His lips pursed but otherwise he didn’t react. ‘The one without heart,’ he finally mumbled. ‘I have not heard that name for a very long time. Why do you ask about him?’
‘I think he is Aydin’s leader.’
Isaac’s forehead wrinkled. ‘Aydin’s leader is not Beloar. I assume you speak of the one called Joel.’
I was confused. ‘So who is Joel then?’
‘Another who fell, but that was long after Beloar. He has inhabited the Earth for many centuries. Does Joel think he is Beloar?’
‘Aydin believes so.’
Isaac met my gaze. ‘That is not unexpected. Fallen angels often lose their identity and create a new one usually based on human mythology.’
I felt an unexpected surge of anger. ‘I don’t care who he is or even who he was. He’s a monster, and he deserves to die.’
‘You should not be so quick to judge,’ Isaac replied calmly. ‘You share more than you think.’
I straightened, appalled by the comparison. ‘I am nothing like him.’
‘I did not say you were like him, I said there are things you share. Joel endured a series of unfortunate events during his time as a guardian, and his guilt changed him forever. Empathy and compassion for the lost is never something to be ashamed of.’
A hint of pity slipped past my defenses, but it didn’t get far. I couldn’t afford to feel anything for Joel other than disdain. ‘Can you tell me about St Michael’s sword?’ I asked fighting my building emotions.
‘There is very little to tell you. Angels do not possess human weapons. The sword of St Michael only exists in human literature.’
Isaac’s words stole my last shred of hope. ‘Then Joel cannot be bound,’ I whispered to myself. I was devastated; running was our only option. I felt numb, we’d come so far and it had all been for nothing.
Isaac let out a long sigh. ‘It is a shame that the sun has stopped rising over your ocean.’
I stared at him, dumbfounded by the wistful comment. ‘I’m sorry?’
‘I have seen many beaches in my time, but I have to say this one was special. So easy to believe it is real,’ he lamented.
I didn’t know how to reply. Had I finally gone too far? Was this his way of telling me he would no longer help? A wave of self-pity took hold. ‘But it isn’t real,’ I burst out. ‘None of it is real. Not here, not Earth. It’s all illusion, and I know that, but I still can’t escape it. None of us can.’
‘Not even Joel,’ Isaac added.
I glared at him, angered by his indifference, but then I realized what he was trying to say. ‘Not even Joel,’ I repeated, my eyes wide. ‘He’s forgotten it’s an illusion. He believes it is real, all of it, including the sword of Michael.’ A surge of excitement tingled my skin. ‘I could still bind him. As long as he believes I have the sword, his own beliefs could trap him, just like the dark ones.’
I smiled, waiting for Isaac to say something.
‘But what will finally trap you Callie?’ he asked quietly. ‘How long till you forget it is not real?’
My smile fell away, now I understood what worried him. ‘I’m not like him. I only want to help Aydin.’
His head turned slowly. ‘It is not something you can control. When you stay in human form for too long the margins blur, just like they have for Joel.’
‘But I don’t understand, why tell me about the sword if you don’t want me to destroy Joel?’
Isaac’s vacant stare nearly broke me. ‘I do not know what to tell you anymore. Do I want you to destroy Joel? No. I do not. But maybe this is your destiny, maybe it is his. It is different when you are a guardian, our lives are no longer predetermined. It is up to us to make our own fate. All I know is if you fail, you might become one of them. If you succeed your soul will be scarred for eternity. Then again, maybe you will save both Aydin and Joel. But what I fear is that I will lose you before any of this has even happened.’
I touched his arm. He looked at my hand but otherwise didn’t move. I couldn’t imagine what I’d done to deserve this man’s love. Sitting there, fighting the tears, the conflicts in my life waged war. I couldn’t leave Aydin, yet I hated doing this to Isaac. I thought he had all the answers, but now I knew he was struggling too. Were there others above Isaac who helped him? I’d been too consumed by my earthly battles to even consider my future outside this world. Maybe I was trapped already? Maybe this was exactly how it started for Joel.
‘I don’t know how to stop,’ I whispered.
‘I know,’ he replied.
‘If I manage this, what will happen to Joel’s soul?’
‘We will help him if we can.’
I nodded weakly. ‘You are better than me.’
‘That is not true Callie, I know what is in your heart.’
‘Do you think Aydin could change in time?’ I asked.
‘Yes, but time is not your friend.’
‘And what about the other dark ones Joel has gathered? What would happen to them if we defeat him?’
‘We would offer them another chance, but we cannot force them. The path for some is longer than it is for others.’ I looked out to sea. Was he talking about the dark ones or me? ‘You should go back to Aydin now,’ he added.
I nodded. ‘Thank you again Isaac,’ I turned to him, but he was already gone, leaving nothing but darkness in front of me.
***
Aydin was sitting on the edge of the bed when I returned, and I wondered if he’d been there the whole time I was away. I appeared in front of him, and he looked up. Wearing jeans and a dark jumper, he looked so human, so vulnerable, and I felt dizzy at the thought of ever losing him.
He stood, and I smiled, but he wasn’t fooled. ‘What’s wrong Callie? What did Isaac tell you?’
I forced my smile to become more convincing. ‘Nothing’s wrong,’ I replied calmly, determined to hide the truth. ‘The news was good. Isaac said in time you could free yourself.’
His mouth puckered with a doubtful expression. ‘Is that all he said?’
I would have to do better than this. ‘Well, I guess it wasn’t all good news. He also said that time wasn’t on our side.’ I hoped he’d think I was talking about the trackers.
He eyed me warily. ‘You look tired. I know angels rarely sleep, but perhaps you should rest awhile. We’ll talk more about this later.’
I nodded still smiling the best I could, dreading what ‘later’ would bring.
Chapter 21
I couldn’t sleep. Aydin tossed and turned beside me, while I analyzed everything Isaac had said.
In the early hours of the morning, I felt Aydin stir. I closed my eyes and lay still, till he left for his morning swim. As soon as he was gone, I sat up, numb and alone, wondering what to do next; my head foggy from the endless hours of tormenting thoughts.
I got up and went outside; the first hint of light had turned the landscape gray. Desperate for some color, I created a yellow sundress to wear. I wanted Aydin to think everything was okay even if it wasn’t, and yellow had always struck me as a happy color. It was the best I could do for now.
I looked around—a small oak forest straddled a rise behind the church. The last time I visited such a place, Isaac had been there. The memory brought me comfort so I started walking towards it. Moving through the long grass, I felt my skin prickle as the chilly air caressed the dew coating my legs. I was cold, but I didn’t care, my numb feet were a welcome distraction.
Up close, the trees were much bigger than I imagined. I stepped into their shade, enjoying the calm of the ageless giants. Resting my hand on the nearest oak, I drank in its history. I relived the floods, droughts, snow—all the adversity it had faced and survived. I felt its faith in the strength of its roots, and the earth that supported them. It had no choice in where it was seeded, yet it faced the destiny it was dealt and now stood tall, surrounded by countless descendants.
My hand fell away, and I looked at my flexing fingers. Maybe it was time for me to be more
trusting; to have more faith in where I was. Danger lay ahead, that was undeniable, but I was here now, and what didn’t break me would hopefully leave me stronger. I gave my tree a final look of gratitude—it was time to return to Aydin.
I turned to leave, but something struck my back, knocking me to the ground. I lay there dazed, trying to make sense of what happened. Suddenly I was upright again, moving backward, my feet dragging through the leaf litter. My back slammed into a tree, and my arms were shackled to the trunk. I flung my head sideways, desperately seeking my captor, but all I could hear was my own rasping breath. I fought against my restraints but it was no use. ‘Let me go,’ I cried, but my plea was met with silence. ‘Who are you?’ I asked, before silently answering my question—tracker.
The fear peaked, and my heart rate soared. They’d found us, I wanted to scream for Aydin, but I stifled the desire. I couldn’t risk him being caught too. I would give myself as a trade, anything to keep them from Aydin. I would let them know straight away I was an angel in case they hadn’t sensed it. They needed to know my value, and remind them of the reward. Tell them it wasn’t worth fighting Aydin, he would be as strong as them. I would say he was holding me against my will, so they didn’t try to lure him out.
The thoughts swirled as a dark figure appeared in my periphery. He walked in front of me and stopped, his hands behind his back, waiting patiently.
Dizzy and disorientated I blinked at the blurry figure, gradually he came into focus. He was muscular, and well over six foot tall. I couldn’t place his age—maybe mid-thirties. His simple dark clothes, immaculate blond hair, and alluring smile, exuded a deceptive air of normality.
I looked into his golden eyes, and a feeling of recognition dulled my fear. Did I know him? Had I seen him before? My mind launched into a desperate search, trying to match him to someone from my past. All the while he just stood there watching, seemingly amused. Did he know me too? My frustration grew, and I was so busy trying to place him I completely forgot my plan.
He looked me up and down. ‘I must say, you look well,’ he commented. ‘Being an angel suits you, Callie.’
Cold fingers of fear scraped the inside of my ribs. ‘How do you know my name?’
His handsome face fell with disappointment. ‘Why my dear, I am a little upset you do not remember. We spent so much time together. Did I mean nothing to you?’
He tilted his head, and his amber eyes flashed—amber, not gold.
‘Samuel!’
A broad smile revealed dazzling teeth. ‘Ah, so you do remember. How wonderful.’
‘You bastard.’
‘Now, now. Is that any way to greet an old friend?’
‘What do you want?’
His grin diminished. ‘Same as what I’ve always wanted. You. And if I can persuade our friend Aydin to join us, that would be even better. Just like a reunion, of sorts.’
I panicked at the mention of Aydin. ‘How did you find us?’
‘Find you?’ he laughed. ‘My sweet angel, I never lost you. I’ve always been watching, since the beginning of time.’ He grinned cruelly. ‘This is almost as enjoyable as the time I poisoned your family.’
‘What?’ I said, confused.
His eyebrows rose sharply, and he flung his hands to the sides. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten that too. You know, mum, dad, big brother—all dead. The king and queen, gone. Poor little Princess Calanthea, left all alone in the big palace.’
I gasped. ‘They were poisoned?’
‘Yes,’ he said matter of fact.
‘And you did that?’
He stepped closer. ‘Oh, I did so much more than that,’ he whispered, running a cool finger down the side of my face. My skin tingled under his touch, and I wanted to flinch, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away. ‘I can’t begin to tell you all the things I have done for you.’ He glanced over his shoulder. ‘I guess we could chat awhile.’ His affectionate gaze returned. ‘Fill you in on all the things you missed. Maybe give Aydin a chance to turn up.’
‘Please don’t hurt him,’ I begged.
He sneered and stepped back. ‘So shall we start at the beginning?’ he asked, ignoring my last comment. ‘Let me see. Well, we already know about the death of your parents, and no doubt you remember the mishap that befell Aydin’s wife.’ He paused, waiting for my reaction, but when I didn’t respond, he simply kept going. ‘But then you killed me, and took your own life, which ruined my plan of claiming your soul.’ He raised his eyebrows as though I’d misbehaved. ‘I have to admit I held a slight grudge for a while, but I want you to know, I’ve forgiven you.’ He smiled sympathetically. I could only look on, shocked. His face smoothed, and he took to studying his fingers. ‘I followed you back and forth, for so many lives after that. Just watching mainly, always waiting for the right moment. But unfortunately, no matter where we went, Aydin always seemed to turn up.’ He looked up. ‘Honestly, doesn’t he know three is a crowd? Then again, it was delightful seeing you break his heart over, and over, and over again. So, I let him stay.’ I flinched, and he inched closer, devouring my discomfort. I could feel his breath on my face, and the soft smell of incense accompanied his proximity. ‘Eventually, I tired of the whole boy loves girl; girl crushes boy story,’ he continued. ‘He was so easy to pick off in that last life, completely broken and open to anything. You made him far more vulnerable than I ever could have. Anyway, Aydin and I had a little alone time after that, but I always kept an eye on my favorite girl. I was almost proud when you got your wings, though a little disappointed by who you worked for. But we can always fix that.’ I went to speak, but he pushed a finger against my lips to silence me. ‘It took me a while to locate the ward they assigned you,’ he said. ‘Such a nice boy, not the sort we usually go for. I had to work hard to convince Rosalyn to even meet him.’ I tried to cry out, but he slammed his whole hand down over my mouth. The volume of his voice dropped even further. ‘Did you like how I organized for Liam to go the same way as Aydin? I was hoping you would see the similarities.’
I shook my head violently, my cries muffled. My shoulders burned under the strain of supporting my body. He dropped his hand. ‘Stop it,’ I pleaded. ‘Just stop.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘But we are only just getting to my favorite part—the vigilante stint. Now that was fabulous. How that must have upset Isaac, killing that poor man in the accident. If only you’d ended the infant too, then it would have been a true masterpiece.’ He sighed wistfully. ‘It was all playing out so well. Your wings were gone, and you oozed such invigorating hate. I wanted to take you there and then, but then the whole saving Aydin’s soul thing got in the way again. So, I decided it was time to reunite you two.’
I could barely breathe. ‘You…you brought Aydin to the alley?’
Samuel raised a curious eyebrow, a smile slowly forming. ‘You thought he was drawn there because you are meant to be together, didn’t you?’
My slack jaw answered his question. He erupted with laughter. ‘Oh Callie, you really are the best. Sorry to disappoint, but it was me, every bit.’ My heart sank, dragged down by his delight. The laughter died leaving him somber. ‘But Aydin did upset me. I still don’t understand why he hasn’t killed you... But not to worry.’ He brightened. ‘It has made for an interesting chase. It seems almost sad that it all ends today.’
‘Are you going to take me to your leader?’ I muttered, defeated.
He tutted. ‘My leader would be very pleased. He wants you more than Aydin now. However, no reward would compare with the pleasure of killing you.’
I looked at him unable to comprehend why he was doing this. ‘Why me?’ I whispered.
A cruel grin smeared his face, and he brought his lips to my ear. ‘You see Callie, we dark ones are like flies to fresh meat. You may not be rotten yet, but we can smell the potential. And you, my dear, have always smelled so sweet.’ He pulled away inhaling deeply, his eyes rolling back in his head.
‘You’re insane,’ I spat.
He refocused, his eyes hardened by hate. With lightning speed, he lunged, seizing my chin. ‘If I am mad, then it is because of you!’ he yelled, our mouths almost touching. ‘So much I have done for you, so much we could have had, but you ruined it. Ruined everything.’ His grip tightened, and my jaw felt as though it would snap. A whimper escaped, and tears welled in my eyes. His anger shifted to amusement. ‘You are pathetic,’ he added, flicking my head sideways. Pain shot through my skull. ‘Such a shame Aydin will miss this,’ he remarked, composed again. He glanced at his watch and looked around. ‘I’ll be sure to bring him past your broken body. It will please our leader when I at least return with him. Of course, I will have to erase his memories first.’ He smiled. ‘But look on the bright side, at least that’s one more thing you’ll have in common.’
A single tear slid down my cheek, and Samuel tracked it with his eyes. When it reached my chin, he wiped it away with his thumb. ‘Wonderful,’ he breathed, looking the happiest man alive.
Licking his lips, darkness dulled his eyes. I’d seen that look before, and I knew I was out of time. He raised a hand to my chest and his face filled with lust. I shut my eyes, determined he wouldn’t be the last thing I saw. Imagining Aydin, I called to him silently begging him to leave. I knew it was no use, but it was all I could do.
An unexpected crack shattered the silence and pain shot through my upper body. With an agonizing gasp, I opened my eyes to see Samuel’s fingers boring into my chest. Crimson blood flowed from the wound pouring over his golden skin. A strong, metallic smell filled the air, and my legs collapsed. I screamed, shutting my eyes. I felt him pushing deeper and deeper, but then suddenly the pressure disappeared. I took an agonizing breath and cracked open my eyes; my dress was stained red. A loud crash rang out, and with all the strength I had left, I lifted my head.
Between the trees, a fierce battle waged; two bodies moving so fast I could barely follow. A bare-chested Aydin struggled with Samuel; both were bloodied and cut. Aydin landed a heavy blow on Samuel’s torso, and he flew backward slamming into a tree. There was a loud creak as the trunk absorbed the blow, and I let out a barely audible gasp. Aydin’s head twisted towards me, and his red eyes flashed. Samuel flipped to his feet, his distorted face revealing the demon within. He lunged at Aydin driving him into the ground. The earth shook, and I opened my mouth to cry out, but there was nothing but an alien hiss. The color began to drain from the world, and I felt myself fading. I tried to hold on but couldn’t. The last thing I saw was Samuel sitting astride Aydin’s chest, striking his face over and over. Then everything went black; my angel body destroyed.
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