When Heaven meets Hell

Chapter Ten

"What is your name?"

Joan tried to keep her voice warm and friendly as she sat before the little girl Rita had brought in. The question she asked was merely a formality, she was much more eager to find out how exactly the girl had managed to get into the grounds.

"I-I don't have a name." The girl said quietly, looking at Joan with bright blue, innocent eyes. She was around seven or eight years of age and very fragile looking. Her voice was soft and it seemed as though she had not often used it. At her answer, Joan raised an eyebrow.

"You don't have name?" She asked, more than a little stunned. "Do you know who you are then, where you come from?"

The girl shook her head apologetically and Joan found herself growing more and more puzzled about the strange girl.

"Do you remember how you here then?" Joan tried. "Did you climb the walls to get inside? Do you know how you got those injuries?"

She and the girl were sitting in the dining hall with breakfast laid in front of them. Rita had seen to the girl's injuries before sending her off for breakfast. Even now, as the maid went about pouring tea, she fussed over the girl as though she were her own child.

"No, I'm really sorry, but I'm not quite sure what I am doing here, or how I got here." The girl said shaking her head and looking embarrassed. Joan was starting to wonder if she had lost her memory.

"I see." Joan said, picking up her cup. "Well, we can work out those details later. In the mean time, help yourself to breakfast. I'm sure you must be hungry."

The girl smiled and thanked Joan before starting on the food laid in front of her. As she ate, Joan continued to observe her. There was certainly something odd about the girl, yet Joan couldn't identify what exactly it was about the girl that made her feel uneasy, as though her arrival signaled something dreadful for her . But how could this child mean any danger to her?

"What is your name?" The girl asked Joan suddenly, looking up at her with polite curiosity.

"My apologies for not introducing myself, I'm Joanne Hale." She replied. "But you can call me Joan. And I suppose I should give you a name too, since I need something to address you by."

The girl nodded eagerly and Joan wondered momentarily of a name to give her.

"How does...Heidi sound?" Joan said suddenly, the name popping into her head randomly. It had been the name of her deceased sister. She found it oddly fitting for the little girl before her. The girl seemed to find it appealing as well.

"That's a pretty name." She said looking delighted. "Heidi. Yes, i like it."

Joan couldn't help but smile. Despite her initial unease of being in the girl's presence, she couldn't help but think that she had a brightening affect upon her mood, as well as that of her servants. As Rita left the room to go fetch some cakes from the kitchen, Joan continued to engage Heidi in conversation, trying to get to know more about the girl. As Heidi complimented the food, Joan saw Avander glide into the room out of the corner of her eye. As he swept in, she noticed the strange, suspicious look he threw in Heidi's direction.

Even stranger was the fact that Heidi had stopped speaking. Instead, her eyes seemed to move across the room as though she was following Avander's progress. As the demon cam and stood next to Joan, he whispered in her ear.

"She can see me." He said. Joan's eyes widened. Only she could see Avander. The demon had always been invisible to other humans. How was it possible that this girl was aware of his presence?

As though to prove Avander's point, Heidi spoke, addressing the demon.

"Hello, are you a friend of Joan's?" The girl asked politely, smiling in a very friendly way.

So she can see him. Joan though, blinking in surprise. How interesting.

"This is Avander." She said, gesturing at the demon. "Yes, I suppose you could say he is a friend of sorts. You and I are the only ones who can see him. Avander, say hello to Heidi."

Avander stayed silent, surveying the girl with a wary look in his eyes. The girl's presence seemed to have put him on edge.

"Don't mind him." Joan turned her attention away from the demon. "We should be discussing your arrangements. You are free to stay here if you wish, until we can figure out who you are and where your family may be. If you need anything, you can speak to either Rita or me."

"Thank you Joan." Heidi said gratefully. "I really appreciate it. I hope I won't be too much of a burden though."

"No, not at all." Joan said, smiling once again. She was doing a lot of it lately.

Rita came in at that moment, balancing a tray of cakes. Seeing her enter, Joan got to her feet.

"I'm leaving you in Rita's hands now." She told Heidi. "I have some things to take care of. We can talk again later."

With that, Joan left the room with Avander beside her. When they were once again inside her study, the demon spoke.

"What was that?" He demanded.

"I do not know." Joan replied. "She was found in the grounds earlier this morning. Curious little thing, isn't she?"

"She's not human." Avander said. Joan raised an eyebrow.

"Then what is she?"

"She is not a demon." Avander said. "She is not an angel either. Her presence is unlike any other I have ever felt before. It is not a good idea to have her here."

Joan frowned at this. The demon was possible right. It was not a good idea to have this girl, or whatever she was, in the house. They had no idea where she had come from, or what she even was. She may have come off as a sweet, innocent girl, but who knew what she truly was like. She was trouble.

And yet, Joan could not bring herself to get rid of the girl. She didn't want to appear soft, but she couldn't help but wonder where the girl would go if they kicked her out. It was not only that however. Joan felt some strange attachment to the girl, one she could not explain. It was this feeling that made her want to keep an eye on the girl, to keep her within the safety of the manor walls. But safe from what?

"Leave her for now." Joan said at last. "We have other pressing matters to attend to."

Her thoughts shifted to Colton and the information Avander had passed her. So it was true that Colton was behind her Family's murder and quite possibly had others who assisted with it. But what was this Amaki he had mentioned? They were obviously the ones behind Maxwell's information, but what was their interest in her? And what did her family have to do with all this? The Coltons were involved in black magic just like her family, that was the link, the connection that bound her father and mother's death to Colton and possibly whoever these Amaki were.

"Well, what are you going to do?" Avander's voice brought Joan out of her musings.

"What do you think I will do?" Joan snapped. "Colton will die, I'll make sure of that."

"And the son? What of him?"

"Leave him for now." Joan said. "I am curious to find out who these Amaki are. From what you told me, it's his job to lead me to them. I shall let him live a bit longer and see what comes out of getting acquainted with him."

"And how are you going to make Colton give up his soul to me?" Avander questioned. "If he really has any knowledge about demons, then he won't be easily tricked into giving up his soul."

Joan smiled mysteriously. "I think I have something in mind, but first, I must wait for that invitation I was promised."