TWENTY - SEVEN
Cleopatra lay stretched out across the center of the heavy oak table, which occupied the center of Edgar’s library on the third floor of his Boston brownstone. Her head rested comfortably atop a thick book on demonic possession, written sometime during the fifteenth century. Her eye’s hooded as she watches Edgar scanning the titles of books along one shelf in the library. The large art deco chandelier, which Edgar had originally purchased in 1929, hung above the table. Evan sat in one of the six wingback chairs in the room around the table, deeply engrossed in a book. The muted soft sounds of traffic from the street filtered into the room through the heavy green brocade drapes which covered the two huge windows. Finely crafted bookcases covered the rest of the wall except the black marble fireplace and the pocket doors along another wall, containing Edgars large collection of the occult for the past four centuries.
“Ah, here it is,” Edgar said as he reached for the desired book from the top shelf. “Brother Daniel’s ecclesiastical work on the magic of Merlin. Do you know they actually threatened him with excommunication unless he destroyed this work and took up something more in keeping with what good old Mother Church thought proper. I managed to persuade him that I would see to its destruction before I died for him,” and he chuckled. “Does he say where the cave is physically located?”
“Yes and no. He says that the cave is located on the eye of the dragon, and all the crystals in the cave allowed the dragon to see everything. Lets see here exactly if he gives a better location,” and he carelessly dropped the book onto the library table.
The book indeed only inches from Cleopatra’s nose. She pulled her head back quickly and hissed her discontent with Edgar.
“I’m sorry Cleo. I completely forgot that you were there.”
Do you remember where you are now, she asked sullenly? Do you remember where Evan is, or are you planning on dropping some books on his head? She curled herself on the book of demonology.
“Don’t get testy. I apologized once, I have no intention of doing it all night.”
Well how about just one more time since you did almost take off my head.
“I did not, but fine if that will end this. Cleo I’m very sorry for almost hurting you.” Edgar flipped through several pages. “He doesn’t say how you were to get there unless you like spelunking. He does stress the importance of the crystalline structures. These structures acted like an amplifier. Increasing the power of the incantation as it passed through each structure.”
“What kind of incantations and how many times can they be amplified?”
“Sound will just shatter the structures, I know from my own experimentation. Light and the characteristics of light are the best, and depending upon the types of crystalline structures depends on the amplification. Somewhere between ten and forty times through each structure.”
“So the cave could act like a quasi-laser?”
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“Under the right conditions I don’t see why not. It does allow you to use the entire spectrum of light, from heat to radiation.”
You mentioned that the cave sits on the eye of the dragon. I take the dragon to be synonymous with the Great Worm or Satan?” “Yes, so the cave could be considered a portal of sorts for the Dark One and if not for him, definitely his minions. This could mean real trouble and the reason why he wants to meet there. I urge you to reconsider and allow me to come with you to the cave.”
“No. If anyone else comes with me, he’s going to try to kill Cindy.” “He is going to do that anyway thinking that will make you weak since he thinks she’s your Other, I could blanket myself so he’d never know I was there.”
“Blanketing yourself would create a null area in the cave, and if the crystals will amplify all wavelengths, then that null will be as noticeable as your regular aura.”
“You’ve got a point there,” and he went back to the book by Brother Daniel. “We’ll think of something.”
“I think here’s an explanation as to how he was able to control those two men from such a great distance. According to this text, Devlin had to
take possession of each of them back in Phoenix. Then each time his name was said we inadvertently magnified his power over those men, until there was enough power there for him to just take over. I can only remember us saying his name maybe six times. That must have been a hell of a spell, if that’s all it took.”
“Which indicates how much he’s grown in the interim from when I saw him last to his abilities today. I hate to say this, but …”
Edgar cut himself short as Valerie walked into the room, happiness radiating from more than just the smile on her face. The smile dimmed for only a minute as she looked quizzically at the two men.
“Am I interrupting anything?”
“No my dear,” Edgar said with his own smile of welcome, “we were just discussing what my book has to reveal or lacks to reveal about our little dilemma.”
Some dilemma, Cleo told Val as she jumped from the table to her arms, he can’t even remember where living things are around him without trying to bash them in the head with huge books.
“That’s enough Cleo,” Edgar warned, “and I’m not going to tell you again. YOU are the familiar in this relationship.”
“Well I got everything on the lists, so we’re set for England.” “Will everything fit into one suitcase this time,” Evan wanted to know. “Everything except the cash, but that’s not my fault.”
“So I take it it’s supposed to be my fault?”
“You’re the one who wants all the cash with you.” She turned to Cleo in her arms, “Men just never understand us. They never have, and I doubt they ever will.” Looking up at the men, she added, “Mrs. Jennings said to say dinner in five, four minutes ago now.” As an afterthought she asked, “What time are we going to perform the rite?”
“Oh, I meant to tell you that Elizabeth is really looking forward to meeting you two, but more to the point, she would love for us to do the rite at her house so she could join in too. She said, Evan that your concept in the time-space travel through the Aethrys seems fascinating.”
“If Evan’s actually done it before, then isn’t it more than just a concept?” Valerie asked Edgar.
“Yes, certainly, but we all have our own little euphemisms. Naturally I told her that we’d wait but we’d be arriving tonight and not tomorrow. She provided to have everything ready. Now I’ve got a copy of her pattern around here someplace,’ He said as he turned to the cabinets on the bottom third of the bookshelves.
The herbology drawer, Cleopatra told Edgar.
“Thank you, I don’t know what I'd do without you.”
Probably get lost in your own house.
“One more remark and you can stay home,” Edgar admonished with a dower expression.