The disruption in the plane was like a peal of happiness over Velentham's heart. She had returned. He knew she would. Sanria had used the rose, and she was here. In an instant, Velentham collapsed space onto itself and arrived at the side of... the priest? It didn't make sense. Before him was the same priest that had come to take Sanria away. Why?
"Greetings, Priest." Velentham knew immediately the priest understood. "I suppose she chose not to return?"
"Well, I'm afraid she didnt' know she could... I don't think anyone did."
"If I would have had time to discuss it with her, perhaps," Velentham said with a tad more venom than he intended.
"Actually, she doesn't remember you at all."
Impossible. There is no way his Sanria would have forgotten him. Utterly impossible. "What do you mean?"
"There is much I think we should discuss... shall we go somewhere to sit?"
In silence, Velentham spirited Gilean through space and onto the porch of the cabin. His ire was raised, his anger palpable. Greetings finished, his father spoke lightly, "I was telling my son here that we ought to have more visitors to our slice of heaven." In an instant, Telfenham was in Velentham's mind. 'How did this happen?'
'I don't know.'
"Well, I must admit arriving here was a surprise," Gilean said. "I did not know that this was a portal back to this realm."
Again the elder Celestial looked to his son. 'You did not tell them?'
'Father, I didn't have the time to-'
'Such a foolish, foolish thing to do, Velentham. Look now, we have a guest that has no way home.'
'He wasn't supposed to be the one!'
'Watch your tone.'
"Well, a portal it was and here you now are," Telfenham spoke with a gen- ial smile. In an instant, the rose was vanished.
"Yes. I was only hoping to study it. I was hopeful that it might allow me to connect with more of my past."
"It seems your past has lead you right here."
"Wrong path," Velentham growled under his breath. It was all he could take. He rose from the chair and stormed from the cottage.
