Fletcher and Liam barely landed within Tweldor's grounds when they broke into a run and headed towards the fortress. Not having Councillor status, Evangeline had not been mind-linked; but she sensed their urgency and ran alongside them.

"Something has happened. What is it?" she enquired, as she struggled to keep pace. How are these guys so fast?

"Libuse will clue you in. Then you're to go get the gang from the Wilson home," Fletcher answered.

"The Domina said she had an additional task for you too," Liam added.

"Where are you guys going? Liam you're naked. You know you can't shift in a portal! You better get dressed first," Evangeline reminded him.

"No time. Besides, the candidates are used to shapeshifting and the...um, side effects now. I'll head to the Berg residence. Fletch can you get Max and Ursula?" Liam puffed.

"On it," Fletcher replied breathlessly, as he raced for the sixth door.

"Mistress Evangeline, come quickly, this way." The gargoyle Aoife beckoned Evangeline towards the twelfth door. Upon entry, she was taken to Libuse's sitting room. "I leave you here, my lady." Aoife bowed solemnly before departing.

Libuse looked strained. "Ah, Evie, you're here. Excellent. Thank you for collecting Rosemonde. Any difficulties?"

"Du Malum showed up with Christian's partner or ex-partner or whatever she is. Fletch shot him and I bound him with holy water," Evangeline explained.

"Good heavens! Did she see any of that?" Libuse asked, incredulous.

"No. Du Malum had stunned her, which is why Fletch acted. We both feared the worst. I bound him when he tried to summon Asmodeus."

Libuse sighed. "She's still important to them. She must be their mole, or else you are correct in assuming Du Malum would have done more than stun her. At least we have confirmation now, that our suspicions were correct. We need Chris back on the case."

"Gianna is not going to like that," Evangeline muttered. "Besides hasn't he resigned?"

Libuse shook her head. "His superiors would not accept his resignation. He has not taken his annual leave in two years and they are making him take a fortnight before they will accept his final decision. If he does return to duty, Gianna can be assured that this time he will be well protected. Liam will be talking to them now, and we'll need your help as well. It's time to expose Detective Craig's conflict of interest. Liam mentioned that you were able to video your meeting with her. Is it usable?"

"I think so, yes."

"Good. Show it to his Chief Inspector. There is no way that Craig would have been told to bring Du Malum into such a scenario. It is very unprofessional and highly suspicious. Work it. If she is not suspended and questioned, threaten to post the video on social media. I'm certain the Chief will listen to that!"

"Oh, I think I'm going to enjoy this," Evangeline said with determination.

"Yes. I can understand that. We'll discuss the details later. Right now, however, my concern is Theodora."

"Hang on. Theodora? Why?"

Libuse rubbed the area between her eyebrows with her index and middle finger, as she did when she was stressed. "Evie, you of all people would understand how past events can make us vulnerable in the present. I want you to take Theodora under your wing. I'm concerned that away from Tweldor, she may become depressed. She realised something during one of the lectures. It is something that she is struggling to accept. I am going to tell you what that is now. I need you to listen to me without interrupting."

Evangeline nodded. "Of course, Domina. I will help in any way that I can..." 

☆☆☆☆☆

The portal to the Wilson residence had been set up in Mairead's office. Despite being a recluse, she did occasionally receive guests; but since no one apart from herself, Rosemonde and Drew ever ventured in there, it was considered the safest location. Mairead had chosen Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor as the portal alert. Less than a minute of the powerful pipe organ was heard before she, Drew and Theodora were standing in her office with Evangeline.

"Sorry folks. I know you just got in, but we need to get you back to Tweldor, where it is safe for you to dreamwalk," Evangeline explained.

"Is Rosemonde alright?" Drew asked in a panic.

"She's fine at the moment, Drew, but we need to do this as a precaution. You and Mairead go on ahead. Theodora and I will follow shortly. We need to discuss a strategy that involves her."

Mairead narrowed her eyes and frowned slightly. Evangeline immediately sensed that the actress had picked up that something was amiss. She caught Mairead's eye and shook her head, barely perceptibly. Don't ask. Please don't ask! Evangeline prayed.

She breathed a sigh of relief when Mairead nodded and said, "Don't be too long. It's safer for us to be all together."

"We'll be right behind you," Evangeline promised. "Thank you, Mairead." She caught the older woman's eye again.

"Come on, mum!" Drew was impatient. The sooner they got to Tweldor, the sooner they could dreamwalk safely. He needed to see for himself that Rosemonde was all right.

Theodora had remained silent throughout. The moment the Wilsons were gone she said, "So, you know too?"

"Too? Oh, you've told Mairead as well then?"

"Didn't want to, but this is Mairead we're talking about. She saw certain things. She guessed the rest. She confronted me and I filled in the gaps." Theodora swallowed. "Do you...think differently of me?"

"Of course!" Evangeline replied vehemently.

"I'm sorry that you feel -"

"Sorry? Theodora, I thought you were badass before hearing the story, but now..." Evangeline's voice broke. " Theodora... My respect for you has increased tenfold. You managed to baptise a child in a room full of demons!"

"But I was so stupid!"

"You were incredibly brave is what you were! Demons can be very persuasive, Dora, as you know. You're being very hard on yourself. Tell me everything, from the very beginning. It'll make it easier for me to help you," Evangeline said. She was determined to do as Libuse had asked her. She would listen to Theodora's story carefully.

"Help me? How can anyone help me?"

"Please, Dora. I only know how it ends, but if I am to understand, I need the full picture."

Theodora closed her eyes briefly. A single tear escaped and ran down her cheek. She knew that she could trust Evangeline, but it did not make it any easier to talk about. Hesitantly, she began her tale. "The really freaky stuff started when I was only thirteen. My psychic abilities were fairly developed by the time I'd reached puberty. Then the other powers came to me. I could move things with my mind. I could make things happen — use people's own words against them. It was like there was a power in words that only certain people could manipulate, and for whatever reason, I was one of those people.

"There was this bully at school, who kept saying that it was easy for him to look down on someone like me. Well, I made it even easier for him! I put him on the roof of the highest building in the school. Everyone assumed he'd climbed up himself and couldn't get down. Obviously, the teachers couldn't work out how I could possibly have been involved in that bizarre misadventure. There was also his long history of cruelty towards me. They were aware of all of that, and so they ignored his rants about how I did something to him. He never bothered me again after that, but he was able to spread rumours, and many of the other students believed him. No one would talk to me. Everyone avoided me. Weird things continued to happen around me and I developed quite the spooky reputation.

"Things came to a head when I overheard my own father negotiating an arrangement with a rather scary old lady. She only ever wore black and she never smiled — like a sinister version of a Mediterranean grandmother, in mourning. She'd come to our house a few times but on this occasion, I saw her hand my father a manila envelope. She'd opened it first. It was filled with cash — lots of it. I learned that he had arranged a marriage for me. I was effectively being sold. I was only fifteen. I would go to Syria and marry some guy called Amir El-Molech."

Evangeline gasped. She couldn't help it.

"Yes," Theodora affirmed Evangeline's reaction. "I didn't know it at the time, but through my lessons at Tweldor, I am learning quickly that demons will often hide in plain sight. It was Molech himself, the Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice! I ran away that night. I managed to escape from that particular demon, but as you know, it was only a matter of time before I came across another.

"I lived on the street for two years. I was constantly on the lookout for someone who could bind my powers. That person came into my life relatively quickly. I didn't know if she was good or evil. I didn't understand the world in the way that I am beginning to now. All I wanted, was to be what I considered, normal.

"She said that she could help me for a small favour. She said that she had always wanted another child. She said that she had foreseen that I would have a baby out of wedlock. She said that I would be alone, afraid and abandoned with no prospects — pregnant and homeless. She made me promise that if I ever found myself in that situation, I would come back to her. She would raise the child. I never thought I would fall pregnant as a teenager, and I couldn't imagine myself as a mother. I had never seen anything in my visions that suggested that this would happen to me. I laughed. I actually laughed. Then I agreed to her terms but -"

Theodora was crying now. Evangeline feared that she would not be able to continue but she needed her to be strong. She needed the name of the woman who wanted the child. If Libuse's suspicions were correct, they had hope.

"But?" Evangeline encouraged her to continue. "Come on, don't leave me hanging."

Theodora gave her a watery smile. "There were so many things that I was ignorant of. I only truly understood what had happened to me, after attending the classes at Tweldor."

"Tell me what you mean, Dora," Evangeline pressed.

"The child appeared dead. It wasn't until Rhys gave his lecture on cambions, and happened to mention the name that his father now goes by, that I put it all together." Theodora paused to take a deep breath before continuing. "Just as Azazael is also known by other names, Ashmedai is another name for Asmodeus. I hadn't realised that Ashley Medai, my lover when I was seventeen, was in fact Asmodeus in his most recent human form! Nor did I know that cambions often showed no signs of life for up to seven years. I believed Ashley when he said that our child was still born. He said he was relieved. He said he was not ready to be a father, that the experience had shown him that he didn't love me. I didn't give the woman my baby because I believed that my little girl was dead, but she isn't. I gave birth to a cambion child. Somewhere out there Rhys has a little sister. Asmodeus has her."

With these words Theodora crumbled. Evangeline took her in her arms and held her gently, as a mother would a young child.

"I'm so sorry, hon'," she said. When Theodora's tears subsided, she asked, "Is there any chance that you can recall the name of the woman who bound your powers?"

"Yes, of course," Theodora said. "Her name is Romaine. Romaine Ovida!"

Evangeline let out the breath she was holding and smiled, relieved. Libuse's hunch had been correct. "She's one of the most stubborn creatures I know! She's no Luminous Warrior, but she's not evil either." Evangeline revealed.

"You, know her?" Theodora gulped.

"I do. She's the mother of one of our operatives on the outside, Francis Ovida — Frank, as he prefers to be called. He's a psychiatrist. We've organised for Rosemonde to be placed in his care. Romaine is the Fey Queen of the Seelie court!"

"WHOA! WHAT?"

"If you want us to, Theodora, we may be able to get your powers back. You have a lot to think about... But now, we need to get back to the safety of Tweldor."