Rays of yellow light spilled through the glass dome, and illuminated the dust motes like sparkling jewels. Majestic stone buildings floated above in a perfect blue sky. The air was hot and musty.
Kara stood before the Council. She clasped her hands behind her back and waited patiently. While the silence unnerved her, the glaring eyes from the Council members were torture. She had just finished recalling the events of her mission for them, and now she waited for their counsel. Their faces were bleak. They huddled together in deep conversation. Every now and then, a face would turn from the group and watch her, before turning back.
She wished David were with her. At least he could make her laugh and find a joke in all the excruciating seriousness. But he was still at the Healing-Xpress with the others. Kara had been thrilled to hear that Jenny was going to be all right. It had been a close call, but the archangel Raphael had successfully healed her, and her friend would be back on her feet shortly. Kara was even more pleased to hear that Peter and especially David had suffered no permanent damage either.
Kara had told the truth, and now she didn’t dare look at Raphael. In a matter of minutes, she would be summoned back to the High Council. Raphael’s deadly stare had unnerved her during the debriefing. She thought the archangel might rip her to pieces.
She was in a world of her own when she heard someone clear their throat. Her eyes met the Council, and she flinched.
The archangel Jeremiel’s face was grim. “And that is how Lilith destroyed the archangel Zadkiel—so easily?”
“Yes,” answered Kara, trying to keep her voice level. Even if she had spoken many times before the High Council, her insides were still tight.
“It’s as I said. She had some energy field around her…there was a loud boom, and when I looked back, Zadkiel was annihilated. There was nothing left of him.” She studied the Council. Their faces had grown darker, and Kara noted real concern in their eyes. They were frightened—frightened of Lilith.
Jeremiel lowered his brows in thought and considered for a moment. “I’ve never heard of a demon killing an archangel so easily. From what I understood—they were not strong enough. Asmodeus must have discovered something to enable this Lilith to do so. Not only is she the daughter of a powerful archangel, and a demon shape shifter—she is also a demon who can kill archangels. This information, I’m afraid, is very grave indeed.”
The council erupted into an argument about the welfare of Horizon. Kara shifted her weight and lowered her eyes. She waited until the voices tapered off. And when she looked up at the Council, the archangel Jeremiel was staring at her.
“I hear your friends are recovering nicely with the help of the archangel Raphael.” Jeremiel lifted his brows. “They seem to have misunderstood their instructions.”
Kara pursed her lips. She gave a small nod. “Uh…yes…they should be back on their feet in no time.”
The archangel gave her a reproachful look. “The breaking of sacred laws seems to be a pattern with you, Miss Nightingale. You knew the dangers pertaining to your mission…and you still let them come with you. That was very foolish of you. You are lucky their souls still live. I don’t even want to know how you managed to get them across. But with the success of your mission, the Council has agreed to let your friends off the hook, as you say, for this time only.”
Kara gave the archangel a tight smile. There was nothing she could say to that.
Jeremiel rubbed his chin. “Kara Nightingale. You are positive this…this green entity spoke the truth with regard to your late father, Asmodeus—that you and this Lilith are the only two offspring?”
Kara glanced at the ground momentarily. She had decided not to reveal every conversation she had had with the green sun, especially when it had said that she had darkness in her, and that she belonged in the netherworld. She thought the Council wouldn’t understand and would probably consider her a threat once again. They feared what they didn’t understand. She was already a freak amongst the angels—she didn’t want to wait in Tartarus while they figured out what to do with her. Kara rubbed her temples.
“Yes. I’m sure.” Kara said finally. “The green entity had no reason to lie.” Kara wanted to say, because it was about to suck my brains out, so that I would become one of them. “It didn’t plan on my escape.” She knew it had told her the truth.
Jeremiel arched an eyebrow questioningly. “But how can you put so much faith in this wicked entity—rest assured it is evil—it could have been lying to you.”
Kara shook her head gently. “It wasn’t. I could feel it. I’m good at telling if people are lying.”
“This thing isn’t a person, Kara,” said the archangel Muriel. Her long wavy brown hair sparkled in the light. She folded her hands on the table and regarded Kara with a concerned expression. “It’s a creature of the worst possible evil.”
“So you know what it is? You know what the green sun is?”
Muriel shared a long side-glance with Jeremiel. “Yes. It is the creature Morthdu, the mother of all darkness, the keeper of the netherworld.”
Kara fought the panic that threatened to reveal itself—the creature had said that she belonged with it, with them—that she had the darkness in her.
“Perhaps this creature wanted you to think it was telling the truth,” said Jeremiel. “It knew you would come back and tell us what we wanted to hear.”
Kara watched the Council. “I’m positive it was telling the truth. Lilith and I are the only ones. And believe me, Lilith is going to be a handful. From what I saw and told you—she’s going to be back soon, and with a serious vengeance. She’s pretty angry with me.”
The Council pondered silently. They leaned forward and bent their heads together in mumbled conversations again. After a moment, the archangel Jeremiel leaned forward and clasped his hands together on the table.
“Did the creature tell you anything else you think we should know? Is there anything else essential that you’re not telling us?”
Kara shook her head like a stubborn child. Her head was spinning. “No. I’ve told you everything.”
Jeremiel watched her carefully. Kara was sure he knew she was lying, but he didn’t question her anymore.
“Kara Nightingale, you have done well. The Council thanks you for your services. You are to return to level five. The archangel Ariel awaits your return. You will be informed if we seek another audience with you. That is all for today. This meeting is adjourned. You may go.”
She had a strange feeling she would be back in front of the Council very soon. After mumbling her thanks awkwardly, she ran across the chamber, smiled, and bolted out of the large iron doors.
Chapter 21
A Gift for a Friend
Marked, Soul Guardians Book 1 Page 83