"Why is that surprising?" Jaylen asked.
"Stephan has one nickname, more like a title or a badge of honor in Hell. The archdemons call him Stephan Angel Slayer."
That didn't sound very good. "Angel Slayer?"
"Rumor has it that Stephan hunts angels and tortures them to death just for his own pleasure and entertainment."
"But your father seemed so nice. Why would he be involved with someone called Angel Slayer when Zeriel and him are so close?"
"There are many things I don't understand about my father. Like I have no idea why he wears that mask all the time or what is under it. He never removes it. When I was a child, I thought it was actually part of his face. Whatever Gavin is hiding, he wants those things to remain hidden."
"How do you plan on getting a message to your father?" Jaylen asked.
"We could try opening a rift."
He shook his head. "Without my magic? I can't cast magic without both of my hands, remember?"
"True. I'm out of plans. When I came here to Cilona, I didn't know about your hand. I had everything perfectly planned out, but this messed it all up. I was going to find you once your ship entered the port then we were going to run off and slip into a rift. But that is obviously not going to work now. If I still had your soul key, I could manually activate your magic myself, but Zeriel has it."
"So do you know if Zeriel truly is still alive?"
"He was the last time I saw him." Liaxa studied him for a few seconds. "Why are you limping . . . or whatever that is you're doing when you walk?"
"I got cut."
Her orange eyes softened with concern. "Down there?"
"Let's not talk about it, okay?"
"Did Carvael do it?"
Jaylen crossed his arms as the cold wind penetrated his clothes. "No. Liam did."
"The little green-eyed freak?"
"That one. I deserved it."
Liaxa sat down on the leaf-covered ground then let her ball of light fly up into the air to shine down on them. "Sit down and talk to me. Tell me why you think so little of yourself that you believe you need to be hurt like that."
Jaylen sat next to her and stared off into the glittering water. The fireflies hovered above the glassy surface, their lights reflecting like a million tiny stars. "What I'm about to tell you cannot be repeated."
"Of course."
"The first day after I was knighted a paladin, I was brought back to the inner cloister. I was handed a curved dagger and told to wait. I waited for about five minutes until two priests entered with a boy in shackles. I knew him from the Clerical Academy. We had some classes together. He was a quiet boy who always had perfect scores on the exams. I remained silent as they placed him on the altar and secured the chains. They took his clothes off then told me that he had committed crimes against the church. They said he had kissed a girl in the back of a classroom during lunch. They were very strict about things like that. High Priest Corin then told me that I was to . . . to punish him."
"And did you?" She asked.
"You ask that like you think I had a choice. I had just become a paladin. The church meant everything to me. From the day I was born, I was expected to be either a paladin or a priest. As a member of the royal family who wasn't a direct prince, I was to be a leader of the clergy. I decided to become a paladin like my father. I couldn't disobey an order from the high priest himself."
"So you castrated your friend. Then he was taken into the mountains to die?"
He held his head in his hand. "No. He bled to death as I watched. None of the priests even tried to help. The boy had grabbed onto the hem of my tunic and was begging for me to stop, but I kept cutting. He was still holding onto me as he faded away and took his final breath. I was so distraught after that. I didn't even tell Zeriel what had happened. He knew I had seen something horrible, but he didn't know what. He didn't know what I had done."
Liaxa kissed Jaylen's cheek gently.
"What was that for?" He asked as he looked up at her.
"I don't view you as some evil sadist. You did what you had to do. I get that."
"I murdered my classmate."
"No. The clergy murdered your classmate. You were brainwashed. You were nothing but a pawn in their game. That's how they want their paladins to be. Unthinking, unfeeling, obedient, and submissive. Always submissive."
"Is it bad for me to be submissive?" Jaylen asked.
"Sometimes you need to stand up for what his right, even if those around you try to tell you otherwise."
"I wish I could view the world as you do. It seems like not a horrible place when you talk about it."
She ran her fingers through his hair. "It's not a horrible place, Jaylen. There are horrible things that happen in this world, but it is a beautiful place underneath it all. You have to see that beauty."
Jaylen turned to look at her glowing orange eyes. "I do see the beauty."
"Jaylen . . . you're making me blush."
He took a deep breath and stood up. "So, is our courtship over?"
Liaxa took his hand and joined his side. "I hope not."
"Then allow me to do this the correct way." Jaylen took one of the wilting yellow flowers from the bushes then knelt down in front of Liaxa. He held up the fragrant blossom to her. "Liaxa, will you do me the honor of accepting this proposal of courtship?"
"Absolutely."
Chapter 10
Gavin loved parties. He especially loved parties where he could wear his mask and not feel out of place. As he rode on the back of his trusty gryphon towards Ilyan, he leaned back in the saddle and took out a small compact mirror to check his appearance one last time. His normally orange eyes were bright blue, his skin was a pinker hue, and his hair was blond instead of red. His pointed teeth had been magically altered to be like a human's, his claws were short like fingernails, and he was even able to mimic the large circular scars on the palms of his hands. Gavin looked as close to Jaylen as he could look. Even though he changed his entire body to pass as Jaylen, Gavin still wore his mask. It was a masquerade, after all.
The snow-speckled fields that passed below him would have normally been thawed by now in the summer sun, but without the sun to heat the world, only the mage-glow kept the world hospitable. Gavin had to figure out what exactly was going on with the clergy and Sola. More importantly, he had to find out why King Talyn claimed not to know anything about Jaylen's being sold into slavery or the soul purge exorcism. The pieces weren't fitting together.
Once he reached the outer walls around the city, Gavin slid off of the gryphon's back and dug in the saddle bag for a whole coconut. He went around to face the creature. As he petted the gryphon's beak, he fed it the coconut. "Good boy, Gavy! Who loves you? Daddy Gavin loves you. Yes I do! You're a good little gryphon, yes you are."
Gavy let out a pleasured purring sound as he lifted his wings and rubbed his beak against Gavin's chest.
"I have to go now, okay? You stay here and get some sleep. I'll be back later." Gavin smoothed his yellow velvet tunic with the silver wings on the front, the same kind that Jaylen wore as a paladin. It felt so weird to be dressed like a paladin. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought the holy garments were burning his skin. Though that was probably just his imagination.
Gavin walked through the front gates of the city without issue. The guards even bowed to him. So, it seemed that flaunting yourself around like an arrogant gift to humanity was enough. Silly paladins. As he continued down the busy streets, people stopped and stared. Some of them bowed. A group of marching paladins in all red passed him, some of them sending dark glares his way. Red paladins? None of them were wearing the traditional pale yellow. Gavin felt suddenly out of place.
Turning down the side street towards the castle, the crowds were more dispersed and then the street was empty. He sniffed the air, sensing something musky and dark. Stephan.
Strong hands shoved Gavin back against the grey stone wall. Orange eyes glowed in the darkness. "H
ello, darling."
Gavin tried to squirm away from the demonic claws that pierced his shoulders. "Go away, Stephan. I'm on assignment."
"Oh? And who is giving you orders now? That fallen angel?"
"It's none of your business."
Stephan spit in Gavin's face then twisted his claws in his ex-lover's shoulders, drawing out the deep purple blood and a hissing sound from Gavin. "Every little thing you do is my business. Or did you conveniently forget this?" He held up his hand to reveal with thin black tattoo around his thumb. "You'd have yours as well, if you weren't disguised like that paladin boy."
"What of it?"
"The archdemons aren't going to be happy that you are breaking our covenant."
"Have you told them?" Gavin asked.
"Not yet. I like using it to threaten and blackmail you."
"I know that you hurt Zeriel. You did something with your magic to amplify the pain he feels when Jaylen is injured. Why? What has he done to you?"
"He took you away from me."
Gavin couldn't help but grin despite the pain. "You think that I'm involved with Zeriel? Oh, Stephan. You should know better than that. A demon and an angel? How scandalous. What would the archdemons say about that?"
"This isn't something to be joking around with. Tell me the truth. Are you romantically involved with Zeriel?"
"Of course not. He's my friend. That's it. I mean, yeah, I'm attracted to him, but you know how it is. We are attracted to anything that moves. Now, please remove your claws from my skin. You're getting my blood all over my disguise."
Stephan's glare grew almost homicidal. "I could kill you right now for breaking our covenant."
"But you wouldn't. I have the right to a trial in Hell before you do anything."
"Shall I deliver the news of your admittance of guilt to the archdemons?"
"Go ahead. Tell them I will submit willingly to a trial once I finish with things here."
"Very well." Stephan yanked his razor-sharp claws from Gavin's skin before licking the purple blood from them. "Oh, you still taste wonderful, darling."
Gavin clutched his hands to the bleeding wounds. "You disgust me. I wouldn't have signed that covenant with you if I knew how twisted and sadistic you were."
"You loved those first few nights with the whips and the needles."
Hardly. "No. You loved it. I dealt with it because I wanted this covenant to work. This is why arranged marriages don't usually work among humans."
"Good analogy. But unlike humans, we can't get divorced. Go on, now. Shoo. Go about your business. Enjoy your last few days of freedom, Gavin. I will personally deliver your confession to the archdemons. I'm looking forward to seeing the looks on their faces."
Gavin watched Stephan vanish into a flurry of shadows, leaving him alone and bleeding. He glanced around to make sure that none of the guards saw them. With a pass of his hand, he casted his demon magic to repair the damaged tunic and temporarily stop some of the bleeding. It was only an illusion and he was still very much in pain from the puncture wounds, but it would have to do until he could get back to the vampire coven.
"Greetings, Jaylen Corrifus! It has been a long time."
He spun around to see a group of priests in their long red robes. He placed his hand over his heart and bowed. "I have returned."
High Priest Corin stepped forward. "Good. So you've received our little letter."
"That was from you?"
"Indeed."
Gavin bit his lip and slowly backed away from the priests. "What's going on here?"
"Hand over your soul key and no one gets hurt."
"My soul key? Why do you need my soul key?"
"Don't confuse yourself with that information. Just hand it over. Give it to us then you can go free."
"I . . . I don't have it."
"Where is it?"
"I don't know where it is."
"You little liar!" High Priest Corin snapped his fingers, setting the priests into action, securing shackles around Gavin's wrists and ankles. "I knew you were still so young and naive that you couldn't resist an invitation to a party. Now, come with us to the temple so we can finish what your fallen angel interrupted."
Gavin was dragged down the streets to the tall white marble of the temple. He grinned facetiously as he passed through the two statues of Sola covered with the holy grapevines. It had been a very long time since he had entered a temple. They marched him down the long red carpet of the aisle then past the glass altar to a side hallway. At the end was the entrance to the inner cloister, the most holy and venerated place in all of Vilyron. Gavin held his breath as he was pushed past the silk curtains and into the white mage-glow that emanated from a ball hovering above a marble altar in front of a large statue of Sola. He could feel the fear, the torture, the death that haunted this place. So many people had died in this room.
The priests pushed him down onto the altar and secured the chains to the corners. High Priest Corin stood over him with a curved knife glinting in the mage-glow. "Give us your soul key."
"I don't have it."
"Then you die here."
Gavin chuckled. "Oh, this should be interesting."
"May Sola guide your soul."
Gavin watched the dagger as it inched closer to his throat. This had gone on long enough. "Hey, Carvael! You'll want to get down here and stop this. It's your turn, buddy."
A second later, the air in the room was sent spinning as the curtains to the inner cloister were blown open. "Stop!"
The priests all turned around and dropped to their knees. "Archangel Carvael!"
Carvael pointed at High Priest Corin. "Put the knife down. I make the decisions here now."
"Yes, of course."
Carvael came up to the altar and shook his head. "What have you gotten yourself into now, Gavin?"
"You could see through my disguise?"
"Like always." Carvael sighed angrily as he unlocked the shackles. "High Priest Corin?"
"Yes, my angel?"
"Do you know what forces you were playing with tonight? You should be thanking Sola that I arrived when I did, or you would all be dead. This being right here is not the paladin Jaylen Corrifus. This is, in fact, an incubus disguised as him."
"Thank you, Archangel. You have saved all of Ilyan from that demon's evil ways."
Carvael replaced the shackles around Gavin's wrists then led him out of the inner cloister. "I will ensure that this demon faces justice. Goodnight, my priests."
Gavin struggled to hold in his laughter as he skipped along beside Carvael into the temple gardens. "Did you see the looks on their faces? Ha ha! They were so scared of me. I knew you wouldn't let them kill me. Want to go get something to eat? I'm starving."
"Shut up, Gavin."
"But Carvael, we haven't done anything fun together in so long!"
"Ugh." Carvael led him behind a cherry tree then unlocked the shackles. "Go home. I don't care where home is now for you, but go there and don't come back here. You are only causing trouble. What were you trying to do here anyway?"
"I needed to speak with King Talyn."
"No one speaks with the king."
"But-" Gavin started to protest, but he was interrupted.
"No buts. It's done. I know you're here and if I have to, I will put out a bulletin to all of the guard posts telling them to not let anyone through the gates. Is that what you want? You make my job a lot harder."
"I'll leave on one condition."
"What could a demon possibly want from an archangel?" Carvael asked, rubbing his white eyebrows.
"I want Jaylen. Let him go."
"Tell you what. I bet you want your daughter as well?"
"Liaxa?" Gavin asked. "You know where Liaxa is?"
"I have a feeling. Here's my proposal. You turn yourself in to the archdemons in Hell, face trial for your crimes, and I will personally deliver Jaylen and Liaxa to the field outside of the vampire coven where you have been staying. That also means
that you stop manipulating my son."
Manipulating him? "I'm not manipulating him. We're friends."
"Even my confused and Fallen Zeriel would never willingly be friends with a being as disgusting and twisted as you. There is one other thing I need."
"Oh, great. This is going to fun."
"I need you come back to Heaven in one week. Sola needs to mate."
"And she wants me?" Gavin asked.
"Naturally. You are her favorite."
"Yes, yes. Such a responsibility." He held out his hand. "Deal. I will mate with Sola again and report back to the archdemons. How is that?"
Carvael shook his hand. "Ugh, I hate making deals with demons."
"You and me both."
Chapter 11
Jaylen held tightly to Liaxa's hand as he led her back to camp. Surely Leader wouldn't have a problem with her joining them. She was cold and needed a place to warm up by the fire, nothing more. He was planning on leaving once she was ready. They could find a way out of the forest and maybe find a boat near the coast to stowaway on.
One of the boys ran up to him as he stepped through the trees. "There he is now. Hey, Jaylen, get over here."
Near the fire, Jaylen saw a glistening white horse with a golden saddle and reins. "What is going on? What is that? A horse?"
"With wings. It came for you with this note pinned to its reins. It's from Archangel Carvael. I think it's a gift."
Jaylen unfolded the note and read it.
Jaylen,
Against my better judgment and at a detriment to my plans, I have agreed to free you from your servitude and sentence in the Crypt. Sola insisted that I give you my steed, Pegasa. Consider it an extension of peace between us. She knows where to go to get you back to Vilyron. She is one of a kind so don't get rid of her. The amulet on her reins has already been activated with one of your soul segments, so she is eternally bound to you now. I think it is a very good use of a soul segment. Anyway, go back to Zeriel. I will meet with you in the days to come. Perhaps I was wrong about you all this time. We could possibly form an alliance that will benefit both sides in this petty conflict. Fly fast.
Archangel Carvael
Angel of Darkness Books 1-5 Page 33