The next morning the family reconvened. Rachel, Tirai Osdarin, and Daniel's wife Callista took care of the children while their parents dealt with the problems at hand.
Jenos, attempting to stay calm, started. "So, anything?"
"I met with Dark Angel last night," Tirai yawned. She obviously had been awake half the night.
"He give you any news?"
"He is looking into it for us, but he is not sure how quickly he can get the information."
Her brother looked up. "He wants more money?"
"He needs to see what he can find out. Time is what he needs."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "He's not taking money for this?"
"Oh he's taking money, but something tells me whoever did this may have stepped on his toes too."
He looked at his twin sister. "Why do you say that?"
"Some of our other informants are saying that the Black Lady hasn't been seen in a while."
Jenos looked up. "Dark Lady?"
Tirai nodded. "She was a spy for us for years; some call Dark Angel her protégé. She was very loyal to us and helped out when things got a little hairy. If you needed to know something in this city, she could find it out for you, but there was always a hefty price."
Daniel shrugged. "You think she may be the one that did this?"
"Could be, but doesn't seem like her style." She wrapped her hands around the mug put in front of her by Claire. "She is an information broker. She doesn't do assassination or kidnappings. If you wanted something acquired, or needed some information on someone, she could find it. If she's found she might know what these people were up to."
Jenos sighed. "Where does that leave us?"
"A hair above bupkis." Daniel yawned.
About then Irina and Artie walked in the door. "Our reprieve may be up." Irina sighed.
Tirai rolled her eyebrows. "Why don't I like the sound of that?"
"Though our father is back, this doesn't mean the festival of the Guardians won't be held in a five days time. Like it or not, the military needs to secure the city and the festivities are beginning. All three of us are on active duty again."
Jenos began to stand up. "I'll talk to your commander to get you off duty."
Irina tried to soften the blow. "Poppa, you would be angry with us if we didn't do our job. At least this way we will have an excuse to mingle with the priests and other warriors. We may get a lead."
Daniel nodded. "Worth a shot."
"Tirai is going to stay here as extra security. I don't know what more we can do."
The morning of Alexi's funeral everyone was moving slowly. It had been decided that Alexis would be brought from the family chapel to the main alter and then returned to the chapel to be interred. Carriages had been arranged but on silent agreement all of the women and children were put into the carriages, but the four men chose to walk beside them. All of the men, Jenos, Daniel, Artrous, and Wallace; were in their full polished dress. Some of the guard started to make a fuss about the four of them not having their weapons peace tied, but after a glare from Jenos they backed down. The men of Anathal carried all their weapons in a show of solidarity in protecting their family and no one was going to stop them.
At the church the high priest wanted to have his men carry her to the altar but a quick dismissal from Jenos changed his mind quickly. In military step the four men carried her coffin to the altar for the service. The church was full with people. Yes Alexis was the wife of a celestial guardian, but she was also well liked through out the city. When Jenos went to sit next to Tirai Osdarain he found that Wallace had already taken that seat, and that his daughter Tirai motioned for him to sit next to her. Jenos didn't pay much attention to what was being said. He wrapped an armored arm around his daughter and let her sob into his chest.
When the service was over the men picked her up and carried her back to the chapel leaving the others to deal with the crowd of people wanting to offer their sympathy. The high priest again approached Jenos quietly. "I'm sorry for bothering you sir but I must ask you something."
Jenos didn't say anything, just nodded, so the man continued. "We must place her coffin into her crypt, but is there anything you wish to add or remove from her coffin before we seal it?"
"Her ring, her wedding ring, I would like to have it." He walked over to her, removed a gauntlet, and touched her cold hand to remove the small band of gold. It had been his grandmother's. His mother had given it to him for Alexis. At that time they didn't have much, but it was the best he could give her. Even when they became well off she turned away fancy jewels to wear his simple band of gold. Taking a dagger he carefully cut a lock of her hair. He placed the lock of hair and the ring in a small handkerchief; then slipped it into his pocket.
"Do you need more time sir?" The priest asked. Jenos shook his head as he turned away. He quickly walked out of the chapel. He didn't think he could stand to see them seal, and place her coffin into her crypt in the wall of the chapel.
He was standing in a neighboring chapel when Tirai Osdarin found him. "I was sent to find you. The girls were worried you were getting into mischief." She tried to give him a smile.
"They are all going to die, aren't they." Jenos stood before a wall that had plaques to show who was buried behind each of the wall sections.
She sighed, "Yes, all mortals will die eventually. It is how we choose to die is what makes the difference."
Jenos just sighed and tipped his head down in response.
"We are not like you. We can not live forever."
"The Goddess could…"
Tirai shook her head, "You know this Jenos. She can not make everyone a celestial like you." She laid a hand on his shoulder, "It was the guardian's reward to take on the immortal mantle and fight by her side. You were granted that, not us."
"You didn't deserve to die." He turned and looked into her face.
"No, but you kept your promise. I've had a good life, and I plan to enjoy it. Someday even I will die as well, Jenos."
"I don't think I could handle loosing you too."
"You know me Jenos, I'll always be around." She offered him a slight smile. "Come, the children are waiting on us, and I fear that the gossip mongers are already speculating on what we have been up to in here." She put her arm around Jenos's and ushered him toward the door.
When Jenos and Tirai stepped out of the chapel they found a young cardinal standing there. He was Cardinal Jean-Michel Owens, the son of their old friend the late Cardinal Domingo Quinn Owens, and later his eminence after Cassandra's passing.
"How are you holding up Master Guardian?" He asked.
"About as well to be expected." He shrugged.
"I am sorry for your loss."
"As we all are."
"I am sorry to say that I am not here just because I cared about Lady Alexis."
"I thought as much, but continue."
"His eminence wished to speak to you about recent events." He gave him a sympathetic smile. "I feel he has bad timing on his request but I must follow my orders, sir. "
"So must we all."
"Would you join me at the Basilica?" Cardinal indicated his carriage outside the church.
Jenos was showed into one of the sitting rooms of his eminence. He looked around to see how much had changed since Cassandra used these chambers. There were a few new pieces of art and books, but nothing stood out.
It wasn't long before a servant announced his eminence's arrival. He was an elderly but spry man. He had been his eminence for ten of the past thirty years and had managed the country well. "Master Guardian Jenos Idanian," he bowed his head to Jenos, "As I am glad to see you, I am sorry for the circumstances."
"As am I your eminence."
"Please have a seat, and I will have wine brought." He indicated the seats before them. A moment later a servant brought over two wine glasses and an open bottle of wine. His eminence taped the bottle with a wand. When nothing happened he poured himself and Jenos a drink. Jenos raised an eye brow at what just occurred.
"Wand of detect poison," he said to answer the unspoken question. "I am a student of history as well as religion Master Idanian. I do not wish to repeat the mistakes of my predecessors."
After both took a drink, his eminence spoke again, "I asked you to come here to discuss the murder of your wife. Her death has hit us hard as well. Many of us remembered her from when she worked here in the Basilica for her Holiness Lady Cassandra before she ascended. We might have information to share with each other. It is my belief that both of us want to see her killer or killers brought to justice."
"Do you know who killed my wife?" Jenos asked pointedly.
"No I do not but I know it was no accident."
"You mean someone wanted to kill her?"
"No…" his eminence took a sip of wine, "I don't think they originally planned on killing her, but something happened that forced their hand."
"Any idea what it was?"
"To be honest, it could be anything." His eminence leaned forward to look Jenos in the eyes, "Something odd is going on Jenos, and you have my word I will help you the best I can." He leaned back into his seat.
"What has been going on?"
"There are now more churches to the goddess being built that we have had in centuries. We are still making contact with towns that until your defeat of the Dark God have been isolated from the outside world. Over time their beliefs have become slightly different from others."
"How is that a problem?"
"We are trying to sanction most of them as Orders, or at least sects as part of those Orders. We can not have a major schism in the church. It is difficult enough that many people worship all of the Guardians. Thankfully they know it is through the Goddess's divine might that you do the things that you do."
"Has that been a problem?"
"Not necessarily, but it is part of the wonderful 'politics' of the church." He gave Jenos a slight smile behind his glass.
"Do you know of any one who might have wanted harm to come to my family?"
He sat his glass down, "I won't lie to you Master Idanian, but there are those that want your power, and a good way to get it is get the old fashioned way."
"Kill for it?"
"No, marry it." His eminence looked over his wine glass at Jenos. "Your wife could have been seen as a stepping stone to get to you."
"Or they could have been after my grandson." Jenos growled.
"There are those in our ranks that despised your wife, but they knew if they laid a hand on her; their death would be a blessing compared to what you would do to them. No, those that want to see harm done to your family are far too smart to try any of this. They play for time, and it isn't the right time yet."
"That is not very reassuring." Jenos sat down his empty wine glass and stood to leave.
"Indeed, but I can say this. There is darkness out there. Just because the Dark God is gone, does not mean all of his followers are gone." His eminence stood and looked into Jenos's eyes.