SEVENTY-FOUR: And Nephilim makes Four

Being from Alippiana had its benefits.  The two Nephilims that worked in the kitchen at Rose House knew the Diofe.  It only took one secret ViH-Dot passed by MiJin and one meeting with gifts for them to agree to help her.

MiJin came to Arous’ room to help her get ready.

“What do you need me to do?” MiJin asked.

“First, I need you to hold my hands for a few minutes. It will make the shimmer stronger,” she said.  “You checked with the Nephilims to make sure they were still okay with us using the kitchen closet for 20 minutes.”

“Yes, positive,” said MiJin.  “Yes, they’ll do anything if they think its subversive and Lady Rose won’t like it.”

“Great.”

“What’s a shimmer?”

“You’ll see,” said Arous. “Hold out your hands, I’ll grab them, then I’ll hug you for a minute and then you’ll see.”

MiJin put out her hands and Arous grabbed them. She then hugged MiJin for a few minutes.  When Arous pulled back, MiJin gasped.

“You’re me!”

Arous helped MiJin sit down on a cushion before she completely collapsed.

“Almost,” she said, “I look like you, I sound like you. And because you stayed still and let me hold you for a very long time, this will stay strong for a very long time, even under stressful conditions, not like the made-up kind.”

“Wow,” said Mijin, “Where did you learn to do that?”

“Alippiana, from a very wise Skin-dancer.”

“Wow.”

There was silence a minute while Arous let MiJin catch her breath.

“What now?” MiJin asked.

“I’ve arranged to have Siobhan distract Simon and Jude will be, I don’t know, he said he’ll take care of Jellina. We’ll go to the kitchen together.  I’ll turn the shimmer there and you’ll wait in the closet until I come back for you.”

“What’ll you do then?”

“I’ll find Ricci.  He should be with Jellina.  Siobhan will have excused herself and as soon as I find Ricci, shimmering as you.  Jude will take care of Jellina.”

“Why Ricci, Arous? Do you think he can help you with your mother?”

“I don’t know.  He has something to do with her, but I don’t know what.”

A hoveh-sine picked-up MiJin and Arous and took them to Rose House where the Ambassador’s Ball was taking place. There was a large yard with a rose garden behind the house. Large enough to fit the exclusive guest list of the rich and visiting dignitaries from other Pantaganents.

Before long people were there milling about; as soon as she saw Siobhan she grabbed her and pulled her into a closet in the kitchen.

Arous then shimmered into MiJin for a second then out.

“Convincing?”

“Oh, my,” she said. “Do that again.”

“No, way,” she said, “Look, are you ready to do what I asked you?”

“How do you do that?” she asked.

“Focus, Siobhan, I need your help still.”

There was a loud rap at the door.

“Look, we have to go. Just take care of Simon after they announce his appointment.  The second we come off stage, got it?”

“Are you sure you can trust these, what do you call them?”

“Nephilim.”

“What if they blow your cover, tell Lady Rose? Mijin could get, well, cooked goose comes to mind.”

“Have you ever heard one of them talk, Siobhan?”

“No.”

“Then I guarantee no one else has.”

There was one loud rap at the door.

Arous stepped out and walked into the garden pulling Siobhan along behind her.  She waited until they were mingling among people she didn’t know to start again talking to Siobhan again.

“Do whatever you have to but be ready to roll when we get off the stage.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Mijin and I will duck into the kitchen where she’ll stay and I’ll corner Ricci.”

“What about Jellina?”

“Jude’s taking care of her.”

At that moment Simon walked by and stopped.

“Good evening, Ladies.”

“So, you got this detail? Lucky dog,” said Siobhan.

“I’m the star of the show,” said Simon smiling.

“Yes, before Ricci announces his new entourage.”

“You think it will be all three of you?” asked Arous.

“It’s a possibility, a real possibility. Though, I don’t know how MiJin has managed.”

“Jude’s here, somewhere,” said Simon.

“How’d he get to come?” asked Siobhan a little shocked.

“Oh, he comes every year, you’ve just never noticed him before.”

“So, it’s true about him working for Ricci,” said Siobhan.

“I’ll never tell,” said Simon. “I’m as mum as a ghost.”