Sage Alexander and the Castle of Lost Souls: Sage Alexander Series, #3

By Steve Copling

When an Indiana orphan makes a telepathic connection with Sage Alexander's great-grandfather, Arthur, whose soul has been missing for more than 150 years, it gets the attention of the Angelic Response Council. Rescuing Arthur Alexander's soul, which is trapped within a dragonhead of Remus, a mythical Typhon who resides within the Prince of Envy's dark realm castle, will be a deadly task. Compounding the problem is Philip Alexander, Sage's mentally unstable uncle, who lives life on the edge of darkness. When Sage's team of battle-hardened warriors wage war to reunite Arthur's body and soul, the fury of a legendary beast makes their escape a near impossibility.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Steve Copling
• Release date: Oct 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393767831

Steve Copling

Steve Copling has over thirty-five years in law enforcement and corporate security. He currently serves as a police captain in the Dallas area. His years in police service include SWAT, Internal Affairs, Narcotics, Criminal Investigations, and Homeland Security. He is in the process of completing other books in the Suspense and Police Procedural genres. Steve is also hard at work on a seven-book, Young Adult fantasy series. The first, Sage Alexander and the Hall of Nightmares, is under pre-development as a major motion picture. He lives in a small North Texas town with his wife of nearly forty years and is the father of three and grandfather of four.

Book preview

Acknowledgments

A

nother team effort on this book! This series about defeating the Seven Princes of Hell, stars one or more of my grandchildren in each book. In book one, Sage Alexander and the Hall of Nightmares, Sage Alexander Copling was the clear hero. In book two, Sage Alexander and the Blood of Seth, Nikhil Steven Copling’s character, Nick, was the one leading the charge. Now, in Sage Alexander and the Castle of Lost Souls, Elliot Thomas Copling’s character has a gift that is indispensable to the plot.

Who do I want to acknowledge for book three? This was a total family operation. My sons and grandkids are avid readers and provided great suggestions for plot points and excellent feedback: Jason, Justin, Sage, and Nikhil. My internal line editor and wife, Sonora, who has grown to like the stories much more than I ever thought she would. The credit for the book cover goes to my sister, Carolyn Johnston. Thanks to my official line editor, Alexandra Newman. Her editing services can be found on fiverr.com. She was wonderful to work with.

These stories are just a joy to write, but the bigger joy is when my grandkids tell me how much they love them. What could possibly be a bigger motivator than that?

Chapter One

S

age saw the moving truck parked in front of his house as soon as he turned the corner of the street. He slowed his pace and shifted the bag of groceries to his other arm, in no hurry to go inside. His family had been packing the house since Sage, Grandpa, Ronan, and Nick’s daylong meeting with his mom and dad six weeks before. So even though he’d known this moment was coming, seeing the truck in front of his home crystalized the reality of it all. They were leaving his childhood home. Forever. Goodbye, Oklahoma.

The movers were unloading hand trucks, padding, and rolls of shrink wrap. Grandpa had offered one of several locations to which Sage’s family could flee. Although Grandpa hadn’t dared use the term ‘flee,’ that’s what they were doing. The remaining five Princes of Hell knew who Sage was now, evidenced by Sloth’s attack against him, via Nick, two months before.

That long meeting with his parents was the most heart wrenching thing he’d ever experienced, and it still darkened the atmosphere around his family. The expression on his mom and dad’s faces when Grandpa revealed that he was 750 years old and that he, Ronan, Sage, and Nick, were all angelic-humans with supernatural gifts, could only be described as a ‘this-is-the-worst-joke-ever’ kind of look. When Grandpa wouldn’t budge off his story, and when Sage and the others insisted it was all true, they went from disbelief to anger and denial. They stormed out twice, came back and sat down, arms folded and silent for long periods as they processed everything.

Only after Mom and Dad finally acknowledged that Grandpa wasn’t insane did he play the video. It showed the Wastelands–a carnival of monsters in a scorched landscape found only in nightmares; Tartarus–a unseen world of perfection; Elioudians–a race of beings resembling angels without wings; the Territories–a real-life Hell full of creatures from Greek mythology; and, finally, the Prince of Sloth– a being killed by Sage’s team, whose face transformed into the hundreds of human identities he’d assumed over a period of six thousand years, before finally being defeated during the last identity: the President of the United States. The video, taken from the helmet cameras of Sage’s team, had been cobbled together and reduced to an hour-long presentation showing the destruction of beasts with a vividness that was gross enough to turn even the most ironclad of stomachs.

Sage felt sorry for his parents as he observed them watching the video. Afterward, they sat in stunned silence, tears slipping down their faces, hands clutched together, leaning away as though putting distance between them and the others in the room. The final proof offered was the demonstration of angelic gifts. Since regular humans couldn’t see Nick’s gift, Illusion, or Grandpa’s, Pathfinding, it was up to Sage and Ronan. Sage teleported around the room, swinging his sword so fast they couldn’t see the blade, and Ronan bent a two-foot-long, one-inch-diameter piece of steel into a circle.

The look on his mom’s face after Sage’s demonstration was a stab in the gut. Fear. More than that: terror was written all over her face. She broke down, and Sage grabbed her in a long embrace. His dad was so shocked, he couldn’t speak for several minutes. Despite all the battles Sage had been through the previous two summers, sitting in the living room with his parents while their entire world around them collapsed into pieces, was one of the hardest things he’d ever experienced.

Then they dropped the last piece of news: Grandpa had been notified that Sage and Nick could immediately begin their year of training at the Tomb of Ancient Documents – a class that all Angelic Council Members attended once their gifts manifested. Because both boys needed to stay hidden from the remaining princes for a while, going now made perfect sense. Talk about a bomb exploding in the living room. That argument alone lasted hours, but in the end, Grandpa convinced them that it was the best for everyone involved.

Since that fateful meeting, Sage and Nick had given their parents the history of the Elioudians and the Seven Princes of Hell, as well as an overview of the battles against Greed and Sloth. They fed them the information in spurts, always mindful of what kind of mood they were in. Mostly, the follow up conversations went fine, with relocating across the country being the biggest sore-spot. Now it was moving day. Yikes.

Sage found his mom in the living room on her knees, wrapping glass vases and porcelain plates in newspaper. He stepped around a pile of boxes and raised the bag of groceries. Aspirin, a bottle of green tea, a package of cookies for Nick, three apples, a six-pack of Coke, and a candy bar for Dad. I’ll put them in the kitchen.

Mom looked up and smiled, strands of her hair having escaped from the bandana she was wearing. Thanks, Sage. The weather nice? She wore old jeans, a Run the Rock t-shirt from her latest attempt to finish a marathon in under four hours, and a pair of worn, but still comfortable, hiking boots. She didn’t look like a late-thirties housewife.

Yep, a little warm. Not as nice as the mountains of Tennessee, but it’s fine. He smiled back because he knew that Mom knew what he’d just done.

You can cut the sales pitch, she said. I’m over it. Mostly.

Grandpa’s mountain home, a sprawling log cabin on fifty acres outside of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, was the most beautiful and secure of the locations he owned. The fact Grandpa was a multi-millionaire and owned properties around the world was just one more of the astounding facts Mom and Dad discovered. It had taken Sage’s dad nearly two weeks to come to grips with the fact that he didn’t know his own father at all.

Not a sales job, Sage said. Truth. They’d spent a weekend at the mountain cabin, and Sage wished he and Nick could live there for a while before shipping off to The Tomb.

Sales job, Dad said, walking in from the kitchen. But that’s okay. He held out his hand. Candy bar?

Sage dug the chocolate out and handed it over. He also gave him a Coke. So, you found a buyer for your company? You’re really going to retire?

Dad ripped open the candy bar and took a bite, then answered with his mouth full. Yeah. The details are being finalized now. The lawyers are doing the paperwork. Should have everything wrapped up in a few weeks. He sat down on a box of books and looked at Mom before turning back to Sage. Your mom and I have talked about retirement almost non-stop for the past three days. We’re going to do it. Your grandpa just moved my inheritance into a special account, told us to use the money now, since we’ll be long dead before he ever dies.

Sage couldn’t tell if Dad’s eyes were getting misty or not. His voice seemed fine, bearing no emotion, but something about the way he said it sat a bit sideways with Sage. Maybe it was the bitterness that he and his wife wouldn’t also live for centuries? Once Sage and Nick reached their early twenties, their aging would slow to about a decade for every hundred years. The four of them had talked about that a few nights before, and Dad seemed to be acting weird ever since.

We’re going to travel, Mom said. Do volunteer work. Support some great charities. Money won’t be an issue.

The sale alone of Dad’s company would give them enough money for the rest of their lives. Sage didn’t know how much his grandpa had moved into that special account, but it was probably substantial, meaning that no matter what they decided to do, they’d be able to afford it.

We might hike the Appalachian trail, Dad said. Maybe in the spring, before you and Nick return from the...

The Tomb, Mom finished for him.

Right, Dad said. He stared off, but his face didn’t show any sign of emotion.

They were better today, Sage thought. Much better. As recently as last night, Sage wondered if they might have to be dragged to Tennessee kicking and screaming. Well . . . maybe not that bad, but regardless, they sounded in good spirits today in comparison.

Last night, Dad said, turning back to Sage, we realized that none of you with angelic gifts had a choice in the matter. You didn’t get a vote. Yet you’re fighting the good fight. Doing the hard work. We’ve been complaining about having to move and live in comfort. He laughed and shook his head. We needed to grow up. Attitude is a choice. That’s what we’ve always told you and Nick, so we needed to stop preaching that and start living it.

Sage set the bag of groceries on a box and gave them both a hug, relieved at Dad’s words. Grandpa told Sage yesterday that he was planning on asking Sage’s parents if they’d have an interest in doing some work for the Angelic Response Council. It would be in research, logistics, planning, and other things that a select group of regular humans were involved in. But he decided not to ask until they came to full grips with the new direction of their lives. It sounded like they were on their way.

The kitchen door into the backyard opened, and Nick stormed through. Hey, he shouted, got some big old truck out front. Somebody moving out? He laughed as he came into the living room, humming the tune to the old TV show The Beverly Hillbillies. He’d started calling Dad Jethro Bodine as soon as they decided on the Tennessee location. He wore jeans and a soccer jersey of some European player Sage had never heard of.

Yep, Dad said. Getting ready to swim in the concrete pond.

The mountain cabin had a huge swimming pool. Sage and Nick spent hours doing cannonballs off the diving board the weekend they visited. The cabin also had a theater room, five bathrooms, an office in the basement, soaring vaulted ceilings, and a thoroughly modern kitchen. The property backed up to a national forest with miles of hiking trails close by. Grandpa had an underground safe room built several years ago in case the princes ever discovered Sage’s identity and the family needed to move there. Grandpa credited Theo’s gift of Sight for all the preplanning and contingencies. He had five other places ready as well, all with entrances into Godspace nearby, which meant quick travel to and from the Tomb of Ancient Documents and The Council’s headquarters.

One of the movers knocked on the front door. Dad let four workers in and directed them to start loading things from the master bedroom. After they disappeared to the back of the house, Dad looked at Sage and Nick. You guys ready to go?

Ready, Nick said. All packed.

Sage was packed, too. Grandpa would be there in a few minutes to escort them to The Tomb and everyone knew it. Mom walked over, grabbed Nick into a fierce hug, and held him there for a long time. By the time she released him, Nick’s eyes were swimming. "Whatever adventures your grandfather takes you on, make sure to listen to every word he tells you. Every word! You hear me?"

Nick nodded and wiped his eyes. She’d said that to Nick tons of times over the past two weeks, and Sage gave his brother credit for not reminding her of that now. She hugged Sage next, whispering she loved him as she held him close. Sage felt her body tremble as she squeezed him, and when he heard her let out a quiet sob, his own eyes began to leak.

Okay, let me in there, Dad said. His hugs were short lived, but powerful. He slapped Sage on the back, then repeated with Nick. I’m going to ask your grandpa for updates, but don’t forget to use those phones we gave you.

We won’t, Nick said. Already got some gaming apps loaded. I’ll take some screen shots of my high scores and send them to you.

Those really aren’t the kind of updates I was talking about, Dad said, but that’s fine.

Dad had bought smart phones and programmed in the most important phone numbers and email addresses before handing them over. Mom and Dad would literally be one touch away.

I don’t want to know about missions beforehand, Mom said. "No details until afterward. And don’t tell me anything you did that was dangerous. Are you both clear on that?"

It was crystal clear. They all nodded, even Dad, who wanted to know basic details, but agreed not to share them with Mom. Sage and Grandpa had discussed this at length and decided to give Dad a general outline, but nothing specific. The entire reason for moving the family was to protect them against beasts who might come hunting for Sage. Mom and Dad couldn’t inadvertently reveal information they didn’t have.

Sage deposited the sack of groceries in the kitchen and headed to his room. There wasn’t much left unpacked. He had a duffel and a backpack he’d carry to the Tomb, but the rest, all sealed up, was ready to load. He’d packed light because even though traveling through Godspace would get them halfway around the world in only a couple of hours, he’d still be carrying these bags the entire time. Nick packed even lighter, just one big backpack filled mostly with dry-fit shirts and shorts. Grandpa told them they could get more clothes once they got there, if needed.

After another set of goodbyes, Sage and Nick dodged some movers hauling furniture and slipped out the front door. Sage spotted Grandpa’s truck a couple of houses over and pointed.

You ready? he asked Nick. Life’s about to get different.

Life’s already different, Sage. We’re being hunted by the Princes of Hell. But yeah, I’m ready. Let’s get out of here before a monster shows up. He sprinted toward Grandpa’s truck without a look back.

Sage turned around and studied his house one last time. His childhood home would soon belong to someone else. He’d miss the place, and it made him sad. For sure. But there were bigger things to worry about now. Much bigger things.

Chapter Two

T

hey threw their bags in the bed of the truck and climbed into the cab. Sage got in the front seat, Nick in the back. Grandpa had shaved his head again, and in the past six weeks, grown a Vandyke. He wore black jeans, running shoes, and a t-shirt that said, I’m Not Old Until I Start Thinking That Way.

How’s your mom and dad? Grandpa asked Nick.

Way better than I thought they’d be, Nick said. Probably just ready to get away from Sage for a while. He laughed and punched Sage on the arm.

I’m sure that’s it, Grandpa said. He dropped the truck into gear and headed off. He glanced over at Sage. Gavin found Philip.

Crazy Uncle Philip? Nick asked.

Probably shouldn’t call him that, Sage said. A man gifted with Possession isn’t somebody you want mad at you.

Moments after escaping the underworld, Theophylaktos Alastair, Sage’s old friend gifted with Sight, insisted that Grandpa find his third oldest son, Philip Alexander, who’d last been seen a century before. Theo’s vision saw Philip killing Ronan and then killing Sage. It also revealed an unidentified boy.

How’d Uncle Gavin find him? Sage asked. I thought he’s been missing for a century?

Not going to believe it, Grandpa said. Philip contacted the Council a month ago and told them where he was. Said he’d been in the wilderness long enough.

Wow, Sage said. Must be God at work. Talk about great timing.

There’s another thing, Grandpa said. The Council found the boy. He raised an eyebrow at Sage, then glanced at Nick in the rearview mirror. Name is Elliot Thomas. Fourteen. From what they can tell, he has unimaginable power.

Sage turned and looked at Nick. His brother raised an eyebrow. Power with what? Sage asked. What gift?

Possession. Same as Philip. Grandpa slowed his truck and turned toward Theo’s oddity shop. We’ve got some video. I’ll let you look at it before we go visit Philip.

We’re not going to the Tomb? Nick asked.

We are, Grandpa said. Then Sage is going with me to meet Gavin and Malcolm. I might need you later, once we bring Elliot into the fold.

I’m good with that, Nick said. I don’t think I’m ready for another big mission right now, anyway. I think some classes will fit me just fine.

Grandpa parked his truck behind Theo’s shop and climbed out. Sage and Nick met him at the back door. Theo’s oddity shop was in a building owned by the Council. For the past ten years, it had been a front to allow Theo to be physically close to Sage. It was a retail place that sold items from around the world, got little foot traffic, and wouldn’t be missed now that Theo had closed it down. Since Sage’s family was moving, there was no need to keep the shop open. The building would be maintained and kept secure to protect the entrance to Godspace located in the back.

A few days after getting back from the underworld, Sage took Nick into Godspace to let him see it. Paradise, he called it. Perfection. Heaven-like. Nick had spent several hours wandering around, gaping at mountain ranges, trickling springs, vast fields of green, towering trees, and the ball of healing light that gave the entire landscape a computer-generated, color-saturated appearance.

Grandpa unlocked the back door, let Sage and Nick in, and locked it behind them. The store was dark and empty. The entrance to Godspace was inside a steel vault protected by a door and locks any bank would envy. Grandpa slid his magnetic reader through the sensor, punched in a ten-digit code, then turned a lock with a special key. Overhead lights activated as soon as Sage stepped inside.

All of Theo’s valuables, his prized historical artifacts and personal keepsakes from his thousand years on Earth, were gone. Sage looked at Grandpa after he closed and locked the door. Theo isn’t coming back, is he?

Only if necessary, Grandpa said. "He’s at headquarters. He’ll see you at the Tomb occasionally, but the Council wants him at headquarters. With your family moving, there’s no need to keep him in the field. That’s not to say he won’t ever be back, but it would take a special circumstance."

So much had changed, Sage thought. In the last three months, Leah, his guardian angel, moved on, the Princes of Hell found him, and now Theo was packed up and moved out. Grandpa gripped his shoulder. Things change, Sage. Life is about adapting to new demands. Things seem bigger now because changes for you are just beginning. Centuries from now, you’ll reflect and realize that a bigger hand was in play, that a master plan was unfolding.

Centuries from now, Nick said. I’m still getting my head around that.

Sage understood Nick’s point, but he wasn’t about to take longevity for granted, and he wouldn’t allow Nick, either. Ask Endora and Kato about living for centuries, Nick. Killed saving you. He’d said it too sharply, but he didn’t care. Nick needed to understand the message.

Nick stared at him in silence. Then he nodded and looked away. Point made, he said softly.

Enough, Grandpa said. Let’s go. He stepped in front of an empty bookshelf, removed one of the shelves, pushed a couple of levers, and pulled the entire thing away from the wall. The entrance into Godspace appeared as a multi-color oval to Sage, several feet tall and about three feet wide; a shimmering, slightly out-of-focus filament. A rift. Grandpa, gifted with Pathfinding, could also see it but described it as oval-shaped, white, and a few inches wide.

Nick lined up exactly in the center of the bookcase opening, stuck his hands out in front of him, and walked forward like Sage had shown him before. He disappeared. Sage went next, then Grandpa. The glow from above, like always, calmed Sage immediately. The stresses from the day leached away as Grandpa led them toward a far mountain range, a slight breeze tickling the roots of his hair.

He didn’t understand how Godspace worked. Leah described it as folding dimensions. Elsbeth said she believed distances were compressed and that one’s destination somehow grew closer as you travel; a kind of invisible travel-by-thought process. Ronan once told Sage that a Pathfinder named Haddock, more than five thousand years old, still wandered the infinite space, trying to find its end. Legend held that Haddock went mad. No one had seen him for more than a century.

They walked for nearly two hours over ground Sage had traveled once before. After his battle inside Greed’s prison, Grandpa escorted him to Council headquarters to meet Council leadership. Sage recognized a path through a heavily wooded area and knew they were getting close. He also noticed that Nick hadn’t spoken much during the trip. His brother listened as Sage and Grandpa speculated about Mom and Dad’s adjustment period, about what traveling they might do, and how, once they were ready, they would react to Council headquarters and the Tomb. Sage figured that within a month, they would jump at the chance to tour both places, figuring Mom wouldn’t allow too much time to pass without seeing her boys.

They exited the wooded path, and Grandpa pointed hard to the left. Fifty yards away, near a gilded archway, stood Elsbeth Brown, hands folded in front of her, a smile as bright as the light in the sky. She waved and bounced on her toes. Hello, Sage! Welcome to the Tomb!

Elsbeth! Why didn’t you tell me you’d be here? Sage jogged over and gave her a huge hug. I had no idea you were coming.

Well, a surprise isn’t much good if you know about it in advance. Your grandpa told me about what time to come. Who better than me to give you a tour of the place?

It hadn’t been that long since he’d seen her, but she seemed more radiant, a little fuller in the face. Maybe it was the glow in her cheeks or the way her auburn hair folded around her head. Her spattering of freckles seemed darker, her eyes a brighter shade of green. Then again, it might simply be the lighting inside Godspace. She wore jeans and hiking boots, and a New Orleans Saints jersey.

Hello, Nick, Elsbeth said. She gave him a quick hug and smiled at Grandpa. There are more students at the Tomb right now than Abigail can ever remember. It’s exciting. And they’re all so different. She looked at Nick. All teenagers and a couple of them are as crazy as you.

Not possible, Sage said. Nick is certifiable.

Nick laughed. Let’s go!

Elsbeth led them through the shimmering rift inside the gilded archway and into an ancient weapons room. Swords hung in racks, angelic chains glowed orange over long hooks, and angelic bells of all sizes were nestled softly on a velvet-covered table. They all appeared battle-hardened: dented, nicked, scratched, and dull.

These weapons are retired, Grandpa said. Held in great honor. All forged and tempered with the blood of the Council members who wielded them. The warriors are gone now, but their legacy lives through their armaments.

Sage wished the weapons could speak of the history present in this small room and of the hardships their owners endured. Having nearly died twice, he understood the sacrifice the departed Council members endured.

Elsbeth led them out of the room, down a hallway, and into a large open area with televisions, leather sofas, giant beanbags, billiards and air-hockey tables, computer desks, and a couple of card tables. The Council modeled this room after some college dorm common areas, she said. It’s a place to crash and socialize, and just take the time to get to know one another. Three boys and two girls sat around the card table. They paused and looked at Sage and Nick. Elsbeth spoke to the group. This is Sage Alexander and his brother, Nick. Please introduce yourselves.

They all stood. I’m Oliver, said one of the boys. This is Beckett and Hudson. He pointed to the girls. That’s Myla and Hadley.

Don’t forget about us, a girl said from another hallway as she entered the room. I’m Kenzie, and this is Winston. Sara and Naomi are right behind us.

Right here, said a girl Sage couldn’t yet see.

A few seconds later, the entire group stood in front of them. They ranged from fourteen to eighteen, from black to Asian to brown. Nine teenagers, bright-eyed, physically fit, and all dressed like they’d stepped out of an American high school.

We have a cousin named Myla, Nick said, pointing to the oldest girl at the card table. She and her sister, Addison, live in Texas. Didn’t think I’d ever know two girls named Myla.

"You’re really Sage Alexander? Kenzie asked. We’ve studied your entire Prince of Greed’s Prison case. And the instructors are gathering information about your trip to Tartarus and the Territories."

Her brown eyes were wide, and she seemed in awe to be in Sage’s presence, which made him feel odd. I’m really him, Sage said. But it wasn’t just me. Elsbeth played just as important a part in our success. And David Brock, Kato Hunter, and Rabbi Klauss Cohen. He pointed to Nick. And if not for him, none of us would have made it out of the underworld.

So, the lessons about using our gifts in unison are true? asked Oliver, the tall, blonde boy at the card table.

Absolutely true, Sage said. It’ll be interesting to hear about all of your gifts, but make no mistake, used in close coordination, those of us in this room would make a formidable team.

You carry Beowulf’s sword? asked Myla. Does it really glow when you battle beasts?

It does, Elsbeth said. I’ve seen it happen several times.

And cleans itself of the beast’s blood? asked Hudson. For real?

Every time, Sage grinned.

What about traveling into the past? Hadley asked Elsbeth. The reports say that when he Memory Shares with someone, a portal opens into that memory. Are you scared to step through?

Not too much, Elsbeth said. It was strange the first couple of times, but not now.

The questions started coming so fast, and by so many at once, Sage completely lost track. Nick stepped close to him and whispered. You’re a superstar. Can I touch you?

Get away from me, Sage whispered back.

Elsbeth glanced at him and grinned, just before Grandpa took control. Hold the questions, everybody. Just hold up. The group quieted. I’m sure there’ll be plenty of time to answer later. Nick can answer some things. Sage and I have a short mission, but all of you will get to know him soon. Okay? Elsbeth, can you show Sage and Nick to their rooms? Finish the tour?

Yes. Elsbeth pointed straight ahead. This way.

She led them through the Tomb, a name that somewhat fit the description. The floor consisted of slabs of giant stone that were mostly flat, uneven and ill-fitting in places, chipped and stained, and appeared hammered together by untrained masons. Sage felt cold radiating through his shoes. Some of the walls were brick, others were logs so old they might be petrified. The ceilings towered above them, a few domed with faded paintings of angels battling winged beasts. The classrooms were small and intimate, with round tables instead of individual desks. He caught glimpses of a few adults, but Elsbeth didn’t approach any to make introductions.

This is really a strange place, Elsbeth whispered. It’s kind of a school, and they do have group classes like the history of our Elioudian ancestry, the types of beasts we will face, what the Council knows of the Princes of Hell, those types of things. They explore Godspace together, memorize the most important portals into the human realm from there. They study the lives of past Council members and their accomplishments. All those things are important. But most of your time at the Tomb is spent in the development of your individual gift.

Who can do that? Sage asked. What one person is an expert in all the gifts?

Elsbeth stopped outside a set of heavy wooden doors. Conner Bartimaeus. He tells the students to call him Cobart. He’s gifted with Absorption, like your Uncle Malcolm, but slightly different. Residue from each gift he’s experienced somehow stays behind.

I don’t understand, Nick said.

I think I do, Sage said. He looked at Elsbeth. Cobart has started the absorption process on other angelic-humans, drained a little from them, but not all of it dissipated like what happens with other absorbers.

Exactly, Elsbeth said. He describes the residue as shadows. Calls himself the Shadow Man. He can’t use any of the gifts left behind, but there’s enough there to allow him to understand how to develop them.

So, he’s experienced them all? Nick asked.

She looked at Sage. Except one, and I’ll bet you know which one it is.

Memory Share, Sage said. Since I’m the only one who’s ever had it and I’ve never even met the man.

Right, Elsbeth said. He’s mentioned more than once that he can’t wait for your time at the Tomb.

She pulled open the heavy doors, and Sage immediately recognized what lay beyond. The library, he whispered and turned to Nick. My first Memory Share experience was with Leah inside this room. Bookshelves ringed the vast space, from the floor to ceiling; it was all too high to reach without the rolling ladders positioned throughout. White granite angels lined the domed ceiling, all of them as though guarding the thousands of volumes.

Nick, there’s more history and knowledge about the Council’s battle against the Seven in this room than anywhere on Earth. She motioned them out, then closed the doors. We’ll see the kitchen, dining area, and lastly, the boy’s sleeping area before reviewing the process to get outside.

Outside was Istanbul, Sage knew. The Tomb was across the city from Council Headquarters, located underneath the Hagia Sophia, the iconic Byzantine cathedral that now housed a museum. Outside was also a hidden entrance from the human realm, which meant, if discovered by one of the remaining five princes, would put the entire facility at risk. Elsbeth had once described the process of entering and exiting the Tomb by using the human realm entrance. Many avoided it because it was just too tedious.

Most of the employees are out, Elsbeth said, "it being a Saturday. At some point there will be an assembly where both