“I really did almost die, didn’t I?”
“We didn’t think you would wake. I flew you here, leaving the others to take care of getting everyone else out of the Empowered Academy. This morning, more people showed up than I know what to do with.”
I thought back to the woman named Kass and her small child and the old man that was stooped over. “Is everyone out of the dungeons? All the children?”
“Every single one of them. They are currently behind our doors getting fed and warm. Some of the people are with the academy doctor. No one has anything major wrong with them just some small cuts, aches, and pains that needed tended to.
I heard more voices. “Are there people here?”
He smiled. “I had just gotten up to answer the door again. Your friends have gathered out there. I wouldn’t let them come in here, because I wanted you to sleep. If you were to have a chance at surviving, you needed to heal. Everyone is upset, other than Hannah. She told us we had nothing to worry about. She’s been asleep on my couch for the last few hours.”
“Her powers are growing.”
He nodded. “And no offense to her, but I needed to see you wake up with my own eyes before I celebrated.”
“Not that I didn’t enjoy your prowess as a wendigo, but I really enjoy this form better.”
His deep chuckle warmed me. “I like this form better, too, but the wendigo did its job of protecting you.”
I squeezed his hand. “I can’t believe we made it out of there. The last thing I remember is trying to turn the original back, and then everything went dark.”
“You would have been able to, but you used up so much of your power before you reached her.”
I gave him a confused look. “Her? And I didn’t change her back?”
“She was killing you. She almost did kill you.”
Then it dawned on me. “You killed her?”
He gave me a sad look. “I had to. It was either her or you.”
“Who was the original, Finn?” I knew the answer as I put the pieces together, but I needed to hear him say it.
“Jophiel. She was captured a long time ago. They used dark magic to turn her into a beast. They were also using her feathers for the serum. It’s what they would use on fully blessed before they took their wings and beheaded them, ceasing the immortal’s existence.”
“How do you know all this?”
“She came to me one night. Or, actually, she summoned me. She told me that she was tired of being a wendigo. She said, for years, her brothers and sisters would come to her in dreams, but she stopped all communication not too long ago because it was too depressing watching how they pitied her. Before she refused to talk with them, Haniel told her that you were coming, but in her vision, you died trying to use the Flaming Sword on her. Jophiel begged me to come with you, that if it got to that point, to end her. I did, and when I did, all the blessed were turned back into their original forms and the marked no longer were trapped. They were worried that, if she died in her wendigo form, she would be sent to hell instead of heaven, where some of her brothers and sisters are.”
“No. Please tell me she’s not in hell.”
He shook his head. “Sandalphon showed up here earlier today. He could tell something was off with me. He said that Haniel visited him last night and told him that Jophiel is with them now, waiting on all the other’s return. Do you know that you are alive because Jophiel poured some of her powers into you?” He gave me a sad smile. “That’s what? Now nine archangels you’ve been blessed by?”
“She saved me,” I said. Then I thought of something. My voice shook with emotion, knowing that I would not like the answer to my next question. “Jophiel had mentioned that there would be repercussions if I ended the original’s life? What repercussions were there?” My gut churned with despair, and when his green eyes landed on me with such sorrow, I started to cry.
“The original was never meant to be killed. It was the anchor for all of the other wendigos. All that power that it held inside of it had to go somewhere.”
Almost shouting, I said, “What were the repercussions?”
“It will be okay, Maka.”
“Will it? Tell me what the price is that you must pay?”
“The beast is still inside of me. It’s dark magic swirls inside of me like a parasite gnawing on my insides, wanting to be free. I’m having a hard time not letting the dark magic take over. I have to go for a little while.”
“No,” I said. I tried to sit up but was too weak.
He rested his palm on me as if he was afraid I would break if I moved.
“You aren’t going anywhere. We will work through this together.”
“No, Maka. I need to be very clear. If I let the beast out, I don’t think I’ll be in control of who or what it harms. You, your friends, my people—none of you are safe.”
“I’ll take the risk.”
“I won’t.” His eyes were hard as granite, and I knew that there was no way of convincing him not to leave me.
My emotions were running heavy, and I was too exhausted to keep my walls up. He quickly picked up my thoughts.
“I would never choose to leave you unless I thought it would save you.”
God, I wished I wasn’t so weak.
“How do you know this is the right thing? For you…? For us?”
He opened a drawer from the table beside the bed then pulled out a pocket knife. “Before I was turned into a wendigo, I was blessed by the Sandalphon. Most would agree that he is the most powerful of the archangels.”
I nodded as he twirled the blade.
“My father is the most powerful of fallen angels. Between the two, it created me—a unique powerhouse that has to constantly make sure I’m keeping on the right side of things—the good side. And it’s hard being good.” He opened the blade and broke off the knife part as easily as if he was flicking off a light switch. Then, grabbing the handle with one hand, he squeezed. When he opened his hand, the handle of the pocket knife looked like it had been recycled. “Gabriella, I’m just closing my hand on this. I’m not even trying to damage it. What I’m trying to tell you is that I’m not in control of this strength, and I’m sure as hell not in control of the power that is swirling around inside of me. I’m forever changed. This new guy can’t stay here. If I do and accidentally hurt you, or someone else, I couldn’t live with myself.”
“You would never hurt me, Finn.”
His green eyes flashed and, just for a moment, I saw the beast that lived inside.
“I have to go. Once Camaella gets to the Empowered Academy and realizes you have lifted the mark of everyone there, killed the headmistress, and the original wendigo is no longer in play, she will have to regroup. You have done something that no one else could have done.”
“All of us contributed.”
He nodded. “But she doesn’t know about the rest. She only knows of you. She will be terrified. This will buy you time to organize a plan of action. You’ll run the school while I’m gone.”
“I’m not what they need.”
“I disagree.”
I knew that if he left like this, he would never be back. What he had inside of him was too dark. It was pushing the balance too far to the dark side. I could only gift him with something that I hoped would even out the darkness that now claimed him.
“Come here.”
He didn’t move.
“You want to leave, fine. But you will kiss me goodbye.”
He hesitated for a moment before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine. It was an unsatisfactory, chaste kiss.
I rested my hand against his chest, my palm growing warm. This last little push of energy completely drained me. And, as my eyes shut, I heard the man who I loved getting up from the bed.
He would be gone the next time I woke, but he would also be carrying the Flaming Sword with him. The seven that were to carry the sword now had it. Uriel’s request was now complete.
I would rest
and recover. Then I would pull myself out of this bed and get to work on figuring out a way to stop Camaella from marching into this academy with her demons. And while I worked, I would never stop praying that Finn would conquer that darkness. He would come back to me because, until then, I would never be whole. I would be broken.
THE STORY CONTINUES IN…
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Every time I get to this part... the finishing of a book, I feel like I fail. I always forget someone, and for that, I am truly sorry.
Let me start at the top. I have to thank God for loving me even when I'm unworthy. My family for being amazing. Parents that have shown me what the true meaning of strength is. A husband that gets me. Two children who are my greatest achievement and friends who love me enough to help me bury a body if the occasion should ever arise. That sounded a little darker than I intended. Whoops.
We all know that it takes a village to see a book from start to finish. Shout out to the following: Kristin Campbell, my fantastic editor, who is brilliant. My assistant Haley James makes things happen behind the scenes. Molly, oh sweet Molly Phipps, who makes the most beautiful covers. Brook Forshey and Martha Ashe, my amazing beta readers.
Thank you to my author friends who let me bounce ideas off of them, keep me sane, or just let me ramble. Kisses to each of you, Rebecca, Michelle, Sadie, and A.J.
Congratulations to Pam Luna and Ellie-Mae Waters, who got to name a character in Captured. I love Luna and Ezra.
Finally, thank you to all my wonderful readers. You make what I do fun.
Brandi Elledge lives in the South, where even the simplest words are at least four syllables.
She has a husband that she refused to upgrade…because let’s face it he is pretty awesome, and two beautiful children that are the light of her life.
Find her online at:
brandielledge.com
Captured: Academy of the Seraph Page 20