Judgment (The Alternate Earth Series, Book 3)

by S. J. West

  “I don’t understand,” Zack says. “Doesn’t it take all seven of us to go back home? Isn’t that what God said?”

  “We think that’s one reason Lucifer had to come with us,” Mason explains. “He can be your seventh Archangel.”

  “Then God knew this was going to happen?” JoJo sobs in disbelief. “He planned this from the beginning?”

  “I think He planned for the possibility,” I tell JoJo, not seeing any other way to explain it.

  The sadness in JoJo’s eyes turns to anger. “That is cruel, even for Him.”

  “JoJo,” Gabe says, wiping at his tears, “don’t blame God for this.”

  “And why shouldn’t I?” JoJo questions, her sadness quickly turning into anger. “Why shouldn’t I blame Him for sending us to this godforsaken place and taking you away from me?”

  “He isn’t taking me away from you,” Gabe says gently. “This is my decision, JoJo. Not His.”

  “But He is forcing you into it!”

  “No, He isn’t. He gave us free will for a reason.”

  “Then choose to live!” JoJo sobs, her grief taking over again. “I can’t survive without you…”

  “You’re going to have to,” Gabe tells her. “Please, JoJo. You need to live for me. You need to live for our baby. He’s going to need his mother to be strong for him. I want you to be the mother that I never got the chance to have when I was growing up. Love him with all your heart and make sure he knows how much his father loves him, too. You will be my only connection to him. Please, don’t take that away from me.”

  Gabe’s words are the last straw for me. I can’t hold my tears in any longer and allow them to flow freely. Mason places a comforting arm around my shoulders, letting me know he’s there for me if I need him.

  It takes JoJo a while to calm herself down enough to speak.

  “For you and for our son, I will live,” JoJo promises. “But it will only be a half-life for me without you in it.”

  I feel like I’ve let my friends down. I feel like I should have done more.

  “Get me out of here,” I whisper to Mason, barely able to hold myself together.

  Without asking any questions Mason phases us outside, where the glow of the gargantuan moon in the sky reflects so much light you would think it’s daytime.

  I fall to my knees, crying so hard I end up doubled over on the ground. Mason sits down beside me, placing his arms around me while I sob. I feel like my heart is breaking in two, and I’m not sure if I will ever be whole again.

  “I suppose the decision has been made,” I hear Lucifer say to Mason.

  I can only assume my connection to Lucifer is what called him to me in this moment. He felt my heartache and knew I needed comfort.

  “Yes,” Mason tells him.

  Neither of them says anything else as I allow my heart to shed a small portion of its sorrow through my tears.

  “When it’s over,” I hear Lucifer say in a sympathetic voice, “I’ll return.”

  Even Lucifer seems to believe Gabe’s death is a foregone conclusion, and maybe it is…but we have one last hope left. It may be a long shot, but I still believe my plan can work. Letting myself think otherwise simply isn’t an option.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  When I’m finally able to bring my emotions under control, I sit up in the circle of Mason’s arms and lean against him, soaking up his strength because I have none left.

  “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you,” I tell Mason, wondering how JoJo will find the willpower to go on without Gabe. “I’m not sure I would be strong enough to go on living.”

  “You would,” Mason says, full of faith. “People think they don’t have the ability to live through certain things, but, when they’re faced with adversity, they discover they’re stronger than they thought they were.”

  “Are you sure there isn’t a way for you to make that promise to me?”

  “Which one?”

  “The one where you live at least until I die.”

  “Actually,” Mason says thoughtfully, “I’ve been thinking about that.”

  I lean back to look at Mason’s face, and see that he’s completely serious about his statement.

  “And what have you been thinking?”

  “I need to ask my father a question first,” Mason says. “The next time I see Him, I’m going to ask if He will agree to my plan, but I would like to wait until then before telling you what it is. I don’t want to get your hopes up. He may not agree.”

  “You might need to make your request before I talk to Him,” I warn Mason.

  “Why?”

  “If we lose Gabe, He’s going to get an earful from me.”

  “Jess…

  “I don’t like being used, and I feel like God has just been using us from the get- go.”

  “Jess,” Michael says, materializing next to me and kneeling down, “Gabe knew the risks when he joined his soul to Gabriel’s in the Guf. All of you understood the danger you were placing your lives in. You can’t blame God for this.”

  “Sure I can,” I say stubbornly. “He’s the one who gave me those damn dreams, forcing me to find a way back here. If He hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here, and Gabe wouldn’t be forced into an impossible decision! I can blame God if I want to!”

  “Will that solve anything?” Michael asks. “Does it make you feel any better if you blame Him?”

  I stare at Michael for a while as I consider his question.

  I turn my head to look away from him because I suddenly feel ashamed for my childish outburst.

  “No,” I admit aloud, even though Michael already knows how I feel.

  “Do you think He doesn’t love you or the others?” Michael pushes. “Do you think what’s happening here is any easier on Him?”

  I close my eyes as warm tears streak down my face.

  “No,” I admit again. “I know it’s not.”

  “Then don’t be angry when you see Him again, because He’ll be hurting just as much as you are.”

  I look back at Michael. “Will JoJo hate me forever?”

  “I don’t think she hates you now, Jess,” Michael tells me. “I think she needs you to be strong and stand by her side to help her get through this.”

  “There’s still a chance Gabe won’t have to give up his life to save us,” I say to both Michael and Mason, desperately grasping on to the last tenuous thread of hope that is keeping me sane. “Gabriel might bring us the trumpets to save Ravan.”

  “He might,” they both say at the same time, even though Mason is unaware of Michael’s response.

  “However, as you’ve already pointed out,” Michael says, “nothing has been easy in this reality. I wouldn’t count on this being any different.”

  Nina phases in a short distance away from us. She must have seen Mason’s phase trail earlier and knew where he took me.

  “I’m sorry for interrupting,” she tells us, walking a little closer. “I just went to see if Sophia left us a note.”

  I look down and see a sheet of paper in Nina’s right hand.

  “What’s the verdict?” I ask her.

  “Gabriel has agreed to go to Hell to search for the trumpets,” she tells us. “He told Sophia that Lucian destroyed the dagger. She’s not certain if that’s true, but there’s no way for her to know for sure.”

  “Shouldn’t Gabriel already know where the trumpets are in Hell?” I ask. “Why does he have to search for them?”

  Nina shrugs. “I’m not sure.”

  “There are several levels of Hell only Lucian can access,” Michael tells me. “If he hid the trumpets in one of those, Gabriel won’t be able to reach them.”

  I tell Nina and Mason what Michael just told me.

  “How long do we have until we meet with him?” I ask Nina.

  “Sophia says he’ll meet us in 30 minutes, in a place of our choosing.”

  “Where would you suggest?”

  “I think we should meet him in the crater
on Mt. Rainier,” Nina tells me. “Sophia will make sure no one follows when she phases him over, but, even if someone tries, there’s nowhere for them to hide up there. We’ll see them as soon as they arrive.”

  “Just make sure Sophia tells Gabriel that I’ll kill Ravan if I see someone follow them there,” I tell Nina.

  Nina nods. “I’ll let her know. In fact, I need to go meet her on the wharf to give her the location for the trade. The others already know when we’re supposed to meet Gabriel, so you don’t have to tell them.”

  “Let Sophia know that if Gabriel doesn’t bring the trumpets, she’ll need to leave as soon as she phases in,” Mason tells Nina. “The energy produced from Gabe touching Gabriel might obliterate anything that’s too close to them.”

  “Ok, I’ll tell her.”

  Mason stands up and helps me to my feet.

  “We should go back in and be with the others,” I say, selfishly wanting to stay outside so I don’t have to face everyone else’s sorrow. I know I can’t do that. These might be the last few minutes I’m able to be with Gabe. I would hate myself later if I didn’t spend them with him.

  Mason takes my hand to provide me what comfort he can.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Nina says before phasing.

  “Are you ready?” Mason asks me.

  “Not really,” I confess, “but we need to be with them.”

  Mason phases us back to the library. When we get there, I’m surprised to see that all the vessels are dressed in their white leather outfits. I hadn’t realized Mason and I had been gone long enough for them to change clothes.

  They’re all in a tight circle around Gabe and JoJo, who is still crying, but silently now as she leans against Gabe. I notice Zack standing directly behind JoJo, his hand resting on her shoulder. I can only assume he’s using his gift of comfort to bring her as much as he can right now. I let go of Mason’s hand to join my friends, if they’ll let me. I wouldn’t blame them if they rejected me for bringing them all here. None of us has had an easy time in this reality.

  When Gabe sees me approach, he holds out his free hand, urging me to join them. As we stand in a circle together, possibly for the very last time, I can’t help but wonder if maybe this actually is the end for us. The phrase ‘God works in mysterious ways’ comes to mind. Is all of this just part of a more elaborate scheme designed by God? I don’t believe He would bring us to this reality on a whim. There is probably more than one reason for our journey here, and I will just have to place my faith in Him that the reasons are worth the cost.

  “We’re all going to the meeting with Gabriel,” Chandler informs me. “We’ll stay invisible and quiet, but we all want to be there for Gabe.”

  I nod my head in understanding. I would want to do the same thing if I were them.

  Gabriel will expect me to be there with Ravan, but he might get suspicious if he sees everyone else present, too.

  “Nina said she would show me where to stand so that I’m right behind where Sophia is supposed to phase in Gabriel,” Gabe tells me. “If he doesn’t bring the trumpets, I’ll be in position to do what needs to be done.”

  JoJo sighs deeply after hearing Gabe’s words. I know it’s only because of Zack’s gift that she’s able to keep herself from completely falling apart.

  It seems like our final minutes together pass by far too quickly. Before I know it, Nina is telling us it’s almost time to meet with Gabriel.

  Gabe lets go of my hand to hug JoJo closer. He threads his fingers into her curly black hair, and kisses her for what may very well be the last time. We all avert our eyes to give them this private moment.

  As I look away, my gaze crosses with Leah’s. Her eyes are puffy from crying, but I know she’ll be fine. We all will be, given enough time.

  “We need to go,” Nina says regretfully, knowing how hard this is on all of us. We all know we have a job to do and time isn’t something we can waste.

  “Ravan is already at the crater,” Nina informs us. “Malcolm and Jered are there, watching over her. They wanted to be with you, too.”

  “Of course they do,” I say, realizing our time is truly up.

  The vessels hold hands, and I hold my free one out to Mason for him to take. I can’t do this without him standing by my side.

  Nina places her hand on Rafe’s left shoulder and phases us to the crater on Mt. Rainer.

  Malcolm and Jered are standing on either side of Ravan, who, it appears, was never released from her chair.

  “Thanks for watching her,” I tell them both. “If you want to stay, you should turn invisible and stand behind me with the others.”

  I look over at Gabe, who is giving JoJo one last hug goodbye. I send up a silent prayer that it isn’t their last hug, but I have a bad feeling my prayer won’t be answered this time.

  Gabe kisses JoJo tenderly on the lips before following Nina to a spot about twenty yards directly in front of me.

  “Zack,” I call out to my friend. “Make a dagger for me please.”

  Zack looks at me quizzically but doesn’t question my request. After rubbing his left hand across his right arm, he hands me the dagger now in his hand.

  With a great deal of pleasure, I stab Ravan in the shoulder with it.

  Ravan lets out a grunt of pain but nothing more.

  “We can’t have you phasing into Heaven afterwards,” I tell her, knowing in my heart that Lucifer’s assumption about Gabriel’s sacrifice reopening the way to Heaven is correct.

  “You should probably have your sword to Ravan’s throat,” Mason advises me. “Otherwise, Gabriel might think he can overpower us to get to her.”

  I pull my sword out and do as my husband advises. Having Ravan in such a vulnerable position should make me happier, but I would have rather had her facing me with a sword in her hands in a fair fight. That way, killing her would be justifiable and not simply murder.

  Nina comes to stand on the other side of me. She and Mason are the only ones who remain visible.

  When I look over at Gabe, I see that his eyes are shimmering with unshed tears. I can’t imagine what’s going through his mind but regret isn’t the expression he wears. A sense of grim determination is set in the few wrinkles on his face. He’s too young to be departing the world of the living, but it’s only through his sacrifice that any of us can have a future.

  Gabe meets my gaze and nods to me. It’s a simple gesture, but one designed to tell me he’s truly made peace with his decision, and that everything will be all right. He may have been the vessel who got the short straw when it came to having a power that was useful in a fight, but his strength of character is what will save us all in the end.

  Sophia phases in with Gabriel, and I find myself taking in a sharp breath because I know the time of reckoning is at hand. As quickly as Sophia phased in, she phases out again, having been told by Nina that she would need to get out of the immediate vicinity if Gabriel didn’t bring us the trumpets.

  My heart sinks at the sight of Gabriel standing in front of us empty-handed.

  Gabriel lifts his hands in front of him and pleads, “I promise you that I tried to find them, but Lucian has them in a part of Hell even I can’t reach.”

  “Then why did you even bother to come here?” I ask him, pressing the edge of my blade against Ravan’s throat.

  I hear her whimper. When I glance down, I notice a rivulet of blood trailing down her chest.

  “I came to beg you not to kill her,” Gabriel says, falling to his knees in front of us in supplication. “Ravan was just a pawn in Lucian’s game. She doesn’t deserve to die this way.”

  Without looking directly at him and giving away his position, I see Gabe reaching out with one hand towards Gabriel’s left shoulder.

  “Have you ever been able to see your own future, Gabriel?” I have to ask, knowing Gabe said he never did.

  “No,” Gabriel replies, perplexed. “I don’t think I’m meant to know my own fate.”

  “Good
,” I reply just as Gabe lays his hand on Gabriel. “Then you didn’t see that coming.”

  After contact is made, both men look to be frozen in a sliver of time. I begin to wonder if this is how they will remain for all eternity until I hear a loud boom reverberate through the air. After the sound, both Gabe and Gabriel seem to transform into small balls of light that float up into the sky and disappear.

  I had hoped for a fight, or some grand battle between good and evil that would make me feel like I had done all I could to protect Gabe. In the end, it was his selfless, silent sacrifice and last act of love that saved us all. Would this world ever truly know the man Gabe was, and what he did to save them?

  My gaze is drawn to the right, some distance away. I see Lucifer standing there, watching us. I’m not sure how much of what transpired he witnessed, but I hope he appreciates what he just saw Gabe do. Maybe it’ll make an impression on him in some small way, but I know that’s just wishful thinking on my part.

  As my eyes are drawn upward, the world bears witness to the destruction of what’s left of the moon as it touches the Earth’s Roche Limit and begins its slow disintegration. It’s a phenomenon that will forever mark this world with a ring made from the remnants of our closest celestial neighbor.

  I hear JoJo and Leah begin to weep behind me, but, for some reason, I simply feel empty of tears.

  After all the fighting and turmoil we’ve had to endure in this reality, it seems fitting that the end of the conflict was produced by a simple act of love. Gabe not only gave up his life to save what was left of this world, but he also sacrificed himself so that the rest of us could go back home.

  “We’ll make sure that what Gabe did is known to everyone still living,” Nina promises me, looking up at the rapidly-forming ring from the moon’s swift disintegration. “In fact, we’ll name the ring after him. What was Gabe’s last name?”

  “Kinlan,” I tell her.

  “Then that’s what we’ll call it,” Nina says, looking back up into the sky. “The Kinlan Ring.”

  I look down at Ravan, slowly taking my sword away from her throat.

  “What do we do with her?” I ask to no one in particular.