Welcome to Gaia! ::

I was sitting on the plinth, with my back against the tomb wall, blood slowly pooling around me, when a light flashed out in the darkness of the vault.
It came closer.

At last, Cherubael floated down and hovered over me. Its face, limbs and body were hideously marked with weals, burns and gashes.

I looked up at it. It was hard to move, hard to concentrate. There was blood in my mouth, in my eyes.

'Glaw's daemonhost?'

'Gone.'

'He claimed it was more powerful then you.'

'You don't know ow nasty I can be,' it said.

I thought about that. The last of the diabolic book's pages were mere tufts of black ash, scattered across the plinth.

'Are we finished here?' it asked.

'Yes,' I said.

It frowned.

'I'm going to have to carry you after all, aren't I?' it sighed.

"I can supply you with whatever I have in excess."

Marnie opened the bundle and pulled out a white dress, soft wool, with leaves embroidered on the bodice. "I see," she said, with a sly look at him. "Since when have you had too many dresses in your clothes chest, father?"

"Ah---I've been caught out!" he chuckled. "'Tis a secret sin of mine, collecting women's garments."