Awakening Angel

by Brandt, Eva

  “He’s afraid for you,” the voice pointed out, “afraid that you’ll prematurely trigger the curse or push the Pures into doing something to you that they might normally not do.”

  “I can see that. But if he keeps worrying about other people, who will worry about him?”

  I received no reply, but I didn’t expect one anyway. I had already decided the task would fall to me, and I’d embraced it wholeheartedly the moment I had stepped out of the shadows, or perhaps even before that.

  “He isn’t guilty,” I said again, “and I can prove it.”

  At that, the people present snapped out of their trances. “Prove it?” someone asked. “What kind of ridiculous joke is this? Guards, capture the intruder and remove her at once.”

  Several things happened at the same time. Groups of soldiers emerged from various sections of the amphitheater, rushing toward me. They moved so quickly I couldn’t have escaped if I’d tried. My soulmate did better. He jerked on the chains keeping him captive, freeing himself from the hold of the men who had escorted him into the room. His eyes glowed with fury and almost feral desperation. I suspected he would do something very unwise if I didn’t step in, something that might perhaps invalidate my original plan.

  Declan shoved one of the men away with his foot and gripped his chain in one strong hand, as if readying himself to use it as a whip. The stranger regained his footing and turned toward Declan once again. “You don’t want to do that, Guardian Whelan,” he said, his dark eyes flaring an eerie red.

  “Oh, I think I do. You’re losing your touch, Inquisitor Lindberg, if you missed something so obvious.”

  These people had an inquisition too? This was getting better and better.

  “The Alarians are very organized,” the mysterious voice dutifully explained. “They have a great number of different types of units in their service, and the inquisitors act as their primary investigators and interrogators. The enforcers and the guardians are the strike teams, both specialized in taking out all threats to the kingdom, be they scavenger-related or otherwise.”

  At a different time, I would have found all that very interesting, but instead, I wondered what the Alarians’ idea of appropriate interrogation methods might be. Somehow, I suspected it didn’t take into account trivial things like human rights.

  Then again, perhaps I was being a little too hasty to judge them so harshly. The rest of the guards surrounded us, wielding various kinds of sharp implements, but making no real attempt to approach us. For some reason, Inquisitor Lindberg did not seem inclined to test Declan’s temper and willingness to commit violence on my behalf.

  Either way, I was exasperated with how easily things seemed to escalate around my soulmate and me. I stepped between Declan and the others. “This really isn’t necessary. I’m sorry for bursting in like this, but I didn’t have much choice in the matter. After all, you did steal my soulmate from me.”

  “Pardon?” a woman seated by Darius’s side inquired. “You are Guardian Whelan’s soulmate, Lucienne Hastings?”

  “Yes, Madam, I am. Prince Darius can attest to my identity if you don’t believe me.”

  “It’s true,” Darius replied. “She is Guardian Whelan’s soulmate.”

  “It changes nothing,” a stern-faced older man said from one of the podiums. He reminded me a little of a priest I had once met when I’d been a child, still living at the orphanage and begging for scraps to eat. He had not been kind when he’d caught me stealing from the poor box. “The trial must proceed, as we discussed,” he said.

  “It changes plenty,” I shot back.

  All right. This was the moment of truth, the moment when I had to presumably provide the evidence that would acquit my soulmate. “A little help would be appreciated right about now,” I told the voice.

  I received no reply, but I did feel a small nudge against my back, as if gentle disembodied hands were guiding my actions, telling me what to do. I took one step forward, then another, and slowly, began to float, levitating toward the not-priest.

  “What in the name of the gods...” someone murmured.

  “Impossible!”

  “How can this be?”

  The reaction was satisfying since it indicated that I had impressed my audience, not exactly something easy since they were supposed to be people who could not get impressed. Then again, maybe they were capable of feeling certain types of emotions. At this point, I didn’t even care anymore. I was too busy trying to navigate my floating body and not drift away through the ceiling. Looking awesome was kind of difficult when I was basically using a means of locomotion I had never deemed possible, let alone attempted before.

  Thankfully, the voice did not abandon me and with its aid, I stabilized myself in front of the crescent-shaped table. I poked the wood with a finger, and my digit went straight through. “Does this convince you, Your Majesty?” I asked. God, I hoped the voice had been correct and this would be enough.

  “Indeed,” the king replied. “It appears we received faulty information, and the charges against Guardian Whelan are invalid. Guardian Whelan, you are free to go. This trial is dismissed.”

  Nobody questioned the king’s words. There was no hammer banging or scepter wielding, but he didn’t need it. As one, the whole assembly got up, bowed and wordlessly started to head toward the exit. Inquisitor Lindberg removed Declan’s shackles and chains as if it was the most natural thing in the world, then saluted and left after the others.

  The only ones who stayed behind were the king, Prince Darius, the woman by their side—the queen, perhaps—the stern-faced priest lookalike, plus Declan. Apparently, despite being told that he was free to go, he wasn’t that willing to follow orders as the king’s underlings had been. Yet another manifestation of his concern for me, no doubt.

  Nobody called him out on it. Instead, the queen smiled at me, and the small quirk of her lips seemed to hold genuine warmth. I knew better than to trust that impression. “Perhaps we could take this conversation elsewhere,” she said. “As I understand it, Ms. Hastings, you have been assigned a guest room here at the Palasion. Is your body still in that location?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied.

  “Wonderful. Do return to your physical form. We will come see you in a couple of minutes.”

  I decided that was a good idea, both because the queen had suggested it and due to the fact that I was beginning to feel the strain of this bizarre power I was using. There was just one problem. How exactly was I supposed to go back to my body? Did I have to fly there like some kind of incorporeal spirit? That sounded tedious and unnecessarily convoluted.

  I needn’t have worried. The process turned out to be much simpler, and all it took was me visualizing my physical form for my astral self to fade from the courtroom and tumble back to where I actually belonged. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the massive four-poster bed, feeling like I was freezing despite the fact that I was still wrapped up in the quilt.

  “Astral travel takes a lot out of people,” the voice told me. “But you did very well, especially for a first-timer.”

  I rubbed my ice-cold arms, trying to chase away the chill that had settled in my bones. “Will this really fix everything? Will it keep Declan safe?”

  “Those are two different questions, little one. Your soulmate is safe, yes, but only from his people. The curse is an entirely different matter. Never forget that, and never forget that some things cannot be so easily fixed.”

  * * *

  Declan

  I couldn’t believe what was happening. I had been fully prepared to admit my guilt, and preferably point out that all fault for what had occurred lay with me, and not Lucienne and Malachai. My angel seemed to have had an entirely different idea because once again, she had shattered all my expectations and blown everything I’d thought I’d known out of the water.

  “I see you’ve been keeping more secrets than we thought, Guardian Whelan,” Cardinal Vaughn said. “You should’ve notified u
s that your soulmate was not human.”

  “I’m afraid I didn’t realize it myself, Your Holiness,” I admitted. “The information is as new to me as it is to you.”

  It was a shame that I could not pretend that I had known about Lucienne’s paranormal background. Unfortunately, such an approach wasn’t feasible, not when Prince Darius had looked into my mind and would’ve found out the truth had I been aware of it.

  “So you do not know what species she belongs to?” King Sterling inquired.

  “There are only so many beings who are mind mages of this caliber, Father,” Darius answered in my stead. “It might be wiser to discuss it with Ms. Hastings herself.”

  Queen Sarai hooked her arm through her husband’s, patting it in an affectionate gesture that I knew had very little meaning. “Darius is right, My Lord Husband. Let us speak with Guardian Whelan’s soulmate, and see where we go from there.”

  “That would probably be best. Son, if you would be so kind...”

  Darius wordlessly complied with the unstated request, and together, we made our way out of the courtroom and through the corridors of the Palasion. I had never been more grateful for the Alarians’ tendency to keep their architecture precise at all costs, as it meant that in no time at all, we reached the guest wing.

  By now, rumor of what had happened in the courtroom had already spread through the palace. Serena was still guarding the quarters that had presumably been assigned to Lucienne. She bowed as soon as the royals came within view.

  “Enforcer Ayers, has there been any movement from inside?” the king asked.

  “No, Your Majesty,” she replied. “Guardian Whelan’s mate did not attempt to leave the room, and there has been no sign of any intruder attempting to approach.”

  Under different circumstances, I would’ve been tempted to roll my eyes. There was really no reason for Serena to make that latter comment at all. If anyone had sneaked into the Palasion, my trial and Lucienne’s sudden ability to use mind magic would’ve stopped being a priority. The royals would’ve already found out about it through their own methods and this visit wouldn’t be happening at all. But enforcers often tended to overcompensate for their inability to provide explanations to their superiors by offering unnecessary information. It was a little strange, considering how efficient they were the rest of the time, but I supposed that even the most accurate mechanisms had their flaws.

  “It would not make much difference if anyone had,” the king said. He was already pushing past Serena and walking into the room, his queen and son by his side and the cardinal following right behind them.

  I felt a spark of outrage on my soulmate’s behalf, as the group had not even deigned to knock at the door. However, this was the Palasion, and that was how things worked here. Lucienne might have received a lot of leeway because of being a human, but recent revelations changed that and changed the balance between her position and that of the royals.

  Lucienne was waiting for us on the luxurious couch in the room, and she got up to welcome us as soon as we walked in. “Your Majesties, Your Highness, Your Holiness. Greetings and thank you for coming so quickly. Declan, hello again. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

  I wondered how Lucienne even knew the appropriate manner of address toward everyone present. My angel was apparently full of surprises, and it both frustrated me and made me proud. Also, I was glad that she had addressed me in a more familiar way, even if the exchanges we had shared had been limited at best.

  I shot her a quick smile, wanting nothing more than to reassure her and make it clear that I wouldn’t let any harm come to her. Unfortunately, I could not do that with everyone there, and Cardinal Vaughn stepped in before I could even try. “Ms. Hastings, as we mentioned earlier, we need to have a conversation about your display. Tell us, what clan do you belong to? We received no information on you being an Accursed, or any other kind of paranormal.”

  “Well, not even the Alarians know everything, although I imagine that you might at least be able to make a guess. In the meantime, I’m not feeling particularly inclined to share my past with people who decided to execute my soulmate for something that is not his fault, so you will have to pardon me if I refuse to address that question.”

  Fuck. I could see where this was going, and I didn’t like it one bit. Then again, Lucienne had mouthed off at the group of scavengers, and they had been threatening her life at the time. This might just be something that happened on a regular basis.

  It was not an encouraging thought.

  “We were only following basic Alarian law, Ms. Hastings,” King Sterling said. “Surely, you must be aware of its workings. The Soulmate Protection Dictate exists for a reason, and that reason hasn’t changed, regardless of the revelation of your status.”

  “I know that, Your Majesty,” Lucienne answered calmly. “I know that, in the big picture, my opinion doesn’t hold much weight for you. Nevertheless, the fact remains that having a soulmate is important, and no one but the two people involved should have a say in the way it is handled.”

  “That is a simplistic view considering the state of affairs at a worldwide level,” the queen pointed out.

  “Well, yes. I realize that. I realize how dangerous the curse is, and that the people wanting to take advantage of it make it more so. But Declan is not a scavenger, and he shouldn’t have to pay the price for other people’s actions.

  “In any case, I’m not going to ask you to change your approach. I don’t have the right to make such demands. However, I do request to be released from captivity. Additionally, in compensation for the unauthorized mind magic that was performed on me by your son, I demand unhindered access to Declan.”

  My mouth fell open at Lucienne’s forceful words. She was correct in claiming that she had been wronged when Darius had wiped her memories of our first meeting, as other species didn’t allow such interventions. Alarian mind blurs could interact poorly with other types of mental abilities, which was probably the reason why Lucienne had displayed such confusion after the earlier fight with the scavengers. Following international paranormal law, Darius had unwillingly and unknowingly committed a crime.

  But Lucienne had also not stated what leader could offer her some protection, so she could do very little to enforce her demand. And even if that hadn’t been the case, what she was asking for was insane. If we spent more time together than we already had, the curse would kill her. That much was fact, even if she was not human.

  “Angel, you can’t be serious,” I said, willing her to reconsider. “I’m still an Accursed. Getting close to me is much too dangerous.”

  “Why don’t you let me decide what is too dangerous for me and what isn’t?” Lucienne clenched her hands into fists and fixed me with piercing dark eyes. She didn’t wait for a reply to the question that had obviously been rhetorical. Instead, she let out a slow breath, as if forcing herself to calm down. “I’m not going to push you into being in my presence if that’s not what you want, Declan. But I think we at least owe it to one another to talk a few times, to clear the air. Even if what we have doesn’t go anywhere, for the moment, it’s there, and it should be addressed.”

  “Ms. Hastings, I must caution you against doing this,” Darius offered. “I understand why you would want to proceed with this course of action, but it is not wise.”

  “Thank you for the advice, Your Highness,” Lucienne answered without missing a beat. “I appreciate your help and generosity. I’m very grateful that you’re willing to take the time to listen to me while I explain my point of view. But this is something that I feel must be done, even if it is dangerous, even if it means I have to brave the curse.”

  The three royals shared a look, as if communicating mentally, something which, knowing them, was entirely possible. A few seconds later, King Sterling nodded. “Very well. We will allow it. However, first, we must verify your claim and the validity of your request. We cannot force you to reveal your parentage if you do not wish it, but we must be
certain that you are indeed not human, as your powers suggest.”

  “That’s understandable. What do you need of me?”

  Cardinal Vaughn took a step forward and removed his gold-trimmed gloves. He extended his hand toward Lucienne, a simple gesture, but one that held a lot of meaning. “A brief touch will do.”

  Lucienne stared at his palm, perhaps wondering why he was making the offer considering how much of a big deal physical touch was in Alarian society. Fortunately, she chose not to ask, and instead went along with the request. The moment her hand made contact with his skin, a bright white glow lit up the room, as if Cardinal Vaughn had captured a star and was holding it in his fist. The light faded as quickly as it had appeared, once Cardinal Vaughn retracted his hand. “Some kind of fae parentage,” he reported. “I cannot identify the exact branch, not without looking closer, but it is definitely there.”

  “That’s more than enough,” Queen Sarai said. It really was, and it explained a lot. No matter what land they came from, fae rejected the authority of the Alarian royal house. One fae from an unidentified branch would not be enough to spark an international incident, but the Pures were nothing if not conscientious in following the rules and would not pursue matters further.

  “Guardian Whelan,” King Sterling said, much like I had expected, “return your soulmate to her home. You have a day to settle matters between the two of you.”

  As reluctant as I might have been to place Lucienne in danger due to the curse, I embraced the opportunity to remove her from the reach of the Alarians. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” I said with a formal salute. “Praised be the High King.”

  Lucienne couldn’t utter the traditional goodbye of the Alarians, but she still provided an appropriate alternative. “Thank you again, Your Majesties, Your Highness, Your Holiness. May the gods smile upon you and bless our next meeting.”