Two hours passed and after fooling around with my homework, I realize dinner is about to start. However, as I focus on that; the prophecy has been in my mind.

I know where it is. It is in the Edith Library near Oakston University. But how can I get there without alarming others. I might need Mal’s help.

What is my plan?

Questioning how I’m going to complete the first trial Dantailon lay out for me, I walk out of my room and to the dining room. When I get to the area, I sit down across from where mom sits. Looking at the table, there is a basket of bread rolls, those sweet rolls mom always buy, a bowl of green beans, and another bowl of mashed potatoes. Nearby is a pitcher of ice tea.  I glance over at the kitchen to see mom bringing out one of her best dishes she always make, her meatloaf.

After confessing the truth that she was not my birth mother, I do not want to call her Anne. She still is my mother. Looking at her trying at least to make the rest of this night as normal it can be. However, after discovering this world about demons and that I’m a demonic offspring. How can this still be normal? Whatever the matter is, I guess tonight I can focus on eating with my mother and worry about the demonic mess another day.

Smelling mom’s meatloaf, it truly is amazing. She only makes meatloaf if she wants my day to be better. She knows me.

Approaching near the edge of the table, mom carries the scrumptious meatloaf topped with green pepper slices and layered with her tomato paste as she sits the dish right to center of the edge. However, when she brings out the plates, she brings out three.

Three?!

Who is the third person? Usually our dinners are only just between the both of us. Do not tell me the third is that Nick guy. I see her usually putting my plate in front of me, and then put her plate near her chair; now she puts the third plate right near the end of the table. As she is ready to set the utensils, I have to find out is Nick coming for dinner.

“Mom!”

“Yeah, sweetie.”

“Who’s the third plate for?” I ask. “Is it for Nick?”

“Nick?”

“Yeah, so is Nick coming for dinner?”

“No, he is not.”

“Who then?”

Then that familiar swoosh sound comes in and then I realize who is really the third wheel. I turn my head slightly back to see it is none other than Mal. A bit surprise actually that she invited Mal.

For once, I felt like a nincompoop. If Nick was coming to dinner, he would have stay instead of leaving. Quite ill-advised in my part.

“Sorry about that mom.” I say trying to feel sorry for my brash attitude against him.

“That’s okay son.” She nods as she continues, “I tried asking Nick to stay at least spend one night having dinner with you and me, but he declined.”

“You think it was because of me?”

She moves her eyebrows down a bit and pouts her lips trying to show a face that she does not think it was because of me.

“You didn’t tell him that Caden is a demon.” Mal says.

“Absolutely not and that was not the reason.” She replies.

Mal shakes his head agreeing with her.

“So if you won’t mind, will you like to join us Mal.” She says.

“I would like to, but I just came back to just to see how you two were doing. I need to head back to the Cove.” He says.

Making sure he stays this time; I quickly grab his shoulder. “Mal, it’s only one night. After all eating food with a family is more entertaining than fighting demons.”

“You mean fighting my brethren.” He says.

“Just join us!” I shout out.

“Let’s eat!” Mom yells out trying not to think about this kind of stuff.

Realizing she is right, Mal listens to her and me as well. Still taking firm of his shoulder, I push him down where he sits on the end nearby the third plate. Mom sits in her chair and I sit back down. Mom and I soon try to chant a prayer. Mal just look at us and wondering what are we doing. I want to break down his confusion.

“We call this praying.” I say.

“Praying?!” He asks.

“Yeah.” I reply. “You see put your hands together like you are clapping, but instead face your hands forward.”

Mal sees how we are doing it, and he starts following. Mom smirks witnessing me teaching Mal how to prayer. Continuing the teaching, Mal puts his hands together.

“Like that. You got it.” I say.

“And what now?” He wonders.

“We say a prayer quietly and after a few seconds, we both say Amen finishing off the prayers.”

“And these prayers are about what exactly?” He wonders.

“It’s our way to speak to God.”  I say.

“You mean…” As he tries to speak, he points his right index finger up pointing to the ceiling, yet really is pointing to the heavens. “Up there?” He asks.

“Sure!” I reply smiling about what he just did.

“We humans do that for every meal we have as a family.” Mom chips in.

As Mal look to the gesture-like sign that all of us are doing, he says “I seen this sort of action before. I never really got to experience it.”

“Welcome to the human world.” I say.

“But you’re not fully a human.” He says.

He had to say it, yet it is true. Now realizing I’m literally not a full human because my other half is my demonic side. I try to be upbeat, but still sinking in that I’m not 100% human is frightening to me.

“I didn’t mean to upset you, Caden.” He says.

“No, I understand.” I say back. Trying to show an upbeat to this table, because I believe this is the first time in a long time that is three people around this table. Occasionally, it has just been me and mom. However seeing that a third person have entered here is truly remarkable not only emotionally, but as well spiritually.

After saying our prayer, I glaze over at Mal as he still feel confuse on saying the prayer by himself part. Maybe it is his nature and demons only serve the devil. Yet something is telling me, he wants to act like a human.

As mom cuts the meatloaf with the steak knife and taking one piece, she passes it over to Mal. Mal just finished taking a load of mashed potatoes and passing it over to me where I just finished putting green beans on my plate. While we all pass around each of the food plates, mom is smiling; Mal seems to be showing off a smile in that stern look, which he rarely does. As much I see him, he never gave a smile. So to see this is really interesting. He is trying to tear down that unbreakable shield of toughness.

I grab one of those sweet rolls from the basket. I take a bite of it tasting the fluffiness of the inside; it is like eating a cinnamon bun. And to add that taste to the smell of the meatloaf, I take a piece of it and start chewing it. Tasting the meatloaf, there is no doubt why mom always makes it because it is so good. This has to be the best dinner by far.

During the time we are enjoying the very delicious meal and just minutes of silence, Mal begins to talk again.

“Caden, I like to thank you for teaching me to pray.” He says.

“For sure.” I say.

“Now hopefully to repay the favor, I will teach you how to train your powers. And believe me the powers you thought you had is far more you anticipated.” He says.

“Meaning what?” I ask.

“We won’t train now, but I promise you we will. And then we can go on with those trials.” He replies.

“Okay.” I state yet not wanting to tell him I’m going to do this trail behind his back.

“And whatever you do, please be careful and watch out. Asmodeus and those demonic hellions are especially dangerous if you are at your weakest. Just watch out and keep an eye to new people you meet; even your own friends. Those demons will use human disguises. You too Anne, because no better way to get to Caden than to get to you.”

Mom now is showing a sense of fear as I see her eyes and observe her posture as she definitely understands what Mal is talking about. These demons are not to be play with. I already had experience with one…my so-called history teacher.

Mal then look back to me. “Your father gave you that journal not only to focus on those trials, but to be aware of the threats. Your father knew Asmodeus was coming after you, so he wanted to make sure you will be hidden well.” He says.

“But I just don’t understand, why are they are after me? What is my role with being this Rare One?” I ask.

“If I had the answers, I would tell you, but I simply don’t have the answer.” He responds.

If Mal cannot give me the answer, I guess it fall upon that prophecy.

“And one more thing Caden.” He says. I regain my attention back to him.

“I need you to keep this between you, me, and your mother. You got that. Don’t tell anybody, not your friends. Nobody! If you want to keep your friends you care about from harm’s way, make sure you never tell them you are a demon and don’t show them your powers. Asmodeus will sense upon that and he will find you.” Mal declares.

Understanding what he is saying to me, I can put in a few words, keep my secret to myself. Glancing over mom, I know she will not spill the beans after all she made a promise to Dantailon. The true challenge is to me. I need to keep this between us three and no one else. Shame, because I wanted to tell Liana. She is like the only other person besides my mother that I value my trust more than anyone. However, to keep Liana safe; to keep everyone I care about most deeply, I need to keep this as a secret.

Mal sees my eyes focusing on him. “So Caden, can you do that for me? Can you do that for your mother? Most of all can you do that for yourself?” He questions.

I look back to him and make sure I had to give him the answer he wants. “Yes.”

Mal smirks as he slightly tweaks his grin to his left. Almost a smile, but a smirk can do.

Then I hear another swoosh sound and I see it is Karina. Karina looks worried about something as she notices me, Mal, and mom are having dinner

“Oh, I’m so sorry to interrupt.” She says.

“No!” I quickly rise up. “You’re not.” Seeing mom being surprise at this young lady inside her house, I guess I need to fix things.

“Mom, this is Karina one of Mal’s students.”

“Oh!” She stands up and she and Karina quickly wave hi.

“What’s wrong Karina?” Mal asks.

“It’s Aris. He needs our help. He feared he may be out numbered.” She replies.

“Alright.” Mal says as he looks to my mom. “Sorry Anne, but…”

“Don’t worry. I glad you came though. And thank you for showing up Karina. Maybe next time when we have dinner, I might leave an open chair for you and your other friend?”

“Thanks Ms. Abele.” Karina responds.

Mal then looks at me. “Remember what I said.” He mentions. I glance at him and nod. He then gets up and stands to the left of Karina. They suddenly swoosh away.

“That was nice.” Mom says as she sits back down and continuing eating.

I sit back down thinking there was something else I did not confess to Mal before he left.

***

Today is Thursday, September 20. The school is having all sophomores and juniors to go to the Oakston Art Museum for an art history tour sponsored by Mr. Durcrest, our art teacher; Mrs. Wilcox, our new history teacher; and five other teachers.

Once we all arrive to the museum, we get off forming into groups. My group is consist of Liana, Eric, Megan, and three other sophomores—one African-American male; an Asian female; and another Caucasian female. Our group along with five other groups follows Mr. Durcrest inside the two-story multi-glass building. Opening the spacious doors we enter the lobby of the museum.

Inside we splintered into big groups led by one teacher. As Mr. Durcrest is our chaperon to our group, we spilt his big group into six groups. One of those six groups features me, Liana, Eric, and Megan.

All of the groups enter into the two main galleries from the museum while the curator, the solemn white bald, older man, seems to be watching both galleries. We enter into one where it features Woodcuts and sculptures. As we all get to see each item which is like 35 items in one big space. I walk to one wall where is shows a rough woodcut about figures dancing. Nearby I see a model of a throne chair made out of wood. As I survey it, Liana meanders her way to me.

I turn to see her and I look to her like this is an interesting field trip. However, Liana is not all that happy. Of course we did not talk since we left from school to come down here.

“Hey, how it’s been?”

“How it’s been? Caden, I need to know why you didn’t answer my phone calls.”

“It’s complicated.”

“Complicated; it’s been more than a week and a half, how can it be complicated.”

“Li, I’m sorry what you want me to say.”

“I want you to say that I’m your friend and I thought we had each other’s backs. Guess I was wrong.” She soon walks away.

Trying to stop her, “Liana, please stop!”  I had to follow her and get in front to stop her from leaving. If we need to talk, let us talk.

“Liana, please listen!”

“Okay, tell me why you can’t answer one simple call.”

“I didn’t want to answer the phone because it was something really important. And by important, I mean it is for your best interest.”

“My best interest?!”

“There’s nothing else I can say.”

“Don’t Caden, you already said enough.” Like that, she gives me those pierce cold dissing stare and walks away. She joins the other part of the group which was ten yards where I was standing. I see Eric and pump both his shoulders up and maneuver his hands trying to signal to me what is going on with me and Liana.

Looking back at the chair, I try to show no interest just right after I had a fight with Liana. I start to doubt maybe I should have not made that promise with Mal; maybe keeping my secret of me being a half-demon, being this Devos should be allow with Liana. If I can only tell her the truth, things would have taken a different turn.

But as I lament through my grief, an unexpected figure arrives right in same time I’m feeling this sorrow; and that person is Megan. I move my head to spot her sitting on one of the center white benches. She signals me with her finger going back to forth indicating she wants me to join in for a talk. Seeing what harm it can do, I sit down right beside her.

“Are you okay, Caden?”

“I don’t know.”

“Tell me.”

“I don’t think I should explain what I’m going through.”

“You think just because I’m popular and pretty, that makes me look dumb.”

“No!”

“So what is it?”

Seeing there is no harm explaining the fallout I had with Liana. “Just that Liana and I are going through some tough times right now. She’s upset I hadn’t called her.”

Seeing her flipping her dirty blonde hair, smoothing her left side trying to hide part of her hair behind her ear; she glances back at me.

“I’m sorry Caden. I hope you two work it out soon.”

Remembering what she told me about us hanging out someday. And then the lightbulb idea comes flashing in my mind, I know exactly how to get the Alpheus prophecy.

“Megan.”

“Yeah?!”

“That hangout day you told me about, will you like it if we can officially have it this Saturday.”

“This Saturday?”

“Yeah?!”

After less than a minute, she responds, “I will love too.”

“Okay it’s a date.” Oh boy, can’t believe I say that word.

She smiles and hugs me sort of intimately. Before she leaves, she kisses me on the cheek. I felt something but quickly fades away when she gets up and winks with her left eye. As she heads towards her female friends few feet away from me, I know doing this 'date' will be the plan I need to get to the library.

I tried to come up with a reasonable plan to get to the library, but using this friendly date as an alibi is the only way I can get my chance on the prophecy.

As I smile to myself knowing at last there is a plan, I begin to think about how this friendly date will play out on Saturday. I see Megan talking to her friends. She sees me and she waves and then gives me a blow kiss. Thinking it is okay, I wave back at her.

Nonetheless, my eyes widen in disbelief in some ways because when I look across the same direction I notice someone else looking at me.

Liana.

She looks at me without saying a word and walks away right out of the gallery. I put my head down to cogitate what I have just done. I made my best friend, who might have wanted to talk to me again just saw me flirted with another girl.