The Stars Forbade Us

by Holly Wentz

  “We have no wish of the Burning City but to pass by it, unimpeded, Fallon, and enter the Chasm.” Ezi is saying, his voice seeming to come from some distance and grow closer.

  Fallon now faces Ezi again, “You wish to take the Unjudged out of the Realm?” Shaking his head slowly he tsks, “Impish little creatures these mortals, what fools they be.”

  In a flurry of grace he swirls his cape and with an elegant bow says, “By all means Good Souls, by all means, pass and safe travels … until we meet again.” The last words come out almost as a threat as he fades into the darkening shadows that then move to their rightful spot in the distance behind them. Ar’aad is the first to recover, calling them forward and saying that the Chasm is near. She watches a tense Ezi who has yet to move, as she hears the others behind her begin to walk on.

  “Mad as a hatter! And he’s in charge of that nuthouse!” she can hear Erech mouth off. “You won’t catch me near that insane asylum,” he carries on, talking tough to alleviate his fear. A habit of his and one that Kyle seems to share as he joins in with his own bravado, “I can see nothing of worth in that city. Easy to turn back from.”

  Their voices grow distant and Ezi has not yet moved. Approaching him, she slides her hand up his back and over his shoulder, tugging him around slowly. He permits it, turning into her arms and allowing her to hold him in a tight embrace for a moment.

  “I refused to fall for you because I knew if I did, you would be damned.” He speaks in a hoarse whisper into her hair, “But it was shredding me seeing you just there, just beyond. All I need do was step out of the Spirit and we could be together. But it’s not worth it.”

  He pulls back and holds her face in his hands, his expression solemn and sincere. “My fallen brothers did that. They left their place, denied their heritage, and claimed their brides. But they only got to be with them for a moment in time and they are caged now, chained and burning, the brides ripped from them, their offspring damned.”

  He says the last word in a whisper, laying his forehead against her. “I almost accepted a throne among the damned, so distraught I was that we would never be.”

  “Ezi, no,” she begins to shake her head, pulling back, ready to berate him for such foolishness, but he stops her.

  Gathering her back into an embrace he holds her tight, saying, “Be still, little dancer, I will never seek that place again. I have watched you risk all for three lost souls, you were willing to help when you could have walked away. You gave yourself over as sacrifice when you could have demanded it of another. You have been kind, brave, honest, and compassionate. You are everything a soul mate should be, and one day you will fulfill your challenge. On that day when you reach up, I will be right there reaching down to lift you.”

  Gently he kisses the twin tears streaming down her cheeks, then escorts her to the group that has slowed in pace to allow them time to catch up.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Shortly after nightfall they reach the Chasm. Lucky for Erech and Kyle that Ar’aad walked with them, for neither could see the gaping bottomless black hole in the heavy darkness aside the looming mountain. But once Ar’aad pointed it out, it became hard to ignore. The Chasm reminded Marcy of an enormous sinkhole, a near perfect circular hole that seems to just appear. There was a disturbing wind noise coming from deep inside the hole, like a whirlwind. Although it was black as pitch, she could swear that there was movement, the walls seeming to spin. Half of her wanted to go to the edge on her stomach and peer over; the other half of her wanted to beg Aliya to take her back to her apartment in the Grey City and forget this place even existed.

  Standing beside the edge of the Chasm, she looked around realizing that this was goodbye. She, Jack, and Kyle were about to be taken back to a place that the others would never be able to reach them. Ar’aad and Ezi she supposed could but felt a certainty that they would not. La’sha—heavens, she didn’t want to be around where La’sha would be likely to prowl in the Physical Realm. Erech would never be allowed on Earth. And Aliya….

  The tears choked her, blinding her momentarily as she felt Aliya crash into her in a near-crushing hold.

  “I’m going to miss you too.” she says on a sob.

  Wiping her eyes in a desperate attempt to get control, she’s surprised to see moisture gathering in Jack and Kyle’s eyes as they grip hands and clap backs with the other males in the more masculine version of emotional farewell. They each hug Aliya tight and kiss her cheek as Marcy goes to say farewell to the others. Erech warmly embraces her and whispers something cheeky and vulgar in her ear before giving a surprisingly chaste kiss on the cheek. La’sha puts his hand heavily on top of her head and touches foreheads before letting go with a nod. She supposes this was how hellhounds say goodbye. Grabbing Aliya for one more clasp she whispers, “You’ll make it next time.” And both look over to Ezi who stands at the Chasm’s edge.

  Smiling brilliantly at him, Aliya says, “I know I will make it.”

  Another quick kiss on the cheek and Aliya pushes her toward Ezi, “Go before I can’t let you go,” she says in a tear-laced laugh.

  Marcy steps to the edge with the others, and Ar’aad explains that they must hold on to him or Ezi and, as one, they will fall into the Chasm and out into the Physical Realm. Jack gives her hand a squeeze before he and Kyle both wrap their arms around Ar’aad’s waist. Jack winks as they fall backward over the edge. Wrapping her arms tightly around Ezi, she sees Aliya at the Chasm’s edge grow small as they fall back, and even over the roar of wind she hears Ezi call out to Aliya, “I love you.” She squeezes him all the harder for it.

  Wind. Darkness.Pressure. The smell of a burning candle and the sound of a lawnmower in the distance. Marcy sits up slowly and looks around. She is lying on the wooden floor of Jack’s attic, an old woolen blanket lying over her. Jack and Kyle have their back to her at the moment, scrubbing at the floor. They are trying to clean off the chalk markings.

  “It’s not coming off,” Kyle says as he scrubs hard with a brillo pad.

  “We need to take it off differently. It was put on by Spirit, it needs to be removed by Spirit.” Jack sits back on his haunches, looking up in thought.

  “Well, I’m fresh out of Holy Water, little brother.” Kyle smiles.

  Marcy can’t help but laugh. Coming to stand over with them she says, “Let’s ask for a little help.”

  Taking their hands, she bows her head and prays, “Heavenly Father, we give thanks to You. You allowed us to be shown the Light and the Truth that so very few are given opportunity to do so before Death. Thank You, God. Thank You, Heavenly Father. Please, God, we pray for Your Guidance and Protection. We pray that this portal be closed forever. We pray that as we leave this place and go back out in the world, we do Your Will. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for all of Your Blessings. Please help us to become the people You want us to be. Guide and protect us we pray in the Darkness that comes. In your Heavenly Name we pray. Amen.”

  Reaching over, she takes a damp cloth and wipes it along the floor, smearing the chalk in its wake. Smiling, Jack helps her to her feet, kissing her hand before leading her out. Turning, she calls to Kyle, who finishes wiping all the chalk away. He picks up the used candles and then joins them at the ladder leading down to the main house.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Aliya stands looking over the Chasm, watching Ezi and Marcy disappear into the swirling Darkness far below her with Ezi’s proclamation still ringing in her ears, she turns back and finds La’sha and Erech also looking over the edge. Sighing, she begins to walk away and begin the long journey back to the Grey City. Soon Erech and La’sha join her, each walking on either side of her, exchanging growls and insults over her head. As they reach the Path, they see a car parked on the road facing the direction of the Gray City.

  “What is that?” Erech says as they slowly approach the flashy fifties-style convertible, painted white with red leather seats and chrome trim.

  “Cadillac, 1954, convertible.”
La’sha helpfully informs them.

  Rolling his eyes, Erech replies, “Okay, why is it here? Huh? Got an answer to that, dick-hound?”

  La’sha takes hold of Erech’s neck and Aliya grabs hold of his arm half hanging off to stop La’sha from choking Erech as he begins to turn blue.

  “Ehm.” A throat clears from behind them. La’sha looks back and immediately let’s go of Erech and begins to turn towards the behemoth behind them.

  The male is massive, impossibly so. He soars over them and even Erech, the tallest of them, only comes to his waist. He is as wide as the road and his left side, from his bald head to the leg showing beneath his leather and iron kilt, is tattooed in distinct marks. Aliya cannot help but make a quick warning sign against the sight. Those markings are too familiar from her own mortal life dusted and marked with similar symbols.

  “Do not harm my Guardian, hellhound.” Fallon’s hiss comes from the Darkness towards the Burning City, which makes a black fire in the skyline. La’sha gnashes his teeth then stalks over to the far side of the car, away from the giant. He suddenly changes into his wolven form and turns to charge, but Fallon shouts, “No!” and there is a lightning flash and a canine yelp.

  La’sha limps back, the smell of burnt fur following him; he bites Erech on the leg before taking human form and stalking to pout at the front of the car.

  “Ow!” Erech rubs his leg, a string of curses thrown at the sulking hound’s back.

  “Ehm,” the Guardian clears his throat again, “My master wishes to present you the gift of this vehicle to carry you back to the Grey City. It will protect you from the creatures that inhibit the Wasteland and will repeal the Deviants and others who may wish you harm.”

  “Nice.” Erech straightens from his still bleeding leg, “Where are the keys?”

  A hiss fills the air before the Guardian replies coolly, “The gift is for her, not you.”

  “Me? Why me?” Aliya asks, instantly suspicious. Males only gave her gifts for one reason and dang it, she was on a fresh start now. She felt that painful stripping had eradicated the Past from her, and she was on a clean slate from here on out.

  The Darkness laughed softly, “Because, my lovely, you saved my station from one who would have taken it. Take this gift and keep the usurper out of my city.”

  With that the Darkness sucked back across the open plane up into the Burning City and the Guardian turned and quickly covered ground with his great strides.

  A pair of keys appeared in the ignition and Erech was quickly electrocuted for touching them. Settling himself in the passenger seat, shaking his tingling hand, he sets his foot on the dash to look at the bite wound before telling off La’sha, who stands by her open door. After helping her in, he takes wolven form and waits for them at the side of the Path.

  Turning the ignition, she can’t help but smile at the smooth rumble the car makes. Pulling down the shade, a pair of red rimmed cat-eye sunglasses fall into her lap. Sliding them on, she faces the lightening sky before her. She blows a kiss up towards Ezi and gives thanks to God. Flipping on the radio, she hits the gas, as the Real Deal song “Send Me An Angel” comes over the speakers. And the two nephilim and the hellhound race back to the Grey City.

  The End