There’s no reply. With nothing left to do, I journey through the wet foliage. My boots are muddy, my clothes are soaked, and I don’t see the weather letting up. I hear a purr above me. I know the only cats in rainforests are big. Looking to the thickness of tree branches above me, I see it. A black panther with golden eyes lays across an outstretched limb, tail swaying over the edge as it watches me closely. It doesn’t appear aggressive, yet I make no sudden movements as I back away.
When I’m out of sight, I try to find a way out. This is an illusion. There has to be an end, a barrier, something. I’m still in the dungeon… Right?
Hours later, I’m back to where I started. The rain hasn’t stopped for a second. It also seems I’ve picked up a little friend. The black panther has been trailing me through the forest but has kept its distance. Feeling hopeless to discover anything to give me a sign about what I’m supposed to do, I take cover beneath a group of large, low hanging leaves and hug my knees to my chest.
I think about what Raphael said. I don’t understand how I could ever love myself enough to heal faster. I don’t understand how Jack or Solas still love me. Jack has changed, but so have I. I wonder if we are meant to be together anymore. While he has made a massive impact on me and my life, maybe that’s all our relationship was meant to be. Though, I can say the same about Solas as well. I have a hard time believing either of them is fated to only be in parts of my life.
The Panther creeps into an opening in front of me. A troop of baboons converges on us quickly. I pop to my feet, ready to run, only the panther is blocking my escape. The troop of baboons screech at the Panther as they begin dropping to the ground. She swipes at them in a warning with her growl. They circle her. I squeeze back against a tree to hide as best I can. The largest baboon leaps onto her back, biting the back of her neck. The others attack.
I can’t watch them tear her to pieces. I grab the nearest tree that’s thin enough for what I need. Using my angelic speed and strength, I pull the tree down, then break it off at the length I need to make a staff. A few of the baboons turn their attention to me, then charge. Swinging the thick stick with large circles and quick jabs, I take out nine of the thirteen. The rest retreat, knowing I will take them out soon.
The rain continues to fall at a steady rate. I watch the prone Panther for any movement. She cries out low in pain. I know exactly what Raphael wants me to do. Seriously? You want me to heal a black panther… If she attacks me, I’m blaming Merrick.
My steps are slow, my feet scarcely making a sound. I kneel behind the panther’s back. Her throat is torn open, and she’s barely breathing. She senses me behind her, her ears falling back with a hiss. I coo, “Easy, girl,” as I gradually move my hands to her throat. She moans when my palms touch her. “This isn’t going to be easy,” I tell her.
The heat from my core flows through my body, into my palms. My eyes flare with blinding white light. The heat in my palms electrifies, molding me to the panther’s wound. The Panther wails, twitching below me. The sound becomes muffled as the ringing in my ears intensifies. When the light leaves my eyes, and the heat in my hands fades, I assess the state of the panther.
She remains motionless, save for her heavy breathing. I back away in a low crouch and freeze. She rolls onto her feet, shakes her head, then stares into my eyes. Her gold irises are captivating, my reflection clear within them. She blinks the rain from her eyes, then saunters away passively.
“Well done,” Raphael praises from behind me.
The rain stops. The rainforest disappears in a wave of heat, the stale coldness of The Keep replacing it. Merrick comes into my line of sight from the left side of the dungeon. I stand to glare at him, “The rain was highly unnecessary.”
He smirks, “Worth it.”
Chapter 3
The entrance to the dungeons conceals me in the shadows near The Keep’s throne. Silently observing the clashing of swords and wings as Jack and Solas rage against each other, I soak in the two loves of my life…having fun. Black against Green, Dark against Light, they’re not hostile as they were last night. Though Jack must feel the close proximity of my presence through our bond, he continues to focus on their simulated battle. They appear entertained with each other. Jack praises Solas for a good strike he wasn’t able to block and flashes his million dollar smile. For a moment, I wonder if this is still part of Merrick’s illusion.
Without losing concentration, Solas remarks, “How long do you think she’ll stand there before she says something?”
Their swords cross between them, the crash ringing out through the Throne Room. Jack pivots away. “As long as she finds us amusing,” he grins. Solas takes a bow to his opponent. Jack responds in kind. They meet in the middle of the grand hall for a celebratory fist bump.
I shake my head, approaching them. “I can’t decide if I’m clearly delusional or I’ve walked into an alternate reality.”
Jack objects, “We’ve had a long discussion since we last saw you.” There’s an awkward moment between us as I hold my breath. He comments, “Did you go for a swim?”
I roll my eyes, “Training.”
Solas adds, “Jack told me about your oath.” His expression doesn’t reveal his feelings on the situation.
“And?” I pursue.
He explains, “We’ve come to an agreement. No matter what our opinions are of each other, you come first. We have not been fulfilling our own duties to protect you as we should. We both agree that it is time to put our petty differences aside for the good of humanity.”
I cross my arms over my chest and cock my hip out with an exasperated huff. “You mean, the both of you have taken upon yourselves…again…to treat me like glass, shadow my every move, make sure I don’t fuck up and ensure that I don’t kill myself in the process.”
They glance at each other, then back to me. Jack shrugs a shoulder as Solas nods, “Pretty much.”
I mumble under my breath, “Unbelievable.”
Solas reiterates, “You asked me to be here, to be your Chief Commander. Ensuring your safety, offering valuable strategies, and leading where you are not able to be is my job.”
“Treating me like a porcelain doll is NOT your job!” I backfire. “I have so much shit riding on me. I can’t handle you two hovering over me twenty-four-seven. It’s not like I’m going anywhere for a long while. The Originals have me on a strict schedule for training. There can’t be anything for me to fuck up if I don’t leave.”
Jack points out, “Eric said you would be leaving with your father for your training with him. One or both of us should go with you.”
“Why? I’ll be with my father. Isn’t that enough? What are you expecting to happen?”
The pity in Solas’ eyes only fuels my fire. “There could be an attack. You could be unprepared. The more people you have by your side, the safer you are… We don’t want to lose you again.”
His last statement is a knife through my chest. I stand firm. “No.”
“No?” Jack questions.
“I said, ‘No.’ I’m not some chess piece you need to protect. I’m the queen on the board. You’re not going to live my life for me. You will both stay here, you will NOT shadow me, and you will give me the distance I asked you both for. That doesn’t mean avoid me at every turn, but it does mean to stop smothering me and fighting each other for time with me.” They stare at me unhappily. I wipe the water dripping down my forehead from my hair, flicking my wrist to shake it from my hand. “Now… I’ve been in the rainforest for almost the entire day during a torrential downpour. I’ve been stalked by a panther and had to kill nine vicious baboons, just to satisfy Raphael’s curiosity. I’m going to soak in a long, hot bath that I deserve, and I don’t want to hear another thing about your ideas to save me from myself. I’m not the one who needs saving.” Their simmering anger is palpable as I walk away.
gh
The steaming bath calls to me. I slip in, sinking down until the water touches my chin, and close my e
yes. I’m exhausted. My muscles begin to relax, warming my bones in the most enchanting way.
The empty marbled halls of Lucifer’s castle in Sheol echo with definitive hollowness as my boots click across the floor. “Tick tock. Tick tock,” I repeat with each step, yet my voice sounds odd; deeper, more grating.
My eyes shoot open with a sharp intake of breath. Was that just a dream? Was it a vision? I dread the answer. The only way to find out is to induce my visions. If it were a vision, I would see it again. Tick tock. Tick tock. Is time running out? Is it only a matter of time until the Darkness consumes me once more?
My stomach grumbles at the late hour. While I don’t want to see Jack and Solas at dinner with everyone, I can’t neglect my need for food any longer. I suck it up and get dressed. The Originals have been joining us for dinner since they arrived at The Keep. It has put a damper on the conversations. Though tonight, I’m thankful, so Jack and Solas will be more preoccupied with wanting to impress them than me—or so I thought.
I walk into the Dining Hall pulsing with tension, leaving the door open and pausing in the threshold. Jack urges his father, “How could you force her to bind herself to the fate of humanity?”
Camael remains calm, “It was a mere suggestion. In doing so, she can prove her fortitude in fulfilling the prophecy. No one forced her to do anything.”
The room looks to me expectantly, save for Solas. His back is to me. He sets his drink down on the table in front of him. “If it’s one thing you don’t need to question, it’s her fortitude. We’ve been through this before, Jack. Ivy will do whatever she feels is necessary. She puts everyone else’s needs before her own. She would have taken the oath with or without prompting. It was only a matter of time.”
Jack peers at me for a reaction, then quickly transfers his glance back to Solas. I imagine he tells him telepathically that I’m standing right behind him because Solas’ body goes stiff. I let the door close behind me. It slams shut from the weight of it, causing everyone to jump in their chairs. Walking to my seat at the head of the table on the right side of the room, I gesture flippantly with my hand, “No, please. Don’t let me intrude on your conversation. Please, continue.”
My father explains, “Jack is petitioning for his accompaniment when I take you with me on business.”
I sit back in my chair, crossing my legs at the knees, and lean towards him, “And how do you feel about that?”
Azrael speaks to Michael down the elongated, wooden table from us, “It is not an Archangel’s place to be within the Veil nor present for any business I may have. If you see a need for increased security, I believe Eric and Alice would be a fit addition to Ivy’s training with me. Do you not agree?”
“Agreed,” Michael pronounces. “Eric and Alice, you will accompany Ivy during her training with Azrael in four days.” Eric and Alice nod once to Michael in acknowledgment.
Food begins to be passed around the table, the Griffins staying quiet versus their usual boastful selves. Michael regards me as I scoop a load of mashed potatoes onto my plate, “How was your training with Raphael today? Do you have any questions?”
Without meaning to, I roll my eyes, “That wasn’t training.”
Raphael blusters, “By what do you mean?”
I pass the potatoes to Beckett on my right, “You threw me into a rainforest with no direction. I had no idea what you wanted me to do, and the tsunami was highly uncalled for.”
He cross-examines, “When the Horsemen come there will be no direction, instruction, or assistance to tell you how to destroy them. The rain was meant to make you uncomfortable as well as distraught. I need to know how well you can control your abilities under pressure.”
My frustration with Raphael and Merrick marginally shrinks. Merrick enlightens, “You thought you were lost and traveled in circles for hours. You were too absorbed with the panther following you that you never saw the baboons. When you finally confronted the panther, the fight was much worse than it could have been if you had stopped the baboons sooner.”
You bastard.
He states what I’ve just realized, “If you had focused on your surroundings, you could have saved the panther before the baboons attacked it. The lesson here is, you could have saved something from pain if you had not been so self-absorbed.”
I rise from my chair slowly, “I. Am. Not. Shallow.” Merrick only snickers back at me. Leaving my food untouched, I walk out of the Dining Hall, “I’m not hungry anymore.”
Solas zips down the corridor for me, “Ivy, wait.” I turn to face him. Fighting the tears of my disgrace, I bellow, “Just leave me alone!” The corridor quakes with the pitch of my voice. Solas remains, absorbing the tremble, unafraid. My shoulders deflate, exasperated. Holding back the tears, I sigh, “Just… What?”
“You said you needed space. I get that. You want to be respected, but you never said we couldn’t care. That’s all I want—we want. You can’t get angry with yourself. You are not selfish. Anyone who truly understands you knows that. The Originals will push you even more than what Raphael and Merrick put you through today. You need to be strong. It’s just a game to them. They don’t know you like we do. You’ve got what it takes to beat them at their own game. You’ve got this. Alright?”
My voice trembles, “This isn’t a game. Everyone’s lives depend on my ability to save them. What Merrick just proved is I will fail. I can’t do this.” I shake my head.
Jack meets us in the corridor, ushering me towards my room as he whispers softly, “Come on. Not here. They can hear every word.”
Solas grimaces then follows us to my room. Once inside, he starts, “I know how overwhelming everything must be, but you wouldn’t be the key to fulfilling the prophecy if you couldn’t handle it. And I know you can.”
I sit at the foot of my bed, crossing my legs beneath me. “Maybe they’re wrong. Maybe it’s not me.”
Jack kneels before me, taking my hands. Solas folds his arms over his chest, watching intently. “Believe me, Sunshine. I would give anything for it to be someone else. It’s just not possible. The prophecy is vague about a lot of events, but the one thing it’s not unclear about is who the champion is.” He turns my right arm up, then runs his thumb beside my Enochian rank, “It says the warrior will carry the mark of Death.” Our eyes meet. “They call the warrior Teloch… It’s you, Ivy. It has always been you.”
But I still have Darkness inside me. They said I had defeated the Horseman of Death, yet it still lingers. If I can’t destroy this lingering Darkness, how am I supposed to defeat the others?
Solas’ voice jumps into my thoughts, “Lingering Darkness?”
We share a look; mine telling him to stay out of my head, his asking why I haven’t told him. Jack glances between us, knowing there is something not being said. “What?” he asks with dismay.
Solas lets a moment pass before demanding, “Tell him.”
Tears build in my eyes. I yell at him with a thought, I can’t! Even my inner voice cracks.
Jack squeezes my hand once to get my attention. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
I close my eyes and hold my breath. My throat burns with unshed sorrow. Then there’s that voice in the back of my mind, Tick tock. Tick tock.
Finally able to exhale, although unevenly, my tone grates with fire in my throat, “When the Originals first arrived, they said I had already defeated the first Horseman… Me; the Horseman of Death. Since they showed up, I noticed Merrick following me wherever I went. He was a constant shadow. I called him out on it and…”
I search each of them for a reaction. Their pity causes pause, and pain is sure to follow. Jack pursues, “And…”
“He’s waiting for me to screw up again because of the Darkness still inside me. He doesn’t believe I can keep it under control and thinks I could potentially be a danger to humanity.”
Solas and Jack’s expressions mirror each other as their brows converge. Solas inquires, “How is that possible?”
&n
bsp; Jack adds, “We watched it purge from your body. There’s no way anything would be left after what you went through.”
I swallow hard. “Because I was created with equal elements of Light and Darkness, it will always be a part of my essence. Merrick told me that nothing short of annihilation will truly destroy the Horseman of Death.”
Solas eases, “You’ve had no signs of Darkness. At least not like Jack shows.” Jack’s eyes snap to Solas. “No offense,” Solas offers.
Jack’s regard transfers back to me, my hands still in his, “I promise you we won’t let that happen to you again.”
Tick tock. Tick tock.
“I may not have a choice.”
“You always have a choice,” Solas testifies.
“My visions have never been wrong. Even when they change, it’s as if everything is unfolding as it’s meant to be. It doesn’t matter what I do to change it. The outcome is still the same.”
“You had another vision?” Jack coaxes, slipping his hands from mine and rising to his feet to peer down at me with disapproval.
I shrug a shoulder. “I fell asleep. It could have been a dream. It just felt like I was really there.”
“Can you tell us about it?” Solas requests.
“I was walking through the marble corridor of Lucifer’s castle. I kept saying, ‘Tick tock. Tick tock.’ My voice sounded a little deeper too.”
I can feel Jack’s anger growing. “What were you doing in Sheol again?”
“I don’t know.”
Solas asks, “Is that all? You were just walking down the hall?” I nod, avoiding eye contact with either of them. “Are you sure it was a full vision? Perhaps it was an omen.”
“Could be,” I mumble. “Time is running out… Something is coming.”
Solas suggests, “We should induce your visions as we did before. It seems to make things more clear when I’m with you.”
“I agree. Tomorrow? I shouldn’t be too drained after studying with Alice.”
The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 Page 73