"One what?" Though the woman was petite like Nightliss, Elyssa had learned the hard way size rarely mattered when it came to supernaturals, and the Divinity looked pissed.
"How problematic this is," the blonde woman mused, putting a finger to her chin as she sank into thought. "We had hoped to possess the other, but the White will suit you nicely."
"What are you talking about?" Elyssa said, struggling futilely against the diamond straps holding her fast. "I don't want my memories erased."
"Yes, yes, it will work out better than expected," the Divinity said, as if she hadn't heard a word. "She will forget him. He will go mad trying to win her favor once again, and the factions will be thrown into even greater disarray. Oh, why can't my mind work like it did before the Scattering? The pieces fit together but not like they should. Scattered like my children. The four corners of Eden. My poor little ones."
The woman sounded absolutely mental. And this was the entity at the core of Templar power? Did Father know about this? Did anyone? Elyssa had to figure a way out of this mess. Convince the Divinity to leave her alone. So she played the only card in her deck and hoped it wasn't a joker.
"Do you know Nightliss?"
The Divinity stopped her rambling mid-sentence and looked with wide eyes at Elyssa. In a split second, she was leaning over her, blue eyes blazing. "How do you know this accursed name?"
"Wow, you two don't get along?"
"Tell me how you know this name, child."
"I've met her. She looks just like you only a little more tanned."
Shock exploded in her eyes and she backed away from the chair. "No, this can't be true. A Darkling, here? They're gone. All gone. We made certain."
Elyssa wanted to scream and hope someone might hear her. But she knew it would be futile. The acoustics of the stone kept any sounds from escaping, according to her Templar History class, and no one would come to her aid anyway. But she had to let someone know the Divinity was a stark raving lunatic. How had the Templar order lasted this long? More importantly, what was this woman and why was she helping the Templars? Provoking her to further hysteria might not help, but Elyssa didn't know what else to do.
"Is she your twin?" When the other woman took no notice of the question, Elyssa tried a different approach. "Is Nightliss your twin?"
The name drew the woman’s attention like a slap to the face. The Divinity anchored her gaze into Elyssa's. "We all have our dark sides, child. But not us, not my people. We purged the darkness from ourselves long ago. We are pure. But the dark ones continue to haunt us. They want what is ours but can never have it." She sliced the air with a hand, leaving a blazing trail of pure white energy in its wake.
Elyssa felt the warmth as the brilliant arc faded and hoped the other woman didn't accidentally roast her. "And Nightliss is a dark one, a Darkling?"
"I must feed," the woman said. "This is too much." She glanced at Elyssa. Reached a hand toward her and spread her fingers.
A tingling sensation started in Elyssa's heart and worked its way down her arms, leaving a trail of warmth all the way to her fingertips. Pressure built like water in a clogged hose within each finger until white energy burst from the pores and whorled into the outstretched palms of the Divinity. Rather than pain, Elyssa felt the lethargic embrace of peace settle over her. Her mind fought back with every Templar trick she knew to prevent a leecher from feeding, but none of them worked, not against the gravity of this woman's will.
Taking the White meant nothing compared to this. Instead of a mind-wiped daughter, her parents would find a withered corpse. Or something even worse.
Justin, I love you.
Something black and smoky drifted from her fingertips, mixing with and fouling the pure white energy. The Divinity shrieked and leapt back, severing the connection and brushing her hands against her simple white dress as if spiders were racing up it.
"You are filled with darkness, child. Corrupt and filthy. My sister has ruined you."
"Aha! So Nightliss is your sister."
The madness in the other woman's eyes seemed to have faded, because she contemplated Elyssa with narrowed eyes and focus, something not present in the woman's demeanor before she'd tried to drain the energy from Elyssa’s body.
"In a manner of speaking. We are all related and have been since far before Eden had anything of value to offer."
It was the second time this woman had used that name. "Eden? Like the garden of Eden?"
"It is the name of your realm." Her tone indicated it as a simple state of fact.
The certainty in her voice filled Elyssa with both dread and awe. How old was this woman—this being? "How did you become the Divinity?"
"This realm required a beacon of light and order. I required protection from my enemies during my long, lonely time here."
"Who are your enemies?""None I need name before you, child."
Elyssa paused a moment before blurting out the next question. A question so important she could hardly contain the anxiety accompanying it. "Are you an angel?"
The Divinity laughed, a beautiful note of crystalline clarity. "Your people have called us many things. Are you aware 'angel' simply means 'messenger'?
"It also means 'messenger of God'," Elyssa shot back, feeling a bit smug about one-upping the Divinity even if it was on something really minor.
"If you are referring to winged beings with glowing halos, then yes, we have taken such guises for your kind. However, we are more. So much more. But if it calms your inadequate little mind by affixing a name to our being, then do so and I shall not judge you harshly."
Elyssa's eye twitched. Oh, this bitch was all about the judging. "What's your name?"
The woman smiled. It was an amused smile. But it also scared the crap out of Elyssa because something twisted and evil seemed to lurk behind those beautiful red lips. The smirk reminded Elyssa uncomfortably of Marjorie Foreman, the evil queen of after-school detention who had put her and Justin through a week of hellish punishments, including cleaning out the school cafeteria grease traps.
"You may call me Daelissa for the short period remaining to us. Afterward, I fear you shan't remember a thing about this conversation. In fact, the taint upon your mind your father wishes removed may be the cause of much distress in your pathetic life. You will be happier once it is gone. Perhaps it will even purge the darkness from you."
"Actually, I'm pretty happy as I am. Oh, and the darkness inside me? That's called Goth. I'd like to hang onto it."
"Child, there are other far more important reasons to remove this taint. It appears as though you may stand in the way of our champion and prevent our light from returning to this realm. Do not allow your petty concerns to obstruct the light."
A cold lump settled into Elyssa's chest as she realized exactly what this woman was saying. "Who's your champion?"
A perfect blonde eyebrow rose on Daelissa's face. "Once you are cleansed, perhaps you'll live long enough to see for yourself."
Ignoring the arctic cold fear raising bumps on her skin, Elyssa tried for another tidbit of information. "Are you the only one of your kind here?"
"Am I not enough?" A smug smile lifted her lips. The woman seemed narcissistic to the point of puke-worthiness.
Elyssa decided shake her up again. "Are there more Darklings like Nightliss here?"
Daelissa recoiled. "I should hope not! Their scourge would only hasten the corruption of this realm to the point of no return. They were banished, each and every one, long ago to the Pitch."
"Pitch? As in pitch black?"
"I am weary of this discussion, child. But before I bless you and remove the taint, you must tell me where you saw this Darkling and where I can find her."
Elyssa didn't have a clue where to find Nightliss. Maybe she was back to pretending to be a cat with Stacey, for all she knew. The last she'd seen of the woman had been just before Kassallandra yelled at her in the forest. "I saw her at my high school. As for where she is now, I have no idea."
"Did she leak darkness?"
"Uh, she looked fine to me. Tanned, spunky, and cute."
Daelissa sighed. "Pathetic. Our absence has allowed this realm to fester with ignorance and darkness. So many gifts we have given you, and yet you allow them to be used for purposes contrary to our hopes."
"Gifts? You mean like the blessing for Templars abilities?"
"Oh yes, and many more, though apparently some humans have developed interesting gifts on their own. That, I must admit, was unexpected. We have yet to see the like in other realms." A tiny moan escaped her throat. "Though with the near destruction of the Grand Nexus, we may never have the chance to discover more."
Elyssa felt torn. Daelissa might actually be good, albeit a bit twisted and insane after decades or centuries of isolation from her kind. Or maybe she and her kind were warped and evil as a whole. They might all be leechers who wanted to use Earth as an all-you-can-eat buffet. And what were these other gifts Daelissa spoke of? Had they granted other beings supernatural abilities as well?
Underborn's warnings flashed back into her mind. He had told her and Justin an organization was undermining the various factions, while Foreseeance 4311 warned of a huge catastrophe lurking on the horizon. Daelissa might be a part of it. Or Nightliss might be playing sweet, luring Justin into a false sense of security. One claimed to represent light while accusing the other of being full of darkness.
"How long ago was the Grand Nexus damaged, Daelissa?"
The other woman's icy eyes met hers. "Two thousand years ago. Perhaps three thousand. I have long stopped counting."
Two or three thousand years ago? Elyssa could hardly imagine living so long. And this woman—this being—had probably been alive much longer.
"The gifts have been misused," Daelissa said, more to herself than Elyssa. "They must be reclaimed. Taken away from the abusers. Only those who walk in our light will keep their rewards." Her words trembled with notes of insanity again. Apparently, what little sustenance she'd drawn from Elyssa hadn't lasted long.