by Susan Illene
“Dear God. How could they have allowed her to suffer like this?” Melena’s eyes grew teary.
Lucas came up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her. As hardened as he was, even he could not stand to see the kind of suffering the former archangel must have faced. It made him want to protect Melena that much more from the horrors of the world—if only she’d let him.
Ariel opened her eyes, revealing they were still golden, though darker than before. At first, they were unfocused, but after a few moments she seemed to get her bearings. Her gaze took in those hovering over her.
“You are all insane,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper. “You should not have risked your lives for me.”
“Melena insisted.” Lucas couldn’t help but admire the fact that Ariel still worried about them after all she’d suffered.
“It’s good to have you back,” Melena smiled.
The former archangel slowly reached over and squeezed the sensor’s hand. “I knew you’d come. I prayed you wouldn’t, but I knew you would never leave me there. It is what got me through each day.” Ariel drew in a gasping breath and used it to say two more words before closing her eyes. “Thank you.”
Chapter Thirty-eight
Melena
The house was quiet as I made my way up the stairs. With Ariel recovering in Micah’s bedroom, no one wanted to risk disturbing her. We were also a little on edge as the day wore on to evening, waiting to see if there’d be any ramifications from freeing the former archangel. Just because they seemed to have allowed us to free Ariel didn’t mean they’d let us keep her.
Patrick and Emily had made a batch of homemade chicken noodle soup to help pass the time and distract them from the mounting tension. I carried a bowl of it on a tray, along with some crackers and fruit for the former archangel. It had been almost a day since we brought her home and she’d been unable to consume anything solid. We hoped soup would do the trick.
Micah met me in the hallway and pulled me over to Patrick’s room. His tone was grave as he spoke in a low voice. “I’ve just finished healing some of her internal injuries. It should help her eat better, but don’t push it if she can’t. Her body may not be ready yet.”
I swallowed a lump in my throat. “That bad?”
“You cannot…” His voice broke off, and it took a moment for him to recover. “You cannot begin to imagine. I’m amazed there’s anything left of the woman we once knew still in there, but it’s possible Ariel’s belief that we’d come for her helped her hold onto her sanity.”
I took a deep breath. “Hope can defeat armies if it’s strong enough.”
Micah managed a smile. “This is true, sensor. Now go in there and sit with her for a while. I’m certain she will enjoy your company.”
“Make sure Bartol gets some of this soup.” I nodded at the tray I held. “Kerbasi has been around a lot, so he’s been hiding in his room all day.”
“I’ll do that,” Micah promised.
After he walked away, I headed down the hall to his room where Ariel lay on his bed. Micah had chosen to sleep in the den for the moment so she could have some privacy while recovering. I didn’t know how long she’d need, but Lucas and I decided we’d let her stay as long as necessary. Our home was already full of outcasts and misfits—what was one more? We’d have to build a guest house if this kept up, though.
Ariel had her gaze directed toward the nearby window where someone had opened it up. There was a tree within close view. A bird sat on one of the branches, singing its little heart out. I could have sworn the creature was performing for the former archangel.
“It’s beautiful, is it not?” she said, still watching it. Her voice remained weak, but it was clearer than when we’d found her the night before.
“Yeah, it is.” I set the tray down on the nightstand. “How are you doing?”
Ariel turned to look at me. “I’ve certainly been better, but I’m also grateful.”
“That you’re back?” I asked.
“That is one good reason.” She struggled to sit up higher against her mound of pillows, waving me off when I tried to help. “But also because I’ve got you and the others. After everything that has happened…I’m thankful I’m not alone anymore.”
Ariel had changed during her stint in Hell. I remembered her as kind and generous, but also haughty and a little overbearing. Her methods for handling things caused us to clash more than once, especially when she made me swear an oath to keep secrets from Lucas.
Now she seemed more humble, and she treated me as an equal, rather than some lesser being. For the first time in her very long existence, she’d experienced what it was like to be vulnerable and helpless—to have one’s fate in the hands of others. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone, but if she had to change somehow, then I was glad that at least it was for the better. I only regretted that she’d had to learn that lesson in such a horrible and cruel way.
“I’ve got some soup here for you,” I said, gesturing at the tray.
She stared at it longingly. “It smells good, but I’m not certain if I can eat.”
“It can’t hurt to try.”
Ariel nodded. “Put it on my lap.”
I carefully set the tray on her legs, leaving the glass of apple juice I’d brought on the nightstand. With a shaky hand, she brought the first spoonful of soup to her lips. I wanted to help her, but she seemed rather insistent on trying to care for herself. In her shoes, I would have been the same way.
“This is good,” Ariel said, surprised.
“Patrick made it with Emily’s help. They’re better cooks than I am.”
Ariel took another sip. She held it in her mouth for a moment before managing to swallow. The simple act was clearly a struggle for her. Micah had warned she might not be ready yet, but I’d hoped she could get a little more down.
Ariel set the spoon back in the bowl. “Patrick is a good man. I’m certain you are a little suspicious of him, but I assure you he’s harmless.”
“How do you know?” I asked, knitting my brows.
A smile played at her lips. “You weren’t the only sensor I looked after. I knew he’d find out about his daughter someday, but it wasn’t my place to interfere.”
I settled in a chair next to the bed and scooted it closer. It gave me some measure of comfort to hear Ariel confirm what I’d begun to believe. Patrick might have arrived at a bad time, but he’d worked to prove himself every day since we’d come to our understanding. Emily’s life had been rough, and I really wanted her to have something good.
“Thanks for telling me that.”
Ariel tested a slice of banana and chewed it slowly. From the looks of it, she wanted to enjoy it, but the food wasn’t settling well. Micah had given her some vitamin injections earlier, so at least her body was getting some of the nutrition it needed.
The former archangel stared at her tray of food mournfully. “I’m afraid I can eat no more.”
“It’s okay.” I removed it from her lap and set it back on the nightstand. “We’ll try again in the morning.”
“How is your leg?” she asked.
I was surprised she’d even noticed the injury last night and even more that she worried about it, considering her own condition. “It’s all healed.”
“Good. I didn’t want to think you were suffering on my account.” Her eyelids started to droop. “I’m glad you’re better.”
Ariel was fading fast. The latest healing session with Micah and the little bit of food she managed to eat must have worn her out. She had once been a powerful archangel. Now, her strength was a tiny fraction of what it had been before. I had no idea how much she’d regain—only time would tell.
She didn’t resist when I helped her to lie flat on the bed again. “Sleep,” I whispered. “We’ll watch over you. Don’t worry.”
Ariel shut her eyes and relaxed. I knew from recent experience that having people who cared about you nearby while you were weak and recovering ma
de it a lot easier to rest. It had been hard for me to feel safe here at first, and I’d only been in Purgatory. Ariel had been in a much worse place.
I stayed by her side as she fell into a deep sleep. Nearly an hour had passed when I sensed Remiel arrive outside. I braced myself, expecting him to appear in the bedroom next. Several long minutes dragged by, but he didn’t move from his position. I got up from my chair and headed across the hall to my room, which had a window facing the front yard.
The archangel stood out there unmoving, except where his robe fluttered in the breeze. Even from fifty feet away, I could sense the anguish coming from him. If I’d thought he looked bad the last few times I saw him, he appeared even worse now.
Kerbasi walked onto the lawn, heading straight for Remiel. The guardian started berating him and gesturing wildly. The archangel stood there, listening without responding. I supposed I needed to go down there and find out what had brought him.
Lucas met me in the foyer. His expression was hard and his fury a living thing, pulsing in waves out of him with every breath. He didn’t appear to appreciate the archangel’s arrival any more than I did. Without needing to exchange a word, we headed outside together. If Remiel planned to do anything to Ariel, he’d have to go through us first.
“You claimed I went too far, but you are worse,” Kerbasi said, still yelling at the archangel. “How could you have done this to one of your own?”
Remiel’s shoulders slumped. “I had no choice.”
I stopped in front of him with Lucas flanking me. My hands shook from the effort it took not to punch the archangel in the face. “There is always a choice, and you know it. That woman in there has suffered things no decent person should ever suffer because you didn’t have the balls to stand up for her.”
Remiel’s gaze met mine. “How is she?”
“Ariel is thankful to have real friends, but she’s in horrible shape,” I replied scathingly. “If you think you’re going to take her away from us, you’ll have to kill me first.”
“And me, too,” Emily said, joining us with Micah and Patrick on either side of her.
“And I as well,” the others chorused.
“I am not here for Ariel,” Remiel replied, though the sorrow in his gaze and the way he looked at the house belied that statement. “She is off limits to us now.”
“Then what are you here for?” Lucas growled.
Three ankle cuffs appeared in the archangel’s hands. “It is time to put these back on you.”
I’d forgotten all about them. Between caring for Ariel and checking with O’Connell on the search for Aniya—for which there’d been no progress—I’d been rather distracted.
Lucas grunted and stepped forward. “Very well, do it. The sooner you have completed your task, the sooner you can leave.”
Remiel was silent as he fitted the ankle cuffs to Lucas, Micah, and Kerbasi. I sensed their annoyance, but none of them fought it. We all knew there would be little point in arguing, considering the archangel could just freeze them in place if they didn’t cooperate.
As he was finishing, an idea formed in my head. Remiel had said Ariel was off-limits to him, which was good. He couldn’t take her away, but I did want him to talk to her for a minute. The archangel needed to see for himself what he’d done and give Ariel some closure.
“You should come inside,” I said, gesturing toward the house.
Remiel worked his jaw. “It would be better if I didn’t.”
He said it, but he didn’t mean it. A big part of him wanted to go in there. Every time he glanced at the house, he almost took a step forward. I could sense the restraint it took for him not to come closer.
I glared at him. “I expect better of you, archangel. You should at least see the damage you’ve done—unless you’re too much of a coward.”
“Sensor, leave it be,” Lucas said, taking my arm.
“No. He doesn’t get to hide from this.” I shrugged out of his hold.
Lucas sighed.
“Melena’s right. He should go in there,” Micah backed me up. I met his gaze and saw the understanding in his eyes. He understood my real purpose behind this.
Remiel worked his jaw. “It is forbidden.”
“Who cares?” I threw my hands up. “Do you really think you’ll be punished for spending five minutes with Ariel? We risked our lives to get her back so I think you can go in there and tell her you’re sorry—which I sense that you are.”
“Perhaps…” Remiel glanced up at the house, the anguish on his face clear for everyone to see. “Perhaps you are right. I should see her one last time.”
“Then let’s go.” I nudged him forward, not wanting to risk him changing his mind.
Everyone else followed close behind. When we reached the foyer, I waved the others off except Micah. He needed to be there to monitor Ariel’s health and assist her if necessary—plus she seemed the most at ease with him. I would go up there as well to make certain the archangel behaved himself, though I was fairly certain he would.
“Sensor,” Lucas said, stopping me from following Micah and Remiel up. “Ariel may not want to see him.”
“It’s closure, Lucas. She needs to hear it straight from an archangel on where she stands. How can we expect her ever to relax if she doesn’t know?” I asked.
His lips thinned. “This may be too early for that.”
“I don’t think so. Right now, she’s up there waiting for her safety to be ripped away again. Until she knows this is over for sure, and that she never has to go back to Hell again, she’s not going to believe it. Not from us, anyway.” I pointed up the stairs where Remiel had disappeared. “It has to come from him.”
Lucas nodded. “Very well, but do not allow him to linger. I do not like him in our house.”
“Me, either.”
Remiel might have done a good thing with our wedding, but he’d lost a lot of points when we found Ariel. He must have had some idea of her suffering and yet he’d allowed it to continue for months. It didn’t matter if he and the other archangels made it possible for us to rescue her. That didn’t make up for what they’d done or that they’d left it up to us to fix their mistake.
I hurried up the stairs and stopped in the doorway. Remiel was kneeling next to Ariel’s bed, holding her hand. It surprised me to see tears running down his face. Waves of grief poured out of him, and his breaths were ragged.
“I am sorry for my part in this,” he said, gazing into her eyes when Ariel opened them. “It will always be my greatest regret that I have played a role in your suffering.”
Ariel lifted a hand and touched his face. “You were always one to obey orders. I do not blame you.”
“You should.” He bowed his head.
The former archangel’s voice came out barely above a whisper. “I knew the risks when I chose to help the supernaturals. If anyone is to blame, it is me for putting you in this position.”
Remiel looked up at her, astonishment in his expression. “You are far too compassionate for one who has spent months in Hell.”
She stiffened. “Will you be taking me back there?”
“No.” He shook his head. “You are truly free of that place. We will interfere in your life no more.”
Ariel’s head relaxed against the pillows. “That is more than I could have hoped.”
“It is the best we can do.” Remiel kissed her hand and stood. “Be well.”
She gazed up at him, studying his face for what she must have known would be the last time. “And you as well.”
Chapter Thirty-nine
Lucas
Lucas pulled Melena against his chest. They were both hot and sweaty after a rough bout of morning sex, but he wasn’t ready to let her go just yet. A new day had dawned, and they’d become distracted by the outside world soon enough. He needed to enjoy every moment with his wife that he could grasp.
He stared down at her face and admired the way her hair billowed out around her head. It was a complete mess,
but he was proud of the fact he’d been the one to do most of the damage. Lucas also enjoyed the way her fingers grazed along the skin of his hip, as if she wasn’t ready to stop touching him, either.
Then she pulled away, her expression falling.
“What is it?” he asked.
Melena was quiet for a moment. “It’s just that…here I am with you, enjoying myself when I should be out there every waking moment searching for Aniya. Who knows what they’re doing to her right now and they took her because of me.”
“You can’t control the actions of others,” Lucas said, taking her hand.
“No.” She worried her lip. “But I should have warned her, protected her—something!”
He wished he could wipe all her problems away. If anyone deserved a moment of true peace, it was Melena.
“We’ll find her,” he promised.
Her cell phone rang, and she let out a heavy sigh. “And our day has officially begun.”
Melena rolled over toward the nightstand, picking the phone up to check the screen.
“Who is it?” Lucas asked.
Her breath hitched. “It’s Yvonne.”
He listened as she answered the phone. The mystic on the other end didn’t waste time with pleasantries. Lucas overheard her tell Melena she’d managed to narrow Aniya’s location to Marina, California. The spell was abruptly cut off before she could get any more details.
“That’s close enough. Thank you so much,” Melena said, hanging up.
Lucas swung his legs off the bed, facing the fact his time with his wife was over and he might as well prepare himself for what would come next. “I assume you’ll wish to travel there immediately.”
She tucked her hair behind her ears. “Yeah. It’s too much of a coincidence that Grant took Aniya to the town where we used to live. That has to mean something.”
“Perhaps, but it is also likely a trap. Your brother must know you have friends who would be helping you locate Aniya. This may be his way of drawing you to him,” Lucas warned. He wanted to find Melena’s friend almost as much as she did, but he did not feel comfortable with this setup. “And I will not be able to go with you, which he may know if he’s questioned Aniya.”