by SJ West
To my great disappointment, he shakes his head. “No. If I had, I would have told you first. It’s almost like God doesn’t want me to see what happens next.”
“Maybe it’s for the best,” I reply, also standing from my spot on the bed. “I should be getting back to Laed-i. Mom and Dad will start worrying about me if I don’t return soon. They knew I was going to see Aunt Helena today.”
Lucas gives me a hug and a brotherly peck on the cheek.
“We’ll see you tomorrow,” he promises me. “Let everyone know we’re still planning to be at the party.”
“I will,” I say just before I phase back to Laed-i, but this time, I don’t phase into the hallway of the castle, I arrive outside in the back courtyard where I know I’ll find Liam, Cal, and his friends, Rayden and Keelan.
All the boys are sitting around the wrought iron table on the veranda, having lunch and laughing. I know I must still look a fright when Cal turns his gaze toward me and physically winces. Liam notices our friend’s expression and quickly fixes his eyes on me also.
Ever since I lost my bracelet, I also lost my link to my brother. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s the same reason why Aunt Helena can’t read my thoughts anymore. Whatever the reason, I miss not having him in my head, and I think he misses it too, even if he hasn’t said as much. It was one of the reasons I decided to move into my Grandpa Andre’s home sooner than I planned. The deafening silence of no longer being able to hear Liam’s thoughts drove me crazy. I knew we would eventually have to get used to it anyway, since he was dead set on marrying Cara as soon as Brutus would let him, so I went ahead and moved out of the palace in Cirrus on my seventeenth birthday.
“I thought you went to see Helena,” Liam remarks as I sit down in the empty chair beside him at the table.
“I did,” I reply, not wanting to get into the details of my visit. “Let’s just say it didn’t go so well.”
Everyone around the table looks at me with either pity, worry, or a combination of the two emotions.
“I’m fine, guys,” I say, trying to downplay how horrible I really feel.
“If you say so,” Rayden replies, looking unconvinced by my words.
“Anyway,” I say, turning my attention to Liam, “is everything set for tonight?”
“Should be,” he informs me. “I went over and checked on Cal’s surprise this morning and we’re still a go.”
“So, neither of you are going to give me a hint?” Cal asks. “Come on. Just one little hint.”
“Think of it as a rite of passage for anyone who turns eighteen,” I tell him. “That’s about all the hint I’m willing to give.”
“How come Keelan and I can’t go with you guys?” Rayden complains.
“You’re both a few months too young to go where we’re taking Cal,” I tell him. “When the two of you turn eighteen, Liam and I will take you there too.”
“Well, I guess that’s something to look forward to at least,” Keelan says, looking content with my promise.
“Why can’t I tell my mom where we’re going?” Cal asks. I can see that he doesn’t like keeping secrets from his parents, but every kid needs to step out on their own at some point in their lives. Besides, if Jules and Ethan ever found out what Liam and I have planned, I’m pretty sure they would forbid us from doing it. Cal’s far too sweet to go against his parents’ rules, so I decided to be the rule breaker for him.
“Just put on the clothes I gave you the other day and be ready a few minutes before midnight,” I tell him.
“We’re not doing anything illegal, are we?” Cal asks, looking suspicious. “Because an all-black outfit makes it seem like you don’t want people to see us.”
“Actually, it’s the complete opposite,” I tell him. “Where we’re taking you, everyone will see you, but you’ll also fit right in. Trust me, Cal. You’ll have fun.”
Cal still looks suspicious, but he does trust me, so he quickly lets his worries go.
As I reach for the tongs in the salad bowl on the table, I suddenly feel a sharp, stabbing sensation in the small of my back where the seal is located.
“Ow!” I say automatically as I press my right hand against the seal and slowly rub the spot to dissipate the pain.
“Are you okay?” Liam asks worriedly.
“Yeah,” I reply quickly, unsure if I am or not, but I don’t want to worry my brother any more than he already is about me.
Not only has my mother offered to take the seal from me, but my brother has also. Even Cal has asked me to transfer it to him, but I’m not sure that would work since he isn’t related to us by blood. They always say that they’ll only keep it for a little while so I can get some rest. I love them all for offering to help me, but I just can’t make myself do it. I fear that if I give it to someone else, whoever gets it won’t give it back because they believe they’re saving me. I don’t want to curse any of them with what Aunt Helena did to me. I would hate myself forever if I ruined one of their lives because of my own weakness. No, this is my burden to bear, and I won’t shirk my responsibility.
As the day progresses into night, the pain in my back keeps increasing in intensity. I try to hide the agony I’m feeling, but I’m not that good of an actress. Finally, my parents take me aside and once again try to convince me to give my mother the seal.
“This is an old argument, and my reasons for not doing that are still the same,” I tell them, not feeling up to having this discussion yet again. “You’re more important than I am, Mom. Millions of people need you, and Dax and Lyra deserve to have all of your heart, not just what you can salvage from having this thing inside you.”
“I held all seven of the seals at one time,” my mom reminds me. “Please, let me do this for you, Liana.”
“No,” I reply stubbornly. “I know you, Mom. You’ll keep it until it kills you, and I won’t have that on my conscience.”
“You’re breaking my heart,” my dad says, his face almost unrecognizable as worry and sadness etch lines that might never go away. “It’s killing us to see you like this, Liana. You’re wasting away in front of our eyes, and you won’t let us help you.”
“I’m responsible for the mess I’m in,” I reply. “And I’ll deal with it. If I hadn’t let myself be duped by Silas, none of this would be happening right now.”
“It’s killing you.” My mother begins to sob. “I can’t let her take you away from me like this, Liana.”
I don’t make a reply because at this point death would be a welcome respite from what I’m feeling right now. I’ve often wondered if Will would come back to me if I died again. I assume he would. Although seeing him again would be wonderful, it’s a bit depressing to know I have to die in order to make that happen. Honestly, I don’t know why I keep thinking about him. It’s not like we can go out on a date to discover what that spark we felt really means.
I let my parents voice their concerns about my health before telling them that I’m tired, which isn’t something I have to fake. I do feel exhausted, and I would like to get a nap in before Liam and I take Cal out for his birthday. I was surprised when Liam agreed to my plans for Cal. My brother must have known I needed something to take my mind off of my everyday problems, and a night out on the town to celebrate the birth of one of my favorite people is exactly what I need. Right after I take a short nap, of course. Some days I feel like I’m a hundred years old instead of nineteen going on twenty. Maybe one day I’ll be able to find a way to live a normal life again.
When my alarm goes off at a little after eleven o’clock that evening, I seriously consider just staying in bed, but I know I can’t let the boys down. Even though Cal may have initially protested this little midnight excursion, I could tell this afternoon that he’s looking forward to our trip. I didn’t dare tell him where Liam and I are taking him because he would have told his parents for sure.
After I slip on a slim-fitting, black, sleeveless dress and black leather knee-high boots, I layer on my makeup a b
it heavier than I normally wear it. Once I’m satisfied with my appearance, I phase into Liam’s room first to see if he’s ready yet. I find him just slipping on his stylishly ripped white T-shirt and pulling it down to his black jeans.
“Looking good, Brother,” I say as I walk up to him. “But that hair is way too tidy.” I proceed to run my fingers through his short brown hair so that some of it sticks almost straight up. “That’s better.”
“Are you sure you’re up for this?” he asks, looking me up and down as if he expects me to fall over at any second.
“I’m fine,” I say irritably. “Let’s go get the birthday boy.”
I phase to Cal’s room without waiting for Liam’s response. As we both phase in, we find Cal studying himself in the mirror over his dresser. When he sees us, he turns around and starts to shake his head.
“I’m not sure about this outfit, Liana,” he says haltingly. “Are you sure I shouldn’t wear a shirt underneath this vest?”
I scrutinize Cal’s appearance and only see perfection. I gave him a black leather outfit composed of pants, boots, and a long matching sleeveless duster that hits him right at the knees. The back of the duster was custom-made to fit between his wings so they can flair out.
“Are you kidding me?” I ask him. “Why would you want to hide those abs from the ladies?”
“And exactly what ladies are you referring to?” Cal asks suspiciously.
“You’ll see,” I reply coyly as I walk over to him and loop my left arm around his right one so he can’t escape my clutches. “Ready, birthday boy?”
“Since I have no idea where we’re going,” he replies, “I’m not sure how to answer that question.”
I laugh. “Then hold on, my dear friend, because your world is about to get knocked upside down!”
I phase Cal and me to our destination with Liam following us.
As we stand in the cloud city of Nacreous, I quickly look up at Cal to see what his initial reaction is to his new location. As far as I know, Cal has only been to Earth once before. That was the day I first ventured into the down-world and also the day Cal and I rescued Jackie after the resistance attack in Stanton.
“Where are we, Liana?” Cal asks apprehensively. “This doesn’t look like Laed-i.”
“Astute observation,” I say as I spin Cal around so he can see the name of the establishment I phased us in front of.
When he sees the name of the place, he begins to laugh.
“Rites of Passage Nightclub?” he asks. “I didn’t realize you were being literal at lunch today.”
I shrug one shoulder. “How could you have known?”
Cal looks around us and asks, “Where exactly are we?”
“The cloud city of Nacreous,” I tell him.
“Aren’t people going to think my wings are a little out of place here?”
“Nope! Not tonight they won’t,” I declare as I pull him toward the door of the club. “Luckily for you, Liam and I know the owner of this joint, and we talked him into making it a special theme night.”
“What’s the theme?” Cal asks, sounding amused that we would go to so much trouble for him.
I look up at his handsome face and say, “Angels and demons, so you’ll fit right in!”
I hear Cal laugh as the guard at the door lets us by pass the long line of people standing outside to go directly inside the club.
As Cal looks at the spectacle of his first nightclub and all the people dressed up as either an angel or a demon, I feel the pain in my back return with a vengeance. I grit my teeth so hard in an attempt to stem the flow of the agony that I hear a tooth crack inside my mouth, which does nothing but give me even more pain.
“We need drinks,” I tell Cal and Liam as I make my way through the crowd over to the bar.
I yell to the bartender over the music and general bedlam in the nightclub to make me three Saturn Sunsets. It’s the strongest mixed drink I know of, and right now, I need it.
“Did you just order us Saturn Sunsets?” Liam questions me, lifting a dubious eyebrow. “I thought the point of tonight was to show Cal a good time, not cause him to go blind by getting him drunk.”
“Who said the drinks were for either of you?” I ask my brother. “Get your own!”
Liam proceeds to ask the other bartender working behind the bar to make two Fuzzy Navels. I just shake my head at the lightweight drink and wait patiently for mine to be made. Once the bartender pouring my drinks sets the blue and orange concoctions down in front of me, I have them all guzzled down by the time Cal and Liam get their cocktails. The alcohol has definitely numbed me enough not to feel the pain of the cracked tooth, but the agony of the seal has reached a fever pitch. I consider going back to Hell and begging my aunt to help me, but even if she does, I know it won’t be enough. She plans to keep me on a very short leash, just waiting for me to crack and do what she wants me to do for her.
“Come on,” I say to Cal as I grab his arm and almost make him drop his drink, “dance with me!”
Cal quickly hands his glass over to Liam as I proceed to drag him onto the dancefloor, whether he wants to go or not. Once we’re in the middle of the crowd, I stop and begin to dance in a futile attempt to forget my pain and worries for as long as I can. By the time the song is halfway over, I feel a jolt of pure energy shoot up my spine, practically paralyzing me, causing my body to fall to the dance floor right in front of Cal. Luckily for me, his reflexes are lightning fast, and he catches me in his arms before my head has a chance to hit the floor. I say luckily. I think I would have rather been knocked out by the fall than remain conscious.
“Liana!” he says, looking both frightened and worried by my condition. “What’s wrong?”
I feel warm tears stream down my face, but I can’t seem to move or speak.
“Is it the seal?” he asks me, but I can tell by the look in his eyes that he already knows it is. “You can’t keep it anymore. It’s killing you. I’m strong Liana. I can handle carrying it for you for a while. Give it to me.”
I find the strength to shake my head slightly.
“You have to!” he says more forcefully. “Give it to me now!”
With his order, I feel something strange happen. It’s almost like the seal wants to go to him for some reason. Is it because the Guardian of the Guf who is tethered to it knows I’ve reached my limit? Or does the seal sense the purest heart in the universe and desire to corrupt Cal with the misery it’s collected over the years? I was told the seals were created to maintain balance in the universe between good and evil. If I knew the reason was my first assumption, I wouldn’t worry, but what if it’s the second reason? Either way, it doesn’t look like I’m going to be given a choice.
As soon as the seal leaves my body, I hear myself exhale and what life I had left go with it.
Just like before when I died, I feel warmth reenter my body as a sweetness permeates my mouth and fills my lungs. I crack open my eyes just enough to see Will as he gives me the Breath of Life. When he begins to lift his head away from mine, I place my right hand behind his head to keep him from pulling away any farther. Slowly, I begin to softly kiss his lips in hopes of enticing him to kiss me back. At first, he seems shocked by the movement of my mouth against his, but then I feel him respond by pressing his mouth down onto mine with an added fervor and a desire to explore what’s happening between us further.
I hear someone clear his throat near us.
“Liana,” I hear my brother say inside my head, “this isn’t the time to have a makeout session with your Guardian Angel. We have to go find Cal!”
With the reminder of what happened, I reluctantly end my kiss with Will and pull away. When I do, the look of shock on my Guardian Angel’s face makes me smile.
“I would have kept kissing you for much longer,” I whisper to him. “But I need to know what’s happened to Cal.”
Will nods his agreement and stands to his feet before reaching out a hand for me to take to help me up. I
look around at our surroundings and notice we’re still in the middle of the dance floor of the nightclub, but now it’s as empty as a tomb.
“How long have I been dead?” I ask.
“Not long,” Liam says out loud as he comes to stand beside us.
“Then where are all the people?”
“They ran out,” he tells me. “When Cal did what he did, it caused them all to panic and everyone left here screaming.”
“He took my seal,” I tell them both. “I’m not sure how he did it, but he did.”
“Then that explains how you died, and the change in your hair and eye color,” Will says, looking troubled by this development. “You’ve had the seal for a very long time. It was tethered to your soul as tightly as your own soul is tethered to your body. Taking it from you by force was too much for you to handle, so it caused your body to completely shut down.” Will looks at Liam and asks, “What did Cal do after he took the seal?”
“I didn’t know that’s what happened at the time, but it sure does explain a lot,” he says. “I barely recognized Cal. His hair turned white, and his eyes glowed like he was filled with pure energy.”
“What did he do to make everyone leave?” I ask, fearing the worst.
“He flew into the air above all of us,” Liam says. “At first, I think everyone thought it was part of some show to go with the angels and demons theme, but then when he lifted his hands and electricity began to arc between them over his head, that’s when people became frightened. I don’t think it helped much when they saw that his eyes were glowing too.”
“Then what happened?” I ask. “Where is he now?”
“I think he phased or teleported himself somehow,” Liam says, looking uncertain.
“He can’t phase,” I point out.
“I know,” Liam replies. “But I don’t know how else to explain it. He just disappeared like he phased, but he didn’t leave behind a phase trail.”
“Does he have a personal teleporting device?” Will asks, trying to make sense of what Liam witnessed.
“No,” I answer. “Laed-i doesn’t have that kind of technology yet.” I look up at the air above the dance floor and see that Liam is right. There isn’t a phase trail present. If Cal didn’t phase, what did he do, and where did he go?