Orison came to find me this afternoon. “I have an answer for your problem with Alysse, Asa’el,” he said, looking rather grim. “I do not think you will like it, though.”
I didn’t believe him at first. Any answer to the struggle and confusion of the past weeks would be a help. Freya and Alysse had a fight yesterday that left them both in tears. I have never before failed so badly in reconciling two so similar people.
“Inca told me about your difficulties,” Orison said. “Like you I did not think it was a problem for a Guardian, but I had Simmah look into it for us, and we were both wrong. There is a Fallen haunting Alysse.”
Anger filled me in a great rush—how dared one of those foul creatures cause pain to one of my own? I am not certain, even now, if I was angry for Freya or for Alysse, who has won much of my compassion in the past week. More so, if she has been shadowed all this time by an enemy. It and I have waged war over her spirit, all unknowing. Or at least I didn’t know. The malicious thing probably took joy in making her a prize to be won.
“May I go with you to take it down?” I asked Orison, keeping my voice level with some difficulty.
“In fact I will need your help,” he answered. “It’s a subtle creature—without Simmah’s advice, I would never have been able to see its influence, and it will see me coming if I go in blind. But you know Alysse’s spirit well by now, or as well as any of us can. By watching how she changes, you can guide us to the enemy.”
Of course I agreed. How not? This cannot be allowed to continue. And so I go now to keep careful watch over Alysse. I only hope that once the creature is dead, she will be free from doubt and fear. I mean to do everything I can to ensure it.