The next morning Rosemonde read the letter from the DPP with Morgan. She could not help but be emotional when she saw the name at the bottom of the page. It was signed Raphael Azarias. In Jewish lore, Azarias, was the name that the angel Raphael had used when he helped Tobit save Sarah, the daughter Raguel, from Asmodeus.

It was not a coincidence. Both Morgan and Frank had attempted to contact the department to speak with "Mr Azarias", only to discover that he no longer worked there.

"He was called in to assist with a backlog of difficult cases but is no longer with us," they were told.

The department had no forwarding contact details for him and strangely, none of the staffers that they had spoken with, considered this odd. As far as the Warriors were concerned, these peculiarities proved that they had been correct to suspect that Mr Azarias was the Holy One, that had visited them at Tweldor .

"Oh, my God, thank you for sending your angel to me! He really did help, as he said he would. Wow, I literally received divine intervention!" Rosemonde was laughing and crying simultaneously.

"Amen!" Frank smiled.

"Is it really over?" she asked Morgan.

"Well, there is that recommendation that the Du Malum Corporation be investigated. If it does happen, then you could be called upon to give your testimony. In that instance, it would be more like a victim's impact statement." Rosemonde shuddered. Morgan tried to reassure her, "I don't think you need to worry about that, now. It could take months maybe even years. It may not even eventuate. A lot of important people are going to get their toes trodden on, once this recommendation is made public. Charles Du Malum's influence is far reaching — celebrities, politicians, government officials. They are not going to want the spotlight on them."

"As difficult as it might be for me, I hope it does eventuate. They need to be stopped. They need to be he held accountable. Besides, if an angel of God believes they warrant investigation, then surely, we must do everything in our power to ensure that it happens," Rosemonde said.

"Spoken like a true fighter." Morgan tapped his nose and winked at her. She understood that he'd meant to say Luminous Warrior.

"We're very proud of you, Ros,'" Frank added.

"Thanks." She blushed. No one had said that to her in a very long time. She relished the fact that she had people who cared. She had family now, and she felt very blessed. Nevertheless, she was suffering from cabin fever. "So, when are you releasing me from your custody, Doc?"

"Sorry, Rosemonde, not until next week — at the earliest. What kind of a psychiatrist would I be if I discharged you too soon, after such a traumatic event? Also, consider your physical injuries. You have extensive bruising and lacerations. You were severely dehydrated and had lost a significant amount of blood. You have to give yourself a reasonable time to heal," Frank answered.

She understood. Amaryllis had been treating her wounds with Marigold, Comfrey and honey. While this accelerated the healing process, she still had to be seen to have stayed in hospital for a conventional time frame.

"Frank will have you out of here, in time for when your favourite band, officially releases their latest album. I mean why else, would you be so keen to get out of here, hmm?" Morgan winked.

She giggled but quickly became serious when Morgan's demeanour changed, dramatically. She could tell that he was being mind-linked by another Councillor. "Has something happened?" she asked.

"We can't talk here it's -"

"Check the halls, cast a sound proofing spell, do whatever... Just tell me Morgan, please!"

He nodded and spoke in a way that she would understand, "It's Myrddin. They found a way to draw him out."

"Locally or where he went to school in Eden? Was he alone?" She prodded.

"Far from Eden," Morgan replied. "Although perhaps he was on his way there."

Rosemonde understood his meaning. Myrddin's daughter had not betrayed him. Rhys and Myrddin were to accompany Jezebel Eden one hundred and eleven to Bedlam for a meeting with Asmodeus; but it was scheduled for next week, when Rosemonde would be out of hospital. Something must have happened.

"They have Gwendolyn, don't they? You've got to let me out of here!" she whispered.

Morgan shook his head sadly.

"You know we can't do that, Ros'," Frank answered her.

Rosemonde struggled with a mix of grief and fury. Biting her lip to stop herself from crying out, she nodded, finally. Taking a few breaths to compose herself she turned to Morgan and told him to go. "Help Myrddin. And stop Theodora from doing something stupid!"

Morgan hugged her goodbye. "Rhys is with him. I promise you; he will do all he can to bring him home. We will keep Dora at the citadel."

She hugged him back tightly. "Please be careful. Remember, Mairead saw-"

"Don't, Ros'." Morgan turned to Frank abruptly. "Look after her," he said
Then he was gone.

☆☆☆☆☆

Myrddin, Rhys and Jezebel Eden one hundred and eleven entered Bedlam via the portal that they had been directed to. What they saw next, made them proceed with extreme caution. Eden advanced first, followed closely by her father. Rhys remained hidden in the shadows.

Gwendolyn's body floated eerily in a glass tank filled with iridescent liquid, like some macabre science experiment. Asmodeus was seated on a throne in the centre of the room. The entities who were now collectively absorbed into Lilith, sat at his right hand.

Eden gasped suddenly and glared at Lilith. "Why did you consume my mother? She did everything he asked of her!" She pointed an accusatory finger at Asmodeus.

Myrddin looked at his daughter in horror. He had no real desire to form a friendship with the succubus who had seduced him when he was sixteen, but she did not deserve that. Consumed? Is there no end to this evil? She was probably an appalling mother, but she is the only one the poor girl has known, he thought to himself.

"Silence, brat! Speak disrespectfully about me again and it will be your very last act on this plane," Asmodeus said coldly.

"I think not father." Rhys emerged from behind Myrddin. Raising his magician's staff, he formed a sphere of light, which surrounded the young cambion girl. "You're safe now, Eden, but please be quiet."

Eden scowled but remained silent.

"Well, well, well," Asmodeus addressed Myrddin, "So that is why one eleven didn't respond to my summoning, and why you completely disappeared from my radar. You with the Luminous Warriors? Interesting. Did you actually make it inside the citadel?" he asked, contemptuously.

Myrddin did not answer him. He kept his eyes on Gwendolyn's floating form. Every now and then bubbles would erupt from her nose and mouth. Somehow, despite her liquid cage, she was breathing.

"What do you want of me?" he asked Asmodeus. "We both know now, that I am not the heir."

"But you can bring her to me!"

"The Warriors bound you from harming her. You cannot touch her, father," Rhys reminded him.

"I do not need to," Asmodeus retorted. "Myrddin, you have always wanted the perfect family. We can give you that. But only if you give us what we need, to make it happen.

"You come from an ancient bloodline on your father's side. You are the blood of Cain. Rosemonde Durand is also linked to this bloodline via her father. Despite his treachery, she is the heir; but that's not the only reason I want her. Her blood is even more precious than yours. From her mother's side she carries the blood of Jezebel.

"Rosemonde carries the most promise for us. I want her child; however, I get it! Father a child with her, and give it to me, or I will annihilate your current family one by one — beginning with your precious sister."

"It can't work, Asmodeus. Don't you see?" Myrddin laughed. "It is so clear to me now. Rosemonde's parents renounced the darkness within them. I renounced the darkness within me. Prophecies are always open to interpretation. Let me interpret this one for you. Our children will indeed bring the dawning of a new age. It will be because they are born in love and light — et amor in lumine. They will be Warriors and with the help of God, they will destroy anything of darkness that they find. They will fulfil the prophecy, by destroying you."

Rhys looked at Myrddin in surprise. "Of course! He is right, father. You might as well let Gwendolyn go. Myrddin can't help you."

Asmodeus sighed. If that is true, then he is of no further use to me. "I suppose there is no persuading you then?" he said.

Myrddin shook his head. "I renounce evil, and all of its work, but even if I don't, it won't work. I can't help you. Let her go."

Asmodeus made a fist with his left hand and slapped it into the palm of his right. The tank shattered and Gwendolyn slumped to the floor. The iridescent liquid that had been inside the tank agglutinated, forming tiny balls that spilled like moonlight across the polished cement beneath their feet.

Myrddin rushed to check her vitals. She was breathing normally but appeared to be in a deep sleep. Probably not a bad thing under the circumstances, he thought.

"But you promised!" the woman seated beside Asmodeus, whined in a voice that Myrddin had hoped never to hear again.

"Zoiia? But how?" He glanced at the woman. When her eyes changed, he understood. Oh no!

"Don't worry, my sweet. I will keep my promise. Dimaagh!"

Myrddin heard Asmodeus speak, as if from a distance. Pain unlike anything he had ever experienced exploded in his brain. Asmodeus made arcane gestures in the air, while simultaneously muttering an incantation in a language that Rhys recognised as Babylonian. He could not discern the meaning of the words but Zoiia-Lilith smiled and nodded her approval.

"NOOOO NOT, DADDY, TOO!" Eden screamed.

"WHAT HAS HE DONE, EDEN?" Rhys shouted above Myrddin's screams.

"THE SNAKE TATTOO, IT IS ALIVE! IT NEVER DISAPPEARED. IT WAS SLEEPING INSIDE HIS HEAD. NOW IT IS CRUSHING HIS BRAIN!" she cried.

The snake finally made its way outside of Myrddin's skull and travelled down his spine, where it stayed. He no longer moved.

Asmodeus smiled cruelly. All that could be heard was Zoiia's maniacal laughter, now that Myrddin had stopped screaming.