‘Ma’am, Kirsten has returned.’

As we waited outside the manager’s office, I laughed inwardly that Kirsten, the Angel who I had rescued, seemed so much more anxious to meet her boss than I did. She had dragged me all the way to the bridge, and I had been sure we were about to cross it— until we had diverted, down the path towards the Bathhouse. The building was even more beautiful up close; a calming giant with slate roofs, all reaching a point in the centre. It was made of sleek, shining wood, with panels of white canvas that slid. A small, curved bridge led to the entrance, surrounded by white flowers and gentle trees, slowly swaying in the breeze.

The inside was low lit, with very simple wooden décor. We took our shoes off at the entrance, where there was an entire rack of guests’ shoes. Kirsten passed me a pair of white slippers and led me through the Bathhouse.

The main entrance was large, with a central staircase leading upstairs, but we quickly veered away, down smaller passageways.

‘The baths are down here,’ Kirsten explained, but I frowned once more. I couldn’t imagine so much space, all for a bath. But she didn’t expand any further, and I quietly mused over it as we reached yet another sliding door.

A young girl was waiting outside. She was dressed in the same uniform I had seen on the girl before; a worker, presumably. She nodded respectfully towards Kirsten and me, before sliding the door back and entering, shutting it behind her. From inside, we heard her announce us.

‘Kirsten’s back?’ a quiet voice was heard inside. ‘Good. Send her in.’

The door slid back once more, and the girl beckoned us in. The second person in the room glanced towards us, and froze when she saw me. Silently, the manager lady looked at me, then back at Kirsten, and said, ‘We appear to have a guest. Some tea, Hattie, please.’

‘Yes ma’am,’ the young girl replied, and she quickly exited.

The room was lit by an amazing window; a huge rectangle, cut into the wall, that allowed a view across the river, running swiftly past us, and into the distance. The figure was standing by the window, and she turned to look across the water. From behind, I could tell that she was an extremely tall woman; muscular, and strong. She held herself with pride and confidence. She wore the same robes that everyone else did, but somehow they looked much more formal and important on her.

‘Kirsten, it’s been nearly a day,’ she sighed. ‘Where have you been?’

Kirsten fidgeted.

The woman turned back to us. She had steel grey eyes, with a stare that powered from across the room towards us. Down the left side of her face, an old scar jaggedly streaked from her temple to her jaw, shutting one eye closed. It aged her dramatically. Her hair could have been youthful— it was still a dull brown— but her face retained a haunted look that told me this woman had been through hell, and come out at the other end.

‘Kirsten,’ she said sternly, gesturing for us to sit. There were cushions along the floor, seated by a low table in the centre of the room. We crossed the woven mats and obediently sat.

‘I went to see my sister,’ she mumbled, ‘but she’s been drinking again. I stayed to clean out her rooms. There were bottles hidden everywhere.’

The woman looked understanding; her face softened a little.

‘We were all worried,’ she said, ‘we thought you might have been caught out after curfew...’

Kirsten visibly paused, and the woman tensed again.

‘You can’t lie to me, Kirsten,’ she said, her voice low but clear. ‘What happened?’

Kirsten’s hands clenched together. ‘I had to stay because of curfew. There was a man,’ she said with a gulp, ‘at the whorehouse. He thought I worked there, but of course, I was just there to see my sister. He tried to pay me, but I declined. He took it as an insult. He’d been drinking too, so he grew angry, and followed me when I left. That’s when…that’s when this girl saved me.’

For the second time, the woman’s eyes lifted to mine, and fixed upon me. There was an unspoken question there, but I couldn’t tell what.

‘My name is Morwena. What is your name?’ she said.

I was ready with my half-truth.

‘Mina,’ I said promptly, and I saw Morwena’s eyes widen, just for a second, before she turned away. She asked Kirsten to recount how I saved her. Kirsten told her that I’d snuck up behind her assailant, but he had retaliated using his powers. When he was about to attack me, his power had seemingly vanished.

‘I think Mina took his power,’ she said, looking at me for clarification. ‘Did you? You used it against him.’

Morwena’s face lit with surprise.

‘You used Lord Dale’s own power against him?’ she said, whirling around to look at me. As I nodded, a grin split her face, causing her scar to crinkle, creating an even scarier look.

‘That’s brilliant,’ she said, ‘Absolutely brilliant. Dangerous, mind you...’

‘Brilliant?’ Kirsten shrieked, ‘he’s going to find us! He’ll ruin us!’

Morwena looked sceptical. ‘Let him try,’ she said, folding her arms. ‘I’ve been looking for some excitement,’ she added. ‘Lord Dale is too fat on his own power. He may have met his match.’

At that last sentence, her eyes flickered towards me.

I shook my head, protesting. ‘No,’ I assured them, ‘I didn’t know what I was doing…it was a lucky hit.’

‘Well, you’d better be prepared for a backlash,’ Morwena sighed. ‘Kirsten is right. He won’t take this lightly, but luckily, he won’t be looking for either of you here…yet.’

‘He’ll find out,’ Kirsten shuddered, and Morwena agreed, looking thoughtful.

At that moment, the doors slid back, and Hattie returned.

‘Green tea, ma’am,’ she said, quietly crossing the room and kneeling, laying a tray with three clay cups before us. I was intrigued to see steaming, pale green liquid inside, and gaped. Kirsten took it gratefully but too hastily, because she set it down loudly again on the table, having scalded her tongue.

‘Mina,’ said Morwena, deliberately ignoring Kirsten, ‘do you mind if I have Hattie Sense you?’

I had been swirling the liquid, which seemed to be hot water, in curiosity, and didn’t pay attention.

‘Haven’t you ever seen green tea before?’ Kirsten said. ‘You really aren’t from around here.’

I shook my head as my cheeks tinged a little pink. I took a tentative sip, and an oddly bitter taste filled my mouth. Morwena was staring at me, still looking thoughtful.

‘Sorry, I…’ I looked back at her, and hesitated. She looked so thoughtful, it was almost suspicious…

‘Did you say something?’ I managed to stammer.

‘I asked if you would let Hattie Sense you. She can detect an Angel’s power by touching them, or sense if they are using them.’

I shrank away, wondering what this test could be. I tried not to look at Kirsten, to see how she had reacted to this, to judge whether Morwena made a habit of making their guests feel this invaded.

But the suspicious glare in Morwena’s eye was challenging me that I had nothing to hide. My power alone did not give away anything, I prayed; Fabian hadn’t known what it was to alert anybody of it, and the previous Lumina hadn’t had this power.

So I smoothly agreed, stretching my hand out to the tiny maidservant.

Hattie knelt in front of me, and gave me a small smile.

‘This won’t hurt, miss,’ she promised, and closed her other hand over mine. Hattie’s eyes clouded. As she stayed still and silent, I noted how her wings, curled up against her back, were very fluffy and gold. In my head, I could hear Scarlett telling me that gold wings were effectors, and required another Angel for their power to work. I could see, now, how having a Sense power would be in that category.

But the more I stared at Hattie, the more I saw just a very young, childish girl, possibly no older than thirteen. Her face was oval shaped, and her hair was plaited around her head delicately. From where she knelt, I could see her uniform was slipping from her shoulder, enough to expose the flesh above her collarbone. It was covered in a dark, horrific scar.

I glanced away before she caught me staring, but inwardly I felt my heart rate increase. What on Earth had given such a young girl such an abysmal scar?

And then, I felt that stab of doubt.

What if it was Morwena? Suddenly, the scalding tea before me made my stomach turn.

Finally, Hattie opened her eyes.

‘She’s definitely a Thief, ma’am,’ she said, turning to Morwena respectfully, and Kirsten clapped her hands. But the way Hattie trailed off instantly gave away that it wasn’t all, so Morwena ushered her to continue.

‘Well, I also sensed Lord Dale’s power too,’ Hattie said, ‘It was a faint sensation though, which suggests that Mina isn’t fully in control of his power.’

I nodded in agreement. I didn’t know I still had Lord Dale’s power, let alone control it.

Hattie looked as if she were about to say something else, but then her mouth clamped shut and she looked down at the mat. I anxiously glanced at her.

‘Where are you staying, Mina?’ Morwena asked, snapping me away from my own suspicions.

‘I was just travelling through,’ I said evasively, ‘but now this Lord is looking for us, I would appreciate somewhere to stay.’

‘Lucky for you, this place has many rooms,’ Morwena said, ‘and you would be welcome to stay here, as one of my workers. I believe I have a proposition for your power.’

Kirsten looked in total shock. ‘You want her to stay? What for?’

Morwena looked back at the young girl, her eyes pained.

‘If what you said is true— if this girl can steal other powers— she may be exactly what Valkyrie needs.’ 

As we ascended up to one of the top floors of the inn, I wondered what a Valkyrie was. Kirsten followed us glumly, seeming upset that rather than being punished, I was offered some sort of job. Hattie led the way, sliding the doors open for us and shutting them as we passed. Morwena strode second, keeping a fast pace that Hattie danced to keep up with.

A staircase led us around and around, which I could hear Kirsten huffing about from below. After being subjected to the staircase leading to Fabian’s Aviary, stairs less than ten flights surely didn’t count as a staircase.

As we reached the top floor, Hattie stepped away for Morwena to knock gently on the door.

‘Val? Valkyrie, my love, I have brought someone to meet you.’

There was a great shuffling from inside, followed by a loud thump and pattering of feet. The muffled voice got louder and louder until the door slid back energetically, and a mass of red, fuzzy hair  and twisting black horns blinked at us from below.

‘A new friend?’ said the hair, and I stared, trying to discern the girl’s voice from the furry body.

‘Val, sweep your hair out of your face,’ Morwena laughed affectionately, bending down to be next to the girl. Valkyrie placed tiny fingers on her forehead, pushing away masses of red curls, and revealing a face of impish glee and freckles.

‘I’m Valkyrie!’ she squeaked, and I noticed how straight she stood, trying to behave well. ‘What’s your name?’

I nearly said Lumina.

‘Mina.’

‘Mee-na? That’s weird,’ breathed Valkyrie, and Morwena flashed her eyes at her.

‘That’s rude to our guest, Val,’ said Morwena sternly.

Val was tiny, and extremely pale. She was dressed in an excessive amount of clothing, considering midsummer had just passed. All I could make out was her face; the remainder of her body was swathed in black cloth. As she reached to Morwena, I was surprised at the affection that crossed the fierce woman’s face, and she swept the young child into her arms.

‘I’m sorry, mama,’ we heard Val mumble from Morwena’s bosom.

Mama? I wondered. Val didn’t particularly look like Morwena, but then again, I knew a lot of children who had been adopted and returned to the orphanage to visit, and their families were no different to any other. I shot Hattie a fleeting glance, re-evaluating my earlier thought that she just worked here. Glancing up, Morwena must have spotted my calculating look, because she smiled knowingly and picked her daughter up.

‘This is my daughter, Valkyrie,’ she explained to me. The child watched me with the largest brown eyes in the world, and they were filled with questions.

I had some questions, too.

‘Hello, Valkyrie,’ I said quietly, giving her a small smile. I was used to being around children, but I normally took the less imposing approach. Reia had always run head-first when she saw a young child, cooing loudly and rushing to play with them. I tended to hang back, and wait for the quiet ones to seek refuge with someone that wasn’t going to grab them and give them cuddles.

‘She is my only daughter,’ Morwena added, and she and Val shared a mother-daughter smile.

That ruled out Hattie. Poor Hattie.

‘Valkyrie cannot touch anybody,’ Morwena said. ‘And they can’t touch her. If Val touches anyone— even just a small amount of skin— then her power will affect them. It’s so strong that she can’t control it.’

‘What does her power do?’ I asked.

‘Valkyrie has the Reaper power. Everybody she touches gets marked, and that mark means Death.’

A/N: sorry if that was a little shorter than normal! I am now writing as I go along, hence the pauses between updates and the rawness of these chapters. So please comment/critique/vote! 

Larissa