by Ciara Knight
“Warrior demons can,” Boon’s words echoed in the night, carrying the news of certain death.
Every muscle and nerve in her body screamed for them to flee. There would be no way of puncturing the blanket of terror hanging in the sky ahead.
****
The world tilted, the line of black shifting into a fighting formation. How did they know?
Forras. It was a trap. They shouldn’t have trusted him.
Boon turned and faced Gabby. “What should we do?”
Panic etched lines on her face. “You’re the one with all the warrior experience. Don’t you think—”
“You’re the Chosen One, Gabby. Think. What does your instinct tell you to do?” Boon urged her.
Run, Gabby mouthed the words softly.
Boon leaned in closer.
“We should flee. We need to try to out fly them. Is it possible?”
Boon glanced back then nodded. “It is.”
The distance was closing fast. “Sounds good to me,” Alexander said. “Let’s go.” He signaled Gabby to move.
She nodded to each of them. They turned to flee, but hit a strong headwind that shot her sideways. His pulse thudded against his neck. If she didn’t figure it out quickly, Chosen One or not, he was going to scoop her into his arms and bolt.
She recovered and soared through the night sky, extending the distance from their would-be killers. With a couple of swift downdrafts, he chased after her as misty clouds, smelling of sulfur, scratched at his wings. She broke through the stifling clouds and he grinned. She was still struggling, but man, was she powerful.
He and Grace struggled to catch up and he only relaxed when Boon joined her. Their combined wing mass nearly covered the sky ahead. The power of her wings was mesmerizing.
He’d never witnessed such amazing beauty.
They soared miles high above the ocean, the dark wall of demons slowly fading into the distance. But he knew they wouldn’t give up. He feared they wouldn’t be able to cross onto Herak’s land. He only hoped they’d have time to meet with Herak and find the missing warrior angels.
Halfway across the ocean Gabby started to fade, descending lower and lower. Then her wings buckled and she plummeted toward the water in a flat spin. Alexander’s heart fell as he dove to catch her. Through dark, thick clouds, he lost sight of her. His body hummed, telling him she was near. Like an arrow, he broke through the clouds. His lungs protested with the rapid descent, but he spotted her and plunged to the left.
She flapped feebly, struggling. Boon swooped down from the other side and caught one of her wings.
Her body flailed. The ocean swells crashed, echoing just beneath them.
Alexander swooped in and took her into his arms, his shoes skimming the water. Several dark humps arched out of the waves. Water sprayed high into the air, soaking them, followed by a foghorn-like moan. “Next time you need a rest, or are too tired to continue, let me know,” he murmured in her ear.
Gabby shivered. Her wings curled in tight around her body. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it would be so exhausting. My back and shoulders and all the way down to my calves were burning for hours before my wings gave out.” She yawned then rested her head against his shoulder. He knew she was supposed to be tough and a warrior to the core, but relief filled him. He’d missed helping her, carrying her, feeling her against him.
Her eyes fluttered closed as they continued to fly until mountainous islands came into view. The moment he spotted Herak’s land, a chill shot down his back. The sun had peeked above the horizon in the east and shadows fell over the valleys. He only hoped the old man could help them. Alexander glanced back but didn’t spot any demons, though their absence didn’t make him feel at ease. At least when the creatures were in sight they knew exactly where they were. Now, he scanned the sky and prayed they weren’t waiting to ambush them.
Boon directed them closer to the island, but circled the mountains once before landing. Alexander lowered Gabby to the ground and she wiped her eyes. Grace appeared by their side, her warm smile offering encouragement. “You did great.”
“Thanks,” Gabby breathed. “I guess I need to build up some endurance.”
“It will come, dear.”
Eerie silence filled the predawn landscape and Alexander struggled with the feeling of nothingness again. The last time he’d come to the island he was alone. Having refused to set foot on the island, Boon had deserted him. Loneliness and a little bit of fear had plagued him. But not this time. This time he had Gabby with him.
They joined Grace as she shuffled over some rocks to Boon. They’d only walked a few feet when their wings contracted, an invisible force locking them beneath their skin. All of them faded into human form, their abilities sucked from them. From his previous visit, he’d known what to expect. Once inside the barrier they became mortals with no significant abilities, yet it still startled him.
Alexander pulled his t-shirt from his back pocket and slipped it over his head. Boon trudged behind some trees while Grace pulled some clothes from her bag and tossed them to him.
“I feel a great loss,” Gabby mumbled. “It’s so disconcerting to not hear a single sound, as if nothing lives on this island.”
“It’s the curse that holds Herak here.” Boon shouted from behind the shrubbery.
No breeze wafted through the stubby trees or bushes, no crickets chirped, no owl hooted. Only silence. An unnatural feeling of death and solitude invaded his senses. “We need to keep moving,” he urged.
Gabby pulled his arm tight against her side, her other hand wrapping around the inside of his elbow. “It’s been hours since we left. Time’s short. If Forras is right and only days remain, we need to hurry.”
Not even her apple scent wafted to his nose. She had no smell at all. His stomach churned at the thought, as though she didn’t exist in spite of feeling her touch.
“You don’t have to worry about the time,” he said. “It’s slower here. Days here would be minutes to the outside world.”
Gabby squeezed him tighter to her. He knew she was trying to overcome the oppressive feeling of loneliness, but it wouldn’t work. Not while they walked on the land where Herak had agreed for Boon to seal him to his fate at the end of the last war.
Gabby inhaled deeply and pressed her lips to his upper arm. “Still, my dad shouldn’t be left there too long with Forras. Oh, Alex, I can’t believe I left him behind. It’s all I’ve been able to think about since we left. What if he—”
“There was no choice,” Grace reassured her. “Your father was still weak from his illness and would have slowed us down. He also has Sammy for protection. However, if you want to save him then we need to figure out where all the warrior angels are. It makes no sense that your bond summoned all the demons that escaped the open rift when we stopped the master demon in Kemp, yet not one angel has reported.”
“I know, but I can’t help worrying. I hope he’s okay.”
Boon rubbed his temples. “He was when we crossed the barrier. Once we did, I lost the ability to communicate with Sammy.”
Alexander squeezed Gabby’s hand, needing to feel closer to her. “What? At this distance? That’s impossible.”
“It’s not so much dialogue between us, but rather reassuring feelings. When I thought about Bruce, I had a sensation that all was okay. I knew it was Sammy telling me that Forras had kept his promise and they were all safe for the moment. Don’t worry, Gabby. If things turn bad, Sammy will get him out of there.” Boon grabbed the branch of a tree and slid several feet down the side of a ridge.
“Thanks. I know she would never leave my dad behind. It’s just…so hard to make decisions that could harm those you love.”
Alexander’s heart ached at her words. If he could lead the army for her, he would. The burden was so great he couldn’t bear to think of all the trials she would be facing during this war. Something deep inside told him she would lose many during that time. It was logical to believe her dad would
be one of them. He may have once been an amazing hunter, but now, with his alcoholism, Alexander wasn’t sure Bruce could hold his own against any demonic threat.
Boon shot a hand up in the air and they all froze. “He’s here.”
Grace joined Boon. “Are you sure, son? I don’t sense his presence.”
“He’s here,” Boon whispered.
Grace’s lips turned downward, almost as if she was disappointed that she couldn’t sense Herak.
Alexander tugged Gabby closer and they all huddled on the side of the ridge, sandwiched between rocks, trees, and each other. “Mom, what is it?”
Grace smoothed the front of her pants. “It’s just that, I’m not sure I should have come with you. Maybe it would have been safer for you to come alone.”
Boon tilted his head and flashed her a warm smile. “You knew you’d have to face him again someday.”
What were they talking about? Yes, they’d battled Herak together during the first war. And Herak would certainly remain angry at Boon, the one who sentenced him to live here with nothing for all eternity. But why was Grace, the most loving angel that ever existed, worried?
“Why do you think Herak will be upset to see you?” Alexander asked. “He knows many angels worked together to stop him.”
“Yes,” Grace said, her face filled with sadness, “but not all angels used the fact he loved them to trap him for eternity.”
Chapter Ten
Mind-numbing silence stretched between them. Gabby squeezed Alexander’s hand and watched his eyes widen as they locked on Grace. Boon lowered his head in obvious guilt.
Alexander straightened to his full height. “You knew, too?” he demanded of Boon before quickly turning back to Grace. “What kind of relationship did you have with Herak? I thought he’d been married and betrayed his wife.”
Grace wrung her hands. “It’s a long story, but Herak became fixated on me about halfway through the war. I’m the one who lured him here. Boon sealed it. Once he was trapped, Boon was able to convince him to entomb himself to save humanity. You have to remember, it was dark times and angels had to resort to…colorful tactics to save many.”
The story somehow seemed familiar, as if told from generation to generation, but Gabby couldn’t recall the exact plot or where she’d heard it.
A light flickered far above on the side of a rocky ridge. “Look,” Gabby pointed.
“That’s Herak. He lives in that cave.” Alexander tugged her hand to follow him. “Over here is the pathway up the side of the mountain. I remember it from last time.”
Alexander had told her the story of how he had to beg Herak for the serum to save Sammy’s wing. The man spoke in riddles and Alexander said he’d spent frustratingly long hours working out what he meant. She wasn’t in the mood for half-truths or cryptic speeches, not today.
They followed the trail up a steep incline. Gabby’s thighs burned with fatigue. She’d only been an angel for a short time, yet in this place, she already missed the feeling of being stronger and more attentive than a mere human. She couldn’t imagine how the rest of them felt since they’d always been angels.
Grace palmed the side of the mountain along the path and bent over, breathing heavy. “I’m not sure my old body is meant for climbing. Glad I was released from the rift a few years younger or I’d never make it.”
Gabby released Alexander’s hand and patted Grace on the back. With the comfort of his touch gone, the world felt a little darker. “Why doesn’t he just come to us?”
Alexander huffed. “Herak? Make it easy? Not going to happen.”
“Great, we have to grovel to some over-inflated former human with a God complex. This is going to be fun.” Dust and dirt invaded her mouth with each breath she took. The chilly morning air and arduous climb left her throat dry and raw.
Grace pushed away from the wall and continued ahead, her feet shuffling up the dirt trail.
Gabby smiled at Alexander and forced herself to continue. If Grace, at the old age of… actually, she wasn’t sure how old Grace was, but it was older than someone should be to climb this mountain, so Gabby continued without complaint.
After what felt like an hour, they finally crested the top and stopped, each of them panting from exertion. Weird. She’d probably had it a little easier since, as a mere human, she’d had to work so hard the last year to keep up with the others. Not that she didn’t long to collapse onto the ground and curl into a ball.
“I hope he’ll help us,” Gabby mumbled.
“He has to. It’s our only chance of locating the warrior angels at this point.” Grace’s tone held a note of desperation.
Gabby paused. She’d never heard Grace speak about anything but hope, love, and faith.
Now, she sounded dismal. No matter the reason, it was more than disconcerting.
A shot of fear ran through Gabby. She pivoted and spotted a hooded figure standing in front of a dark hole in the side of the mountain. So many emotions flooded her. Relief they had found him, hope that he could help locate the warrior angels and lead them on the battlefield, fear that this hooded figure, who had once ruled over all the Earth and had been the BFF of Satan, would not only refuse their request, but turn on them.
The figure waved his arm, summoning them to follow, before he disappeared back into the cave. Her pulse thudded against her neck and she took two deep breaths before following Boon and Grace. Alexander held her tight against his side. Even in human form, he wanted to protect her.
She glanced up and offered him a reassuring smile, but he stared ahead with blank eyes and a set jaw.
A musky scent mixed with the odor of damp earth greeted them at the cave entrance. Something was different inside. She could smell, hear, and taste things again, not to mention feel Alexander’s presence.
Smoke wafted from a long thin stick, held up by a decorative box on a small table in the far corner. Incense. That explained the musky, almost sandalwood smell.
A large man sat on a bench at the far end of the room and gestured for them to take a seat in chairs surrounding a pit fire. “Nice of you to pay a visit after all these years, Grace-Kathryn.” Her name rolled off his tongue with hidden meaning and a hint of sadness.
Grace blinked a few times. “Yes, it has been a long time.”
Alexander led Gabby to the chairs and sat down, never letting go of her hand.
“Ah, you must be Gabriella Moore.” Herak’s silver and white beard moved upward with the tightening of his lips into what she assumed was a smile. “I’ve heard many…interesting things about you.”
Alexander tensed at her side. “We need your help.”
Herak chuckled. “Yes, the boy who has no patience. I remember you.”
Grace sat on the edge of her chair, looking as if she were ready to bolt back down the mountain at the first sign of trouble. “We need for you to tell us where the warrior angels are, and why they haven’t joined us.”
Boon’s chair creaked as he shifted nervously. “No time for games.”
“Games? Me? I dare say I am not the one who plays games here.” He chuckled again. “It is obvious that these two love birds are still in the dark. Why haven’t you told them the truth? Are you worried history will repeat itself?”
Boon bolted to his feet. “Enough.”
Grace inhaled sharply then exhaled in a long breath. With sagging shoulders, she motioned Boon to retake his seat. “Herak is right. It is time for everyone to know what happened and what is yet to come.”
Herak gave a wry, knowing smile that sent chills through Gabby.
Boon paced the floor. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
Grace nodded. “Alex, Gabby, you should brace yourselves. There is a lot for you to hear.” Gabby’s heart thrummed in her ears.
Alexander narrowed his gaze at Herak then Grace. “I have my memory back. What could you possibly tell us that I don’t already know?”
Grace paused for a minute then glared at Herak. “You don’t have a
ll your memories back. Only the ones from Heaven.”
“Right, but I’ve never been… Wait, are you saying I was on Earth before?” Alexander leaned forward, his left elbow resting on his knee, his eyes wide.
Herak chuckled. “Yes, that is what she’s saying.”
Alexander’s mouth hung open. Gabby tried to process what they were talking about, but it only confused her. When would Alexander have been on Earth? Why didn’t anyone tell him before now?
Herak rose from the bench. “I think we should have some tea.”
Alexander dropped Gabby’s hand and shot up from his chair. “You are not dragging this out again. No tea. Start talking.”
They all looked away, not one of them wanted to make eye contact with Alexander or her. A sting ruffled her trapped wings, creating the strangest tickling sensation. “You’re scaring me. What happened to Alexander before, and what does that have to do with me and this war?”
Boon ran his hand through his hair and paced around his chair. “You were there, too. All of us were.”
“What?” Frowning, Gabby searched for the clue she was missing. “When? How? You aren’t making any sense.”
“You were both here, on Earth, during the last war, Herak’s war.”
Gabby shot from her chair. Her stomach churned and the cave tilted around her. Alexander quickly wrapped his arm around her waist. “That’s impossible. A human could never live over two thousand years. Well, besides Herak. And she can’t be an angel because I don’t remember her from Heaven.”
Grace’s lips curled up into a smile. “You both need to listen. It’s going to be tough, but you’ll understand why you’re here and why this war is happening again.”
Alexander sank back into the chair, tugging Gabby down with him. Her legs buckled and her butt landed on the hard seat. She shook her head, trying to free the myriad of thoughts shooting through her mind all at once. Was she an angel? Did she fight during the first war? Was she involved with Herak somehow? She pressed her hand to her belly before she nodded for Grace to continue.