by Mary Ting
Besides Lucia and Zach, I had grown attached to Eli, Milani, Brody, Abel, and especially Jack. Sure, I pretended that they infuriated me and got on my nerves, but in truth, they made me happy, made me feel young, and sometimes I thought of them as my own.
Milani’s cool, confident side was just an act. She had recently lost her mother and been thrust into the world, forced to grow up too soon like Eli. Their tough demeanor was a mask to hide their pain.
Brody was the sweetest among the group. As strong and big as a bear, his heart was tender and soft as a pillow. One would never expect to see such docile personality from someone that looked, and at times acted, like a brute.
Abel was misunderstood. He hid his true feelings well. I could tell from his fierce need to help Eli that guilt remained deeply rooted within his heart. Though it wasn’t his fault, he blamed himself for Ikelia’s death. For that reason he fought harder, and his eyes hardened with revenge. His need to take care of others before himself became obvious when I saw him interact with his friends in the cafeteria. He had become the parent to the supernatural orphans.
Jack, a human with an angel warrior heart. His father’s disappearance had left him with no closure. Jack’s drive to be part of our group astounded me. His bravery, compassion, and love for his friends and family made him more precious and vulnerable. He talked too much, but then so did I. Jack cracked me up with the things he would say when he got nervous or excited, but I never showed my amusement.
As for Eli, I genuinely liked him. He reminded me of Michael. When Eli wanted to, he showed that kind of leadership. His big heart. And his devotion and love for Lucia was boundless. Even knowing angels would frown upon their relationship, he would do anything to be with her. Lucia’s life before his. It was Michael and Claudia all over again. Why was I always in the middle?
I cared too much. Of the divine laws, do not get attached was a foolish one. One that was impossible to keep when one lived among humans. We were half human, after all. How did they expect us not to let human emotions get in the way?
I had to make sure my little group of knights survived Cyrus. They were a part of me. My little group. I chuckled to myself. Davin, you’re a fool. You don’t just care for them; you love them. Admit it. Then I did. My heart expanded, and I spread my lips as I thought of them and our recent conversations inside the cabin.
Time to go. I bolted to the sky. I was merely dust in the wind.
Harper
“We shouldn’t have left like that. We should have told them the truth.” Hugo walked beside me, his voice filled with concern.
“I had no choice. I felt that painful tug in my head. Didn’t you feel it?” I rubbed at my temples and opened our front door. After we escaped at Milani’s cabin, we had to cross the forest, trek down unpaved roads, and take a taxi home. The longer it took us to reach our destination, the more painful the tug grew.
“I did, but we had time. I like Davin. I think we can trust him to help us. What do we have to lose?”
I slammed the door hard with all my strength. The windows vibrated and the walls shook. “We need to do as the lady says, or our parents are dead. You keep that in mind.” I poked his chest for emphasis.
“You should listen to your sister.” A voice, smooth and sultry, cooed in my ear.
My brother stiffened and pinned his frightened, wide eyes on something over me, pale as if he’d seen a ghost. Ever so slowly, I pivoted. The lady curled her lips, but it wasn’t a smile. A kind threat, if there ever was such a thing. The beautiful man held no expression, and as usual, his eyes flickered from crimson to dark brown. The two had appeared out of nowhere.
I stepped in front of my brother instinctively, hiding him though I could do little against their power. “He does listen to me,” I said quickly.
“Good, little boy,” she said softly, like a loving mother.
“It hasn’t been that long since our last meeting. Why are we here?” I asked, careful to be respectful.
“We’ve gotten some unfortunate news.” The lady patted the cushion of the sofa, shuffled her long black dress a bit, and finally sat down like a queen.
Her ball gown was as stunning as her, with lace trim and studded crystal along her waistline. The man’s attention began to wander, lingering on my family photo on the mantel and at the photos on the bookcase. He didn’t seem to care about our conversation.
“What about?” I asked, my heart thumping harder. Please don’t let it be about our parents.
The lady held up her chin, sitting taller. Since she was immortal, I assumed she was ancient, even if she looked amazingly young, around her mid-twenties.
“There’s a rumor that the Snow Queen is alive. Have you heard?” She tried to sound calm, but there was a bite to her tone.
“No.” I shook my head fervently.
She diverted her attention to the fireplace and paused. Her lips pressed together, and her nostrils flared a bit to let me know she wasn’t happy. She pointed. Then fire blasted from the fake wood inside the fireplace. Hugo flew, light as a rag, toward the flames. He stopped midair, a few inches from being incinerated.
“No! What are you doing?” I ran toward my brother, but I slammed into the wall. Photo frames crashed to the hardwood floor, shattering the glass. “Please. You have to believe me. I didn’t hear anything. I swear it,” I pleaded as I watched my brother moan and puff out air, sweat dripping from his forehead.
“Harper,” Hugo cried out, his voice strangled and desperate.
“Please. Let him go.” I raised my voice louder. “I’m doing everything you’ve asked of me.”
“Harper.” My brother started coughing.
I stole a glance at the man, a silent way of asking for help, and back to the lady. It would be of no use. He wasn’t going to stop her. She seemed to have more to say between the two of them. In fact, he rarely spoke. But he surprised me.
“Lilith. That’s enough!” His stern voice made her twitch. “She’s telling us the truth, and you know it. Stop playing games. We’re running out of time.”
Mother of God. Not only did he stand up to her, but the way his eyebrows narrowed, and that familiar angry expression on his face… He resembled—he couldn’t be. And Lilith was one of the original Elementum. More than ever, I became deathly afraid. It made sense why she wanted to know if the Snow Queen lived. The Snow Queen had killed all the original Elementum for changing her heart into ice and for sending her to the Alps to live with no human contact. She killed five of the originals but not Lilith, Vince, and one other. I shot a glance at the man who defied Lilith. He must be the mysterious Elementa everyone wondered about.
“Fine. You’re no fun.” Lilith’s fingers curled into fists, releasing her power.
Hugo and I dropped at the same time.
Lilith gave me her attention. “Well, don’t look so surprised. You should have guessed. I am beautiful and wicked. I’m sure my reputation precedes me.”
Muscles aching from the fall, I ran toward my brother.
“Are you okay?” I asked, helping him to stand.
“No,” he clipped, ruffling his hair as if to put out flames.
I could tell he was tired of being a puppet, tired of her games. We had yet to see our parents. How did we know she would keep her end of the bargain? What if she had already killed our parents?
As he wiped the sweat off his forehead, he went to the kitchen, most likely to get water. Lilith didn’t stop him, but I couldn’t believe my brother left without her permission. We were to never leave without her permission, especially to walk off the way he did. I didn’t know what else she would do to him.
To distract Lilith, I asked, “What does the rumor say about the Snow Queen, besides that she’s alive? Has anyone seen her with their own eyes?”
Lilith rolled her eyes. “Perhaps.” Despite her arrogance, she didn’t sound sure.
“What does the Snow Queen look like?” I asked, stalling to make her forget about my brother’s rudeness.
>
Lilith gave me a sideways glance, seemingly considering my question. “She has dark hair and brown eyes. She was little when we banished her. I haven’t seen her since.”
Little? How little? I swallowed, preparing for the question that might get my head bit off. “I thought you—they—altered her heart to ice when she was an infant and possessor demons guarded her at a castle in the Alps.”
Lilith examined her manicured nails, sharp enough to cut skin, and let out a boisterous laugh. “Silly girl. Many have told the story incorrectly. Incompetent humans can’t keep the story straight. It has become a ridiculous legend, not worth telling. A waste of breath, if you ask me. When the child was born, her parents hid her from us. Clever, but not clever enough. We punished the parents by making them watch us turn their child’s heart into ice and then banish the child to the Alps under my authority. Who knew a huntsman would break the curse? That curse should have been impossible to break.”
During Lilith’s confession, the man gazed out the window with a stoic face through the blinds he separated with his fingers. I wondered what he thought until he spoke.
“The Snow Queen managed to kill all the originals. Vince is dead, though by an angel’s sword. Lilith is afraid she’s next.”
Lilith jolted up, her dress swishing with the sudden movement. “I am not afraid. How dare you? I am the creator of all Elementum. They would not have existed without me. I cannot die.”
“I’m not afraid to die. I prefer death,” the man said, his eyes still trained through the window.
Lilith scoffed. “We’ll see about that. Perhaps it’s not your death you fear, but your loved ones.”
Wind brushed against my face from the man’s speed. With his fangs out, hissing, veins protruding under his eyes, he gripped Lilith’s throat. “Do not threaten my family. I don’t care who you are. You do not touch them. You keep your word, or I’ll find a way to destroy you.”
Lilith rolled her eyes. “Do remember, if you destroy me, you shall be destroyed.”
The man lifted his eyebrows. “Like I said, I prefer death. We’re wasting our time here. Harper has no further news. We’re leaving now.” With that, he walked out the door.
Lilith squared her shoulders. Without a glance to us, she wiggled her fingers. Black smoke engulfed her. Then she was gone.
My muscles twitched, moving not under my control. You’ll hear from me later, Lilith said in my mind.
When the coast was clear, I went to the kitchen to find my brother slumped over the dining table and an empty glass in his hand.
“Hugo, are you all right?”
A wet towel fell from his face when he craned his neck. His face was red, like he had stayed out in the sun far too long. “I don’t feel good,” he moaned and thumped his forehead on the table.
“Let me fix you up.” As I helped him to bed, I cursed out loud. If Lilith could’ve heard the things I said, she would’ve killed me on the spot.
Chapter 11
Lucia
“Mom.” I jumped into my mom’s arms.
Mom had been waiting by the entrance gate. She knew where I would enter Crossroads, where the puffy, whipped-cream clouds blanketed the crystal castle, and where the halo light that protected us from evil beamed like the outer layer of the sun. It was a mesmerizing sight. I lost myself in a tunnel of peace every time I flew over it. I also needed a little time for me. I didn’t know what Father had told Mom about Eli, but I decided to wait for her to ask me about it first.
“Lucia, let me look at you.” She released me and scanned my body as she had done many times when I had come back from hunting demons. “You look like a human teenager. How are you?” She tugged lightly at the jeans and T-shirt I sported. Mother wore her casual white comfortable outfit. Her attire reminded me of a traditional Japanese garment.
“I’m fine.” I smiled. “I’ve missed you.”
“I missed you more, Lucia.” Her smile reached her eyes, but then it was replaced by a somber one. “Your father is not here. He’s on a mission. But he has told me about your light. It’s a blessing and a curse.” Her smile came back again, and she draped an arm over my shoulder as we moved ahead. “Let’s go inside.”
“Lucia.” Auntie Vivian squeezed me tightly, and Uncle Caleb joined in the hug the second we entered.
“Your father told us you would come today. We wanted to see you before the training started,” Uncle Caleb said.
Auntie Vivian and Uncle Caleb were both geared up in black leathers and armed with daggers and other weapons I hadn’t seen before. Behind them children stood in a horizontal line formation in a resting stance—chin up, legs slightly apart, and arms behind their backs. Auntie Vivian and Uncle Caleb had saved them from Cyrus just before he could turn them to be his slaves. They wore similar clothing. Once lost, they had become demon hunters.
“The children. How are they in Crossroads? I thought their demon blood prevented them from entering?”
“It’s true,” Auntie Vivian began. “But now they’ve been blessed by the Elders, and they are welcome in Crossroads. They’ve been training and have proven themselves to be worthy warriors through some of our scouting. I wish we could send them back to their families, but we can’t risk Cyrus’s demons finding them again. It’s unfortunate, but this is the only life we can offer. It was ultimately their decision.”
“Are they strong?” I glanced about the group. In some cases, demon blood mixed with angel blood made the being stronger and faster than original angels, like Eli. However, these children were half demon and half human. They were also so young. Some looked to be in elementary school. I felt so bad for them, forced to grow up too fast because Cyrus wanted more soldiers for his evil cause.
“They are ready for battle, if that’s what you’re asking.” Caleb tilted his head toward them. “Join us at the training session. You’ll see firsthand.”
“After I train with Mom.” I smiled.
Auntie Vivian caressed my hair, her expression warm and tender. “We know you have your mother’s gift. She will tell you it’s a blessing and a curse, but I will tell you it’s a blessing. If it weren’t for your mother’s gift, we wouldn’t be here. Your mother is a hero to all of us. She had no training. She had no idea what power she held, and yet she managed to find her way. You too will learn to control this light, and one day it might be the only thing that saves us all. No pressure, my princess.” She winked at me and kissed my forehead. “Well, we must go to Nubilus City. As your Uncle Davin would say, see you when I see ya. How are that old fart and Zach? Your father keeps us informed, but I want to hear it from you.”
I snorted, thinking of all the funny things Uncle Davin said. With a shrug, I said, “You know how Uncle Davin is. He’s trying to fit in. He acts like one of us. And Zach is fine. He’s adjusted well, maybe better than me.”
Uncle Caleb squinted, angling his eyebrows. “I know how that feels. It was hard for me. I didn’t have to be in a high school setting, but just being down there, I felt out of place.”
I could understand Uncle Caleb. Father had told me Uncle Caleb felt uncomfortable in the human world, whereas Uncle Davin wanted to test drive all the expensive cars and Auntie Vivian became the fashion queen. She’d loved to dress my mother.
“Lucia has to go back soon, so we should get going. We’ll be by the fountain training if you need us,” Mother said.
“We need to get going too.” Auntie Vivian caressed my cheeks. “Be safe. God speed, blessed one.” When she kissed my forehead, I felt like a little girl again.
“Tell everyone I said hello. And tell Uncle Davin not to give you guys a hard time.” Uncle Caleb kissed my cheek.
“I will,” I promised.
As they strolled ahead, the demon hunters trailed them, marching with precise steps. How lucky they were to be found before they had turned like the demon children I had fought. Those new hunters were trained for war. I hoped they’d be ready when the time came.
Water glistened l
ike diamonds in the sun’s rays inside the fountain. It was one of my favorite places to be. Around the massive fountain, swaths of green grass, trees, and flowers of every kind adorned the premises. One would never imagine such a garden existed in Halo City.
Mother dipped her hand inside the water and pulled out a tiny crystal. Only Elders could retrieve those crystals, the same crystal the Elders’ swords were made from.
Mom held it on her palm, water dripping through the spaces between her fingers. “Use your light to destroy it.”
“What? It’s impossible. No one can destroy an eternity crystal.”
A cunning smile formed on her lips. “But you and I can. Try it.”
I released a sigh. “Mom. I don’t know how I did it. It came—”
“When your life felt threatened,” Mother answered for me. “It happened that way for me too. The light is part of you. You will it to your command and don’t let it overpower you. I was with the angel warriors when it happened. Your father took care of me. I passed out for days. Your father told me what happened. You were lucky you passed out in his arms and not in the arms of enemies. Now, show me.”
I pursed my lips and nodded. “I’ll try.” I concentrated on the tiny crystal the size of a pea. I would not let it intimidate me. Through the core of my existence, I reached into the power of who I am. Deeper and deeper, I pulled that rope of angel wisdom and strength. Then, like a summer breeze, something warm stroked me inside, and I felt that kindled fire leave me from my fingertips.
Light shone around me, making my vision hazy, like I was looking through a thick glass. As my ribbon of light reached its destination, the crystal shone brighter. The crystal’s reflection created a bubble around me, and a rainbow of colors sparkled. Beautiful. It began to fade. No, no, no.
Then the prism of illumination burst. The radiance disappeared, and my vision went back to normal. I instinctively ducked and closed my eyes when I heard an explosion. When I opened my eyes, shards of crystal hung frozen in midair. So sharp, they would have penetrated through my skin. Mother had stopped them with her powers. I supposed I shouldn’t have closed my eyes.