The Chronicles of Heaven's War: Burning Phoenix by Ava D. Dohn

whisper on that breeze called out to her reassuringly,
“Such a little price to pay for the rich reward received. You will
see. You will see…”
     
    * * *
     
    “Welcome to the cooler!” A man with a big toothy
grin waved his arm high as he gracefully backed away from the door.
“We have your little girl on ice as I speak.”
    Symeon grumped his sour-faced hellos as he passed
through the copper-plated metal door, Hanna following close behind.
Stopping inside, while the man closed and sealed the door, Symeon
turned and addressed the fellow, a sour look still on his face.
“Drorli, must you continue plaguing me with such morbid dialog? If
you had any feelings at all, you would show the dead a little more
respect.”
    Hanna smiled, slipping a hand around Drorli’s arm,
softly cooing, “The poor fellow’s been eating sour pills ever since you and Chess stopped by at breakfast the other morning.
He’s been in a fidget to be delivered here.”
    Lowering a jealous eyebrow, Symeon coldly responded,
“I am not sour, just concerned for my little girl!” He reached out,
pulling Hanna away from Drorli’s side. “You, my fine gentleman,
remember your manners this day. We are not at one of your
festivals, and I have no intention of losing this woman up to your
arms again as happened the last time we were visited with your enchanting company.”
    Drorli shrugged innocent, winking at Hanna. “Well,
as I recall that evening hour…” He tapped his head as if searching
to remember the moment. “As I recall that evening hour, you
appeared to be quite taken with my sweet companion, Chasileah. Or
was it the wine you so generously consumed that forced you to
gather her up to the darkness and dance to love’s music until your girl and I found you embraced in deep slumber under a
nearby mulberry tree?”
    Symeon’s face reddened, embarrassed, feigning
excuse. “I may have had a little too much of the brandy-wine, but
it was for want of the company of my girl who you had secretly
whisked away. Chasileah was understandingly sympathetic to my
situation, seeing you had run off on her, too, and… and…”
    “And what, my dear friend?” Drorli laughed. “And
what…?”
    Symeon swallowed hard, chancing a glance at Hanna
who stood there smirking. “I… well…”
    “Speak up, my friend, or has the tongue of truth
gone to hiding?” Drorli laughed again. “Or was your evening spent
with my companion a wasted one?”
    Poor Symeon was in a spot. What could he say?
Chasileah was a most beautiful woman, with her smooth, flawless
brown skin and winter-white hair, laughing green eyes and a smile
that could warm the coldest dawn, and she was truly a gentle and
caring person. Nothing inappropriate could he say about such a
wonderful woman.
    Finely Symeon sputtered, disgusted, “I’ve not the
mood to discuss such trivia on this most important day! I am here
on official business that has kept me from the upcoming Prisoner
Exchange. Now, then, let us be about that business.”
    Hanna laughed, sliding an arm around Symeon’s back.
“The poor fellow has been in such a tizzy since he was told about
his child that he’s been impossible to live with! I’m surprised he
even remembers Chasileah what with all that’s been spinning about
in his mind. He won’t be himself again until this is all settled
out, and he’s seen his girl.” She then tenderly kissed Symeon on
the cheek.
    Waving his hand high, Drorli invited Symeon and
Hanna to follow along, he describing some of the particulars as
they journeyed through the temple, in reality, a laboratory.
    “Long ago, when my world was full of innocence and
excitement, many days before I suckled upon my mother’s breasts,
these chambers were part of one of the greatest temple complexes in
the universe. It has been rumored that strange, fiery, manlike
creatures worked these bellows and gages to bring life to every
sort of winged and creeping beast that the mind could imagine.”
    As they