, models, or vinyl club gear. The gray velvet wingchair was positioned near the monitors, facing the little couch, and had a large embroidery hoop on a stand beside it, and a small octagonal table large enough for a beverage coaster and a plastic case for thread.

Morpheus stood near the monitors, looking at Julien. That was his chair. It wasn't Athen's chair, or Psyche's. Athen, who clearly expressed affection by designing houses and rooms for others, had a special chair reserved for Julien in his private suite. Morpheus didn't have something like that. He felt awkward not knowing if he should. And then, he felt more awkward, thinking that when Julien made a space for Morpheus to sit in his studio, with music and food, he had responded by calling it a trap.

"I knew this would be awkward," Julien whispered.

"Sorry."

"Don't."

"I am. But it's something in the past. Not something to talk about now."

"He's one of us and he needs help. You're one of us, too, and I think you can help him. That's it."

"He's not asleep." Morpheus crouched down in front of Athen and studied his eyes. He did blink occasionally. "Has Psyche been around?"

"She was with him."

"And she left?" Morpheus looked away from Athen, toward Julien.

Julien shook his head. "I wasn't there. He was with Psyche and some Human friends. Chris I think. Just going out for some drinks and entertainment." He shrugged.

"Drugs?" River asked.

Julien frowned at River for a moment before answering. "When Psyche brought Thené to me like this, and told me he'd collapsed, I asked her if he was drinking tainted blood, she said, 'no more than usual.' She said, 'I cannot help him.' She disappeared."

"Psyche saying she cannot help him isn't the same thing as saying she doesn't know what's wrong. It might just mean she's not permitted to remove the condition." Morpheus looked over Athen. His pupils were contracted and his gaze apparently fixed. He still wore boots and tight vinyl jeans, but his chest was bare, except for the rosary beads strung between his nipple rings. Morpheus had seen these before, when they shared a stage. He tugged at the left ring, and watched as Athen's eyes slowly moved in the direction of his left nipple. He made no other response. "I'm guessing he's in shock."

"That's what Shade said."

"Then why-!?

"Second opinion!"

Morpheus sighed. "Well, he was probably right. Athen's a Vampyre, so he wouldn't be in an altered state for some...Human medical reason. Vampyres do have psychology. And honestly, if Shade's the one who said something might have happened to Faye, then Shade probably knows very well what's wrong and just figures he can't do anything about it."

Julien sank back in his chair. "I love Shade, but sometimes it's just not helpful when he gets all ancient and enigmatic. Says, 'but I haven't attended medical school in centuries.' I didn't know he'd attended at all. And then he asked if I didn't remember when I was like this?"

"Do you? I mean, were you in shock?"

"I'm aware that it happened to me, but I don't honestly remember it clearly." He made a breathy sound, almost a snort. "I died on Black Friday. Did you know? The day after Thanksgiving. I'm nearly a centennial."

"Should we get him a blanket?" River whispered.

Julien must have been able to hear his small voice. "Please! He's fine. Athen's idea of softscaping is leather upholstery. He barely uses the A/C; the vents are all but shut." Morpheus thought River's suggestion seemed right, but he saw Julien's point. Athen's windows were covered in wooden shutters, and the bed looked dressed with what was probably real fur. Morpheus imagined Athen wearing very little when he was in his private rooms, which was not something he truly wanted to envision.

"I guess he seems comfortable enough," Morpheus agreed. "Do you remember how you got over being in shock?" He knew, because he'd watched the scene through a looking glass, but that still wasn't something he wanted to admit to Julien: Oh, by the way, I stalked you through mirrors during your most awkward teen and university years. Stalking was in no way romantic in real life.

"It had something to do with Joy getting me to drink her blood. But, I've fed Athen. The suck and swallow reflexes are there, but his condition is the same. So...is there a way? Can we find Faye and see if the, like, blood-bond between them has caused this?"

Morpheus knew these existed; he'd seen Joy react to Julien being burned. He didn't know how they worked, specifically. "You don't feel it?"

"It's separate," Julien said, "From the 'sire' to the 'child'," He made quote fingers, which Morpheus guessed to mean Julien didn't necessarily prefer the terms, even if they were ones people easily recognized from vampire fiction. "Murph. Just tell me."

He nodded. "I'm not ignoring the matter, it's just I'm trying to think how I can do it. It's one thing for me to find her, but another to be able to show Athen. Besides that, if I'm not working orders of a higher authority, then it's safer for all of us to stick to methods known to work in this world. Do you think there's any holy water in the Palace?" He got up to look around Athen's study, searching for a bit of glass or a shallow dish.

"Not that it harms us, but I don't think it's something we keep around."

Morpheus turned and looked again to Julien, who was leaning forward in his chair, rubbing his neck. "Is it meant to be secret I'm here? When Steven called, he said go right to him, and then sent me right to meet you." He saw Julien look up and open his mouth, but continued quickly, "I can ritually prepare a glass, but I need a few things. If I'm not supposed to pop about the house at dinner time, then...."

"There is something, and I wanted to focus on this first."

"Music related?"

"You know?"

"Not details, just that it was a likely future event around this time."

Julien nodded. He stood. "What do you need?"

Morpheus listed items for Julien, not all of which he definitely needed, but all of which could be used in some preparation of a scrying device: glass and frame, a shallow metal or glass dish, natural or purified water, olive oil, kosher or sea salt, a silver religious symbol, wood turpentine, wine, black paint or pitch, and a flower.

Julien returned after some minutes. Morpheus sensed his presence, but did not look up from his meditation on the floor, where he sat focusing telepathy on Faye. When he opened his eyes, Morpheus saw Julien wearing his peacoat, and carrying both his backpack and a canvas satchel. 

"Looks good on you."

"It's a classic, staple garment, and we are nearly the same size."

Morpheus questioned Julien with his gaze. He didn't think someone as body or fashion conscious as Julien could mistake the fact that Morpheus had made them the same size. He'd started out shorter, but since meeting in the mirage, adjusted his height to match. He was kinda obsessed.

Julien crouched beside him, and unloaded the bags to the floor, as he looked on Athen. The youthful, black-haired Vampyre looked about the same, staring blankly, not speaking or acknowledging their presences. Julien whispered, and Morpheus inferred the message was for him, even if Julien still looked at Athen, "I don't think any of us really sees our own body the way it truly is."

Morpheus spread out the items from the bags. He could see where Julien had brought additional substitute items and with some, like the black stoneware platter from their kitchen, showed an understanding of how Morpheus intended to apply the items to constructing the scrying device. It meant Julien knew fairly well what scrying was.

The art of it wasn't a secret, not by far, as most Human cultures had a traditional form of it, even if not a modern or technological analog. But, in Julien's specific case, it meant he'd recently expanded his areas of knowledge.

"I hope I don't...." He'd almost questioned aloud whether they tried too hard. Morpheus realized his sentiment was probably overly self-conscious, and that this wasn't the right time. "I mean...the platter might be a good substitution. I'm not sure of its conductive properties, but we should try it, because filling it with holy water will be the fastest method, if it works."

"Conduction's important?"

Morpheus frowned as he separated out the ingredients for the holy water. "Let's say this type works best with combination of conductive and non-conductive." It looked like they had enough items to make a scrying device three times over, should they have need, but Morpheus hoped to succeed with the first attempt. "Do you have a cigarette?" 

Julien patted at his side, then reached inside the outer coat he still wore to retrieve his cigarette case from the pocket of his blazer. 

Morpheus whispered, "Light one for me, but don't do anything else, yet." Morpheus put the canister of local store brand kosher salt in front of him and spoke the relevant Angelic words to consecrate the salt and expel all that was malign while calling forth all that was good. It probably came out mostly as American, but even the words that were truly Angelspeech would sound American, except maybe to Athen.

Morpheus gestured for the cigarette. Julien passed it to him. Morpheus drew a breath through the filter and smoldering paper, and promptly coughed. But, that wasn't important. He inelegantly tipped a bit of ash onto a piece of glass, then finally passed the cigarette back to Julien. He, of course, grinned widely in amusement.

"Glad you're amused. I only wanted that bit of ash. The cigarette's mainly so you won't be as anxious about the next thing I ask."

"Oh, you are not..."

"I wouldn't ask without reason."

"Asking me to pray?"

"My lame desire to please you is outweighed by your need to save your husband from his altered state, therefore the preparation is meaningful only if you invoke higher powers on our behalf. And, since you are Catholic, it works best if you say words from that tradition."

"I'm hardly Catholic."

Morpheus shrugged. "Honesty, right? Anyone can ask for a blessing, even if it's only to invoke their own mortal powers. It doesn't matter to higher powers what words you use, or even whether higher powers exist. What matters is that in your own soul know you come from a certain tradition, and your intentions will have the most power if you work with that. If you decide against that and you read a blessing from some other faith there's going to be doubt; and magic, miracles and telecom quantum voodoo don't come from doubt."

"But, I...."

"Believe- no, you said you knew I could do this. You knew I could see things. I'm telling you this is how it works under our circumstances. And I believe that you can at least trust me!" 

Morpheus felt Julien's left hand touch his neck. He saw him move. And then they kissed. Morpheus didn't think about why, or whether Athen watched. He didn't really think. It didn't last so long as he would have liked. Julien left him wanting, which was often how they left things.

Morpheus sat, mildly dazed, licking his lips, as Julien got up and walked to one of Athen's bookshelves. Morpheus' lips tasted sweet, and he remembered his talks with Splendor. Morpheus was not the only one wanting. 

That was so we both won't be anxious. Julien's back was turned, and he bent forward to read the spines of books on a low shelf.

I'm more anxious now, Morpheus said telepathically. 

But not about telecom voodoo. 

True, he thought to himself.

"Murph," River said.

Morpheus shook himself. He stretched his wings, then refolded them. He began the next consecration, this time using some of the salt to aid in blessing the bottled spring water. Julien returned with a bible. "I only found a Latin one," he said.

"It'll work." Morpheus took the leather-bound edition and flipped the thin leaves of paper until he located an appropriate psalm. "Here, when I tell you, read this part from Benedic anima mea Domino, to where it says Benedic anima mea Domino, again."

They continued with the ritual preparation for scrying, including consecrating all the items, and then invoking blessing over a mixture of holy oil, and then invoking an additional blessing as they combining consecrated salt and water, with holy oil, a silver ankh from one of Joy's earrings, a white rose, a few drops of wine, and a bit of ash.

Morpheus dispensed the resulting holy water into the black platter. They moved their supplies to one of Athen's desks, as they waited for the water to settle.

Morpheus knelt near the pool of still water within the dish. He passed his hand over the surface and willed the image to focus, as he did when scrying into looking glasses. The preparation was not always the same. If Morpheus needed only to be able to see a distant place by himself, nearly any reflective surface would do. There were some specific glasses Morpheus and his family owned that had been imbued as portals by Dream. A few small mirrors Morpheus shared with others he had prepared to facilitate two-way scrying between users of differing ability. Operation was always very much the same. For an inexperienced Human a great deal of concentration was needed. Morpheus did it by nature.

If he focused the image just right, anyone should be able to see it.

"Found her. She's possibly somewhere in Asia."

"I don't see anything," Julien said, "Just light and dark reflections on the surface."

"No, you're seeing it. This pool just has a narrow viewing angle and it's dark where she is except for the fire and the glow on the horizon."   

Julien leaned closer; his head touched Morpheus' head. "If it's nearly dawn there, that would put them at least 12 hours different from us, and the silhouettes of those trees don't say Western Australia or Siberia."

"Around 16 hours ahead." Morpheus just felt where the image was, but he couldn't swear that he didn't subconsciously take these observable factors into account. The image, as he took it in was beginning to concern him. The large outdoor fire had no festive decor or participants that would suggest a celebration. Faye was crying tears of blood, her face expressed pain. Someone was on her, but it was unclear if he - Morpheus believed this was Vlad - was attempting to fight or offer unwanted comfort, from the way Faye struggled. 

"Thené, I'm sorry," Julien whispered. Morpheus saw him in the periphery of his vision, moving toward the sofa, putting his hands to Athen's face.  

River whispered at Morpheus' left ear, "Faye and Vlad are there. Not Miranda."

The fire. Had Min gone into the fire? Morpheus saw no obvious stake, or red hot chains, or Humans, or any sign that a Vampyre had been executed. There was only the large fire.  

If Athen had sensed something that caused him to collapse when out on the town in the middle of the night, then whatever had happened had happened across the world in the afternoon. Had Faye been there all along? Had she come across the scene too late?

"I'm sorry, Thené. You don't have to watch. I thought, maybe you didn't know where she was or what happened."

"Should I go?" Morpheus whispered.

He saw Julien shake his head. It was still Athen he spoke to. "You can't talk to me...or to Shade about it? I know I can't know what it feels like. I know what it feels like if you or Joy gets hurt, but not to have you gone. Right now, it's like you're all closed off. I don't know how to help you when you are like this."

"Maybe there's someone else," Morpheus said quietly, "like Joy was for you. Should we get Shade?" Morpheus tried to think who else knew Athen better or longer. Psyche had been here and left. Min was now gone, and Morpheus was certain Death wouldn't approve of him meddling to try and show Athen anyone's afterlife. Min could be in Torment for all Morpheus knew. Star and Metro were out of reach for now. "Maybe Absinthe knows something, she lived with Athen when she was young."  

Julien turned his head to glare at Morpheus. "What does any of that have to do with this?"

"What if Min meant to go in the fire, and Vlad is keeping Faye from joining her?"

"You don't know that." Julien turned away. "May as well ask why Vlad doesn't put the fire out."

It was a fair question. They'd learned that Vlad had a pyrokinetic ability similar to, if not quite as strong as Julien's; Morpheus had never seen a Vampyre generate Faerie-fire before Julien. Morpheus didn't want to think too long on the matter, because he suspected it involved Vlad choosing the lesser of two evils.

"She wouldn't," Julien whispered to Athen. "Faye won't do that. She knows that's not a solution. Vlad's just keeping her from hurting herself trying to save Min."

Morpheus saw himself in the grande hall, when Julien and Vlad had hit each other with fire. Would there have been a point at which anyone could have convinced him that letting the fire take Julien was the more merciful option? Would he ever, under some more dire circumstances, have been able to stop himself from doing everything he could to save his beloved?

"River, I'm going to do a stupid thing that might not work and might get me in trouble."

"Is this stupid thing to help Athen?"

Morpheus nodded. He saw Julien look toward him in confusion, brow furrowed. Morpheus shifted, taking on the form of Ariella Ixbrion, the petite Roman-Gallic woman who was Athen's mother. "Athené," she called.

Athen was not immediately responsive.

Ariella moved closer, and spoke again. "Athené, I am going to touch you now, and when I do, I want you to return to your senses and stop worrying your beloved." She reached out and touched Athen's forehead, as if feeling for his temperature. 

Athen blinked. And then again.

Ariella smoothed his dark hair away from his brow. "Have no fear. You had a shock, but all will be well now."

"Mater?" Athen's eyes focused on her. The pupils began to open in the dim light of his study.

"I am here with you for a moment, to see you well. Now test your limbs. See if you can sit."

Athen pushed at the leather sofa with his right hand, and after faltering once, righted himself to a seated position. His left hand reached for Ariella, dropping about her shoulders. His eyes rolled towards Julien, and then back to Ariella. "You are not really here."

"No, My Little Genius, my Diva Sophia. It is just a vision, but you must trust that the message is true. Be at peace now. Your brood has lost one of its number, but your beloved is here, and you know to whom you must speak if you have questions about me."

"He chose not to save you," Athen whispered.

"Your father made a difficult choice, and he has lived with that for millennia. He has already suffered on my behalf. Anything beyond that you must address to him, Son."

"I would have saved you, if I could." Athen embraced Ariella in both his arms.

"I know. My Artist. Know that I am proud of your work."

"Athen," Julien called him. 

Athen still held onto Ariella another moment. He put his face to her neck, but there was no Vampyre's bite, only a nuzzle such as a child might give. He turned then and reached his hands toward Julien, who knelt before the small couch.

Ariella slipped away as quietly as she could. She saw Julien climb right into Athen's lap. Saw the peacoat quickly removed and tossed over the back of the couch and the desk behind. Ariella gathered Morpheus' things, leaving the main of the scrying supplies in Athen's chambers. 

"Don't you leave me like that! Don't you ever leave me like they did."

"I wouldn't! I won't," Julien promised.

Ariella backed around the edge of Athen's bedroom door. She saw Julien look on her, as Athen kissed his throat, and then they were out of sight. She teleported to Morpheus' room.

And then he was Morpheus again. 

"Murph?"

Morpheus lifted River from his shoulder and set him down on the table. The bulb in his sun lamp was out. Morpheus groaned and put River right back on his shoulder. "Let's just go tell everyone we're back."

"Maybe you should say your magic spell."

Morpheus dumped his coat and backpack on his black sofa. He reached up and pulled his tie askew, again. He didn't feel like talking.

"It gets better?"

"Not yet!" Morpheus used the door to the hall just so he could slam it.