I was sitting in my lab, my hand spread open on the table, while the skull examined my palm.<br /><br />I'd worn a mark there for years--an unblemished patch of skin amidst all the burn scars, in the perfect shape of the angelic sigil that was Lasciel's name.<br /><br />The mark was gone.<br /><br />In its place was just an irregular patch of unburned skin.<br /><br />"It looks like there's no mark there anymore," Bob said.<br /><br />I sighed. "Thank you, Bob," I said. "It's good to have a professional opinion."<br /><br />"Well, what did you expect?" Bob said. The skull swiveled around on the table and tilted up to look at my face. "Hmmmmm. And you say the entity isn't responding to you anymore?"<br /><br />"No. And she's always jumped every time I said frog."<br /><br />"Interesting," Bob said.<br /><br />"What's that supposed to mean?"<br /><br />"Well, from what you told me, this psychic attack the entity blocked for you was quite severe."<br /><br />I shivered, remembering. "Yeah."<br /><br />"And the process she used to accelerate your brain and shield you was traumatic as well."<br /><br />"Right. She said it could cause me brain damage."<br /><br />"Uh-huh," Bob said. "I think it did."<br /><br />"Huh?"<br /><br />"See what I mean?" Bob asked cheerfully. "You're thicker already."<br /><br />"Harry get hammer," I said. "Smash stupid talky skull.