Interview with Eden Fortuna: Love, Possession, and Courage

Eden Fortuna enters The Last Archangel as a mortal woman trying to understand why the husband she loves has become secretive, frightening, and unrecognizable. This in-character interview contains references to domestic violence and supernatural possession. The humor belongs to the novel’s fantasy framework, but the harm Eden experiences is treated as serious rather than as a relationship problem she is responsible for fixing alone.

Originally published March 1, 2012. Substantially revised and expanded July 2026.

A Conversation with Eden Fortuna

Interviewer: Today we are speaking with Eden Fortuna. She recently discovered that the changes in her marriage had a supernatural cause. Eden, what happened?

Eden: I found out that my husband, Daren, was possessed by a demon.

Interviewer: Before you knew that, what warning signs did you notice?

Eden: Some were impossible to ignore. My normally mild-mannered husband became violent. I prepared a special dinner and expected a quiet evening. Instead, I ended up bruised, and the windshield of our car was nearly shattered.

Interviewer: That harm was not your fault. Were there other changes?

Eden: His habits changed. Daren hated spicy food, but suddenly he was eating several times a week at an Indian curry restaurant. That detail sounds small beside the violence, but it was another sign that the person in front of me was no longer behaving like the man I knew.

Secrets and Suspicion

Interviewer: What did you think was happening before you learned the truth?

Eden: I suspected an affair. He stayed at work longer, withdrew from me, and claimed he could not discuss what he was doing. Eventually, he even said there was another woman, but the explanation still did not fit everything I was seeing.

Interviewer: What finally convinced you that the situation was stranger than that?

Eden: After he stormed out, I found his phone and day planner. On that day, he had written “THE END.” Then the phone rang and began to smoke. The number displayed an area code of 666. When the ringing stopped, the phone was not even warm.

Interviewer: Did the caller leave a message?

Eden: Yes, but neither I nor a friend who teaches linguistics could identify the language. That was when the supernatural explanation stopped feeling impossible.

What Comes Next?

Interviewer: What will you do now?

Eden: I do not know exactly how this will end. I know that the man I loved existed before the possession, but I also know that I cannot pretend the danger is harmless. I have received help from people—and beings—I never expected to meet. Whatever happens next, I will need courage, judgment, and allies.

Interviewer: Thank you for speaking with us, Eden. We hope you remain safe and find the truth.

Why Eden Matters to the Story

Eden gives the novel a mortal perspective on a conflict filled with celestial powers. She does not have Xandir’s strength or ancient knowledge, but she possesses information, emotional insight, and a willingness to act when the explanations around her stop making sense.

Her story also complicates the novel’s treatment of love. Love can motivate rescue and sacrifice, but it does not erase accountability or require a person to remain unprotected in the presence of violence. Eden’s courage includes both hope for the person she knew and recognition of the danger before her.

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