Free Graced by Sophia Sharp Page B

undoubtedly know more.”
    “Wait a minute,” Laura broke through, a sudden though occurring to her. The way Rafael spoke of the angels did not show any uncertainty or hesitation. It was as if he knew of them already. “Does that mean you knew of the angels, Rafael? Before we told you?”
    Rafael nodded. “Yes. I have heard of them. It was al very uncertain, mere whispers told in the back of dark places, but it was enough to piece together the truth of their existence. I did not know that any survived to this day, so your revelation was unexpected, to say the least. But I knew the history between the Vassiz and the angels, of the so-cal ed brotherhood that existed between our races. A growing suspicion entered my thoughts long ago that this sanctuary was not built merely through the powers granted to the Vassiz . I always thought there were something more to it, and what you have told me confirms it.”
    “Confirms what?” Alexander asked.
    “The sanctuary was built in col aboration with the angels, when they and the Vassiz worked together in great prosperity.”
    “They worked together?” Laura asked, sounding surprised. “But… how? The angels can’t leave the dream realm, and this sanctuary is… wel , here .”
    “I’l show you. But first – I think I would like to meet with these angels of yours.”
    “Of course,” Alexander said. “That can be arranged. Tonight, we can come upon them in the dream.”
    “Good. We have time before then, though. What we can do in the interim – what we must do – is plan your assault against the elders.”
    “Right.” At mention of that, Laura perked up, excited to be going on the offensive. She was tired of running, tired of hiding, and it was time to take the fight to the ones who have been chasing her. “Where do we start?” And before Alexander could interject, she held up a hand towards him. “And I know ful y wel that it is my choice , except that I would like to hear what Rafael has to say on the matter.”
    “We start with what you know. Do you know your enemy’s numbers?”
    “Uhh…” Laura looked to Logan, then across to Alexander and Madison. She felt ashamed she did not know the answer to such a primitive question.
    “There are eight,” Alexander said. “At least, that’s what I have heard. You might know the truth of this, Rafael.”
    Rafael nodded. “Eight there are. You are correct. Anything else?”
    “Unfortunately,” Alexander admitted, “that is the limit of my knowledge. As you said, they cloud themselves in secrecy and deceit, and it is exceedingly difficult to procure even the smal est amount of information about their existence.”
    “That is why we came to you,” Madison offered. “We trust you know more than others about this matter.”
    Rafael nodded again. “That I do, although I do not relish the fact. But there is not much more I can add to your knowledge repertoire. Although I can tel you this, because I believe it to be true: the elders stay spread out throughout the world. That is what makes tracking their location so difficult. It is why I suggested earlier that you use their desire to find Laura against them, and get them to reveal themselves.”
    “But if they’re spread out,” Laura said, “doesn’t that make them weaker? I mean, doesn’t it mean that if we find them, one by one, the numbers are on our side?”
    “If does, yes, if you stumble upon them in the human world. But that wil be impossible to do. You have nothing to go by, no way of finding them here. You must take the fight to them in the dream, as previously acknowledged. It is there, as you wel know, that reality becomes mutable. So great distances in the human world mean nothing when one knows where to meet others. The elders congregate in the dream – they meet there. I would not be foolish enough to believe that they have seen one another in the human world for the last few centuries, at least.”
    “How often do they meet?” Laura asked.