RAPHANIÈ SAT DOWN at one of the tables reserved for breakfast, placed his notepad and cell phone on the chair beside him, and ordered a double espresso. A coughing fit left him breathless, and immediately afterward he felt a painful stab in his left eyebrow and closed his eyes.
He was deeply hurt and remembered Cardinal Josefo's sentence:
"You are temporarily suspended from your ecclesiastical duties. Another priest will take your place, and you will be transferred to a monastery in Greece, where you will have time for reflection and do penance for your sins."
The cup of coffee arrived at the table. He thanked the server and took a sip, without sugar or sweetener.
— Just two more days before I get out of this whirlwind — he said to himself, feeling a mixture of relief and sadness.
He picked up the notepad, and a loose sheet of paper fell to the floor. It had been folded twice. Saul had given it to him at Temple Church. According to him, someone resembling John Dee had spoken those words to him in a dream, but overwhelmed by circumstances, the priest had not yet devoted any attention to it.
He looked over the message:
Othil lasdi babage od dorpha Gohol!
— Maybe if I can decipher this... It could be a key — he thought aloud, finishing his coffee.
He put his cell phone and notepad into his coat pocket, went to the Business Center, and checked his notes on John Dee's writings.
— A key! — he exclaimed, downloading the digitized manuscript of Claves Angelicae once again.
In the search tool, he typed those incomprehensible words, and his suspicion was confirmed. They were words written in the Enochian language, using Latin characters.
In the book, they introduced the Fourth Key.
— Saul, the devil really did come looking for you. Let's see what he told you — Raphaniè concluded, turning to the English version of the message, also written in John Dee's own hand:
I have set my feet in the South and looked about me, saying:
"Are not the Thunders of Increase in number that reign in the second angle? Under them I have placed those who were never numbered, except one. In it the second principle of things is and grows strong. Successively, they are also the numbers of time. Their powers are like those of the first. Arise, Sons of Pleasure, and visit the Earth. I am the Lord your God who Is and lives forever. In the name of the Creator, move and reveal yourselves as pleasant deliverers, that you may praise Him among the sons of men."
— Sons of Pleasure... perhaps they are the fallen angels, and the god in this message is not the true God, but the one who sought to make himself equal to Him, the leader of the rebellion, Samyaza, John Dee's master. But the text is still encoded. What do these numbers mean? The location of the accursed book... No one better than Saul to help me solve this riddle — Raphaniè deduced aloud as he transcribed the Fourth Key.
AFTER THE HEARTY BREAKFAST, Raphaniè contemplated the view from the sofa in his suite. He was extremely anxious about what he had discovered and wanted to call Saul and share his discovery, but he knew the journalist was meeting his father that morning, so it would be better to wait for his call.
— In a few days, I'll be exiled to Greece. What do they want with that diabolical book? — he wondered, clenching his fists.
He remembered that he had not read the last message Antoine had sent him.
It can't be anything too important... — he concluded, opening his inbox on the laptop.
He was surprised to see an email from Gregory Evans, but decided to start with the one from his assistant:
Dear Professor Marin, I apologize if you find this email in any way offensive to Holy Mother Church. I did not send it earlier because I considered it inappropriate, but I changed my mind when I remembered your advice:
"Sometimes, it is better to leave the cassock in the wardrobe and act as a researcher."
— Let's see if that applies in this case, Antoine — Raphaniè remarked, returning to the message:
Protestants interpret certain prophecies unfavorably, pointing to the Holy See as the place chosen by the Antichrist to seduce the multitudes. According to them, the Great Whore of Revelation is the Catholic Church, which strayed from the teachings of Jesus Christ and therefore betrayed Him. In any case, I have compiled the Protestant texts concerning the emergence of the Antichrist. If you wish, I can send them to you. In Christo et Maria, Antoine.
— Antoine, this is nonsense! The sectarians do not accept the authority of the Pope. It is only natural that they would identify him with the enemy and attack him. The Catholic Church is... — he was explaining in a professorial tone.
He could be a servant of the devil seeking to undermine the Church's resistance, or a Satanist intending to appropriate these misguided interpretations of the prophecies in order to usurp the power and glory of God... — he reasoned.
— That might explain why that wretch joined forces with the enemy and plotted to have me removed from this mission. I'll be of no use in an isolated monastery, and... — he stopped before uttering the final word, but it echoed in his mind:
"Dead..."
That memory struck his spirit like a right cross.
"You are everything a priest should not be, Raphaniè."
Cardinal Josefo's accusation struck him hard as well. Still dazed, he opened Gregory's email:
Dear Italo Mannieri, I heard that you have finished your business in London. I would like to meet you for a double espresso two days from now, before you leave for Italy. I need to give you some documents and wish you a pleasant journey. G.E.
— I need to find a way to make him reveal the traitor's name — he said to himself, accessing Google Images and entering the Brazilian model's name.
He opened a gallery of portraits and accessed the Family Archive. In one of the photographs, Jessyca Volpi was nothing more than an unknown child in the Brazilian countryside. Though hesitant, he enlarged the image. Raphaniè knew that smile and closed his eyes, imagining those moments.
THAT CHILD WAS ENCHANTING. The first time he saw her, she was wearing a pale pink dress with a white bow tied around her waist. Her straight blond hair, falling to her shoulders, was held back at the sides by colorful hair clips, and her blue eyes gazed at him curiously.
— What is this beautiful little angel's name? — he asked, crouching down to lessen the distance between them.
— You talk funny — she said, surprised by his accent. It was the first time she had heard a foreigner speaking Portuguese.
— I'm Italian.
— He's the new priest, sweetheart — her mother explained.
— Joaquim talked like us, Mom, but this priest talks funny — the girl retorted.
— My name is Raphaniè. And yours?
— Jessyca, and I'm seven years old.
— She's old enough for First Communion, isn't she, Mom? — Raphaniè asked, turning toward the woman.
— Jessyca starts catechism next week, don't you, sweetheart?
The girl answered with a smile Raphaniè would never forget. It was as though God Himself were looking at him through those small blue eyes.
— After Mass, I want you to stop by the sacristy. I have a present for you, Jessyca — he promised with a smile, leaving her curious throughout the entire Mass.
From time to time, he glanced toward the two of them and caught the little girl whispering to her mother. She was visibly anxious.
As soon as the final blessing ended, the girl dashed toward the sacristy entrance, arriving before the priest.
— Where's my present? — she demanded as soon as she saw Raphaniè.
— I thought you'd forgotten — the priest joked, pushing open the door and entering the room after her.
— She barely let me pay attention to Mass, Father Raphaniè. That's all she talked about — her mother revealed.
— Do you know how to read yet? — Raphaniè asked, opening a cabinet and taking out a Bible.
— I'm learning!
— Then show me — he said, opening the book and writing something on the first page.
— What did I just write? — he asked as he handed her the book.
— Dear Jessyca, whenever you have a problem, close your eyes and open this book to any page. God will speak to you. A kiss from the priest who talks funny.
— Jessyca, this is your present.
She remained silent, staring at the dedication.
— Thank the priest, Jessyca — her mother instructed.
— Thank you, Father.
THE CELL PHONE RANG for the second time. Raphaniè opened his eyes on the sofa in his suite at L'oscar London and picked up the device. It was Saul.
"... Can you talk?..."
— Sorry, I didn't answer before. I was lost in thought.
"... I'm heading back to central London. I have a meeting with my assistant, and I need to meet you afterward..."
— I'll be waiting for you at the hotel. How did the meeting with your father go?
"... I followed your advice, but I'd rather talk about it when we're together..."
— That's great news, Saul. There's just one thing I want to tell you now.
"... What?..."
— Remember that strange message you gave me, the one you received in a dream?
"... Of course..."
— It's encoded in the Enochian language, created by John Dee — the priest revealed.
"... Did you find out what it means?..."
— Yes, but I'd also rather discuss it in person.
"... That's wiser... I'll call when I'm nearby... See you soon..."
After the call, Raphaniè closed his eyes again.
Why did you choose the wrong path, Jessyca? — he lamented inwardly.
Perhaps he would discover the answer that very day, and exile in a Greek monastery would cease to be a punishment and become his greatest blessing.