Read Online Ivory Guard by Natalie Herzer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Natalie Herzer
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the front of the house and protect it. Like a sigil or spell, if you want.”
She sat up straight, a frown darkening her face. “Why the hell not do it now? Why aren’t we protected that way while still in training and therefore more vulnerable? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“ The Lord moves in mysterious ways. I guess it’s His way of training.”
Lillian snorted, “Or selecting.”
He continued as if she hadn’t said a word, “As for the other question. Yes, purgatory is a place where human souls are purified, but that doesn’t make this…realm inaccessible for them. We can enter hellholes, but not hell mind you, and they can enter here.”
“And the rest of purgatory, how does that work? Human souls are here, so I guess you normally have to be dead to enter, is that right?” As he nodded she went on, “Is it the same for the hellholes?”
“No. Purgatory takes care of the deceased soul while in hellhole bubbles demons try their best to corrupt the living ones. Between let’s call it the normal world, the one where you grew up in, and a hellhole is not a big difference. Here, you know you’re in purgatory since there’re basically no people around you and the more evident black and white, whereas hellholes are much more difficult to make out since they kind of blend with the normal world. A living human can’t pass into purgatory but he can enter the demons’ realm without even realizing it. Therein lies the danger of the hellholes, because once a human enters he isn’t likely to come out with his soul intact.”
“What happens to them?”
Raz shrugged. “The usual. Demons try to seduce the soul from the humans, using the usual tactics or rather human weaknesses, which mostly means jealousy and lust. Lust for power, money or revenge. Though, sometimes when they notice a victim’s natural potential of becoming a killer they don’t have to do much of anything and just give a gentle push.”
“Really fun place to be, huh?” Really a comforting thought to know that soon she might be ‘working’ there. “So while we were on the road and suddenly passed into purgatory, what did …everybody else see?” She couldn’t bring herself to say humans as if she wasn’t one of them. All her life she had been one and in her mind she still was. “My guess a disappearing car wasn’t it, since your cover would have been blown years ago. Right?”
“ Don’t be so sure about that. Suppression is an amazing thing. But you’re right in so far that they didn’t see us disappear, for them we were on a road and then made a turn, nothing suspicious.”
“And the house? Does it exist only here?”
“No and yes. For the time being it exists in both realms, though the moment you and your Guard are established here, it’ll become a permanent feature here, which means that it can be a safe house for other Guards if need be, and it’ll be destroyed in the normal world. Probably by a tornado.” Knowing her curiosity wouldn’t be satisfied he explained, “That way the Ebonys won’t be able to use it as a portal to get inside of this house.”
“ They could do that?”
“Yeah, with magic, but they would have to find the house first. And, well, there’re quite a few abandoned ones around. Nevertheless, I’d like you to stay inside the line of salt whenever I’m not around.”
He pushed away from the counter a nd the little mischievous grin that made his mouth curve must have warned her of what was to come.
She moaned, “Oh no.”
“ Oh yes.”
“Of course, tr ust the angels to use weapons that are basically giant crosses.” Lillian looked at the swords and crossbows displayed on the floor of the back porch.
“Stop the oh-so witty comments for a sec and tell me which one of these you feel the most comfortable with,” Raz demanded while he fumbled with the old radio he had dug out and positioned on the porch railing. After another moment rock began to purr out of it, in a sound that
She sat up straight, a frown darkening her face. “Why the hell not do it now? Why aren’t we protected that way while still in training and therefore more vulnerable? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“ The Lord moves in mysterious ways. I guess it’s His way of training.”
Lillian snorted, “Or selecting.”
He continued as if she hadn’t said a word, “As for the other question. Yes, purgatory is a place where human souls are purified, but that doesn’t make this…realm inaccessible for them. We can enter hellholes, but not hell mind you, and they can enter here.”
“And the rest of purgatory, how does that work? Human souls are here, so I guess you normally have to be dead to enter, is that right?” As he nodded she went on, “Is it the same for the hellholes?”
“No. Purgatory takes care of the deceased soul while in hellhole bubbles demons try their best to corrupt the living ones. Between let’s call it the normal world, the one where you grew up in, and a hellhole is not a big difference. Here, you know you’re in purgatory since there’re basically no people around you and the more evident black and white, whereas hellholes are much more difficult to make out since they kind of blend with the normal world. A living human can’t pass into purgatory but he can enter the demons’ realm without even realizing it. Therein lies the danger of the hellholes, because once a human enters he isn’t likely to come out with his soul intact.”
“What happens to them?”
Raz shrugged. “The usual. Demons try to seduce the soul from the humans, using the usual tactics or rather human weaknesses, which mostly means jealousy and lust. Lust for power, money or revenge. Though, sometimes when they notice a victim’s natural potential of becoming a killer they don’t have to do much of anything and just give a gentle push.”
“Really fun place to be, huh?” Really a comforting thought to know that soon she might be ‘working’ there. “So while we were on the road and suddenly passed into purgatory, what did …everybody else see?” She couldn’t bring herself to say humans as if she wasn’t one of them. All her life she had been one and in her mind she still was. “My guess a disappearing car wasn’t it, since your cover would have been blown years ago. Right?”
“ Don’t be so sure about that. Suppression is an amazing thing. But you’re right in so far that they didn’t see us disappear, for them we were on a road and then made a turn, nothing suspicious.”
“And the house? Does it exist only here?”
“No and yes. For the time being it exists in both realms, though the moment you and your Guard are established here, it’ll become a permanent feature here, which means that it can be a safe house for other Guards if need be, and it’ll be destroyed in the normal world. Probably by a tornado.” Knowing her curiosity wouldn’t be satisfied he explained, “That way the Ebonys won’t be able to use it as a portal to get inside of this house.”
“ They could do that?”
“Yeah, with magic, but they would have to find the house first. And, well, there’re quite a few abandoned ones around. Nevertheless, I’d like you to stay inside the line of salt whenever I’m not around.”
He pushed away from the counter a nd the little mischievous grin that made his mouth curve must have warned her of what was to come.
She moaned, “Oh no.”
“ Oh yes.”
“Of course, tr ust the angels to use weapons that are basically giant crosses.” Lillian looked at the swords and crossbows displayed on the floor of the back porch.
“Stop the oh-so witty comments for a sec and tell me which one of these you feel the most comfortable with,” Raz demanded while he fumbled with the old radio he had dug out and positioned on the porch railing. After another moment rock began to purr out of it, in a sound that
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