The Chamber of Sins
Chapter 9.4 "Regrets"

Inside the Order’s house, the mood was down. Lionette visited the Lefebvre's urns room, searching for the precious shield. She looked for the small vault perfectly hidden behind a wide urn. She typed the code on its rubber pad, waiting patiently for the opening sound.

Here you are! She took the shiny ball in her palms and, blessed by its warmth, she passed her fingers on its surface and began praying. Its light spreading throughout the entire room. “It is going to protect us,” the woman murmured, full of hope.

The Peter’s globe was a powerful artefact, used to delimit a perimeter, in this case, the entire Shropshire county. It was going to protect the area and the people inside. The only bad thing was that nobody could enter or exit after its activation, so the fight would last until one part died. She prayed that the other members of the Order would successfully fight the evil outside the globe.

As the Book was inside the artefact protection, all the sins were going to remain in, and the rest of the world would be safe. The sins were released in large numbers, and they would have to fight even more enemies. It was like a Kamikaze mission, without bombing, but it was the only way.

She continued praying until the artefact started pulsing in green protective light and then checked on the laptop and saw the entire area was lying under the green cupola.

The woman left the ball in the middle of the room, inside a black box. Seven locks armed themselves and sealed the door behind her.

Only she could disarm the shield. In case she lost her life, Dubois, the next in command, will do it when the mission ends.

A disagreement interrupted her thoughts, the Stephionee's voice overlapping Lefebvre's. They stopped when she entered the room.

“Don’t tell her,” Stephionee muffled.

“Leave me alone,” Lefebvre loathed and crammed his mug with hot coffee. He poured the dark, aromatic liquid, slopping some on the countertop. He wiped it nervously.

Lionette’s lips formed a disapproving pucker as she cast a rueful eye at her colleagues.

“What is going on?” Lionette inquired.

Both Stephionee and Lefebvre said nothing.

“You need to listen to something,” the man said. “It is a confession - your husband's confession,” he completed as the woman brought her eyes to his face, surprised.

Lionette made herself comfortable in the technical room and stood in silence, waiting for a pair of headphones.

“I had recorded this at the Midwinters property. There was a small group of ghosts that I had to help. I do remember one of them stopping in front of the microphone for a short period, but at that moment, I couldn’t hear what he had to say.”

A calm, adenoidal voice came out from the sophisticated machine. It just took a minute, and the woman slumped into the chair. She leaned forward, and as placing her head in her hands, deep sobs waved Lionette’s body, and a whimper followed with every cry.

Hello, my sweetheart. If you hear these words, that means..., he-he, I had always wanted to say these words. The man straightened his voice. After taking our baby away, I thought I would prefer you looking at me with those reproachful eyes for a lifetime than to live without you. At that very moment, I realised you are everything to me, and maybe I would have brought Margo back if I hadn’t died.

As a priest, God had been with me all my life. I believed in Him, and I still am. What Gabriel did to our daughter Clare was unpardonable, and wanting to punish him, I took their child away. I realise now that the little angel had nothing to do with it, but at that moment, I was furious, and I felt powerless. She was married to another man in God's name, and he fooled her with his angelic appearance and sweet words. Stephan stopped talking. And he had a baby with her.

After all these years of wondering on Earth, I realise I ruined everyone’s life. Clare got insane, Margo thought for all her life that her parents have abandoned her, Gabriel wondered on Earth and forgot his purpose, and you have lived your life crushed by pain and hatred.

That fatidical night I got killed by a demon. They wanted her - the unique half-angel - Gabriel’s daughter made with a mortal. Imagine what a feast would have been. I said nothing until the second I died. I am so sorry for all the sorrow I broth in your lives.

The man stopped talking.

I don’t know how to say that, but our granddaughter is dead, and she is a ghost. I met her a few times, and she saw me too. You can ask that Midwinter boy. He knows her well as they spend a lot of time together. I love you, ma cherry.

The man’s voice left a deep void in Lionette’s heart and head, along with despair, and strangely, hope.

“Supposedly, Robert can see the girl, and I can speak to her through him. I could tell her how much we love her and that nobody left her. It has just been a misunderstanding,” Lionette cooed. “Stephionee, call Robert for me, would you?”

Robert noticed Lionette’s sorrowful face as he entered the room. He backed off a little as she came and took his hands in hers.

“Do you know my Margo?” She asked, her eyes filled with hope.

“I know a Margo, yes,” the boy said, unsure how to behave.

“I need to talk to her. Please,” Lionette continued.

Robert sighed.

“Margo is a ghost,” he muttered.

“Yes, and I know you can see her, and,” she stopped as tears burst through her eyes, “she is my lost granddaughter. I had been searching for her for so many years.”

Robert’s eyes questioned Stephionee. The girl shrugged and left the room.

“Something happened to her lately, Lionette. Margo changed; she can touch objects and cries with actual tears. These are things she couldn’t do before.”

Lionette’s eyes absorbed all the boy’s words, tears of joy flooding her face.

“Where is she now, my boy?” she asked, full of hope.