He nodded. “I am.”
“And yet you want us to believe that you have not been preparing for war?” Lucas asked.
“I will not begin preparing for war until a summons is given, as are the laws of our world, your Highness.”
Lucas pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. “Very well. You are free to go.”
“What about my daughter, your Highness? I want her returned to me.”
“When she is well enough to visit us, I will assess the situation and then determine the outcome. In the meantime, it seems we all have a war for which to prepare.”
Drake clenched his teeth together. Valerie thought he might argue more, but instead he bowed and left. She turned to the High Council. “You are letting him leave?”
“He has not committed a crime. Yet,” Lucas replied.
“It will be too late when he does.”
Lucas sighed. “Then let us pray to the Goddess that we are ready.”
“Your Highness,” Nolan said. “Will you now alert our allies to prepare for war?”
“We will discuss the situation and get back to you.”
“Then, I will pray to the Goddess that you think quickly because time is not on our side. Damiana has drained Sofia of her energy so that she is stronger and more powerful than ever before.”
“And whose fault is that?” Alexandra said. “If you all -”
“Enough, Alex!” Valerie interrupted her. “I think it’s quite clear that you are the Raizyn sympathizer and that you have been the reason that we have had no progress.”
“How dare you!” she screamed.
“Settle down,” Lucas said, suddenly looking weary. “Nolan, your seat on the council is still yours to fill. Now that the inquiries are over, I would very much enjoy your assistance on the board.”
He looked at his wife, who nodded her consent. “Thank you, Lucas. It is past time for me to return. We need to discuss the upcoming war and how to best gather our forces. And we need to do it now.”
Lucas nodded. “Very well. We will reconvene tomorrow morning. That will be all.”
Valerie, Nolan, Ar’ch, and Angel bowed and began to leave the room. Valerie glanced at her sister and saw pure hatred. Before they all walked out of the doors, she overheard Lucas speaking to her.
“Alexandra, I do not want to believe your sister, but if there is any merit to her words, you will be sent to the Elders,” Lucas said.
“I have done nothing wrong. My sister has always had issues with me.”
“I hope, for your sake, that you are right,” Lucas said.
Valerie straightened her shoulders and left the room. Alexandra had taken issue with her from the moment that Drake had pursued her. There had been a time when she had hoped to repair her relationship with her sister, but that time was gone. Alexandra’s fate no longer concerned her. She had created her own fate, and she would have to deal with the consequences.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ar’ch lay next to Sofia with his elbow propping him up so that he could stare at her. He stroked her hair and admired her simple yet endearing features. Her beautiful, brown hair had subtle, red undertones which reminded him of the fire that she could produce. He just wished she would open her eyes so that he could see the red speck in her alluring, brown eyes.
He couldn’t believe that she finally lay right next to him, that he could admire her and touch her and love her the way that he truly did. He thanked the Goddess that they were not related. The weeks in which he thought that she was his half-sister were the worst days of his life. Now that he knew the truth, he planned to never let a day pass without telling her that he loved her.
Sofia fluttered her eyes open and found him staring at her. She smiled and whispered, “Hi.”
He broke into a huge grin. “Hello, beautiful.” He gently kissed her on the lips and heard her sigh.
She smiled again and looked around. “Where’s my mom? I mean, Liana. Where’s Liana?”
“Liana was taken to her own room to finish healing. How do you feel?”
She stretched. “My body doesn’t feel weak anymore, but -” She frowned and looked away.
Ar’ch gently turned her face so that he could see her. “What’s wrong?” She tried to hide her face with her hands, but he would not let her. “Talk to me, Sofia. Don’t shut me out, please.”
“My whole life has been a lie, Ar’ch. My real parents are the king and queen of the Raizyns. They are pure evil. I am not who I thought I was. My body appears to be healed, but I’m…I’m broken,” she said and then started crying.
He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. “You are not broken, just slightly dented and bent in certain places.” She sobbed a laugh. He lifted her chin so that he could look into her tear-filled eyes. “And perfection is overrated.” He lightly kissed her, making her smile.
Sofia sniffed back her tears. “I thought I would never see you again.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting you and for not running after you and for not saving you.”
She put her finger on his lips. “But you did save me.”
“Not soon enough.”
He watched her try to fight back the smile creeping onto her lips. “So, once again, I was right. You didn’t believe me, but I was right.” Ar’ch laughed, so grateful to have her back. “Say it. Say, ‘Sofia, I screwed up again and you were right.’ Go ahead.”
He laughed again and repeated what she had said and then added, “I have never in my life been happier to be wrong because now I am free to love you as much as I want.”
Sofia sighed and smiled. “No more secrets.”
He repeated, “No more secrets.”
Ar’ch pulled her into his embrace and felt her melt in his arms. He sighed and leaned into the bed and held her close to him, savoring the feel of having her in his arms.
-o-
Liana woke up in an unfamiliar room in an unfamiliar bed, but she felt cozy and warm and safe. Instinctively, she knew that she was not alone, so she slowly surveyed the room until her eyes found her visitor.
Angel smiled when she looked at him. “Hello, Mother.” Tears of joy escaped her eyes. He came to her bedside. “Shhh, don’t cry.”
She wiped the tears away. “I can’t help it. You have given me so much, and I don’t deserve -”
“Stop. I will not allow you to continue to devalue your worth. Don’t you know how important you are?”
She looked away. “I caused all these problems. I caused so much heartache. If I would have just -”
Angel shook his head. “Just what? If you had not given me up, then I would not have become an Altorus, and you would not have been chosen to take Rafe to Earth. If you had not switched babies with Damiana, then Sofia would have been raised with evil in her heart. If you had left Rafe and come home with Sofia, then Rafe would have never learned the truth, and we would have never been able to bring you all home.
“You are the reason I exist. You are the reason Rafe was kept alive. And you are the reason the savior is on our side. So, do not ever let me hear you speak badly about yourself again,” he said.
Liana wiped away more tears and mustered up a smile. “You have become such a wonderful, young man. Nolan and Valerie did right by you.”
He smiled. “They raised me with love and brought out in me the traits with which you gifted me.”
She couldn’t handle any more adoration, so she looked about the room. “Where am I?”
“Your new room.”
She looked around the room and sighed. It was beautiful, and it already felt like home. But she felt an emptiness. “Sofia. How is she?”
“She is healing. If you are awake, I’m sure she will also wake soon. Ar’ch is with her.”
Liana smiled. “He loves her.”
“Yes, he does, completely and truly.”
“Good because Sofia is head over heels for him.”
“I know,” he said and smiled.
“So,
what’s happened while I’ve been out?”
“How about we get some food, and I’ll fill you in? You must be starving.”
“That sounds like a lovely idea. I cannot remember the last time that I had a good meal,” she said and then began to sit up.
Her son helped her off the bed and then said, “I will wait outside so that you may change clothes.”
“Thank you, Angel.”
“You’re welcome, Mom,” he said and then quickly went outside.
Mom. How long had she yearned to hear those words from him? She had feared that he would resent her for giving him up or hate her for everything that happened with Damiana. But he didn’t. He accepted her. He embraced her. He loved her.
Tears threatened to fall again, but she forced them away. Angel was right. Her blessings were bountiful, and she knew exactly who deserved the credit. She sent a silent prayer to the Goddess, thanking Her for never leaving her side and for protecting those that she loved. Then, she took a deep, happy breath and prepared to have her first meal with her son.
-o-
Mel, Kai, Rafe, and Z sparred in the training center. While Rafe and Z fought on one mat, Mel and Kai practiced on another. Mel had felt more at ease than ever before now that Sofia was safe and away from Damiana. She had worried that everyone would treat her differently after Sofia’s rescue. She had worried that she would no longer be considered useful, but the opposite had proven true. Without her, they never would have been able to release Sofia from her crystal prison. Even Ar’ch had seemed to fully accept her into their home.
She blocked another attack from Kai and took a step back before counterattacking. He had not lost a moment to help her train in her fighting skills. She had learned a lot from Khameel, but Kai trained her with more toughness than Khameel had.
“You’re good, but you’re sloppy,” he said between attacks. “You are going to be up against demons, deminions, and Raizyns who have done nothing but fight and kill. There is no room for error.”
She straightened her shoulders and said, “I know that.”
“Then, let’s try again,” he ordered and began attacking her without mercy.
She loved every moment with him. She could not understand why this dark and delicious warrior had not been snatched up by someone else, but she would fight off any female who tried to come after him from here on out. From his bald, black head to his goatee to his silver eyes that hid behind his black shades, everything about him exuded sexiness for her. And there was no way she was letting him slip away. He belonged to her even if he didn’t know it yet.
Even though she enjoyed just being in Kai’s space, the sparring exhausted her. Every now and then, when she didn’t think she could avoid the strike, she changed forms to make herself shorter, thinner or any other shape that would avoid a direct hit. Unfortunately, the sword didn’t always go with her. Some of her shapes couldn’t hold the sword, and that created a problem because it left her defenseless if her enemy grabbed her sword. Just when her frustration levels were reaching her limit, Kai called for a break.
After taking a few gulps of water, he said, “That was better. I don’t mean to be hard on you, but I need you alive after this war.”
She took a swig of water and then wiped the back of her neck with a towel. “Oh, yeah? And why’s that?”
His lips turned into a very naughty smile. “Because this isn’t the only way in which I want to get you hot and sweaty.”
Mel felt heat travel through her and smiled. “Now, you are speaking my language. Train on, sexy!”
She picked up her sword with renewed energy. She couldn’t wait for this war to be over so she could find out exactly how hot and sweaty he planned to make her.
-o-
Rafe and Z’s swords clashed, and they separated to regain their stances. “How did things go with Khameel?” he asked and took a step back.
Z shrugged. “Fine, I guess. I kept him away long enough for you all to complete your mission, and that’s what matters.”
“Look, I don’t really know you, but -”
“No, you don’t,” she said and then began walking away, tired of sparring with a sword she would most likely never use. She relied on her whip for fighting; it had always kept her safe.
Rafe pressed his lips together and went after her. “All I’m saying is that Khameel’s a good guy.”
“He’s a Raizyn,” she said matter-of-factly while she placed the sword in the weaponry room.
“Is everything black and white with you?” he asked in frustration.
She turned on him. “He is scheming and fighting to destroy those whom I love.”
“And you are fighting to destroy the people he loves.”
“Whose side are you on, Rafe?”
He went to reply but then stopped short, not knowing exactly how to answer that. “Why do I have to pick a side?”
“Because we are at war, Rafe. If you are not with us, you are against us. And I suggest you figure that out and soon,” she said and then left him alone in the weaponry room.
Rafe watched her leave without saying a word. He wanted to be angry at her, but she had spoken the truth. He had a lot of thinking to do.
-o-
“It’s about time the two of you rejoin the land of the living,” Angel joked as Ar’ch and Sofia entered the dining room. “You’re not the only one who has missed her, you know,” he said and embraced his brother. Turning to Sofia, he pulled her into a hug and said, “Welcome home.”
Everyone stood and came to Sofia, hugging and welcoming her back. She stood speechless while they showered her with their love. These people were not even her family, and yet they were treating her better than her own blood had. Once everyone had hugged her, they all sat back down to continue eating their dinner.
Sofia took a deep breath to clear away her emotions and then said, “I want to thank you all for risking your lives to rescue me. And I want to apologize for leaving your protective wards in the first place.”
“Nonsense,” Nolan said. “Any one of us would have done the same under your circumstances. Each and every one of us can apologize for something we wished we had handled differently.” She looked around the room and saw everyone nodding to what he had said. Nolan continued, “And if we take turns apologizing and forgiving each other, we will most likely be here for days.” Everyone laughed. “I suggest we all accept our misgivings and forgive others for theirs.”
They all raised their glasses in agreement and drank. She felt nothing but love radiating from the room. She sent a silent prayer of gratitude to the Goddess.
After everyone had settled back into eating their meals, Ar’ch asked, “So, what happens now, Father?”
“Well, son, tomorrow I will meet with the High Council and hope that they will rally our allies for war.”
“What if they won’t?” Angel asked.
“Then, we will fight on our own.”
“Just us? Alone?” Mel asked.
“We are never alone, dear. The Goddess will be on our side.”
Sofia took a deep breath and frowned. Valerie asked, “What worries you, Sofia?”
“When I was trapped in that cell, Damiana channeled my energy into her.” She looked at Kai and said, “You said that I was a conductor. Damiana figured that out. She is now much more powerful than she’s ever been. And she has also lost her mind. If she can channel that to her demons and deminions, we are in trouble.”
“Sofia has a point,” Ar’ch said. “We can’t just perfect our sword fighting. We must strengthen all of our skills.”
“Son, you know that we cannot use our powers in war,” Nolan said.
“Why not?” Rafe asked.
“It was forbidden centuries ago. Otherwise, Ar’ch could suffocate everyone at once, or you could open the ground and bury our enemies. War must be fought fairly.”
“Maybe once upon a time, Father, but even with Sofia renewing our strength, we do not have enough power to affect so many peopl
e at once,” Ar’ch said.
“That is true, but the point is that our skills are off limits,” his father replied.
“But we can use our weapons to call, right?”
“Yes, Rafe. Our weapons to call are still weapons of war.”
“If they fight unfairly, then the rules of war are null and void,” Ar’ch said.
“Damiana will most likely break the rules.”
Ar’ch nodded at Rafe. “Which is why we need to strengthen our skills.”
“Then, I leave you in charge of that while I deal with the High Council,” Nolan said.
“Yes, Father,” he replied. “I will make sure everyone is prepared.”
“Enough talk of war,” Valerie interjected. “Let’s enjoy this moment. I finally have my entire family together and I want to cherish this.” Sofia looked down at her plate. “Some of you are not related to me by birth or blood, but you are still a part of my family and always will be.”
Sofia looked up at her. Valerie no longer avoided her; she looked directly at Sofia and smiled. She remembered the first time Valerie had seen her and how upset she had been. Back then, she believed Sofia to be her daughter with Drake. Sofia hadn’t known it at the time, but she had felt the distance that Valerie had kept.
Sofia felt nothing but love and acceptance coming from Valerie, which surprised her. Not only was she not her child, but she was still Drake’s child, and Valerie detested him. Even worse, she was Damiana’s child. And yet, Valerie looked at her with nothing but love.
Sofia looked around the room and realized that she felt the same way. From the moment she had met them, she had felt accepted and cared for. Her real parents may not know how to love her, but enough love filled that room to last her a lifetime.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Nolan entered the High Council Headquarters and went directly to the conference room. It had been a long time since he had stepped down from his position on the council, but nothing had changed. He placed his palm on the panel and released the tension in his shoulders when the panel lit up and the doors opened. Lucas, Felyse, Katarina, and Alexandra were already seated at the table, so Nolan quickly took his seat.
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