Cam locks his hands behind his back. I instantly have a flash of Beleth and Lucian, the same mocking posture they use to declare their superiority. I gracefully make my way around the table. He observes my movement as he states, “Says I. I’m sure your father and the others will agree. With Lucian and Lilith’s forces bringing war, you will fail. Let us lead The Keep, and we’ll have victory.”
I stop next to him. We stand shoulder to shoulder. I pose, “Did you ever think to ask them what they wanted?” Camael doesn’t blink, his face is emotionless. It takes everything I have left to keep myself from exploding. I walk out of the open door and don’t look back, “If we fail, we fail together.”
My emotional walls must have vanished with my heightened temper because Solas is clearly worried as he probes, “What happened?”
Camael wants me to relinquish the legion to the Originals. He said if I lead the legion, we’ll fail, and if they lead, we’ll have victory.
“Hmm… What did you tell him?”
I asked him if he ever thought about what the legion wanted. Then, I told him, “If we fail, we fail together.”
Solas barks a single laugh. “That’s my girl… This is your legion. Don’t let them take it from you. You can do this. I can’t wait to see his face when you prove him wrong.”
You don’t doubt my ability to do this?
“I don’t doubt your abilities. Never.”
I smile at his words. It’s not the first time he’s said them. He once told me the same thing when I thought he was just Gideon, the boy next door. Goodnight, Solas.
“Goodnight, princess.”
Sleep evades me. The silence is violent, reminding me of the essences I’ve taken and the consequences of entering Sheol. I’m forced to deal with my emotions of reality. There’s nothing to distract me from the truth of it all. I envision the coming war, and it terrifies me. I know I can’t be the only one battling the fear of defeat. I long for the Light to win and Darkness to lose, yet we are The Gray Legion, and Darkness lives in us all.
I wake to the incessant ringing of my cell phone. It takes a moment for me to realize what the sound is, and even longer for me to find its location. When I find it in the top drawer of my dresser, the screen is lit up with the letter T.
I answer quickly, “Hello?”
“Well, well, well. It’s about time you answered. What the heck took so long?” Tallulah carps.
I groan. “Where are you?”
“The Florida Keys. I need to know where we’re going. I know you’re between here and Europe, but I need coordinates,” she denotes.
Rubbing sleep from my eyes, I yawn, “How many are you bringing?”
“Only a handful of fifty. It’s all I could get on such short notice.”
“Thank you. You really don’t have to get involved in this.”
The elation in her tone is prominent, “Are you kidding me? I’ve got to get in one last hoorah before you weaken me with mortality.”
Grinning at her desire for bloodshed, I tell her, “Well, there are wards around The Keep. You won’t be able to find it, even if I give you the coordinates—which I don’t know myself. Just stay there. I’ll have someone meet you and show you the way.”
“Perfect. I’ll text you our location.”
“Ok. Someone will be there as soon as possible.”
I throw some clothes on and trudge through the corridors. I pass the Throne Room and the kitchen, I head through the west end of the mountain that holds the rest of the legion, and up a spiraling staircase to the topmost floor accessible. The temperature feels colder. I rub my arms for warmth. I stop at a solid steel door, knocking subtly with the knuckle of my middle finger.
Solas’ growl is muffled on the other side before he booms, “This better be good!”
The door swings open with rapid force. Solas stands shirtless inside the room, his hand still clutching the door. My eyes rove over his impeccable torso, and I chuckle, “I hope it is.”
Attempting to hold back his grin of chagrin, his lips pull tight to one side as he shakes his head, regarding the ground. “I’m sure it is.”
He peers at me. When his ice blue eyes land on mine, I bite my lip to catch my breath. “Telly called. She’s in the Florida Keys with about fifty others. I need someone to go get them.”
He crosses his arms over his broad chest and leans on the doorway, “I know she wants to help, but I don’t trust her. There’s just something not right.”
I counter, “You saw how many were in Lucian and Lilith’s legions. We need all the help we can get, even if it’s only fifty more warriors.”
He seems to consider my words. “I’m not leaving your side. I’ll talk to Thea and see if she can send a few Griffins to escort them in.”
“Thanks.”
We walk together down the stairs, and he stops at Theodora’s door, “After I talk to Thea, I’ll be rounding up the legion. We need to start preparing.”
“I’ll meet you later then?”
He nods, then knocks on Thea’s door as I travel through The Keep’s corridors to my room.
Jack stops me as I pass the Throne Room, “Fancy meeting you here, Sunshine.”
I face him, rolling my eyes at his attempt to be nice. You didn’t stand up for me against your father, and now you want to act like everything is just fine? I turn away, continuing on to my room.
He catches up to my stride, “Where are you headed?”
“My room,” I answer flatly.
“Can I join you?” I give him a sidelong glare, and he corrects himself, “I mean, can I walk you to your room?”
We make it around the corner and pass the Dining Hall. “Depends… Are you going to give me the same shit your father did?”
“He has your best interest at heart.” I scoff at the statement. “He’s the Angel of War, Ivy. He knows what he’s doing.”
I spin on him just as we make it to my door, “And I don’t?”
Jack hesitates. “No. You don’t, but hear me out.”
I cross my arms over my chest and cock my hip out. “I’m listening.”
“Don’t give me that shit,” he stresses, flapping a hand at my posture. “You really need to listen.” I drop my arms and right my posture with a huff. Jack grasps my biceps as he steps closer, demanding my attention. “You don’t know what you’re doing. You know that. It’s why you asked Solas to be your Chief Commander, right?”
I glare at him, “Yeah.”
“My father knows more about war than every being in The Keep put together. He was there for The Fallen War. He led the Sons of Light to victory. Now, we have Darkness threatening to wage war again. You’re trying to lead Dark against Dark. It’s never been done before. We’re going to need him if we’re going to win this.”
With a matter-of-factness, I state, “They’re not Dark.”
He counters, “They’re Fallen.”
Straightening my spine, I storm into my room. Jack follows, closing the door behind us. I press, “You don’t see it, do you? You still see yourself, and the others of Light in this mountain, as more superior to them. You need a reality check, Jack. Every Griffin and Fallen within these walls are rogue. Do you think they would stick around if they didn’t want to redeem themselves in some way? This Legion no longer portrays Darkness. Nothing is black and white anymore. They’re The Gray Legion, and they’re mine. They’re not going to follow an Original that did nothing to help them from falling, no matter what his title is.”
“What are you so afraid to lose by letting him lead?” he shouts.
My wings burst out in hostility with his tone with me. But there it is; The reality of my fears slapping me in the face. I tuck my wings back as I admit to him, “Control.” Jack stares at me, trying to understand. I rationalize, “I’ve never had control of my own life, Jack. Even when I thought I did, I didn’t. I was created with a destiny I can’t avoid. It’s like a curse. I’m told what to do when to do it, what I can’t do…”
; “But you do what you want anyways.”
“And I pay the consequences. They’re worth it to me. If I let Cam take over the legion, not only do I lose control of my own destiny, but I lose the trust I’ve gained from them. I took an oath. I made a promise… I keep my promises.”
He utters in soft disappointment, “You can’t win this alone.”
I drift off, unblinking, “I’m not alone.” Jack doesn’t say anything, and I deliberate my options. “Tell your father I’ll take any advisement he has under consideration, but I make no promises.”
I watch as his chest expands bit by bit, then deflates with his tension. “I’ll tell him.”
Later in the evening, Solas warns me of the incoming rogues. I meet the Griffin triplets, Ezra, Jack, and Solas on The Common as they approach from the east. Telly lands with two of our Griffins at her sides in full form. Fifty-six Fallen warriors land with large trunks and safes, sixteen of our Griffin sentries flanking them. I look to Theodora, “Was that many really necessary?”
Thea’s features remain stern, “I make no exceptions for outsiders.”
Telly meets me at the vaulted door, “I come bearing gifts.”
I point to their luggage, “What’s with all this?”
Her gentle breath caresses my ear as she leans close and whispers, “I brought the Kapet and enough equipment to make more.”
My eyes widen as Solas’ gaze snaps to us.
Telly shrugs, “You need all the help you can get.”
Solas offers to show them their rooms and lead them to the dungeons where they can keep their prized possessions. He sends a thought to me as they leave, “Don’t say anything to the Originals. They’ll want her destroyed.” I don’t doubt his advice and know if it came down to it, Michael would want it to be me that took her essence from her—without giving her the reward I promised.
Chapter 25
My dreams are filled with bloodshed, death, and violence. I toss and turn until I can take no more. I find peace in the darkness on The Common. With the crashing waves, soft wind, and the rustling of feathers as the Griffins on the mountainside settle back on their haunches, I attain the quiet I long for, and I run.
Running doesn’t genuinely clear my head, but it helps pull things into perspective. I didn’t get to speak to Telly much. She and Solas thought it would be best to teach the legion how to create more Kapet ammunition in the dungeon and later plan to let them practice with the automatic rifles she brought along. When she found out there are two of the five Original Archangels of Light within The Keep with the other three to arrive soon, she seemed nervous. Though she did her best to cover it up, I believe she knows what they would do to her.
At first, I didn’t think it would be effective to use the guns since each of us can outmaneuver a bullet with our angelic speed, but Solas is confident it could be the perfect strategy to give us the upper hand. He made a viable argument that angels don’t use guns in battle because of their speed, yet with Ezra leading a team from behind, we can take the incoming legion by surprise. They won’t expect it, and we should be able to significantly take down their numbers with the attack.
I haven’t seen Jack’s father since Telly arrived, and I’m not looking forward to it. I’m sure he’ll be furious we’ve allowed more Fallen into The Keep, but it’s not his decision.
I stop running at the edge of the cliff, hands on my knees to catch my breath. Everything’s my decision now. Fight or run. Guns or not. Lead or follow. Jack or Solas.
The sun began rising while my thoughts revolved as fast as my stride. The wind picks up in the red morning sky, and my father exits the vaulted door of The Keep. I push off my knees to greet him. “Hey.”
“You are up early,” he notes.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
He regards the landscape, “May I show you something?”
“Sure.”
“Follow me.” His dark violet wings emerge and pulse, suspending him above me. I release my own and follow him past the Griffin sentries to the top of the mountain. We pull our wings back as we land on a tuft of grass sprouting between the rocky terrain.
I sigh heavily, digging the toe of my shoe in the ground. The sight is marvelous. The red dawn meets the blue horizon for as far as I can see. The wind is stronger, and the breeze is chilly with a refreshing kiss against my skin. “It’s beautiful up here.”
“Sometimes peace can be found if only we change our perspective,” he enlightens. I smile up at him. He inquires, “Do you know the saying about red dawns?”
“I don’t believe so,” I admit.
Azrael quotes, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky morning, sailors take warning. There is a storm coming.”
I grimace with worry, “In my last vision, it was raining.”
“I imagine the storm will arrive by the end of the day.”
I acknowledge, “Along with Lucian and Lilith’s legions.”
We enjoy the tranquil sight, soaking in the peace it provides. My father claims, “I wanted you to know, I do not agree with Camael’s opinion to lead the battle himself.”
I peer over my shoulder at him with surprise, “Really?”
He turns to me fully, “You are my daughter. I know how strong you are. I know you are capable. I have confidence in your success.”
I’m unable to respond due to the enormity of his complement. I can only say, “Thank you.”
He nods, “Yes. I have spoken to him on your behalf, but he is correct that a decision should not be made without the others.”
“Will they force me to step down?”
His mischievous smile accompanies his whisper, “It appears they have run out of time.”
As if on cue, the temperature drops, and the sky rumbles as it opens up, releasing a torrential downpour. I smile with appreciation. We fly down the mountainside to take cover from the rain. Once inside, I wring my hair and shake the water from my wings and body. I know the legion will be here soon, and everyone has come to me with distrust of Telly. I know I’ll have to seek her emotions or essence out, but I wonder what my father thinks of her. “Have you seen Telly yet?”
“I have not. Though, she may be avoiding me. We did not part on good terms,” he reveals.
We travel back down the corridor towards my room. I point out, “You’re bound to run into her at some point. The others don’t think I should trust her or the warriors she brought with her. Do you think I should trust her?”
He shrugs, “It has been centuries since I last saw her. I would have to speak to her again to make a decision.”
As we reach my door, Solas approaches from the opposite direction. My father whispers in my ear, “I may have been wrong about this one. I will leave you be.” My cheeks blush with my restrained grin, and he disappears before my eyes.
Solas muses my regard, “What?”
I evade answering, shaking my head, “Nothing.”
He remarks, “Why are you soaking wet?”
I clear my throat and calm my fluttering heartbeat. “We were on The Common, and it started pouring.”
“Like your vision,” he testifies.
I lean back on my door and close my eyes. “Yes. We need to be ready. They could be here by the end of the day.”
“I’ll get Theodora and Ezra together. He should head out soon with the Griffins if we’re going to catch them.”
“Ok.”
Solas steps in front of me, “There’s a reason I came to find you.” I stand up straight, giving him my full attention. “I still can’t get a read on Telly’s thoughts.”
I wonder, “Could she be blocking you somehow, but not realizing it?”
“I don’t know what her abilities are if she has any. Even so, if she’s blocking me, it’s on purpose. She’s hiding something. I know it.”
I explain in earnest, “What could she possibly be hiding? From the beginning, she’s done everything she can to help me. She saved us from Sheol. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know if
we would have escaped, let alone survived. She didn’t have to come all this way, put herself against her queen and prince, or request others to help if they were willing. I know she wants to be released from the Darkness and given a mortal soul, so what could she possibly be hiding?”
He’s silent a moment, then relents, his shoulders deflating as he rubs his forehead, “I don’t know. Something’s just not right here. I can feel it.”
My arms pulse as my palms bounce against my thighs. “Look, I’ll go find her and try to get a read on her. But, what’s to say she won’t be able to block my empathy as well?”
“All you can do is try. And if she does block you, it just shows she really is hiding something.”
Our attention is drawn down the hall at the sound of footsteps, and my bond to Jack grows stronger. “Jack.” Solas glances at me then back to Jack as he rounds the corner. For an instant, I’m worried at the tone of my voice as I said his name as if I was relieved he was coming. The way Solas looked at me showed hurt in his eyes. I’m doing my best to put my feelings for them both aside for the moment, but my love for both of them is tearing me apart.
Jack jerks his chin up in a manly, impassive greeting towards Solas, then judges my appearance with the quirk of his brow, “You’re soaking wet.”
I roll my eyes, “I know. I was on The Common, and it started raining out of nowhere.”
He glances between Solas and me. “I was just coming to check on you.”
I test him, “Did you talk to your father?”
Jack’s hands slide into his pockets, his shoulders widening. “I’m sorry. He said if it’s the title you are looking for, he will let you keep it as long as you do what he says.”
“Fuck that,” I blurt. As I do, Jack’s head wrenches to Solas quickly. Solas appears irritated, and Jack glares at him. I add, “My father doesn’t agree with him. He said they will wait for the others to arrive before making a decision.”
Solas probes, “What decision?”
“They could try and take the legion from me.” Jack’s face goes slack. I ask him, “What?”
He shakes his head, his hands meeting to knead themselves before falling to his sides, “I’m sorry. This is such a mess. While I agree you should let him lead the legion, I know how ferocious my father can be. And I know how stubborn you are. I wouldn’t wish his wrath on anyone. I swore to protect you. This legion is yours, and I won’t let anyone take it from you. Not even my father.”
The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 Page 64