The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3

by Valerie Roeseler

  I dry off and change into warm clothes while Solas changes in his room down the hall. I pull my hair into a high plaited ponytail and let its length fall over my shoulder. Solas exits his room the same time I do, and we make our way downstairs. Alice brings thick blankets and quilts to help warm everyone up. “Your lips are blue,” she observes with worry as she lays a blanket over my shoulders and guides me to sit in a high-backed chair in front of the fire. Solas takes a spot at my feet and leans against the leg of my chair. The Griffins sit down across from me on the sofa, and Eric and Alice hold each other next to them. Evelyn brings us warm tea and sits rigidly in the chair beside mine as she searches my face.

  I sip the warm tea before I begin, “It was different this time. Something changed.”

  “Changed how?” Evelyn inquires.

  “Well, it started further back, and it didn’t end the same.”

  “There are Fallen everywhere,” Solas adds.

  “Could you see how many from the window?” I ask.

  “I only experienced what you did, but I could hear them all around you.”

  “That changed too. You weren’t there in your raven form before.”

  Eric contributes, “Maybe that proves we can change the outcome. If he wasn’t there before, but he is now, then something changes that.”

  “Yeah, because in this version, when Lucian tried to stab me with his knife, it never penetrated my skin. I imagine we alter the armor so he can’t. I also wasn’t afraid of him this time. I was laughing at him, and it pissed him off. It was like I knew something he didn’t.”

  Cassius shifts into a more comfortable position on the floor, “How was the end different?”

  “Someone comes up behind him and stops his hand from plunging the knife into my chest since he couldn't penetrate the armor. I don’t die.” The room stills. The only sound is the crackling of the fire as it glows across our faces.

  “It’s me,” Solas reveals.

  Alice scoffs, “How do you know?”

  Solas ignores her tone, “Because I wasn’t there before. And knowing now that I'll be there, I've formed a plan of action.” I hang on his every word. He rises from the ground and paces in front of the blazing hearth. “In the vision, Lucian explains he wants to use Ivy to get rid of his father. He knows without her in his control he'll forever live in his father's shadow. He fears him. As well as he should. Since I know I'll be there, I plan to sneak through the open window Ivy saw and shapeshift into Lucifer. I can stop Lucian from harming her and set up a ruse that I'll be taking her from him. It’s me that stops him.”

  “That’s brilliant!” Beckett shouts.

  “There’s one problem,” Evelyn thwarts, and we all snap our heads in her direction. “We still don’t know the when or where. How's Solas going to know where you are?”

  I think about the new incomplete bond I now have with Solas from our intimacy. I don't know if Evelyn ever knew about the incomplete bond I shared with Jack, but I don't want to bring it up. “I’m not sure yet. Maybe we can try again after Cass and Beck get back from The Keep this weekend. I’m drained and need a break for a while.”

  “Ok, dear. In the meantime, I'll try to communicate with Michael and see if he can tell us anything."

  Solas helps me stand, and we all bid each other goodnight. A huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders, knowing we can defeat Lucian now. There's no wonder I was being so cocky to him. He'll lose. What my family doesn’t know is, I plan to take his essence from him so he can never be a threat to anyone again. I fall asleep in Solas’ arms and sleep better than I have in a long time.

  Chapter 24

  Friday morning, I'm accompanied by Beck to the Music building. The sky is gray, but Red Meadow is anything but lacking in color. The leaves have turned shades of red, orange, and yellow, decorating the campus in warm colors that make me look forward to changes and new beginnings. I’m thankful for the chilly weather. It gives me an excuse to wear long sleeves and jackets to cover the permanent ink on my forearm representing my rank. While I know other students will only see it as a new and bold tattoo choice, I don’t want to take the chance of a covert enemy discovering it and revealing my identity to others. And wearing a leather cuff at all times isn't a fashion statement I wish to make. I feel refreshed with a new shine on my future.

  Beck casually rests his arm over my shoulders as we trudge up the hill. He’s in a good mood today, and his emotions further brighten my morning. “So…” he drawls, and I peer up to him in question. He gives me a sidelong glance, “You and Chief, huh?”

  My cheeks flush as I jerk my head forward in embarrassment and bite my lip. “That obvious?” I keep my focus on the short hike before us.

  Beckett chortles, “Not until last night.” His smile meets his gray eyes, identical to the sky.

  “What do you mean?”

  As we reach the top of the hill and stop outside of the doors, Beckett explains, “He growled at me when I whistled at you last night. In a way, he was claiming you as his.” He wiggles his eyebrows, suggesting my intimacy with Solas.

  “What!” My heart beats faster, and I cover my face with my hands. “Oh, no,” I mutter through my palms as the heat in my face intensifies.

  Evelyn must have heard him. What does she think of me seeing someone else?

  “Hey, what are you so embarrassed about?” he touches my shoulders and bends down to peer through my fingers. “It was bound to happen anyways. I see the way he looks at you. Cass notices too. It’s like he’s been waiting for you his entire life.”

  I let my hands fall and start rambling, “Do you think Evelyn knows? I don’t want to upset her, but I love him. I know how bad this looks. She probably hates me right now.”

  “Ivy. Stop,” Beck demands as he tries to shake some sense into me. I take in his serious expression as I expect words of comfort. “I’m sure she knows, but she can’t expect you to not live your life.”

  I'm mortified. “She must think I'm a traitor—tossing Jack aside for a Fallen.”

  Beck tips my chin up, “You have too much love inside of you to ever be a traitor. And if you ever do, I'll hunt you down with Cass and drag you back home kicking and screaming if I have to.” His gamine grin provokes a bashful twist in my tight lips. He brushes my chin playfully with his fist, “Chin up. You’re a bad ass.” I nod, and Beck adds with softness in his tone, “You love him?”

  I meet his prying gaze. Did I say that? Do I love him? I think about how much Solas has affected me. From the moment I saw him at The Keep when he transformed from a raven into his Fallen angelic form, I felt a connection I couldn’t place before, and that connection grew. I do. I love him, I declare to myself.

  A smile graces my face as I admit it out loud, “Yeah. I guess I do.”

  “Awe!” Beckett teases in a sing-song voice.

  I roll my eyes and punch his arm with mirth. “Alright, Beck. I’ll see you later.”

  His eyes catch a sorority girl walking in the distance as she drops her books, and he mumbles with a cunning grin, “Uh-huh. Later.” He pats my shoulder as he jogs to help the damsel in distress. I shake my head, pushing the doors open to the building and go to class.

  Our topic in Music History becomes awkward, to say the least. The previous subject matters covered the Birth of the Blues—Evelyn's favorite. Today, the professor's lecturing on the myths surrounding one of the most influential blues artists, Robert Johnson. Legend has it, Johnson took his guitar to a crossroads where he met the Devil and sold his soul to him. In exchange, the Devil took Robert Johnson’s guitar, tuned it, and handed it back to him. It's said after that encounter, Johnson went on to record twenty-nine hits, making him the historical legend he is today.

  I leave Music History and cross the hall to my Piano class. As I try to lose myself in the classical piece we're playing, I can’t shake the residual feeling Music History left me with. I want to take it as a sign meant to guide me through my pending battle with Lucian. In the words
of Dave Grohl, “Music is my religion, the record store is my church, rock stars are my saints, and their songs are my hymns.” I've always felt music could either fix my current problems or point me in the right direction, and a higher being was guiding me with music.

  After class, I’m surprised to find Solas waiting for me instead of Cass. Yet, seeing him realigns my day back on track. “Hey,” I breathe with a smile as I relax in his presence.

  “Hey,” he echoes as he wraps his enormous arms around me and kisses my hairline.

  Solas takes my backpack, throws it over his shoulder, and holds me close with an arm across my shoulders. We slink down the hill to the parking lot, and I wonder, “Where’s Cass?”

  “They left early for The Keep. They should be back in two days.”

  On the drive home, I start contemplating about the band's upcoming gig. “I need to go shopping with Alice for a Halloween costume to wear for the Masquerade Ball.”

  “When do you want to go?”

  “I have to finish up a few more assignments tomorrow, so I was thinking Saturday morning before we go to practice.”

  “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “We really haven't had a chance to talk lately. I think we could use some girl time.” I read the disappointment across his face and add, “But I have a very important question for you.”

  "Important, huh?"

  I smile with giddiness as I bat my lashes, “Will you be my date to the Ball?”

  The corners of his mouth grow into what's clearly a winning smile. He entwines his fingers with mine and brushes his soft full lips over my knuckles. His husky voice rumbles in his chest, “It would be my pleasure, princess.”

  Eric greets us as we enter the manor, “Would you guys be up for some training?”

  I grumble hunching over, “Seriously? I’m so tired of fighting.”

  He crosses his arms over his chest. “Come on, Ivy. Don’t be such a girl.” Eric knows just how to persuade me.

  I straighten my spine. “Screw you!” I chide. His crooked laugh reflects his crooked grin, knowing I won’t back down from a challenge. “I’ll meet you downstairs in ten minutes. Be ready to get your ass handed to you,” I laugh despite my attempt to intimidate him as I bolt upstairs with angelic speed to change, and their laughter explodes in my wake.

  When I enter the training room in the basement, an unexpected protectiveness overwhelms me as I watch Alice attack Solas while Eric idly stands aside. Their wings are spread wide and intimidating. Alice spins in the air with the grace of a figure skater executing an axle jump with a thin Rapier sword hugged close to her body. Her four-foot-long auburn braid rotates like a helicopter blade above her head. Solas rolls underneath her, and she comes down faster than expected, pinning his right wing down with her Rapier and kneeling on his chest. The savagery marring her beautiful features is nothing short of ferocious. My field of vision converges on her, darkening my surroundings. With no other weapon than my body, I find myself plowing into her side and restraining her to the ground by her throat. A growl escapes me with a brutal scowl.

  Her eyes widen in surprise as she grips my forearm and rasps, “Ivy! I wasn’t going to hurt him! I swear!” Her terror seeps into my bones and creates an urge to rip her throat out. It's an intense animalistic fury I've never experienced before. I become aware of my heart blackening by the second.

  Solas pops to his feet next to us as Eric barks out, “Ivy!”

  I can’t seem to pry my fingers from her crushing larynx. Solas steps closer with slow vigilance and grasps my shoulder. Pride, passion, concern. “Ivy. I’m fine. I wasn’t going to let her hurt me. We were only training,” he confesses in a tranquil tone.

  My vision comes back as his calm feelings, and Alice’s fear bleeds into my consciousness. My face falls in shock of my reaction. I was going to kill her. What is wrong with me?

  I jerk my hand away from her throat and crawl backward to let her up. “I’m sorry. I… I don’t know what happened,” I stutter in disbelief.

  Alice pounces on me with a loving firm embrace. She holds me tight around the neck, and I wrap my hands around her waist, placing my hands in the middle of her back beneath her soft, violet, iridescent feathers. We don’t speak as her emotions of sorrow and love fill me, and I push my feelings of apology and love into her. She pulls back, and we kiss each other's cheeks before we release our hold and help each other stand.

  “Are we all good now?” Eric asks with a sarcastic quirk of his eyebrow, and I notice the tension leave his taut muscles.

  I shake my head, “Yeah. I’m sorry.”

  He coaches, “You can’t let your emotions take over when you're fighting. You'll end up getting yourself captured or killed. You were so focused on Alice, I could've attacked you from behind and taken you out.”

  “Your right,” I acknowledge in defeat.

  He continues, “I know you feel like we have the upper hand now due to your visions, but you can’t let your guard down. We still don’t know when they'll attack. You’re complacent in the fact we believe we can defeat Lucian. If you let your guard down now, it could cost you. You'll be caught unprepared. Don’t let it happen.”

  I bite the edge of my smile, a vain attempt to keep my creeping grin at bay as I stand a little straighter, “I understand, coach.”

  He shakes his head and scratches the back of his scalp as he forces a smile back. He drops his hand with a huff, addressing Solas, “Alright, Chief. I’ll take Alice’s place, and we can hash it out. Ivy, you pair up with Alice, and she’ll teach you a few evasion techniques if you ever catch yourself in a bind.” His mouth twitches upwards, dimpling his cheek, and a cunning mischief glints behind his eyes.

  “Kick ass, princess,” Solas says before he kisses my temple and jogs to the opposite end of the training room with Eric.

  “Are you ready?” Alice chirps with a little more pep in her step.

  “Whatcha got?”

  “A little E and E.”

  “E and E?” I repeat for clarification.

  “Escape and evasion, Ivy. We’ve got to get you up on your military terms,” she teases.

  “Ok. Evasion isn't really happening. I don’t want to evade Lucian. I want to confront him like a battle ax to the face,” I admit with a little more malice than I'd intended.

  “I know, and we already know you'll be captured. This is where escape techniques will come in handy. I want you to keep a razor tucked into your wings. Since they'll be restrained behind you, you can pull the razor from between your feathers and use it to cut the ropes binding you,” she explains.

  “Won’t it fall out?”

  “No. Here, try this.” She pulls a razor from her back pocket and gestures for me to turn around. “Spread your wings and try to push them out as far as you can so the feathers spread further apart.” I release my wings to their full extent which reaches about three feet out to each side of my shoulders. Their tips look deathly sharp, like serrated blades. “Now, I’m going to place the razor twelve feathers up from the tip of your left wing and straight up the middle of it. I’m just laying the feathers on top of it to hold it in place.” I feel her caress my feathers as she lifts them and hear them flick across her fingertips. Thwack, thwack, thwack, thwack. “Ok, relax.” I pull my downy extremities behind my back tight.

  “I can’t feel it.”

  She nods her head and folds her arms over her chest, “It’s there, and it won’t fall out if you have to fly. Give it a try.”

  I flap my wings gently at first to elevate me, then take off around the room in looping patterns, trying my best to make the razor fall out. It never does. I land back down next to Alice. “Wicked,” I smirk.

  “Turn around and put your hands behind your back,” she demands in her most cop-like tone.

  I giggle and obey. Rough, splintering material is swiftly tied to my wrists, pinning my wings behind me. “What are you doing?” I growl in a facetious manner.

  “Simulation.” />
  “Uh-huh. Is this your way of getting back at me for earlier?”

  She creeps into my line of sight and lifts her shoulder in a half shrug, “Maybe.” I quirk an eyebrow. “On your knees. We’re recreating your vision. I want you to find the razor.” I roll my eyes and get on my knees, sitting back on my calves. I begin to reach my fingers back at an awkward angle to reach the razor. “Stop moving,” she barks.

  “You said to find the razor. I’m finding the razor!” I fidget in frustration.

  “If Lucian sees you twitching, he’ll know what you’re up to. You can’t move your body around. Not even an inch.”

  Really, Alice? This is fucking bullshit.

  I spend the next ten minutes trying to locate the razor without really moving, which is almost impossible. After several attempts, I succeed in reaching the razor. Alice moves in to untie me, removing the razor from my grasp, “That's good. I'm sure you can cut the rope without problems.”

  “Wait,” Eric interrupts, coming over to us with Solas.

  “What?” I marvel.

  Solas flashes Eric a knowing look, and Eric’s mouth splits into a huge shit-eating grin as he replies to Solas' telepathic message, “I think you’re right. Alice?” I narrow my eyes as they ignore me and rise to my feet with my hands still restrained. “You hungry, babe?”

  “I can eat. How about some pizza?” she cheers.

  “How about you go order that. Chief and I will be right up.” Eric stands before me with his arms crossed over his puffed out chest. The grin on his face falls to a serious scowl. Solas doesn’t seem fazed by it.

  I chuckle incredulously like a newly sprung leak—timid at first, stopping and starting. I shake my head in disbelief, “For all that is holy, you bastards better untie me.”

  “But that wouldn't be fun,” Eric sneers, and fear creeps through me. “Tell me. What are you going to do if you can’t get to a weapon to free yourself?”