by C. S. Wilde
Master observed him with an expression halfway between bored and annoyed. Finally, he asked, “How’s Ava, by the way?”
Agony squeezed Liam’s lungs. “How do you know about her?”
A playful chuckle rumbled in Master’s chest.
“He must’ve read Hauk’s mind,” Jal said from the corner with balled fists. “We see through your party tricks, asshole.”
“You’re wrong, demon,” Master countered, amusement coating his voice. “I’ve been watching her for a while now.”
As an experienced detective, Liam could sniff a lie in the air. But there were no lies in Master’s words.
Blood ran ice-cold in his veins. His entire body shook, and his muscles turned to stone. The bastard had been watching Ava all this time, and Liam hadn’t had a clue.
No, Jophiel was right. This Wraith liked playing games, and Liam shouldn’t tag along. He took one recomposing breath and feigned apathy. “Get to the point.”
Master leaned back in the chair. “What do you suppose I want, Liam?”
“World domination.” He raised his shoulders. “Hells on Earth, the usual megalomaniacal bullshit.”
The demon considered his answer. “True, I want all those things. But there’s something I want above it all. What I truly want, Liam, is what you took from us.”
He couldn’t possibly mean …
Liam cleared his throat, trying hard to feign composure. “Ava was never yours.”
“Because she’s your soulmate? That’s irrelevant.” Master sniffed the air as if he were smelling her lavender scent. “We’ll have our precious Ava and there’s nothing you can do to stop us.”
Liam’s jaw clinched so hard he could barely form words. But the demon was talking freely now, and he had to take advantage of that. “Who’s ‘we’?”
“You’ll find out, one way or another.” Master leaned forward. “She’s not quite there yet, you see. Our Ava needs to be darker, crueler. Like a fine wine, she must mature.” He smiled delightfully. “Her light is sublime, but we shall squash it.”
“You bas—”
“Oh, Ava,” Master hummed. “I will rip her from your arms and drown in her lips.”
“Over my dead body.” Angry tears piled in his eyes. “You won’t touch a hair on her head, this I promise you!”
Master clicked his tongue. “Do you stop the sun from rising or the night from falling? I will have her. It’s inevitable. She won’t be mine. She already is, Liam.”
Screw this.
A sphere of darkness grew in his hand, with black lightning cracking around it. He didn’t care that he would kill Hauk and not Master. He just needed to silence this son of a bitch.
Jophiel stepped forward and pushed Liam back. “You die today, Wraith.” The Seraph’s light shone from his chest and beamed at Master.
Liam narrowed his eyes as scorching golden light engulfed the room, focused on where Hauk was sitting.
Master howled in pain, but soon enough laughter came from the light. He kept laughing, barely catching a breath as the stench of Hauk’s burnt skin and hair spread through the room.
“Is this the best you can do?” he bellowed.
A cloud of darkness bloomed from inside the light, a mass of thunder and shadows that broke through the gold and jolted at the Seraph, engulfing him in a storm of rumbling darkness.
Jophiel’s light roared from inside and eventually broke through the swarm of shadows, but the damage was done. The Seraph kneeled on the floor, gasping for breath. Golden veins spread on his dark skin as if Jophiel was cracking porcelain.
Jal ran to the kneeling Seraph. “What did you do to him?”
Master bared his browning teeth. His unnaturally blue gaze stood out from skin charred beyond return. All of Hauk’s hair was burnt to the roots. The demon barely resembled something human.
“I made it a fair fight.” Master’s voice rang weak and faded from the blackened remains that occupied the chair. “She needs to mature. And then she’ll be mine.” He blinked, barely able to keep his eyes open. “Ava will mature, Liam. Rest assured.”
Spasms overtook Hauk’s body as he thrashed in the chair. Black goo poured out of his mouth and nostrils, covering his burnt chest.
Slowly, his convulsing stopped. The demon exhaled one last time, his irises now hazel. Hauk’s head lolled to the left, but his dead gaze still gaped at Liam.
Master had not only weakened Jophiel, but he had also possessed and killed a powerful demon such as Hauk from a distance.
The mere fact this monster existed sent chills down Liam’s spine.
“Something bad will happen at the Order,” Jophiel rasped. “I saw it in his mind. Leave me!” He waved off Jal. “Take Lilith, take the priests and priestesses, and take Lothar!” Jophiel must be confused because Lothar was dead. He had obviously meant Suther, Lothar’s son. The Seraph glared at Liam. “Save Ava!”
“She needs to mature.”
The fuck she would.
Liam’s wings flashed behind him, and he soared out of the room, breaking the glass walls.
36
Ava
Ava and Archibald had plenty of time before the assembly where Agathe would publicly read Talahel’s mind, so they strolled leisurely on the sidewalk.
He nodded to the clear blue sky above and said, “If I believed in this kind of stuff, I’d say it’s a good omen.” He ran a hand through his hair in a very Liam-like manner. Stubborn sand-blond strings waved over his temples in protest.
Archibald may not be Liam’s biological father, but the proud swagger in which he moved, his straight posture, they were also Liam’s. She found pieces of her soulmate within the man who raised him. The man who was not only Liam’s father, but also his partner and friend.
She hoped she could impress him, and that Archibald would approve of her. He was important to Liam, which meant he was important to her.
“Your son has a lot from you, Archie,” she said quietly, hoping he wouldn’t mind her using his nickname.
“Thank you.” A proud smile spread on his lips. He probably didn’t hear this kind of compliment often. “So, you’re my son’s soulmate, huh?”
A slight flush flowed up her cheeks. “I suppose that makes you my father-in-law?”
Archibald smiled down at her and Ava could swear his boyish grin was nearly identical to Liam’s. “I suppose it does.” He stopped and glanced up at the sky, inhaling the fresh morning air. “The kid’s been through the Hells and back. He deserves something good, Ava, and that’s you. You’re his reward.”
“Liam is a piece of me. He always has been, even when I couldn’t see it.” She raised her shoulders. “He’s my reward, too.”
Archibald scratched the back of his neck, and Ava noticed the hint of fear that wafted shyly from his core. “I know you two had some rough patches, but—”
“I will never hurt him again,” she assured, recognizing the source of his concern. “I love your son, and I would do anything to protect him.”
“I know.” All too quickly, Archibald trapped Ava in a bear hug that stole all her breath, but she didn’t complain. “He told me everything you did for him when I wasn’t around. Thank you for looking out for my boy when I couldn’t.” He choked up and cleared his throat. “I’ve failed Liam so much …” He let her go and stepped back, sniffing back tears.
Ava had also failed her soulmate—and herself. Yet this was all in the past. Now Liam was hers, and she was his, and the world was right again.
Finally.
“Ah, parental guilt.” She turned forward and walked with her hands behind her back. “I’ve seen it many times in my charges. You constantly think you’re failing your children, but you couldn’t be more wrong.”
“How do you know?”
She looked back at him from her shoulder. “You’re doing your best. And more often than you think, that’s enough.”
Archibald shook his head and pointed a finger at Ava. “Oh, you’re good.”
> She winked as he caught up to her. “I try.”
“Well, Mrs. Kid.” He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets. “You really are something.”
“Thank you, old man.”
He frowned playfully, the way a father does when trying to chide a misbehaving child without actually meaning it. “Watch it, kid.”
Ava giggled, then let the sun soak her with its warmth as they went.
She had found her peace with Liam. Not only that, but from now on, innocent In-Betweens would be safe. The Legion would grow stronger with the presence of werewolves. Everything was as it should be, and to top it off, Talahel would go to prison today.
The Order’s detention center was located on a secret island where no prisoner could escape. The most terrible demons and In-Betweens lived there. She doubted they would receive Talahel and his goons with open arms, which meant the Sword would spend the rest of his endless days in solitary.
A fitting punishment.
When Ava spotted the Messenger walking toward them alongside Justine, her throat knotted and her body felt heavy. Her palms began to sweat.
Archibald leaned closer. “I’m not a Dominion but I can see you’re not looking forward to this.”
“Perceptive, like your son.” She shook her head and muttered, “I don’t want to hurt Ezra.”
Archie laid a supportive hand on her shoulder. “You owe him respect and care, kid, but don’t feel bad for not giving him your heart. It’s a gift you owe to no one, not even my boy. You give it willingly, always.”
Liam’s father could be a wise man.
As they approached, Justine’s brown irises focused on Ava. Her friend’s voice exploded in her mind. “Oh my Gods, you have a soulmate! In your face! I was right!”
Ava held back a giggle. “Yes, you were.”
“You’re telling me EVERYTHING once all of this is over!”
“I will, but first—”
“How was the sex?”
Ava blushed and choked. She slapped her own chest, trying to subside the series of coughs that followed. “Justine!”
“Heavens, that good?” Her friend’s playful demeanor vanished when she realized Ezra was here. He walked beside her with his attention focused on the floor. “Er, maybe we’ll continue this another time.”
Ezra stopped before them and Heavens, the sadness and sorrow in his face, the purple circles under his eyes … Ava doubted he had gotten any sleep in the last few days.
Guilt washed through her because Ava wasn’t sorry. Maybe she should be, but she loved Liam, and she was happy. She would never apologize for that.
Did that make her a terrible angel?
Ezra briefly glanced at her before giving Archibald a curt nod. “I apologize, but this is where you must stop. You’re a demon, and if you approach the Order, I won’t be able to guarantee your safety.”
Ava remembered how Ezra had helped Archibald back at the warehouse. The old man seemed to share the memory because he watched the Messenger with care. “We knew each other when I was Acheron, didn’t we?”
Ezra nodded, his lips in a line.
Archibald lay a hand on his shoulder. “It’s a pity I can’t remember. I hope you will catch me up one day?”
Ezra gave him a faint smile that broke Ava’s heart. “I would like that.”
The old man gave him one last tap on the shoulder before turning to Ava. “Thanks for the pep talk, Mrs. Kid.” He winked at her and then left, though Ava was certain he would be nearby if needed.
He might not have said it aloud, but Ava knew Archibald had accompanied her for her own protection. He must fear something would go wrong at the Order, even if the chances were slim.
Justine stared at her and then Ezra, the silence between them an awkward veil. “I’ll go now, if that’s all right.” She pointed back to the Order’s skyscraper. “Talk to you later?”
Before Ava could reply, Justine had already scurried away.
“That’s odd.” Ezra scratched the top of his head. “Justine came because she wanted to talk to you, but she left.”
“We spoke briefly through our minds.” Ava crossed her arms. “I’ll catch up with her later. I suppose there are more pressing matters at the moment.”
“Ah, of course. So …” He lifted his chin, finally meeting her eyes. “You have a soulmate.”
Ava should’ve said something, but words failed her. What could she tell Ezra without hurting him?
The Messenger tried to smile, but his lips seemed strained. “I never stood a chance, did I?”
Ava stepped forward and cupped his hand, bringing it close to her heart. “You and Vera shaped the angel that I am. Your kindness, your abdication … they are pure and beautiful. You were my role model for a century, Ezra. You still are.”
“And I wasn’t enough,” he countered.
Her heart collapsed on itself. “You are more than enough. I love you, Ezra, but I can’t love you the way you want me to.”
He gently caressed her cheek. “Timing was never on our side, was it?”
“Even if we had been together, Liam would still be my soulmate.” She raised her shoulders. “Some things, I suppose, are inevitable.”
Her words hurt him, so much so that he winced. But eventually, he nodded in agreement. “I suppose you won’t be my mate anymore.”
“I will keep helping you with the Order, if that’s what you need. After all, mates don’t need to be romantically involved.”
“Yes, but I doubt Liam would be okay with our continued mate status.” He inhaled deeply. “Don’t worry, Ava. I’ll be fine. You’re hereby officially released of your duties.” He kissed the back of her hand. “Though I would appreciate having you as an advisor.”
“It would be an honor.” She kissed his hand back. “It always has been.”
He took a deep breath before releasing her hand. “So, are you ready to change the Order?”
“Oh.” She let out a vicious sneer. “I’ve been ready for a long time.”
They entered the building and took the elevator to the last floor, soon arriving at the courtroom where not long ago, Ava had a hearing about her innocence.
Gods, it felt like forever had passed since then.
She watched the dome that showed the sunny day outside. Light poured through the glass, spilling over the space ahead and highlighting the white marbled floor and rows of seating. Once, the space had felt empty in the way of a cathedral. Today, it was filled to the brim.
Today, it resembled an arena.
The rows formed an audience around the center of the space, where the judge’s stand, the defense, and prosecution tables stood.
Voices filled the room. Anticipation and fear thrummed through the air, sinking into Ava’s bones.
She and Ezra walked the straight path towered by marbled seating that led to the center of the courtroom. Drones hovered above with cameras that would broadcast the sentencing to the Order’s branches around the world, while also projecting blue holo-screens on the marbled walls. They showed the head angels of each international branch accompanied by their strongest peers.
In the center of the arena, in front of the judge’s bench, stood Agathe and Talahel, guarded by two Archangels and two Virtues. A yellow folder containing the evidence rested on the bench.
Ezra motioned discretely to his left as they approached, and two of his strongest Dominions joined him and Ava. The bulky men walked beside them with their hands hovering above the hilt of their swords.
Talahel displayed no emotion. Whatever he felt, he kept hidden inside. Perhaps he didn’t wish to show the Dominions in this room how angry he was. Or maybe, there was another reason altogether.
It didn’t matter. His sentencing was as good as done.
When they stopped in the center of the space, beside Agathe and her Virtues, his mask broke. Talahel glared at Ava with contempt and red, burning hate.
She smiled.
The Throne raised her palms, and the murmurs and whisper
s in the courtroom faded.
“Brothers and sisters,” she said. “Alarming evidence has come to light, evidence that can shake our Order to its very core. On this day, judgement upon a high angel is required, and you must all be witnesses. The Gods are with us, and we are with the Gods.”
The crowd and the angels behind holo-screens repeated the last sentence in a somber encore.
“Naturally, I oppose this assembly,” Talahel addressed the room, his voice booming throughout the space. He kept his hands behind his back and his spine straight in typical military fashion. “The Throne will read my mind, but who can make sure her words are true? One of her Virtues? How can one rely on a statement that can very well be filled with lies?”
Most of his Archangels nodded in agreement, so did a good number of other angels in the room. This was Talahel’s danger: he used common sense and plausible doubt to protect himself.
A few of his soldiers, however, glared at him with disgust. Archangels and Warriors who didn’t agree with his commands.
If Talahel rebelled, no one could predict the outcome. The men and women following him might be the majority between their peers, but they were not the majority in the room. And still, they were skilled fighters with centuries of experience over the other children of the Gods.
A pang of fear swam down Ava’s spine.
“I am the Throne, Talahel!” Agathe snapped. “My judgement is fair and honorable. This has been the way since the Order came to be. If you performed no wrong doing, you shall have nothing to fear.”
“I did the best for the Order, my Throne,” Talahel said more to the room than to her. “Always!”
Agathe narrowed her eyes at him. “You used to trust my judgement. Why the sudden change now, brother?”
Talahel didn’t reply. Underneath his mask of honor and innocence, he must know his time was coming. That in the best case scenario he would be imprisoned forever, and in the worst case, he would face his final death.
“You doubt me, sister,” he said quietly. “Don’t act so surprised when I doubt you in return.”
