The door behind them flew open, breaking off of it's hinges.

Gabriel came into the room with a look of horror.

"Clarisa!" he shouted. "Let go of her!"

Clarisa knew defeat when she saw it, but she still pushed Emily away so hard that Emily slammed against the hard stone wall.

Gabriel came right up to Clarisa.

Emily still dazed watched through tears of pain as Clarisa stood her ground.

"What are you doing Clarisa? Trying to ruin the last chance we have for a consul-union?"

Clarisa laughed in his face. "There are many more chances for a consul-union."

Gabriel grabbed Clarisa's arm. "Not in this millenium there won't be! You should never have come Clarisa!"

Clarisa caressed Gabriel's cheek, her nails racked down and scratched him deep enough for blood to show. "Not everyone thinks this is such a great idea Gabriel…remember that!"

Clarisa yanked out of Gabriel's reach and left the room.

Gabriel put a hand to his cheek..

"Sure you're in pain, but what about me?" Joked Emily.

Gabriel looked down and saw her still on her butt on the floor.

"Sorry." Gabriel knelt and helped her up.

"Do those scratches hurt?" "No." Gabriel led Emily to the bed.

"What lies did Clarisa tell you?"

"Nothing…except she mentioned the Union again. Why did you call it a consul-union. If this is all true…and I'm not going insane, then why do I have the feeling that you haven't told me all of the stuff I need to know yet?" Gabriel swiped an impatient hand along his feathers.

"I can't explain as well as he can."

"Who?"

Gabriel walked to the door. "Just get some rest Emily. He hasn't arrived yet."

"Who?!"

Gabriel sighed. "You would call him...your future husband I believe."

"My what!?"

Emily stared at the closed doors.

Union? It meant marriage? To one of those creatures?

**************

Emily woke from her dream still half-asleep.

"Wake UP!" a quiet voice implored.

Emily brushed her hand against the lamp. Slowly a soft glow penetrated the darkness.

Perched on the end of the bed was a girl of about her age.

"Don't scream!" the girl waved her hands. "You'll wake up everyone else."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Lixer."

Emily sat up in bed.

"I'm Emily."

Lixer smiled. "I know…everyone knows who you are."

Emily eyed the new arrival in her room. The girl looked her age, with long blond hair to her waist, except her eyes were purple and she had the same horns on her head like Gabriel.

"Are you Agean?" Emily asked. "Yup…I'm what you call a Breach-Agean. That's because I'm half human too. Hey, wanna know something really cool. You know the Agean wings, when you touch them backwards it makes them really upset."

Emily shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"Like a cat you know. Cats hate it when you pet them backwards; I used to do it to my old cat though. I haven't met Gabriel yet. Is he cute? Daniel, that's my…I guess you'd call him my step brother, he's really shy around me. Like he's afraid I might do something to embarrass him if we talked."

Emily's head reeled as Lixer jumped from one subject to another. She could talk up a whirlwind.

"Anyway. I'll let you get some more sleep; I plan to sniff out some real food in this dungeon they like to call a Caslte. See ya later!"

Just as quickly as she'd came Lixer was out the door.

Emily flopped back down on the bed. She needed more sleep.

Someone pounded on the door.

Looks like sleep was not in the cards.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Daniel."

Emily got up from the bed and went to open the door.

"Hello." She said.

This Agean looked the opposite of Gabriel, short blond hair, blue eyes, and pale skin.

"Did Lixer come through here?" Daniel asked.

"Yes. She left just a few seconds ago. Are you looking for her?"

Daniel looked both ways down the corridor. "I swear that girl gives me more problems then any one I know."

Daniel shook his head. "Never mind. Thank you Emily, but I should keep looking for her."

Then Daniel was gone down the corridor, his wings trailing behind him.

.