Slowly, the heavy door to the garden swung open, and the Scarlet One
stepped back into the House – literally. With easy stride, it
made
its backward way across the floor until it came to stand by the grand
bar. With a nod, the garden door swung to. The Scarlet One stood up
on its toes, spun thrice in an impossibly slow pirouette, and floated
up onto a barstool. It swept its jade gaze from Winter, to Rennyb
and then back to the frosty bartender. It smiled its signature
Cheshire Cat smile.

"Winter, it is good to see you," came its musical voice.
"May we
have a glass of elderberry wine, please?" The Scarlet One
slipped a
thin hand into the folds of its robe and produced a bouquet of
silver, mirrored roses. These it handed to Rennyb,
whispering, "Dreams untroubled should be cherished. Reflect on
this." It turned to focus on Mariel and Verloren, who were
standing
by the frosted, stained-glass window.

"Mariel," it said, half-singing her name to itself.
"Interesting."
It spun back to the bar.

"Time to waken," the Scarlet One said, to no one in
particular.
------------------------------------------------------

Rhiobhan slept, a peaceful smile on her face. The Ravenlord stood
above her, his burning, sanguine-hued eye intent on her form. His
expression was inscrutable. He nodded, then turned and swept from
the chamber, and shadow chased after him.

The Ravenlord passed through the great library doors. The harrowing
whisper of dry, broken leaves and broken minds hissed in his wake.
He flowed through the House's labyrinth of halls and stairs, and
then
he stopped before a door – the door to Zophiel's study.

The Ravenlord's eye flared. With a chorus of a thousand
shrieking
voices, the door split asunder and disintegrated into a pile of
charred ash. The angel, who was still standing before Dali's
painting, spun to face the nightmare. The Nightmare Monarch's
deep,
haunting whisper filled Zophiel's mind ...

*Time to waken ...* he said.


Poe