Ash grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him quickly as he went to join the unicorn, “Get us to safety. We need to rest.”
“And what will I get for this?”
“You have my essence, do not get greedy. Leon would not be happy,” Annalise reminded him, eyes serious as she looked into those red orbs.
The unicorn nodded in understanding as Arie and Finlay joined them and continued on forward. They continued on for another couple of hours before turning to the right and going into a nearby cave. Once inside, the unicorn turned to them, “This will keep us guarded until you have rested. We will hear the fallen if they come.”
Finlay came in behind them with several pieces of wood, and began to build a fire in the back of the main cave. It appeared to break off into different caving systems, but being here in the back would help them to stay safe until they could figure something else out. “Anna, can you make something to give us a warning if they come?” he asked as he brought forth a large portion of a tree for them to sit on. He laid it down to form a square around the fire pit and looked at her.
“Um, sure,” she said, unsure of what she could do.
“Go with her,” Ash told Arie and moved to help Finlay get the fire going.
Arie sighed to show that she was not okay with this but did as she was asked. The two of them continued back to the front of the cave in silence, neither of them sure what to say to each other.
The girls reached the front of the cave and the seraph looked around, “Any ideas?”
“You could make a waterfall or something.”
The blonde looked over at the redhead, unsure if she was being serious or facetious. She could tell the girl was being honest, and continuing to think of other things to come up with. Annalise focused her energy on creating a thin but hard stream of water to go across the bottom of the entrance to the cave, creating a moat of sorts to make sounds if someone entered, as well as water flowing from the roof of the cave and into the moat to circulate.
“Looks good, blondie.”
“Thanks…I suppose,” Annalise said and gave the girl a tired smile. They returned to the back of the cave where the others were. The unicorn had piled himself up in the corner and was already asleep. Finlay and Ash were sitting across from each other, the fire burned bright between them, but their discussion stopped once the two girls came to take a seat with them.
“You did a great job,” Arie said. She put her hands out to warm them and scooted closer to Finlay.
Annalise left some space between her and Ash, still unsure of how to act now that they were alone. She looked across at Finlay, “Are you sure we are safe here?”
“That’s what the albino monster over there said,” he joked and pointed at the unicorn, “I say, we have a fun time while we rest.” His hazel eyes twinkled as he reached into his clothing and retrieved a large flask and took several gulps of it. “Ale?” he said and offered it to Ash. He took it from the seraph and downed quite a bit of the liquid before he handed it back.
“Don’t forget me,” Arie said as she snatched the flask from Finlay’s hand before he could object and finished it off.
“Niiiiiice,” Finlay commented as he took the flask back , clearly surprised that Arie could drink that much and keep up with the guys.
It made Annalise feel uncomfortable as realization dawned on her that she was the only one here that was going to be of any sound mind in a few minutes. She knew how Finlay's ale worked; it was strong but took several minutes to kick in.
“I am absolutely starving,” Arie said, her hand going to hold on to her stomach.
“Oh,” Annalise exclaimed and reached for her bag at her side, and then handed it over the fire to the redhead, “Natara gave me this and I completely forgot about it. I apologize. I am not used to having those around that need to eat.”
“Thanks,” the mortal said as she took the bag from her and dug through it to find something appetizing. Finally settling on something, she took a bite and let out a satisfied sound. “So Annalise has a counterpart, what about you?” Arie asked Finlay suddenly, curiosity peeping in her voice. She passed the food bag around for everyone else to look through.
“I do not think-” Annalise started, wanting to tell her not to ask because things like that were personal. It was a depressing story and they all needed to be as positive as possible, considering the situation they were in.
“It’s ok, it’s ok,” Finlay insisted and patted his knee dramatically with his hand. He looked over at the redhead and took her hand, “You may need a tissue for this one. Too bad we don’t have any.”
Annalise frowned because she knew that the story really was tragic, that he was heartbroken when he lost his counterpart. She couldn’t imagine losing Leon. It would cut her to the core and she wasn’t sure if she would ever recover. Especially with these new mortal emotions. Moving closer to Ash, she hoped that would help her ease her concern, she knew she was putting off a large amount of feelings at the time. He pulled her closer to him and wrapped an arm around her to warm her up. She was very cold, now that the lights had turned off outside of the cave, the temperature had dropped drastically. She was thankful of the covering her clothing offered now, since it was so cold in the cave.
“Prisscylia was her name. Reaping was her game,” Finlay started and laughed at first as he spoke of her, “We were together for hundreds of years, me the lessened version of my current playboy self, and she was very similar to Annalise here, but more aware of what went on in the world. We would drink ale and talk for hours, go out on our separate duties and even spend some time in the Ethereal Underground. She didn’t judge me for the things that I did, but supported me in whatever I decided to do. I did the same for her. ” He paused and Annalise could see the sadness coming over his face as he took a deep breath to continue on, “I didn’t know just how much she meant to me until she was gone.”
“Oh, Fin,” Arie whispered and reached out to grab his hand.
“She was supposed to be at a reaping the same time I was guarding a charge. We decided that after she captured the soul, we would go party it up in the Underground. She wasn’t so sure about the plan, because she wanted to get the soul back to the Grand Hall as quickly as possible. But it had been a busy week and I convinced her that she should come on when she was done, because she needed a break. I got sidetracked with some floozy on my way to meet her, someone my charge had been spending time with. By the time I got there, the fallen had taken my counterpart. I could feel them torturing her once they removed her wings, but I couldn’t find her. I looked everywhere, enlisting Leon’s help to find her. When we finally found the place where she had been held captive, it was too late. They had…”
He stopped telling the story and looked away from the group. Annalise knew he did not like letting what emotions he felt show in front of others very often. She knew that if he could cry, if seraphs had that ability, he would do so now. She thought back to how she had cried when she returned to the seraph realm and realized that it must be because of the bond and her new emotions. Sighing, Annalise leaned over on her knees and tried to take everything in. Having a counterpart that you could trust and spend time with was something other species just did not get, and she did not want the girl to think he was in love with Prisscylia, “You have to understand, counterparts are together for hundreds or thousands of years. You cannot comprehend the bond that is created there. The fallen took her and consumed her powers. I am not sure how they do it, but they create something that gives them seraph powers again for a short period of time. Gives them the illusion of being one again. It is sick.”
“I’ve refused to have a new counterpart created since then. I just could not go through that again and for some weird reason, the Elders allowed it,” he explained. He turned to Arie and sighed, “That’s why when I had an opening, I immediately went to the Elders and requested to be given you as a charge.”
Arie let out a quick gasp, having asked about her guardian earli
er and not been answered.
“If I can keep you safe, that’s what I’m going to do,” Finlay explained, “I have someone else covering all of my other charges. You are more important right now.”
Annalise felt suddenly uncomfortable now, not hearing Finlay talk about anyone like that since he had lost his counterpart. Even then, it hadn’t been love between them, just that special bond. But as she watched him try to get Arie to understand, she could tell this was much more than that. As a seraph, he didn’t have the human capacity for love, but she could see that he cared for Arie as much as he could.
She was thankful when Finlay excused himself and took piece of the burning wood with him to go into another cave connected to this one. Arie was up from her seat quickly to follow behind him. Annalise could hear the questions flowing from her mouth, and she let out a sigh. It was difficult enough being around Ash when she did care for him, and not being sure if things could ever work between them. It wouldn’t work with Finlay and Arie either, she knew that, but they did not seem to be as worried about it. They were living for the now, cherishing each other while they were together, and it made her miss Leon. Before all of the events that had transpired, there was never an awkward moment between them. It was easy for her to be herself with him. Here with Ash, she was unsure of what she should do or say.
Ash
The air stood still this far down in the underground, so the only thing that could be heard was the sound of creatures lurking in the distance and the crackling of the small fire. Ash sat awkwardly on the ground, his body heavy after a long day of walking. He hadn’t realized how far they had to travel to the end of the ninth layer. Once they descended down into the tenth layer where the fallen were, there would be no turning back. He felt pretty confident that he could kill Endarial, but he didn’t feel confident that they would get out of there alive. If he couldn’t make it, he wanted to make sure Finlay got the girls out safely. He made a mental note to talk to Finlay and turned to Annalise who was huddled in front of the fire beside him.
“How many fallen do you think there are down there?” he asked. He put his hands out closer to the flame wishing the heat would come faster.
“Finlay says close to twenty. If we are lucky, most of them will be gone. Natara said that Loki’s followers are growing enormously. I hope we finish off a few before they even realize we are there.”
Ash nodded in agreement, he hoped that luck was on their side. He pointed behind him where Arie and Finlay had run off to.
“Did you know about that?” Ash asked her, referring to Finlay being Arie’s guardian.
“No,” she shook her head, “I am guessing it happened right after I saved you. Finlay enjoys the way you mortals act; I am not surprised he is taken by your Arie. He tries to be like one of you.”
Ash gave her a look of disgust and tried to change the subject; he scooted over to her and leaned in close.
“I didn’t realize the bond between two seraph partners could be so intense. I’m sorry for always talking bad about Leon. I’m sure he is a great seraph.” The last words were hard to get out, but he needed to clear the air. After seeing Finlay get more emotional than he had ever seen him become over losing his counterpart, he realized how much Annalise must be hurting.
“I’m sure he is okay,” he said.
Annalise closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. “I hope so. He has been with me for so long; I cannot stand to think otherwise.”
Ash reached out to squeeze her hand; he couldn’t be petty or jealous anymore. This trip wasn’t about him and Annalise, it was about righting the wrongs that had been done. In their own world, neither of them were welcome anymore. If they were successful, things would go back to the way it should be, for Anna at least. Ash wasn’t sure what his future as keeper would be, but he was positive he didn’t want to go back. Maybe if he laid low for a while, they would think he was dead. After all, the underground was a very big place and the keepers were fewer in numbers these days. He stared off into the distance and wondered if he would ever see the suns or the stars again. It was a depressing thought, but he didn’t care as long as his friends were safe.
“What did Jaron mean? When he said those things about you?” Annalise asked timidly. He knew she was afraid of his answer, and frankly Ash didn’t want to give one to her. She was too curious though, so he knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge the question.
“I was not the model keeper,” he explained, “When I was given permission to be a mentor a few months ago, they gave me Gabe. He was so strong and witty; he was going to make a great keeper.” Ash smiled at the thought of the young boy, the one who didn’t get the pleasure of a long life.
“The Officials were given information about a drug peddler receiving shipment through one of the supply ships. It was our job to follow the ship and find out who it was. I had just gotten a place near the Ethereal Underground and the thrill of living there was still pretty new. It was my secret hideaway. I got caught up one night and forgot to go back to the surface. We were supposed to meet at sunrise. When I wasn’t there, Gabe went without me. I don’t know why, but I think I would have done the same thing if I were him. He was just like me. Cocky, arrogant, thought he could take on the whole world. I was only thirty minutes late, if only he had waited just a few minutes longer. He never made it back; the Officials didn’t blame me at first, until a few weeks ago when someone told them where I had been the night before and what I had been doing during my time off. Jaron was the one who told them. He has hated me ever since I was picked to become an Official over him.”
Ash tried to push his emotions away like the keepers had taught him, but the thought of Gabe made him feel the guilt all over again. Ale always made him talk too much, so he decided to shut his mouth before he said anything he would regret. Annalise squeezed his hand tighter, making him feel a bit better.
“He should not have gone alone,” she told him.
“And you shouldn’t have saved my life.”
Annalise’s body stiffened beside him. “I told you, I do not regret saving you. I only regret all the pain it has caused everyone else.”
Unable to come up with a good reply, Ash sat there in silence. He was eager for tomorrow to come so they could get this trip over with. He had so many unanswered questions for Annalise. What was going on in her mind? Had she changed her mind about returning home? Did she compare him to Leon? He gathered up the courage to just spit them out.
“Is Leon the one you want?” Ash whispered, afraid of the answer. He and Annalise had a connection; it was something he couldn’t explain. The more he wished it gone; the stronger it became. She stared into the fire for a few moments. Each second that passed made his heart grow heavy. Her silence told him everything he needed to know.
He cleared his throat softly and looked away from her.
“Tell me about the other seraphs,” he urged. He had heard her and Finlay talk a bit about the others but the world was still practically a mystery.
“We are very different from your kind. Our world is centered around nature and our affinities. Few of us live like Finlay- indulging in the mortal world when we can. Finlay is a high ranking seraph, so he gets away with much more.”
“Is Leon the rule breaking kind?”
Annalise shook her head. Of course, Leon never broke the rules. In her eyes, Leon was perfect. Ash grabbed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile. He could feel how much she missed her realm.
“This feeling you have right now. It’s called being homesick. I know how different this world can be. I know you miss the sun and the greenery. I know you miss the simplicity and…and…” He paused for a second before continuing on, “Leon.”
Annalise looked up at him. He watched as a small smile formed on her face. She was reassured by his words. At least that’s what he thought. Sometimes he couldn’t get a clear reading with the bond.
“Do you miss you home too?”
Ash chuckled and shook his head. Missing the keeper
s was definitely not on his mind. “No, I don’t miss the keepers. I suppose I may have missed them when I first left the surface. I kept thinking I would find my way back, but then I kept getting the feeling that they don’t care about the citizens of Cabalin. Our Officials only want control.” He pulled out the keeper blade he had taken from Jaron from its spot on his side and rubbed his finger along the ancient symbol. The small symbol was practically meaningless to him now. After that confrontation in the conservatory, he knew he didn’t belong there with those people. He was willing to take the punishment. If they came to take him away, there were things he needed to take care of. Killing the fallen took top priority. Who knew what could happen after that. The keepers may decide to take him back. They may decide to banish him to the ninth layer. They could even kill him, and from what Jaron had said it seemed like that was the final decision. Yet, he wouldn’t draw conclusions from that traitor’s actions. He had been working with the enemy for reasons Ash still couldn’t figure out. Arie had mentioned earlier that Jaron was probably working alone. He had been too worried about Annalise earlier to seriously consider the possibility, but now it ringed very true in his ears. If the Officials wanted him dead they would have sent a bounty hunter not a fellow keeper. They wouldn’t risk losing another of their kind to Ash. Ash could have easily taken him if they had met on a fair playing field. Anna had once again saved him.
“If the Officials offer to take you back after you kill the fallen; will you go back?”
Ash thought for a moment. “No,” he simply said.
“I hope my Elders take me back.”
Ash nodded in agreement. “This is my fault. I will make sure they do. Even if that means you have to kill me.”
Ethereal Underground Page 21