“Interesting. You have a sword, but no markings.” He paused, one hand gesturing for Tristan to come at him. “Reluctant Thrones first,” he taunted.
“Sword or not, I’ll never give my father what he wants,” Tristan seethed.
Ari smirked. “Ana said you were in love with the Gibbor. I thought she was kidding…although after kissing her, I’d give it all up, too, for one night with her.”
Tristan growled, lunging for Ari.
“That was too easy.” Ari laughed, easily dodging Tristan’s charge and slicing his sword across his back.
“Tristan!” I cried as he howled in pain.
Ari wiped the bloodied blade across his sleeve. “You know they’re betting on you at the academy. Ten to one you’ll self-destruct all because of her.”
Tristan panted. Wet strands of hair were plastered against his paling face. “Why are you doing this?”
“Isn’t the real question why are you doing this? Look behind you, Tristan. Is she—is anyone—worth all of this?”
Tristan paused, watching the chaos in the distance. Archangels were in combat against Guardians and Powers. Bodies were strewn along the gangway and the dock. A band of demons had joined Ian and his Archangels, leaving destruction everywhere they went.
Ari clicked his tongue. “Poor Tristan. Out of all of us, you were always slow on the uptake. Ian was the most loyal Archangel, and he chose to side with us.”
“His ego is as big as yours.”
Ari snorted. “Says the angel with a forty-foot billboard of his face on the Las Vegas Beltway. You are a fool, Tatrasiel. It’s only your birthright that places you above others. Nothing else! Oh, you may pretend you don’t want anything to do with being a Throne, but I know you. You only want something when you can’t have it.”
“You’re the fool, Ari!” Calder cried, as he charged at the dark warrior.
“Damn it, Eljo! Where are you?” Ari zoomed up, disappearing into the cloud with Tristan and Calder chasing after him.
The sky rumbled with the clanking of swords. Jo gazed at me, tears streaming down her face. “What if Calder…I never told him.”
“He’ll be fine. You saw how he fought. He—”
A bloodcurdling scream cut me off. I sucked in a breath. Oh god, please don’t let it be Tristan.
A wingless body fell through the mist. My hand flew over my mouth as the body plunged into the lava. I scrambled back as droplets of fire splashed through the air.
Jo sobbed hysterically as Calder blasted through the ash cloud, tossing Dorian’s black wings into the fiery pool. He swooped down, taking Jo in his arms, and carried her away.
Ari roared from behind, closing in on them, but then Calder suddenly jerked up. Tristan pounced out of nowhere, his sword plunging into Ari.
Tristan’s face paled as he stared at the blood seeping from Ari’s stomach. He slowly withdrew it, wincing as Ari cried out and tossed the sword into the lava. His lips moved subtly. His voice was so low I could barely hear the words I never expected him to say to the dark warrior. “I’m sorry. Why did it have to be her?”
Ari blinked. “I didn’t…think you’d…” His wings stilled and he hunched over, groaning. He plummeted a few feet, letting out a pained shriek as his wings finally beat once again, lifting him. He gave Tristan a final mournful look and flew away.
Tristan’s face twisted as he dove for me, wordlessly taking me in his arms and lifting me into the air. He held me tight to his chest. I could feel his body trembling.
“Are you hurt?”
He kept his eyes on Ari as his troops disappeared into the horizon. “No.”
“Do you want to go with them?”
His eyes cut to mine. “Why would you—”
I yelped as he suddenly zoomed down, landing on a small rocky cove.
Waves hit against the smooth boulders, spraying water. Droplets landed in Tristan’s hair. They shimmered like diamonds.
“Tristan, what’s wrong?”
Pained eyes looked down at me. “How could you believe I’d side with them?”
The anger that had given over to heartache suddenly erupted. “Because you already did! You handed me over to Ian on a silver platter. You locked me up. You slammed the door in my face. You…you…”
The pain I felt over his betrayal of our friendship overwhelmed me, and I couldn’t breathe.
Tristan took a step, his hand reaching out to touch my wet cheek. “Karenna…”
“I’m not finished.” He stopped, waiting patiently as I angrily wiped away my tears. “You broke your promise. We were supposed to stay friends, no matter what. You…you hurt me.”
“Oh, Karenna. Please forgive me.” He swept me back up into his arms, holding me close. Waves hit against the rocks, spraying us. “I didn’t know what else to do. Ian was ready to take you and Lucy away. I had to make it look like I blamed you for what happened to Val. I did it to protect you.”
I sobbed harder at the mention of Val’s name.
“Shh, please don’t cry,” he murmured. He placed a finger under my chin, lifting it until I gazed into sapphire eyes. “Everything I’ve done was for you.”
“You shouldn’t have. I made everything worse. Look at what you’ve lost because of me.”
He cupped the sides of my face, his fingers splayed out across my cheeks, as he gazed deeply into my eyes. “Because of you, I know who I truly am. I know what it means to truly care for someone and have someone care for me. And then I…” He paused, his blue eyes darkening. “I almost lost you. I—”
His soft lips gently pressed against mine, tentative at first, asking for permission, for forgiveness. My body soared at his touch. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling his body close as he deepened the kiss. It was a kiss of remorse and undeniable promise. It was a kiss of coming home.
23
Karenna
The volcanic ash plume continued to drift across the darkening sky. Remi had assured everyone we were safe and the lava was rolling harmlessly into the ocean. We’d walked down the quiet streets, following the Guardians to a nearby beach park. The Powers stayed behind, covering bodies and taking them away. Most of them were Gibbor, including Gracie’s father and mother, who had placed herself between Ian and some of the children, giving them a chance to escape.
Most people sat at the picnic tables the Guardians had grouped in the center of the park. Some drifted onto the beach, clustering around one of several bonfires. The smell of barbecue wafted through the air. We looked like tourists enjoying a feast on the beach rather than people who’d been in a battle with demons straight out of hell.
The picnic had been Calder’s idea. He’d hoped the light would draw out any survivors on the island. I doubted it. The tall glass buildings were dark and towered over the beach in eerie silence.
If people were afraid of the angels before, they were even more so now. Anxious eyes followed the angels warily as they served food from several buffet-sized tables. They spoke in hushed whispers, not knowing who to trust, especially after Ian and his Archangels turned against them. They watched Remi carefully as he and Blaze talked with my father.
Lucy and Raffi worked with Mom and Aunt Marmie, serving the hungry crowd. Lucy’s face vacillated between having a brave smile and bawling tears of relief. She’d catch her breath, blink hard, and touch Mom’s hand as if she couldn’t believe she was here.
Tristan, Calder, Jo, and I huddled on the beach, watching over Nacho as he shivered and moaned. Calder had wanted to take us to the ship’s infirmary. Nacho wasn’t getting better, and Jo and I had several burns from the volcanic gas and ash. Remi wasn’t allowing any guests back onto the ship until Zac and the Powers completed their search for Ian’s followers who may have stayed behind. So, Tristan and Calder had gone onto the ship to get medical supplies.
Jo sobbed as she gently dabbed a wet cloth over Nacho’s battered and bruised face. It shined with fever. Whatever Dorian had done to him, it had overtaken Nacho’s body.
> Hali sat with Gracie; the boys, and her girls nearby. Hazel and Javi, seeming to have matured within the last couple of hours, shuffled between the younger siblings and Gracie, offering sweets, urging them to eat.
“How is he?” Hali asked, placing a tray of cool drinks next to us.
“Calder gave him acetaminophen for the fever, but he’s still burning up,” I said. “I don’t understand why he’s getting worse.”
Hali knelt beside me. Her fingertips had barely touched Nacho’s cheek when she jerked them back. “I’ve seen this before.”
“What is it? Can you fix it?” Jo asked, looking hopeful.
Hali looked warily at Tristan and Calder.
“It’s okay, Hali. We know about your…past,” Tristan said. “We also know how you fought to save Karenna more than once. You’re among friends here.”
Her eyes darted to her girls. “They don’t know.”
“We won’t tell them,” Calder said. “Promise.”
“Thank you.” She let out a breath of relief. “It’s the mark of the Dark Ways. I thought I’d heard someone say the words, but I wasn’t sure. Eljo use it against the Gibbor. For the Nephilim, it weakens our strength for a moment. For humans, it attacks them from within until they…”
“Until they what? Until they what, Hali?” Jo’s voice was frantic.
Hali gazed at Jo, tears filling her eyes. “Until they die.”
“No, Nacho! I can’t lose you too,” Jo sobbed, throwing herself over Nacho. “I should’ve listened to you.”
Tristan placed his hand on her shoulders, gently peeling her off Nacho. “You didn’t know. None of us did. Let me try to get him to drink some water.”
“He warned me about Dorian when we first started dating. I didn’t listen.” Her hoarse voice grew louder as she spat the words. “I’m so stupid. Did you see him? Dorian’s eyes turned black and he sprouted wings. Black wings! He was with them all along!” She winced, clutching her throat.
Calder was immediately by her side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, speaking in soothing tones. “Don’t say that. You’re the smartest person I know. Even we didn’t know Dorian and his friends were Eljo.” He reached for the tray of drinks and, taking a cup, forced her to take one. “Sip this.”
She shook her head, pushing it away.
“Please, Jo. Please.” Calder held her gaze as he brushed a finger over her cheek. She finally relented and took the drink.
Tristan frowned and put down the nearly full cup. Nacho barely took a sip.
“Is there anything you can do? A stronger medication?” I asked Hali.
“I don’t know if—wait here! I have an idea.” Hali scrambled to her feet and headed to the buffet tables.
“I hope whatever she has planned works. Nacho’s one of the good ones,” Tristan said as he sat beside me.
I opened the first aid kit and took out a tube of antiseptic cream. With the adrenaline no longer rushing through me, the pain from the burns on my face and arms intensified.
“Here,” I said, tossing the tube to him.
He caught it and smiled. “We’ve been through this before.”
“So you know what to do.”
“Yes, but I’m not sure if I should. I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I can take it.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Okay, but let me know if the pain’s too much.”
I turned to Jo, focusing on her. “If you blame yourself for Dorian, you have to blame me for Hunter. I was duped too. Hunter almost had me—ouch!”
“Sorry. This isn’t going to work,” Tristan sighed, tossing the tube back into the kit.
“Sure it will. Just dab it on real quick.”
“I can’t stand to see you in pain.”
“Then close your eyes.”
Tristan chuckled. “Pragmatic as always.”
“Well, we’ve got to do something for the burns. Jo’s look worse than mine. I’ll do it myself.” I reached over him for the kit.
“Hold on, Karenna! I have something better, and it’ll help Nacho too,” Hali called out as she rushed back with Raffi.
“Oh! That’s a great idea,” Calder said. “That is, if you’re up to it, Raffi.”
“Up to what?” I asked.
“Healing you.”
“Oh my god! I forgot Raphael is your father.”
Jo’s eyes brightened. “Raphael, the angel of healing?”
“The one and only,” Raffi replied. “I told Karenna I hadn’t taken the advance—whoa!”
Jo yanked him down, shoving him toward Nacho. “Help Nacho first.”
Raffi’s eyes widened as he looked down at Nacho. His face was unrecognizable with puffed up eyelids and cheeks. “I’ll try my best. I’m not as good as Val but—” He stopped abruptly. Pain washed over his cherub-like face. He cleared his throat, forcing a smile as he hovered his hands over Nacho’s face. “I can do this. No problem.”
I opened my mouth to apologize to him when Hali touched my arm lightly, whispering, “It’ll only make him feel worse. Let him focus on his job.”
I nodded. Hali had brought him over for more than just helping heal Nacho and our burns. Poor Raffi. He’d lost his sister and had been betrayed by his mentor. I gritted my teeth, wondering if Ian had anything to do with what had happened to Val.
Following Hali’s lead, I changed the subject. “So, what was with the Eljos’ wings? Do they all have them?”
“Only those who chose to join Belial,” Hali said.
“Humans call them demons,” Tristan added. “It’s the same for anyone who joins Belial. The Dark Ways leave their mark. There’s no way to avoid it.”
“Ari’s wings were the same pristine white,” Calder pointed out.
Tristan frowned. “He still betrayed us, and he almost got Karenna and Jo killed.”
Nacho moaned as Raffi moved his hands down to Nacho’s stomach. He’d only been at it for a couple of minutes and Nacho was already starting to look like himself. The swelling was gone, and the bruises were barely visible.
Nacho held his breath then slowly released it, his face finally at peace. Jo placed a palm on his forehead and smiled. “The fever’s gone. Thank you, Raffi.”
“You’re welcome,” he said, looking pleased with himself. “He’ll probably sleep for the rest of the night, but he should be okay in the morning. May I?” He raised his hand, hovering it over the worst part of her blistered arm.
“Is it going to hurt?”
“A little.”
She held her arm out to Raffi. “Good. Have it. I deserve it.”
Calder frowned. “You deserve nothing of the sort. Be gentle, Raffi.”
Raffi nodded. Eyes tensed, lips moving, he carefully skimmed his hands over Jo’s arm. I watched in awe as the blisters slowly disappeared.
“I placed my family in danger. I got Nacho hurt. I hurt…” Jo paused, biting her lip. Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I hurt you.”
Calder and Jo gazed intently into each other’s eyes as if the world around them had disappeared. Calder blinked, his Adam’s apple bobbing as emotions appeared to overwhelm him.
“I’m sorry,” she mouthed.
Calder shook his head and gently caressed her cheek. “You’re safe. That’s all that matters.”
“Erga,” Hali said, snapping her fingers. “Dorian was using Erga on you. The Eljo are very skilled at it. They can manufacture a feeling of yearning or desire from anyone they target. He did that to you.”
Calder’s face brightened. “That makes perfect sense. See, Jo, you had no control over what you were doing when it came to Dorian.”
“I don’t know,” Jo said. “Was that what Hunter, I mean Ari, did to Karenna?”
“I’m not sure if angels can do Erga,” Hali said. “It’s possible for Dorian to have taught Ari.”
My eyes darted to Tristan. He shifted uncomfortably. “We know how to use Erga. I’ve made the mistake of using it myself.”
Jo’s brow furrowed
as she turned to me. “So, if Ari pulled the same Erga trick on you, why didn’t you fall for it? I mean, it didn’t look like you felt the need to be by his side all the time like I did with Dorian.”
“I’m not sure. Maybe it’s because I’ve had experience with it before.” I could feel Tristan tense next to me. “It didn’t feel as intense.”
“Erga is most powerful when there is some feeling of affection coming from the target,” Hali explained. “That could explain the difference.”
Calder’s smile faded. I didn’t have to be a mind reader to know he was thinking the spell had worked because Jo truly cared for Dorian the way I cared for Tristan.
Jo lightly touched Calder’s leg. “I was with Dorian, but I never really like him. I know that sounds messed up, but it’s true.”
“Humans have no control against it at all,” Hali quickly added.
“And Karenna is Gibbor, so there’s that to take into account.”
“You’re human,” Calder sang softly as he placed his hand over hers.
“Flesh and blood.” Jo raised an eyebrow and started to hum the song “Human” by the eighties rock band Human League. He chuckled then leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose.
Tears pricked my eyes. I was so relieved to have my Jo back. By the looks of it, so was Calder.
“There. I’m done.” Raffi stood and stepped back, admiring his work. Jo’s skin was smooth and flawless. “Karenna, you’re next.”
After Raffi finished working his magic on me, Nacho woke up ravenous. Jo and Calder propped him up with several blankets while Hali went to get him a plate of food. Tristan and I worked our way through the beach, picking up empty cups and plates. Although my skin looked healed, it itched like mad. I had to stop and scratch every couple of minutes.
“No scratching,” Tristan said, catching my hands. “You’ll only make it worse.”
“I can’t help it. I itch everywhere. Even my nose itches. Do you have anything to make it stop?”
“Hmm, I think I do.” Keeping hold of my hands, he placed my forearm against his chest, rubbing his skin against mine, relieving the itch without scratching with fingernails.
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