Chapter Forty-Seven - Interlude
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Interlude
EZEKIEL STEPPED OUT from beneath the foliage, his figure cut a sharp silhouette agains the pale frost moonlight. He stood at the base of the Spire, its shadow stretching long and imposing across the central quad. He checked his timepiece, its polished surface glinting briefly before pulling the sleeve of his wool trench coat down.
“The pieces are set.” He murmured, his expensive leather shoes crunched against the patches of old ice clinging stubbornly to the pavement.
A cold breeze whipped through the dark quad, carrying with it a swirl of leaves. The lamplight above him flickered, and eerie shadows danced and wavered.
From nowhere, he heard a voice. “Ezekiel Asmodiaus, I thought I’d find you here.”
Ezekiel turned and peered as a bespectacled elderly Black man sidled up next to him. He wore a wool newsboy cap, a thick black wool peacoat, his hands shoved deep in his pockets.
“Archer Calloway,” Ezekiel gave a smile and tipped his fedora, “Or should, I say, ‘the Whispering Void.’”
Mr. Archie chuckled softly, “Come now, Ezekiel, you sound like one of the mortals. No need for the formalities.”
Ezekiel nodded as his gaze returned to the top of the bell tower, “So what brings you out this fine chilly evening.”
“You’re stirring up quite the controversy among our siblings. Some believe you’re up to something.” Mr. Archie replied, his gaze following Ezekiel’s upwards.
Ezekiel was quiet for a moment, “I’m sure you can guess, Archer.” His tone was smooth, he looked upon the top of the tower with interest.
“Oh, but where is the fun in that?” Mr. Archie chuckled, “Besides I like watching you needle your twin sister. How long has it been since I’ve seen you? Twenty, thirty years?”
Again, Ezekiel didn’t respond, instead, he pulled his hands from his pockets and clasped them around his back.”
Mr. Archie took his eyes away from the tower and looked around the courtyard of the central quad, “You still convincing the mortals you’re the ‘groundskeeper?’ I’ve yet to see you rake one leaf around here.”His voice was casual, relaxed, amused even.
Ezekiel smirked. “And I’ve yet to see you actually mopping any floors. Tell me, are you still spying on undergraduate psychology students?”
Mr. Archie scoffed lightly, brushing an invisible speck from his sleeve. “I always have time for wayward siblings, especially when they’re up to something.” His expression shifted slightly, “One question: why did you wait so long to reveal the body of that Halston girl to the mortals?”
“Because,” Ezekiel said, his voice calmed and measured, “timing is everything.” He looked back up at the Spire, its peak shrouded in darkness.
The two stood in silence, a weight of millennia passed between them until a burst of golden-yellow light erupted from the top of the tower.
“The boy,” Mr. Archie murmured, his tone surprised. His composure faltered for only a moment. “He shows potential,” he started, the golden-yellow light reflected in his spectacles, “a lot of potential.” He shook his head unsure. “What are you playing at Ezekiel?”
Ezekiel glanced again at his timepiece, “Right on time,” he muttered to himself.
The spire began to tremble, the air around it thick with energy. The lamps in the quad flickered wildly, and the ice in the fountain cracked, as though reacting to an unseen force.
Above Ethan radiated power, bathed in a golden glow around him. It intensifying by the moment. Suddenly, a cry rang out, and Bellamy was sent hurtling from the top of the bell tower. His screams echoed through the courtyard punctuated by a deafening thud.
Mr. Archie whipped around to face Ezekiel, his brow furrowed in worry, as he let out a low whistle, “I hope you know what you’re doing Ezekiel,” he warned. “You’ve just violated a 10,000-year-old covenant between us.”
He glanced back at the Spire, “Ezekiel, who is that boy?”
Ezekiel smiled faintly, the corner of his mouth curving with satisfaction. “Archer, I’ve done what was needed. What you and our siblings refused to do. I’m changing the terms of the agreement. The trials begin now. Here. I have my anchor. I suggest you find yours.”
Mr. Archie’s eyes shot back to the top of the tower as the bell clanged loudly, its sound reverberating through the night. He watched as the light around Ethan dimmed and he floated back to the ledge. Jason reached out, pulling him in with a steady hand.
Mr. Archie’s eyes widened. “There are two of them? Did he bond with a Concealer? You clever son of a bitch,” Mr. Archie breathed out a half-laugh, a mix of awe and disbelief in his voice. “You set all of this up! He conceals the Hernandez boy. How long have you been planning this? She’ll be livid when she finds out.”
Ezekiel remained silent, his focus on the Spire.
Mr. Archie adjusted his cap, throwing a glance over his shoulder, someone was approaching from behind them. He muttered something then with a gust of frost-laden wind, he evaporated, his presence vanishing as if it had never been.
Ezekiel lingered only for a moment, his gaze fixed on the bell tower. “Prepare yourself, Ethan,” he whispered. “Your trials await.”
With a flash of light, he too disappeared, leaving the quad in silence save for the approaching footsteps.