Blessed: Academy of the Seraph

by Brandi Elledge

  “Gabriel’s journal is on the couch right next to you. Start reading.”

  I grabbed the book and put it in my lap. A jolt of longing ran through me as I touched the cover. Then I flipped it open and wiggled into a better position.

  “Commander—er, Finn? Before I start reading, I thought maybe I should tell you that something a little strange happened to me today.”

  Without looking at me, he asked, “What’s that?”

  I told him about my friend Hannah and how she was able to see Remy when I was touching her.

  He let out a sigh that was more like a groan. “So, Hannah knows that you’ve come into some pretty impressive powers?”

  I nodded. “Sorry. But no one else will know. Plus, the demons that attacked me and Hannah were already talking about a light that I gave off, so she’d figured it out eventually.”

  He nodded. “You giving the dead life is actually not strange at all.”

  “It’s not?”

  “No, in fact, your powers will be way bigger than that.” His gaze was intense. “I want you to be a fighting machine by the time anyone knows exactly who you are. It’s extremely important that you don’t tell anyone else about any of this. Understand?”

  “I’ve only told Hannah, who’s super cool, and Remy, who is a ghost, so I think we’re safe.”

  “You didn’t tell your boyfriend?”

  “He’s not my boyfriend, and no, I didn’t. I have so many questions, though—”

  I stopped speaking as the air in the room began to intensify. A strong power washed over me before the back door was opened.

  He didn’t seem to be alarmed. Actually, he seemed to be excited as a man walked through the hall toward us, a blinding light surrounding him.

  I put a hand up to shield my eyes as he stopped a couple of feet away from Finn. Then my mouth dropped open as I stared at what had to be a legit angel.

  He was tall like Finn and just as muscular. In fact, they could have been cousins, if it wasn’t for their coloring. I knew immediately who I was staring at.

  “Sandalphon?”

  He smiled at me, causing me to cringe. “Sorry. Let me turn down the brightness. Normally, people tend to not see the light, but it seems that you’re special.”

  Within seconds, I was able to gaze upon him without wincing. He was absolutely magnificent.

  “Ella, it’s been a long time.”

  “Um …”

  Finn cleared his throat. “This is Gabriella.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry, of course.”

  That was super strange. What was even more bizarre was the way Finn was gently shaking his head at Sandalphon.

  They stared at each other for several minutes, as if they were having a silent conversation. Then Sandalphon gave Finn a sad smile before nodding.

  Obviously, something was up.

  “So, Gabriella,” the angel started, “it’s very nice to officially meet you.”

  “Do you know me?” When he looked over to Finn again, I said, “You were one of the ones who fought against the darken the day that I died. The day that I became the Flaming Sword.”

  He gave a solemn nod. “I lost seven brothers and sisters that day. We all lost something that day.”

  Sandalphon then changed gears, grabbing Finn up in a bear hug. “Hey, my boy, how are you doing?”

  Finn smiled. “Like you don’t know.”

  Sandalphon stroked his five o’clock shadow. “It’s true; I might keep tabs on you.”

  “You both have similarities,” I blurted.

  Sandalphon laughed. “It’s because I am the one who blessed him.”

  They both smiled at that.

  I watched as the angel stood there, laughing with Finn and catching up just like a father and son would.

  Finn then turned to me with a smile on his face. “Gabriella, this is who I called to talk with you, but before he does, I have some business to go over with him. Can you sit tight and read for a second, and we will be right back?”

  “Sure.”

  I watched as they walked into the dining room that was off the kitchen. I could still see them, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Both men looked a lot alike, but Finn didn’t have fair hair or blue eyes. I had seen that shade of green somewhere before …

  While they continued to talk, I picked up a different book from Finn’s collection, one that was based on the fifteen archangels. I flipped through it until I came across Gabriel. Her eyes were beautiful, but they didn’t look like jewels that were cast from the heavens. I ran a hand over her image. I could have been her twin—same dark hair, blue eyes, and full lips.

  I flipped the page to Ariel. Remy didn’t look like the blonde angel, but she did share the same electric eyes.

  There was no doubt that Hannah got more than a few attributes from the angel Haniel. That orange, wiry hair and pale skin was a dead giveaway that Hannah had been touched by Haniel.

  As Sandalphon and Finn slowly made their way back into the living room, I asked, “Hey, question. So, I noticed that whatever line we come from, we have some of that angel’s characteristics. Why do some of the blessed carry a heavier resemblance than most?”

  It was Sandalphon who answered. “In the beginning, when the archangels came across the sick, they blessed them to help heal their frail bodies. The sicker the human was, the more of the angel’s essence was poured into them. After they were healed, they tended to favor the angel with a few characteristics.”

  “But I look a lot like Gabriel. Like, carved from the same stone.”

  “You do.” Sandalphon came to sit next to me, his fist clenched in his lap. “Angels weren’t made to fall in love, but Gabriel was the closest thing to love that I ever felt. She struggled with the fall from heaven. She needed something in her life to focus on, other than besting Lucifer and the rest of the darken. She was the only archangel to sleep with a human and produce an heir.”

  I gasped. “She had a baby?”

  He reached out and squeezed my knee. “Yes, you, my dear.”

  I looked over at Finn, who had propped himself up against a wall. His arms, with those corded muscles, were crossed over his chest. He gave me a tight nod. “You’re Nephilim, Gabriella. I could have told you all this, but Sandalphon said, when the time came to tell you who your mother was, he wanted to be the person to share the news. Him and your mother were as close as two angels could be.”

  Sandalphon said, “None of us ever knew your human father. Gabriel never spoke of him, but it was clear that you took after him in the way that you viewed things. That seemed to please Gabriel, who adored humans. She didn’t want any of us to bless you, because she never wanted you to be hunted by the darken. We all agreed, and each one of us enjoyed watching over you. You became everyone’s niece. Everyone’s pride and joy.

  “After long days, weeks, months of fighting the darken, we would come back to check on your mother and her little miracle. Our little miracle.” He smiled while reminiscing. “I remember how much mischief you seemed to always be in. Your childhood went by so fast. In a blink, really. So, naturally, the day came when you left home to start your own life, and we all tried to give you the space that you needed. Poor Chamuel really struggled with that. He was more overprotective than even I.

  “Not a year went by after you left before your village was attacked.” His eyes shone brightly. “I know this life hasn’t been easy, Gabriella, but know that, in your past life, you had so many who loved you. A mother who sacrificed herself to save you.”

  A tear streaked down my face. “I want to remember.”

  He laid a hand on my shoulder. “Then dream of it soon.”

  “Why was I in foster care? If I still have aunts and uncles who love me, why didn’t they raise me when I was re-born?”

  A sad look crossed his face. “We didn’t know when you would be coming back to us, and the truth is I wouldn’t let anyone search for you. The darken would have found you. If we had taken an interest in yo
u, they would have taken an interest in you. Believe it or not, you were safer without us knowing where you were.”

  I gave him a tight nod. I understood what he was saying, but it didn’t mean that it sucked any less. Then again, I was apparently loved before and had had a good life, yet I had ended up dead, so there was that.

  He stood slowly and walked over to Finn. “I’m glad you called me. I have been wanting to check on you.” He placed a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “I know this wears heavily upon you. It wears heavily on us all. If the darken find out that she is the Flaming Sword, they will take her, my boy. Have your guard up, son.”

  Fear trailed down my spine. The thought of being hunted by the darken was enough to make me sweat.

  Finn gave the angel a nod. “Always.”

  The angel made a gesture between us. “Well, I’ll let the both of you get back to … whatever it was that you were doing before I showed up.”

  Finn walked the angel out of the cabin, and when he returned, the mood had changed. Finn was even more distant than usual.

  Without saying a word, he started pushing the furniture back.

  “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “You are the only person who has ever been directly born from any of the fifteen archangels. You are also the only one who has been blessed by multiple angels.” He stopped rolling the rug and walked toward me, only stopping when he was right in front of me. He put a hand on my chest, and at his warm touch, I almost stopped breathing. “Inside of you is more power than anyone could ever fathom. You, Gabriella, carry the Flaming Sword inside of you. I want you to stop using your mind so much and start fighting with your heart.”

  I took a deep breath, my chest rising, pressing into his palm.

  I watched as his eyes darted to my lips before he cleared his throat and took a step back. Then he continued rolling up the rug then moved it to the side of his living room.

  He stood in the middle, telling me, “They have given you so much. Learn to fight so that it wasn’t all for nothing.”

  He was right.

  This time when we fought in the middle of his living room, I gave it everything I had. He didn’t go easy like Trev did. No, he wasn’t satisfied until every muscle in my body ached, and I couldn’t physically get back to my feet. I took several minutes laying on his rug, just catching my breath, a smile on my face. I had gotten two hits on the mighty commander. A roundhouse kick to the shoulder and an uppercut to the stomach that almost broke my hand, but still. With both hits, he had given me a smile that was worth a thousand words.

  When I groaned as I sat up, he laughed then threw a water bottle at me. It was time for me to head back to my dorm and take a hot shower.

  On shaky legs, I made my way to his door, where he refused to let me carry my own bag. He just served me my ass over and over again yet carried my bag for me as he escorted me back to my dorm. Before he left me, he commanded me to have dreams, and that I did.

  That night, I smiled as the dream I had hoped for came to me. Like a movie on the screen, I watched the archangels like they were my favorite characters.

  They watched over those who they had blessed, but it was one child in particular that had caught their interest. They cooed over the child with her cherubic cheeks and twinkling blue eyes that were an exact replica of her mother’s. As she grew from a toddler to a teen, they all popped in on her and her doting mother.

  I watched in fascination as the beautiful angel, Gabriel, dressed the now young woman, Gabriella—me—in an ivory gown with lace. Her eyes misted over as she braided my hair, tucking dandelions into the braid.

  I laughed. “Mom, wouldn’t roses be more fitting for my wedding day?”

  “No, daughter. Roses have certain conditions in which they can grow. A dandelion, though, can grow through hard clay. It is resilient and beautiful, just like you.”

  I grabbed her hand and squeezed. “Thank you for helping me get ready.”

  “There is nowhere that I’d rather be, daughter of mine.” Her eyes met mine. “Can I just say that I never thought that anyone would ever be worthy of my daughter until I met my future son-in-law. He is perfect.”

  A grin split my face. “And so handsome he must be an angel.”

  We both laughed. Then I stood and walked toward the door that held my future, my happiness.

  One minute, I was dreaming of an upcoming wedding and a love between a mother and daughter, and in the next, the dream faded away from them and turned darker.

  Camaella was screaming in pain, begging to be released from the torture. She vowed to do anything.

  At that simple yet powerful word, Lucifer appeared. He gently stroked her soggy red hair from her face, but with every touch, more pain was brought to her. The more she wept, the more he laughed.

  I was sitting in class, stewing over last night’s dream. I had a mom at one time. A mom who had loved me. A mom who had been an archangel. I chewed on the end of my eraser. Had I made it through my wedding day before I was slaughtered?

  What would happen if the darken found out that someone like me existed? They wouldn’t kill me. Not if I was the Flaming Sword. They would use me to take out as many blessed as they could.

  Anxiety ran through my veins and panic had swelled up inside of me by the time Hannah sat down in the desk next to mine. Her pale skin looked flushed from running to get to class before the bell rang. Her flaming orange, unruly curls stood up in every which way. Something was wrong.

  “Hey, are you okay?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “This morning, two of the girls from the crew cornered me at my lockers.”

  “It’s because you’re friends with me?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “It does to me.”

  “They are overly obsessed with you. They wanted to know why you were going to the commander’s personal quarters.”

  “What did you say to them?”

  “I didn’t tell them that you were learning about the angels who had touched you, if that’s what you’re asking. I told them that you sucked at hand-to-hand combat, and the commander said he would catch you up, which isn’t a total lie. Then Marlie-Beth slammed me into my locker and asked me when your birthday was.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I’m not sure why they wanted to know your birthday, but there was something definitely up with that, so I lied and said that you were a Valentine’s Day baby.”

  My stomach clenched. Why would she want to know when my birthday was? My knee bounced up and down. I needed to talk to Finn. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I had a feeling that Marlie-Beth knew more about me than I knew about me.

  I gave Hannah a half-hug, which was hard to do because of our desks. “I’m sorry that they are bothering you, but I really appreciate you covering for me.”

  “That’s what friends do,” Hannah said. “Also, I’ve been thinking. You’re going to think that this is crazy, but I think your power is so strong that it’s allowing me to be stronger.”

  “What?”

  “Okay, so yesterday in magic class, I actually healed a plant. You know how I come from Haniel’s line, right?”

  I nodded.

  “She is known for her psychic abilities and healing arts. Even when I fully come into my gift, there isn’t much hope for me. My power has been judged to top out at a level one, maybe a two, so the most I should be able to do in the future is have good intuition, like ‘nah, dude, stay away from that pizza slice because that’s a bad idea’ intuition. But yesterday, I touched a leaf of a dying ivy and guess what? It became greener and healthier right in front of my eyes. Of course I couldn’t tell anyone, but how cool is that?”

  “Um, cool. But I don’t think it has anything to do with me.”

  “Oh yeah? Well, tell me why I can see Remy right now, and you’re not touching her?”

  I looked over my shoulder to see that Remy had come into the classroom and was sitting on the teacher’s desk. She was snickering while s
he changed the grades on the students’ papers.

  I looked at Hannah in shock. “How is that possible?”

  “Don’t know. Don’t care. I’m just over here, enjoying life at the moment. Wait until I tell Remy. She’s going to be so excited. We are like the only two people who can see her.”

  Mrs. Fields came in right then, stopping me from asking my next question.

  “I apologize for being a few minutes late. Something came up that couldn’t be avoided.” She pulled her desk chair out and sat down.

  Remy made funny faces at her as she swung her legs.

  Hannah laughed, causing Remy to narrow her eyes at her. Hannah gave her a wink, and Remy’s mouth flew open.

  “Please take out your workbooks. You may get with your partners if you wish.”

  Something was off with Mrs. Fields. She was being way too chill, but I wouldn’t complain.

  Today, we were learning about the fifteen archangels’ powers. Some of the angels had similar skills, but for the most part, each one brought something different to the table. We were to write down the angels that we came from, along with what powers they obtained. Then we were supposed to write down our level of power and what we thought we should be able to do according to the level we were on.

  At the top of my paper, I listed Gabriel and Azrael since, at this point, the school still believed that I was unsure of my lineage.

  My throat tightened as I looked upon Gabriel’s face. She was as gorgeous as she was elegant. There was an air about her that was pure confidence. I read with interest that she could deliver messages across the veil to the dead, and Azrael, who had an uncanny resemblance to Keanu Reeves, could see the deceased, along with delivering them to the light when they were ready to go. That was pretty cool. They went hand in hand.

  After writing a summary on them, I wrote what I thought I should be able to do upon my eighteenth birthday when I came into my powers.

  I had time to spare, so I went through all the angels’ powers, trying to retain as much as I could. After all, I had been blessed by more than a few of the archangels.

  Ariel was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed hottie who could communicate with animals and nature. That explained why I could communicate with animals, and the trees did that funny thing, like trying to comfort me when I was upset. Raphael had beautiful olive skin and jet-black hair. He could heal physical wounds. Uriel was tall and skinny. His wavy, light brown hair grazed the tops of his shoulders. He shined a light on your weaknesses, helping you to overcome whatever barriers lay before you and amplified your strengths.