by Alexia Purdy
This was a mood she never wanted to evoke in him. He’d only looked at her with longing, love, and absolute desire. Now his anger felt like someone had cut off a limb, slamming a door to the warm insides of his soul and leaving her in the frigid cold, alone and shivering. She pressed her lips together, inhaling deeply as her fingers felt for the edges of her sword, readying for anything.
“No. I won’t let you pass.” Ereziel’s eyes lit up, fire burning within them as his skin brightened, shining across the grove and blinding them. Thalia covered her eyes, the light too radiant to see. She blinked as she pulled her sword from its sheath, hoping the light would die down once Ereziel moved. Isao was also shielding his eyes, feeling Ereziel’s power as the air moved violently around them.
“Isao!” Thalia called out, hoping the archangel wouldn’t attack in the brightness. It gave him the advantage; he could be right next to them and they wouldn’t even know it. “Where are you?”
“I’m here!” He was suddenly at her side and then pressing his back into hers, keeping watch through squinted eyes at the illumination surrounding them.
Relieved Isao hadn’t been picked off, she tried as she might to see through the light until it abruptly faded, throwing them into the opposite, a darkness as blinding as the light.
“I was always there for you, Thalia, yet you’ve chosen to enter an unforgiving realm with this man. It’s beneath you. You know neither what you are nor half of your potential powers.”
“And you do?” she yelled out, trying to listen for movement. The air had died down, and the stillness felt thick and sticky around them as they waited, hunched together and looking into the twilight with blades in hand.
“You’re lying again, trying to confuse me. I have no other powers.”
“You’re wrong, Thalia. So very wrong.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Ereziel appeared suddenly before them, flicking a wrist which sent Isao backward into the bushes. A moment later, Thalia was on the ground in agony, her spine bursting as pain shot through her chest, biting into her midsection, around and through her shoulder blades. She couldn’t breathe, much less see. Her vision flashed with pinpricks of light as her chest screamed in agony. She heaved, trying to catch her breath through the incapacitating pain.
“I’m sorry, Thalia. You leave me no choice.”
Her struggles were futile, and the air was stripped from her chest. Barely conscious, she breathed harder, the skin on her back stretching while her bones popped along her spine.
“Stop! What are you doing to me? What’s happening?” she screamed out into the darkness, begging answers from Ereziel, who stood nearby, doing his best to avoid her touch while quietly observing, a pained look on his face.
“You want to know your full potential, don’t you? I hid most of it from you when you came to me, confused, in fear, unable to face the fact that you were not human. Your body was beginning to change… you were growing into what you were destined to become. You asked me to mask what you called your ‘abominations’ and modify your memory so you’d forget them. That’s why you remember little of your past. You begged me to help you. You asked me why this was happening to you. You begged and pleaded for a normal life, one in which you wouldn’t have to hide from the world. Another chance to be the teenager you’d always wanted to be. You never wanted to accept the real reasons you were not normal.”
Thalia pressed her eyes closed, the pain growing in intensity until her body numbed and her head swam. She had to fight to stay awake, her shallow breaths roaring in her ears. This man was insane. She would never ask for such things to be done to her. To lose all knowledge? To forget she was an angel? Never.
“What are you talking about? You’re lying.”
“Am I, Thalia? Think hard. I now release the shackles on your memories, the ones you asked me to place there. Sift through them at your leisure, but you will see that I am not lying. All I have told you is the truth. I would do anything for you, and I pray you’ll remember that.”
Lying on her belly, she pressed a cheek to the ground, the scent of fresh-cut grass wafting into her nostrils, anchoring her. Dampened earth, dandelions, and honeysuckle reminded her of the farm where she’d spent part of her childhood. Days of playing in the mud and tossing her small frame into stacks of hay. Those days had always been shrouded in a fog, but now, as something grew from her back, drawing energy from her body and unfurling, she clearly recalled her life with her very mortal parents.
“Be careful, Thalia,” her mother would say, “Steer clear of any oak trees. Twin trees always keep the darkest of secrets and steal away the youth of this world.”
Her mother’s voice echoed in her mind, secrets she’d whisper to her before bedtime while she blew out the candles. The flames would dance across her face, casting shadows on the walls behind her.
“Monsters live in the dark, past the twin oak trees and in the realms of the forgotten. Don’t touch the trees, even when they call to you. They’ll steal you away from us. Keep close and stay safe.”
It had meant nothing to Thalia back then. But now it meant the world. Her mother had left clues about the Skein Realm with every story, every caution, every warning. If only Thalia had asked her to explain things, then maybe she’d have been more prepared for this metamorphosis, this agony, this truth. Why had she not been the curious child seeking out her roots and origins, begging her parents for more information? Why had she not spoken those words when she’d had the chance? Then she would have understood when she began to sprout wings. She wouldn’t have been scared and confused and driven into the arms of an archangel. But it was far too late for that. Her parents were gone, and her life was a complete and utter lie.
Suddenly, the pain subsided, but she kept heaving in and out, unable to catch her breath. Isao was still missing, lost in the bushes and probably rendered unconscious. She rolled to her side, afraid to move any more, her body shuddering with pain again and her mind welcoming more unraveled secrets she didn’t wish to know.
“What did you do to me?” she asked, her voice barely above a raspy whisper. She pushed against the ground, wobbly at first, still fearing her muscles wouldn’t work correctly. They fought the movement with a violent shaking until she paused, letting her body rewire itself. She managed to turn her head slightly and saw movement in her periphery. Large feathery things loomed above her, shading the moonlight and throwing her into shadow. Majestic things she’d only seen on the eternal beings flittering in the sky, cloaked from human eyes, the immortals from the realm of Heaven.
Wings. She had wings. Large, shiny, sleek wings that appeared purple-black in the darkness. She blinked, afraid she was hallucinating.
“There’s no reprieve for us immortals,” Ereziel lamented. “You died with your parents, but your kind does not stay dead. You’re a wraith of the Skein, a realm of nightmares and confusion. A child of a baron, caretaker of dreams and magic. You, dear Thalia, are the most unnatural of all creatures… and the most powerful of the immortals.”
“No, this can’t be… wings?” She reached back, every cell of her body aching, and brushed her quivering fingers against the smooth, large feathers. They were slick with blood, but it was beginning to dissipate, to vanish before her eyes.
“You’re the equivalent of an archangel in the Skein Realm. But you’re my bride and belong to this realm now. If you go back—”
“It severs our bond,” Thalia answered, still breathing hard but unafraid of Ereziel’s anger. He had released her powers after hiding them from her for all these years. He had to pay. “You’ve hidden more than my wings. You’ve suppressed my powers. Kept me weak.”
“Yes, you’re right. I used our bond to keep you contained. You were young, too naïve to understand what this all means. United, we could rule this world. But it wasn’t what you wanted. You always knew there was something else, another place you belonged. You misplaced those innate longings, thinking it was Heaven you needed to earn your way into, bu
t it wasn’t. The Skein Realm calls to its heirs, and as you grew older, you became stronger. I couldn’t suppress your powers forever, no matter how much you hated the thought of what angels are. You called those like me power hungry, cursed, damned… yet you’re one of us. The same.”
Thalia shook her head. “No. I’ll never be like the archangels. Your entire lot, you’re twisted, mangled, unholy. Maybe that’s why you were locked out of Heaven. The potential for corruption was just too great. God gave up on you.”
“That’s blasphemous, and you know it,” Ereziel growled, his face darkening more, his skin flushing a deeper red. Her words stung, she could see that, but had she pushed him too far? Even through all this, the deceit, the horror of realizing she was an anomaly of another realm, she still felt a part of her heart seize, the place where she’d retained a fondness for her first love. He’d dragged her out of a darkness no one else could have saved her from. There’d been no one else to rescue her.
If only Ereziel had told her the truth years ago, it would’ve saved her so much pain, so many insufferable nights, and all those souls she’d killed believing it’d buy her passage back into Purgatory. All of it had been a lie concocted by Ereziel to keep her focused, driven. In a way, he’d been right to task her with something worth living for, or she’d have tried to end her existence one way or another. He’d honed her pain, sharpened it to a point, and directed it toward the tasks he should have been dealing with himself.
People like him were the leaders of the legions of angels, after all, ruling those beneath them and keeping the balance between good and evil. And yet they’d been spurned from Heaven. They’d shunted their responsibilities, and Ereziel had given his job to Thalia when he should’ve been the one killing each evil soul himself.
At this point, he and all the other archangels were beyond redemption. So many years away from home had turned them into the darkest of creatures. After all the pain, suffering, and rejection, were any of them still righteous? Were any of them left unbroken? She doubted it. The expulsion had forced them to make difficult choices, and she blamed this ancient hurt for Ereziel’s actions.
“If I am an archangel of my realm,” she said, “then let me go and do my duty. I am as needed there as you’re needed here.”
She shifted, slowly pushing up onto her knees. The pain had ebbed away some, but it reignited with every movement. She winced but tried her best to remain stoic. Ereziel wouldn’t get the satisfaction of hearing her ask for help. She’d rather die than ask such a favor.
He shook his head, his features relaxing as he let his mask slip. Was that pain and fear in his eyes? Thalia couldn’t be sure, but as she reached out to grab her sword, she hoped it was. Pushing off the ground to her feet, she felt a renewed sense of power stabilize the chaos inside. She stumbled but caught herself just in time as her heavy wings threw her body off balance. She gripped her sword, holding it ready to strike.
Ereziel, amusedly watching her struggle, stood still with his arms crossed, probably unable to believe she’d use the angel-killer against him. He was sorely mistaken. She was prepared to strike him down, lord help her. If he thought for one second that she was going to forgive all and stay here with him to be his subservient mate, he had another thing coming. She wouldn’t feel bad about hurting him. Not anymore.
Chapter Thirty-Two
“Don’t leave me.”
“You can’t ask that of me.” Thalia swallowed back the dry lump in her throat, afraid her answer might not be enough. She glanced to the side to find Isao rushing out of the shrubs, blades in hand, and looking fierce. At least he was okay. She worried he had met a worse fate being hit by an archangel’s power. He was mortal, after all, and far more fragile than she was.
“Isao,” she called out, glad he appeared intact. He approached, apprehension and shock painting his face as he kept an eye on Ereziel while examining her new wings.
“Are you all right?” he asked, falling to her side, crouched and ready to fight. Even though he had a slender build, he was sturdy; he could take a hit.
“Yes. Apparently, there were more secrets withheld from me than I could have ever dreamt. I’m the Skein’s version of an archangel, but Ereziel here thought it was better to keep it all from me.”
Isao shook his head, glaring at Ereziel. “Big mistake. She won’t ever forgive you for that. You do know that, don’t you?” He taunted Ereziel with a snicker as he bounced slightly from foot to foot.
She smiled at his comment and turned back toward Ereziel. She bent her knees, feeling more comfortable with the weight distribution from the wings. They folded as tightly as they could, the tips grazing the ground. She felt the dirt at their edges, the earth beneath them vibrating with life, calling her name with its magic. No longer did she feel alone; there was so much on her side Ereziel could never touch. Whatever lay beyond the gate to the Skein, she knew it was a power he would never be able to control or possess. If she ever returned to this realm, he would pay sorely for underestimating her powers.
“Let us through, Ereziel,” she demanded, clutching her sword and feeling its metal vibrate under her touch. Everything felt different. The moment her wings had sprung from their bindings, something had unlocked within her. Whatever magic Ereziel had used to suppress her powers was now gone. Emotions were heightened, and her senses were going haywire. She had to get through the gate no matter how disorientating this unleashing of magic was. She’d never been more determined to return home.
“No. I can’t let you do this.” Ereziel dropped his arms, drilling a glare into them. There was something there, real doubt they might get past him and walk through the gate. Maybe he knew something else he hadn’t mentioned. What was he so afraid of? It couldn’t just be the stupid mate-bond he’d spoken of, could it? She wondered if he even knew what would happen if their bond was broken.
Maybe he didn’t know. There could be a real possibility they would both die or be harmed in some other way. What if nothing happened? What if their bond remained intact? The thought of that made Thalia hesitate. It would be awful to be bound to Ereziel beyond this realm, unable to escape his hold on her.
“Why, Ereziel? What are you not telling me? It’s time to say everything. Please don’t lie anymore,” she begged, feeling his fear crawl across the grass and seep into her, petrifying her muscles with the threat of real, mortal dangers. If reentering her realm came with the possibility of death for either of them, would she still do it?
The answer filled her with an absolution she’d never known. It was worth the risk. “Speak or let me through.”
“If you cross, our bond breaks.”
“I know that part already.”
“If our bond breaks, we both become mortal.”
Thalia paused. He’d said that before, when he was choking her, but in her desperate fight for air, it hadn’t quite registered. It had tickled the back of her mind after he’d released her, but she hadn’t been able to believe it. Not after so many other lies.
“Say it again.”
“We’d both be mortal if you break the bond,” he said as she closely watched his eyes, looking for any sign of deception. “You’ll be left to drift the labyrinth of the Skein Realm, unprotected and powerless.”
“He’s lying,” Isao muttered. “He’s just trying to stall us, throw doubt into the mix. Don’t listen to him.”
She glanced at the ninja warrior, wondering if he could be right. What if Ereziel was lying? She hadn’t been able to tell; he’d always been so good at hiding his emotions. The possibility was very real, and to fall for it would render her a fool.
“I don’t believe you,” she said, staring at the archangel as she shifted back on forth on her feet. She took one step forward, studying his reactions. Ereziel watched her intently, observing her as she moved again. He tensed, his jaw, twitching as his eyes slipped back to her face.
“Why would I lie to you about this? Why would I be here if my own life weren’t in danger? I lost you
years ago, I accept that, but even though I want you back more than anything, self-preservation takes precedence. I can’t change the fact that you despise me, but I will be forsaken if I let you take my powers away.”
“You took my life away the moment you lied and said I could get to Heaven by killing all those people. All those souls! How dare you speak of stealing a life away? You cursed me without batting an eyelash!”
Before she knew what she was doing, she rushed toward Ereziel, her sword out before her. In a flash of light, a blade materialized in the archangel’s hands, clashing against hers in an ear-splitting clang. They fought, swinging their swords at each other, neither able to find an advantage. Thalia shoved and pushed, her anger taking over as they battled. Isao joined in once Ereziel was finally able to bunt her away, the weight of her wings pulling her backward.
Fighting with these new appendages was more difficult than she’d anticipated. Catching her balance, she found Isao holding his own against the archangel. Ereziel appeared almost bored as he met Isao’s attack, hit after hit. Finally, looking fed up with the brawl, he sent a ball of rushing wind at the ninja, lifting him from the ground, up and over the line of shrubs once more.
“Leave him alone!”
Thalia sliced the air in front of Ereziel with her sword, nicking his shoulder with the edge of her blade. The site sizzled, blood blossoming from the cut immediately. Ereziel winced, staggered back, and grasped at the wound with his free hand. Thalia waited, heaving hungry breaths as he examined the slit before glancing at the blood on his hand. It was bright crimson, staining his white tank top even as the wound quickly wove itself together before her eyes.