I am due for patrol shortly—I will be flying with Ero’an tonight, which is a great honor. But I have some time to tell you what has been happening in the past few days.
I spent much of today with Freya, who has a cold and has been feeling rather sorry for herself as a result. It was a quiet, restful day for both of us, her wrapped up in three blankets and my wings, consoling herself with tea, a few favorite books, and—I flatter myself—a friend’s company. In any case, her mood is much better this evening than it has been for weeks.
Evan has shown great courage and initiative in solving the problems that face his family—and yes, he has been thinking that phrase over and over again in the past few days, always with a little thrill in his heart. Having found it, he is determined to protect it, and he has many different ideas on how to do that. The day after his talk with Miranda, a heavy snowfall provided him with an opportunity, and he spent several hours shoveling driveways and sidewalks in order to earn a bit of money. Also, upon learning that Miranda intends to sell some of the furniture and other things she’s placed in storage, he set up an Ebay account for them. They have already sold two items, without the additional cost of needing to ship them.
I checked on Mr. Hill, too. He is still fuming about the trouble Robert has caused. He arranged for Robert to be released on bail, but there are still assault charges to deal with, and the case does not look good for Robert. Since this has entirely distracted Mr. Hill from Miranda’s situation, I am not at all sorry.
I did ask Orison about what happened, and he told me that this is a phenomenon that can happen sometimes. “A darkened spirit is drawn to more darkness,” he explained. “And the more darkness one carries in the spirit, the more one is drawn towards one’s own destruction. Usually this happens gradually, over a lifetime or even longer, which is why the wicked sometimes seem to prosper on Earth. But sometimes we can interfere and turn an enemy’s own cruelty against themselves.”
“So my anger led him to that recklessness?” I asked, more than a bit disturbed at the thought.
Orison nodded gravely. “It is sometimes the only weapon that will work against such people, but use it carefully, Asa’el. In such a state, they can harm others even as they damage themselves.”
So I am aware. Robert may have gotten himself into this mess, but he hurt several people along the way, and it was just luck that no one else was harmed seriously. I will have to be more careful in the future.
Ero’an is calling me, I must go.