The explosion was so intense pieces of glass flew all over the sidewalk and the empty street. I remembered this part of my dream, so I knew everything on the other side of those glass panels had just been transformed into pieces.
“Rhyzel?” I’d noticed he’d grown stiff on top of me, and that scared me even more. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” He moved aside and gazed at me. “Let’s try to find Renee before time runs out.”
His eyes were in mid-color change, not quite red, but not entirely green anymore.
“What’s wrong—”
“Demi!” Renee’s voice sliced through the air. “Demi, help me!”
I reacted instinctively, picking myself off the ground and running toward the apartment building’s main entrance as fast as my legs would carry me.
“Demi, wait!” Rhyzel shouted behind me but I didn’t stop to heed his warning. The sound of Renee’s terrified voice spurred me into action. She needed me.
I ran into the lobby, where it was dark and filled with shadows I could easily mistake for a person or a creature.
This world might be an exact replica of the one I lived in, but it had significant differences. For one thing, the sun’s rays were lost behind the grayish clouds constantly parading in front of it, which made for a permanent cloudy day and which now became my biggest enemy. The only light source was being obstructed and that made the normal lobby into a gloomy death trap.
“Demi!” Renee called out again. I rushed to the staircase that led to the second floor and spotted her at the top of the stairs, sitting with her arms around her legs.
“Renee? Are you okay?” Relief rushed through me. She seemed to be unhurt, but looked frightened.
I made to go up the stairs but was struck so hard by something I crashed against the wall to my left and crumpled at the bottom of the stairs with a thump. The shock of the impact took my breath away and blurred my vision instantly.
Somewhere behind me Rhyzel shouted something I couldn’t make out. That shout was followed by a roar and the sound of furniture being broken. I tried to pick up my head and see what was going on, but my head felt as heavy as a ton of bricks. Plus the effort it took for me to open my eyes became overwhelming.
“Demi? Demi.” Renee placed her tiny hands on my face. “Are you okay?”
“Renee?” I forced my eyes to focus on her round face. “I’m okay,” I lied. “How about you?”
“I’m scared.” Tears ran down her chubby cheeks. “Azuel lied. He’s not my friend.” She sobbed.
“Azuel? How…” I took in a breath of air. “Did you see him? How did you know about him?”
“The mirror in my room. He came to me when I was alone. He told me he lived on the other side of the mirror and if I wanted to visit his home I had to open the gate,” she explained in between tears. “But he’s big and scary, Demi. I’m scared. I want him to go away. I want to go home and throw my mirror away.”
The mirror! Of course. Mirrors were believed to be some kind of door to another dimension or they could be used as a gateway. It was also said they could reflect one’s true self, be used by demons, or even ghosts to cross into our world, or could be used as a way to travel in an astral form to the spiritual world.
Azuel must have figured out how to communicate with Renee in spite of being trapped in Monarch by using the mirror. He must have also known every time I was with her. He must have kept a watch on us.
The store! I’d seen a cloaked figure staring back at me through the mirrors on top of the display shelves. He had been keeping tabs on us. On me. Azuel couldn’t get out, but that didn’t stop him from finding a way around his impediment.
Ezekiel had been cursed to exist only in Levion, but hadn’t he found a way around that? He wasn’t whole when on earth, but he could travel back and forth just the same.
“Renee, do me a favor.” I reached for the stair’s handrail and pulled myself into a sitting position. “Go into the hallway upstairs and wait for me there. Don’t come back down unless I call your name.”
She threw her arms around me. “Demi, I’m scared. Please don’t leave me.”
“I’m not leaving you.” I embraced her quickly. “But I have to help Rhyzel.”
A loud growl, followed by a mocking laughter filled my ears.
“Go. Run.” I patted her back. Renee let go, and looked at me once more before running up the stairs.
I watched her until she was out of sight and then glanced to my right. I spotted Rhyzel and the creature from my dreams—Azuel, locked in a fierce battle. I’d already made the decision to help Rhyzel. I couldn’t leave him to be killed. If there was a chance I could save him then I was going to take it. With less than ten minutes to leave, time was against me. But I was going to take one shot. He deserved that much.
My magical powers might not work to their full potential in this place, but my dagger sure could. I reached behind me and pulled it out of the back of my jeans where I’d hid it before riding with Rhyzel to the gate’s location.
I took my demon-proof dagger out of the sheath and ran toward Azuel. I only had one shot, but it would only take one stab to kill him.
Locked in a battle of strength, agility, and power, Azuel and Rhyzel pummeled each other like a couple of professional boxers. Rhyzel was doing a great job at holding his own, but when he spotted me coming, he became distracted and let his guard down. Azuel took advantage of this to knock Rhyzel off his feet.
I lifted my hand, intent on digging the knife straight into Azuel’s broad back, but just as I came within arm’s reach, Azuel turned and grabbed me by the neck, lifting me off my feet. The unpleasant creature I’d come to see in my dreams was no longer a figment of my imagination. It was very real, from the glowing red eyes to his hooved feet.
“You can’t save him.” With his free hand he took the knife away from me and held it close to inspect it. “This parasite needs to be taken care of. He was never supposed to be born in the first place.” Azuel focused his red eyes on me.
“He’s your son. How can hurt your own flesh and blood?” I tried to reason with the demon in hopes Rhyzel’s life would be spared.
Azuel’s anatomy changed from a grotesque, almost animal-like creature to a man’s, and it was then I could see the incredible resemblance between Rhyzel and his father. They were like twins, except Azuel was an inch taller and looked a few years older. But their skin tone, eye color, and even their hair was the same.
“He’s been nothing but a pain. I’ve been trying to get rid of him since he was born.” Azuel smiled, revealing his shark-like teeth. “But I guess he’s proven useful after all. He did bring me the girl.” The fingers wrapped around my neck tightened their hold, squeezing my wind pipe more and more as he spoke.
“No,” I whispered.
Azuel broke out in laughter—a grisly laugh that turned my blood ice cold.
I struggled to break free, but he was a lot stronger than I anticipated. When my strength couldn’t help me shake him off, I tried using the same tactic I’d used on the Rake and even on Rhyzel to get the upper hand, but Ezekiel hadn’t exaggerated when he said magic didn’t work well in Monarch.
I was able to zap him pretty good, but he healed just as quickly as he was hurt. My magical abilities were limited, and because of that they didn’t have the effect I would have liked.
“Give it up, Keeper,” he mocked. “You’re not powerful enough here, but if it’s a show you want, I think that can be arranged.”
Azuel lifted the knife high as his lips split into a grin. I thought for sure he planned to stab me with it. Although it had been made to kill demons, the sharp edge would finish me off for sure. I resumed my struggles and powered up, forcing wisps of magical strings out to affect him as much I was able, but a movement to my right caught my attention.
I glanced to my right and watched as Rhyzel approached. Hoping to keep Azuel busy while Rhyzel prepared to catch his demon of a father off guard, I continued my magical a
ssault. Although Azuel kept squeezing the muscles in my neck with his immense strength, I didn’t let that get the best of me. I didn’t allow myself to panic.
I extended my arm and shoved my hand—palm facing out—as far as I could get it near Azuel’s own neck. Then I repeated the same move I’d practiced twice before, but before the power strings could reach him, Azuel whirled around and stabbed Rhyzel with my dagger. The knife entered his body right under the ribcage and Azuel made sure to push it up as far as it would go.
Rhyzel gasped and clutched at Azuel’s wrist, desperately trying to remove the knife imbedded in his body. A scream was ripped out of me at the sight of Rhyzel bleeding profusely and his expression locked in a death stare.
Azuel laughed mockingly as he removed the dagger and a column of smoke emanated from the wound, the smell of burning flesh permeating the room. Rhyzel toppled to his knees, and then fell to his left side, his hands covering the bleeding wound under his heart. Tossing the blade on the floor beside Rhyzel’s dying body, he then turned to me and said, “You thought you could save them both, but you were wrong.”
I realized right away that Azuel had been playing me along; knowing Rhyzel was fast approaching from behind. He had no intention of letting Rhyzel win this fight.
I screamed out my fury, but Azuel only laughed harder.
“Now let’s find my little friend.” He tossed me to the floor like some rag doll. I collided with the linoleum floor with a sickening thud, my head bumping hard upon impact.
My skull protested the mistreatment, but I fought against the excruciating pain. Now was not the time to give in to the need to just lay there and recover from two hard blows. There would be time for that later. My thirty minutes were almost up and I needed to get Renee out before that happened.
I turned my head to the side to scope out Azuel’s position. After determining he was on his way to the stairs, I moved quickly, pushing my body off the floor into a standing position. When my foot slid from under me, I glanced down and saw I was stepping on my knife. Acting quickly, I bent down and grabbed the dagger, clutched its handle tightly, and dashed forward.
My feet barely made a sound as I ran, but my entire blood supply rushed through my body in a matter of seconds, pumping my system with adrenaline. I moved rapidly through the short distance that separated us and the moment I reached him, I jumped on Azuel’s back, lifted my arm over his right shoulder, and dug my dagger as hard as I could straight into his waiting heart.
The cry that escaped his lips almost caused my eardrums to implode, but I ignored the discomfort and withdrew the knife only so that I could plunge it into his body a second, third, and fourth time.
Azuel panicked and rotated in circles, knocking me off of him. I fell to the floor with my knife, coated with his black blood, still in my hand. He’d managed to knock me off but the damage had been done. Within moments, he, too, fell on his knees, screaming and clutching at his chest like a madman.
His chest puffed up like that of a peacock’s and swelled to three times its normal size before exploding, showering me with black blood and gunk. His insides splattered all over the lobby, staining the peach colored walls and immaculate tiles.
I held back the need to gag and hurried to my feet. I ran toward Rhyzel and pulled on him so that he lay with his back to the floor.
“Rhyzel?” I touched his face and noted it felt cold. “Are you still with me?”
He opened his eyes and stared right at me. “Demi…I’m…so…sorry.”
I shook my head. “Don’t apologize. I get it. I know why you did it.” I knew what price he had to pay for his betrayal. I hadn’t understood it then but I did now. Rhyzel had known all along he was going to die. That’s why he hadn’t been surprised when I had confessed what I’d seen in my vision. He had known the ending and he had done everything in his power to make sure everything went accordingly. If I had known, I would have intervened and that would have cost my life instead of his.
He’d given his life for me because he knew I couldn’t win the fight against his father.
“Get…Renee.”
“Renee?” I stood up and called for her to come to me. “We have to go and get you help.” I got back on my knees and pulled Rhyzel’s head onto my lap.
“No. Just…get…out.” He closed his eyes briefly, but opened them again.
“Demi!” Renee ran toward me and threw her arms around my neck the moment she reached me. “You’re okay?”
I nodded. “I’m fine.” I had a sore back, a blinding headache, and my neck felt as if I was on fire, but none of that mattered. “Hold on to my hand. We gotta go. We only have seconds to get out of here.”
Renee let go of my neck and grabbed onto my hand. “Okay.”
“Hold on to Rhyzel’s hand, too. We’re taking him with us.”
Renee did as she was told. The moment all three of us were linked together, I concentrated on the gate again. It appeared much quicker the second time around. I wasted no time opening the massive, black door, but pulling Rhyzel through proved to be a team effort. We managed to pull him through just before the gate shut and disappeared.
We reappeared at the park, still shaded by the magical dome which prevented us from being seen, except this time Ezekiel was waiting for us on the other side.
“Ezekiel…help us!” I shouted the moment I saw him. “He’s dying! Please!”
Renee sat on the ground next to Rhyzel and held on to his hand.
I got to my knees and pulled his head to my lap again. I caressed the sides of his face with the tips of my fingers and let loose to the tears I’d been holding back. “Do something, Ezekiel.”
In my desperation I couldn’t understand why Ezekiel wouldn’t move. The dark winged angel just stood there and waited.
Rhyzel’s gaze fell on Ezekiel, then on Renee, and finally on me. “It’s too late.” He inhaled sharply, “He…can’t…help…me.” His eyes stared blankly ahead as he finally released his last breath of air.
“No!” I buried my face in the hollow between his neck and shoulder and sobbed. “Don’t leave me!” I hadn’t gotten the chance to say I was sorry. To apologize for misjudging him. I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to tell him that in the short few days I’d known him he’d taught me so much. He’d made me feel things I’d never wanted to feel, but had enjoyed feeling just the same.
I allowed myself to cry out the heartache, because keeping in my emotions was no longer an option. It was no longer important.
Beside me, I could hear Renee sniffling and quietly weeping. She’d barely gotten to know Rhyzel, but I couldn’t imagine watching someone die could be less traumatic.
“He could not be saved, Demi.” Ezekiel placed a hand on my shoulder. “He gave up his life to make sure Renee and you made it back safe.”
I turned tear-soaked eyes to him. “You knew?”
“I’m an Overseer. I have known all along. If it’s any consolation to you, you passed the test.” Consolation? What consolation? Rhyzel lay dead in my arms. I would never get any consolation. I saved my charge, but lost someone who meant the world to me.
I’d lost someone I loved.
Epilogue
Three weeks had passed since Rhyzel died, but it didn’t hurt any less as time passed by. The memories of his last moments were just too fresh, too painful.
A lot had happened since my trip to Monarch. For one thing, I had had to explain a lot to my mother, but the depth of the details of what I shared with Rhyzel—however short it had been, I kept to myself. I figured it was best not to ruin things by revealing just how much I’d come to care for him or how much his passing would affect me.
I’d gotten a new charge a week ago, but I spoke to Renee on the phone at least once a day, every day since moving onto campus. I’d formed a bond with that little girl that could not be broken, and even though I would be an hour’s drive away, I didn’t want her to think I would forget her or that I had abandoned her.
Mina ultimately
ended up moving in with her new boyfriend and they were planning on getting married. I’d asked her why the rush, she was only eighteen after all, but I came to find out she was pregnant and didn’t want Evan to find out until after she was married. Although I had hoped she’d go to college and make something of herself, her plans hadn’t included any of that. Even when I didn’t agree with her decisions, I supported her and wished her well.
She had also finally forgiven me for the harsh exchange of words in her home and we were finally at peace with each other.
After coming back from Monarch, I had taken my Keeper duties very seriously and kept busy by exterminating every demon I found left and right. But more than vanquishing for the sake of humankind, I engaged in these dangerous activities as a means to escape from the drowning feelings I got when I thought about Rhyzel.
Losing him had really done a number on me, and his mother as well.
A week after he died, she moved out and disappeared without a word. She left no contact information, no reasons for her departure. I couldn’t imagine she would want to live next door to me, anyway. Not after the way she’d seen me treat Rhyzel.
What had helped soothe my growing depression were the two friends I’d made since moving to campus, Bryn McCaskey and Arabella Hughes. We had a lot in common, aside from being eighteen, all three of us were witches—Keepers. Each from a different branch of course, but Keepers, nonetheless.
They had helped me through one of the toughest days, moving to Albertina University and hoping to see Rhyzel walking around. That didn’t happen of course, it couldn’t happen, but it didn’t stop me from looking for him just the same.
As great as their company was though, I still missed Rhyzel, and the heaviness in my heart was too much to allow me to concentrate in class.
Rhyzel’s secret had been love. He had wanted me to know he had fallen in love with me and gave his life as proof of that.
“Classes just started and you’re already slacking off.”
Keeper of the Innocents Page 28
