by Brenda Trim
“I don’t understand. How could this happen?”
Abraxos patted him on the back and shook his head. His brother’s eyes were filled with pity, and Ayil wanted to punch him in the face. Why couldn’t he go back to the carefree afternoon with Kennex? In a split second, his world shifted.
“You trusted a female involved with demons. You should’ve known better,” Araton practically snarled at him.
“How do you know it was her?” Ayil barked.
“She ran right into Raphael after she put this under some bushes,” Abraxos explained. “She hit that button right before things went boom and then all but confessed to the archangel.”
“Where is she now?”
“The dungeon,” Abraxos divulged.
Ayil was running toward the white marble archAngel hall before his brother finished those two words. Rage pounded through Ayil over the thought of being played so well by Kennex.
He bought her wounded, inexperienced act hook, line and sinker. It was beyond devious to manipulate feelings like she had. Ayil was ready to maim on her behalf when he believed she was beaten. Now, he wondered if she injured herself to gain his sympathy.
She was a superb actress, for sure. Deserved a fucking Emmy for her performance. Ayil barely noticed the tapestries as he fled down the hall. He heard voices calling out to him. He thought Raphael and Camael were calling out to him. There was no way they were going to stop him from talking to Kennex.
“I need to speak to Kennex, now. I will be back to talk with you guys. Get Michael, too. I won’t be long,” he called over his shoulder as he continued to the stairs.
Unlike the rest of the pristine building, the stairs were rough, gray stone rather than the highly polished white marble. Ayil’s heart shattered in his chest and the ache stole his breath. For a second spots danced in his vision, forcing him to brace his hand on the wall and calm down. It wouldn’t do him any good to pass out on the stairs and be carried to the medical building.
“Fucking hell,” he cursed as every deep breathing and centering technique he knew failed him. Recriminations and self-hatred boggled his mind. His legs weakened, threatening to give out while bile rose in his throat. He hadn’t struggled this much since giving his blood to an evil sorceress who turned it into one of the realm’s worst poisons.
A tendril of Kennex’s spicy scent reached him from the bottom of the steps and sent his rage flying through the roof at the same time it calmed his breathing and centered his thoughts. His wings shot from his back when his rage exploded. Initially, all he heard was a loud crack, but seconds later pain made him gasp and stumble.
Continuing down, Ayil sent healing cells to his wing, so he wasn’t vulnerable when he met with Kennex.
Sobs reached his ears and made him want to rush to Kennex’s side and comfort her. He couldn’t stand to know she was in pain. She’s been through enough in her short life. Ayil shook his head, unsure where that thought came from. You were wrong about her, remember? She played you like a fool.
Low lighting guided his path down the steps and that same ambient lighting continued in the dungeons. It had been centuries since he’d stepped foot in the cells. Back when he was a young angel, the cells were used for training purposes to prepare an Angel for torture and incarceration. As far as he knew they hadn’t been used in thousands of years.
It wasn’t often they had enemies in Heaven. After all, it was next to impossible to get there unless you duped an Angel stupid enough to bring you to his home. Shame and guilt overwhelmed Ayil as he crossed the uneven stone floor.
Kennex was in the first cell and her small body heaving on the cement slab broke his heart. Hardening himself against her plight he balled his hands into fists to keep from reaching out for her.
“Why the fuck did you use me?” He winced at the rage in his voice and chastised himself for having a double standard. Apparently, it was fine for him to use her to get information on her clan, but the same didn’t apply to him.
Kennex gasped and sat up. Her eyes were red and puffy while her cheeks were stained with tears. Her breath hitched when she tried to compose herself. Her long, red hair was no longer smooth and styled. Now, it was a tangled mess as if she’d been pulling on it.
“I admit I got close to you at first so I could get here and kill Jared, but then I got to know you. I never expected to fall in love with you, and now I lost my chance to get revenge on that asshole, and I’ve lost you. And, I’m guessing I am going to lose my life, so it was all for nothing. Staying away from my family, making them think I was dead and masking my existence with a dampening potion was for nothing. He found me anyway and I can’t even make him pay for what he did,” Kennex sputtered so fast Ayil could barely keep up with what she said.
Tears flowed from her bright golden eyes. As Ayil tried to untangle what she said, his heart twisted in his chest. The situation was not what it seemed to be.
First things first. He needed to determine where her allegiance was. “Are you in league with the demons? Did they put you up to this?” That was the worst-case scenario. One only seconds ago he was certain of, but now his suspicions were going in a vastly different direction.
Ayil held his breath and waited for Kennex’s response while praying she said the right thing. So long as she wasn’t cooperating with the demons, he could save her life. He was fairly certain he could convince Raphael not to kill her. The bomb didn’t harm anyone. The trees could be easily fixed, but if she’d killed an Angel nothing could save her.
She shook her head as she watched him. Her shoulders drooped and the fight he’d seen in her from day one was gone. “I’ve already answered that. I am not now, nor have I ever, worked with demons. I can’t say the same for my clan, but I have not made any agreements with them. And, before you ask. No, I’m not working for anyone in my clan.”
Ayil sighed in relief. Regardless of what anyone said, he believed her. There was no reason to lie to him at this point. She couldn’t escape and, even if she did, there was nowhere for her to go.
“You love me?”
She laughed. It was an echo of what he’d seen from her in the past, but it was so much better than seeing her tears. “After everything I said, that’s the piece of information that stuck? Yes, Ayil, I love you and I know we can’t be together after what I’ve done, but I do.”
His smile was wide in response to her declaration. He wanted to wrap her in his arms but had to settle for his hand cupping her cheek. That reality brought the situation crashing down on him. There was a major hurdle to them being together.
“My brothers told me you detonated a magical explosive in the park. If I’m going to save your life, I need to understand why you did this.”
Her gorgeous golden eyes went wide, and she shoved a hand through the opening in the bars and held her hand out. Ayil grabbed it in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss.
“I thought for sure you assumed I was guilty. I mean I am. I brought that bomb here with me, but not for the reasons you believed. I wanted to hurt him because of what he did to me.”
Ayil’s blood boiled in his veins for the second time in a matter of minutes. It was like being on a rollercoaster going from ready to throttle her to loving her more than before to wanting to kill again. “Jared,” he growled.
The tug to his hand startled him and stopped him from pulling away. He hadn’t even realized he had turned and was ready to head out of the dungeons. He knew why. Jared hurt his female and Ayil was going to make the Angel pay.
“Yes. It was Jared. I met him years ago and at first, he was great. He was nice and treated me good, until I didn’t do what he wanted. That’s when the abuse started.”
“And, you left home,” Ayil said recalling some of her words. He wasn’t sure if he wanted her to continue talking or not. At the moment he didn’t have too many details and was afraid of what else she might say. “You mentioned your family thinking you were dead?”
New tears shone in her eyes as she slowly
nodded. “After he started forcing me to…have sex with him, I ran away. He threatened to kill my parents if I said anything, so I had no choice but to leave. Besides, I didn’t want to keep lying to them about where the bruises came from.”
The injuries he’d seen on her face and the blood in her house took on new meaning and pieces fell into a puzzle. The strength Kennex had amazed him. He would never understand how she tolerated so much for so long.
“He’s still hurting you. That’s why you decided to get close to me so you could kill him.” Ayil’s body shook with fury and the need to have Jared’s throat in his hands.
“He found me after we saw each other on the beach. I wondered if you told him where to find me.”
“Fucking hell,” Ayil shouted, cutting her off. The day they saw Jared in Bladz, he asked about Kennex. The asshole must’ve overheard him talking to his brothers. Pain sliced through his chest as he thought about the severe injuries she had the next time he saw her. “It’s my fault. He found you because he overheard me talking to my brothers about you and your clan.”
“None of this is your fault. The only thing that matters to me now is if you can forgive me for betraying you. I was blinded by hatred and the drive to seek vengeance when I should’ve embraced my feelings for you instead.”
Ayil’s heart flipped over. This female was not evil. Any infernal energy they sensed on her was from her clan leaders and that was easy enough to deal with. He had to plead her case to the Archangels and save her life. He wasn’t about to lose the female he loved. “There is nothing to forgive, Candle. I love you and I’m going to get you out of here so I can show you how much.”
“Oh, Ayil,” she murmured and pushed her head between the bars. Ayil lowered his mouth to hers and he sighed when the familiar electricity and heat traveled from the point their lips meshed throughout his body. His hand encompassed the back of her neck as he licked and probed her mouth.
After several heated seconds, he broke the contact and stroked over her cheek while they both panted. “I’ll be back.”
Ayil was halfway up the stairs when she finally responded. “No matter what happens, I will always love you.”
Nothing is going to happen to you, Ayil vowed silently as he entered the main room where the Archangels had gathered.
“I want an explanation,” Raphael ordered.
Ayil stood before them and crossed his arms over his chest. His wing was healed enough that he could extend them fully. “We’ve harbored a rapist for millennia. What did you think was going to happen?”
“Excuse me?” Michael added. Ayil met his leader’s gaze and held firm. “Seems you need to update us.” Ayil appreciated the implied support from his mentor.
“Kennex is not to blame for her actions today. We are. Jared has been abusing her for over a decade, I’d guess.” Chaos erupted as the Archangels talked at once.
“Silence!” Raphael boomed. As leader of the Archangels, Raphael was not one to mess with. “What Jared did to Zakara wasn’t rape.”
“No, but what he did to Kennex was. That vile piece of shit groomed her and then abused her in ways that he will pay for. How can an Angel like that still live within Heaven?” Ayil wanted to know. It went against every tenet he’d been taught from birth.
“Why should we believe Kennex?” Raphael asked.
Ayil’s sword of light was in his hand in an instant. “I saw her battered and bruised after one of her encounters with Jared. I had no idea at the time, or the bastard would be dead right now. Use your ability to see the truth of what she is saying. My truth sense is nowhere near as strong as yours but I could see she wasn’t lying.”
“We know Jared’s heart is tainted,” Arial added.
“Yes, but we can’t deny the demonic energy attached to the Phoenix,” Michael added. This was getting nowhere and Ayil was barely stopping himself from lashing out while these Archangels besmirched the female he loved.
“That’s because the clan leaders are still performing rituals. We can deal with that later. Right now, I want your word you aren’t going to end Kennex’s life and that you will let her go,” Ayil begged. He might be pissed, but he couldn’t beat these powerful Angels. Not to mention that he had no desire to hurt any of them.
“We will not harm Kennex until I determine whether her accusations are the truth,” Raphael promised.
“That’s all I ask. You will see she isn’t lying.” With that, Ayil turned and left the building. He had an Angel to hunt down and kill. Jared’s luck just ran out.
* * *
Chapter 19
Evzen gazed at Bhric and Nikko with new appreciation. There was precious few minutes to regain some of the energy he expended casting the spells. As the Guild Master, he didn’t train to be a warrior like Zander and the others. Evzen could fight and his battle magic was some of the strongest in the Tehrex Realm, but it had been centuries since he was in the thick of war.
Early on, they all fought, but as their situation evolved so did their individual roles in the alliance. Not that Evzen minded being behind the scenes, but as they crept through a cold night that was unnaturally quiet, he wished he’d trained more recently. It might help him operate better under less than ideal conditions.
Bhric motioned for them to follow him around the side of the crumbling stone. There were few trees in the field to hide their approach which had Evzen’s nerves on edge. He couldn’t continue the cloaking spell much longer because he had to deal with at least a half a dozen traps to keep trespassers from approaching the castle.
Nikko crouched close to Bhric and Evzen and held the trainees back. “I’m only picking up a handful inside. How many do you sense?”
Bhric cocked his head and closed his eyes for a second. “Shite. I canna get a good reading on the occupants. It’s at least three or four.”
Nikko turned back to Tristan and the other young males. “Stick close to us when we enter the building. Don’t try to engage the enemy. Stand back and assess before you act.”
Bhric gripped Tristan’s shoulder and held his gaze for a second. “Aye. Doona get cocky and try to show off.” The prince continued walking before Tristan could respond, which made the young male scowl.
Adrenaline dumped into Evzen’s bloodstream giving him more energy between one step and the next. His steps lightened and he was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet.
Chaos broke out the second Bhric breached the hole in the wall. Shouts filled the night, along with, metal clanging. Nikko followed Bhric and Evzen stepped over the large chunks of stone and called his staff to his hand midstride.
Evzen swung the wood pole and connected with a male crouching to take them on. Evzen accessed the mantle of his position he inherited seven centuries ago and cut the male off from his magic.
The male’s eyes went wide, and his fighting became frantic. Evzen didn’t bother with another spell because every time he cast one, his power was depleted. They had no idea what they would encounter further into the castle, so he had to reserve every ounce of energy he could. A quick jab of his staff to the male’s head and he was out cold.
Within seconds, Bhric and Nikko took out the remaining two guards. Evzen looked to the trainees and whispered, “Tie him up. We don’t need to kill him just yet. We might need answers later.”
Tristan nodded his head and grabbed a dirty gold cord from the rubble. Tristan was a wizard and had a different kind of power. Witches were creatures of potions, circles, and the elements whereas sorcerers were creatures of instinct, magic, and wind.
As they continued through the ruined room, Evzen reached for the well of power typically available to him. He wielded the magic of the Earth, but there was little to none for him in their current location. Whatever had been there previously was choked by Dark magic.
If Evzen took in malicious energy it would taint his essence. No way was he willing to stain any part of him with that shit. It was far too tempting and insidious. “Watch yourselves. The reason neither
of you can get a read on the number inhabiting this castle is because of the absence of color in the magic around us. The Dark magic is also the reason nothing living is within fifty feet of the front door.”
Bhric nodded his understanding before he took the lead and struck his head around a corner. It was clear and he was moving and waving the rest of them forward within seconds.
Chills shivered over the back of Evzen’s neck. The utter quiet was disconcerting as hell. The wind should have blown through the gaping holes in the walls, but it didn’t make a noise after they entered the hall.
Glass littered the floor, along with pieces of stone. The gray squares reminded Evzen of his childhood home not far from their current location. Soot covered most of the walls and floor, telling him the fire that ravaged the structure was massive. A half-burned table was on its side and paintings lay beneath debris.
Evzen used the end of his staff to shift aside a broke chair and wished he hadn’t. A severed foot still inside a boot was hidden beneath the seat. The flesh was blackened and smelled worse than it looked. As he looked away, he noticed brown stains on the walls and floor and had to fight the bile that rose in his throat. The clear evidence of death in the narrow area reminded him how many lives had been ruined by Lady Angelica and her drug.
Decaying body parts were all they encountered as they passed two rooms. At the end of the hall, Bhric held up his hand and everyone stopped. Evzen plastered himself against the wall and inched closer to Nikko and Bhric. Out of Evzen’s view, an irate male voice shouted orders to guards, telling them to split up and find the intruders. That had to be the one responsible for making Angel’s Kiss this time. Evzen catalogued that voice so he could determine who he was later.
Evzen tensed and gripped his staff, trying to pull more energy into his lagging body, but came up empty. There was simply nothing he could access in his current location. It left his mind fuzzier than he would have liked, but no less determined to find the sorcerer responsible, and teach him a lesson.