by Megan Linski
Then the temperature in the room rises. Sweat begins pouring down my face. What seems to be a flaming fireball hurtles into the cabin, crashing through the roof and landing on Alexander. Cairo’s fre but he slumps to the floor, completely spent. The blackness has disappeared from his face, but I can tell he’s not right. He’s terribly weak.
“Cairo!” I crawl to his side. His eyes flutter open and closed, like he’s trying to retain consciousness. I smack his face, and say, “Cairo, wake up! Wake up!”
The sound of a rushing fire drags my attention away. Thames. He’s here. He’s in his demon form, looking more infuriated than I’ve ever seen him. His red eyes literally burn with the wrath of Hades as he sets eyes on his father.
“What have you done?” Thames voice takes on a hellish, underworldly roar. It terrifies me, but Alexander’s grin enlarges.
“I knew you’d come, my son.” Alexander extends a hand forward, but Thames slaps it away.
Alexander pays it no mind. “I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”
“If that was true, you would’ve come sooner.” Thames crouches down, ready to pounce. He’s not willing to take any crap from his dad.
“There were complications. You were too young.” Alexander tries to explain hurriedly as they start to circle. “But that’s all in the past now. Stop ignoring your past, who you are. You are a cambion, a creature of hell. A servant of the devil. You can’t escape your fate.”
“Not a damn chance.” Thames’ lip curls. “I’m no one’s servant.”
Thames charges at Alexander. He grabs onto his father’s shoulders and the two wrestle, flames erupting around them and shooting into the sky. The entire cabin, caught in the crossfire, erupts into flames. I grab Cairo and pull him out of the building as it dissolves into a raging inferno.
The two demons don’t seem to notice. They continue their fight, Thames aiming to kill and Alexander simply trying to subdue. I shake Cairo violently, begging him to get up. The tears are the only thing that cool my hot skin. They sizzle upon Cairo’s cheeks.
“Join me!” Alexander avoids a fireball that Thames hurls at him as he says the words. He rolls, picking up his abandoned spear. He uses it to block another fireball as he shouts, “We can be great together, my son!”
“I’d never join you! Not after what you’ve done to Cassia and Cairo!” Thames shouts.
“You’re not thinking clearly!” Alexander snarls. “You’re blinded by some misguided affection for this girl and your pitiful brother!”
Alexander changes his attention to Cairo, lying immobile on the ground. A hideous, evil smile slides onto his face. “Never worry, my child. I will take care of this. He will torment you no longer.”
Alexander teleports, so he’s standing right beside us. Before Thames can make another move Alexander raises his spear of flame, and plunges it downward toward Cairo’s heart.
“Cairo!” The word escapes my mouth as the spear swings downward. Thames is screaming. Cairo’s delirious. Alexander’s wild eyes, burning with the rage of hell, sing with glee as the tip of the spear hurtles at Cairo’s beautiful, beating heart.
Then a hand flashes out so quickly, it takes me a moment to realize that it’s my own. My fingers wrap around the end of the burning spear, and Alexander’s rageful expression changes into one of shock.
I rip the burning spear out of his hands. At my touch, it dissolves into dust. Giant wings, larger than Cairo’s and black in color, wrap around Cairo and I in a protective circle. They’ve come from nowhere. Clenching my teeth and wrinkling my nose in a snarl, I reach down and grab Cairo’s golden sword. With a warrior’s cry, I bring the blade backwards and plunge it forward, toward the demon’s torso.
The blade finds its mark. Alexander looks down at Cairo’s sword embedded up to the hilt in his chest, and then at me with an open mouth.
Then his eyes roll backwards in his head. He gives an awful shudder as his shoulders arch backwards, to the sky. Large chunks of skin begin peeling off his face and hands. They rise upwards in large particles of ash as Alexander disintegrates. Alexander gives a loud cry of pain, which echoes through the forest until all that’s left of the demon is a pile of dust, Cairo’s sword sitting upon it.
I did it. I killed Alexander.
I slayed a demon.
I straighten up. I swallow, and look at Thames. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Thames. I… I didn’t know I could do that.” I bite my lip. “I knew he was your dad.”
“Cassia,” he says weakly. “Look at you.”
I look down, and gasp as I realize that my skin is glowing, a halo of light beaming around my form. I turn, and the black wings move with me. The wings are attached to me.
“You’re a Nephilim.” A voice from the ground catches my attention. Cairo has woken up. “I can’t believe it.”
“Cairo!” I kneel beside him, and Thames scampers next to me.
“Are you going to make it, bro?” Thames asks in concern.
“I’ll be okay.” Cairo coughs. “I only need a moment or so to recover.”
“You’ve got angel blood, Cassia.” Thames is awed. He looks at me with amazement.
My mind pieces the facts together quickly. “I guess my mom never ran off with a Gorger boy after all. She must’ve ran away with an angel,” I say, astonished.
“How didn’t we know?” Thames asks, shaking his head. “We should’ve realized. Your powers should’ve Awakened already. Not to mention you got sick last year, which is something that’s impossible for our kind unless it’s specific for our blood.”
“Sometimes it takes time for powers to Awaken.” Cairo winces as he sits up, gripping his side. “Cassia’s powers must’ve been dormant for years, and since she was never exposed to another angel or demon until now, they never emerged. She wouldn’t have been immune to disease or been able to recover from an injury quickly until after the Awakening happened. Her body’s physiology wouldn’t have changed until then.”
“I needed to protect you, Cairo. I guess the angel in me knew it,” I say softly. “I would’ve done anything to save you. It just happened at the right moment.”
Cairo gives me a gentle smile, and strokes my hand.
Thames helps Cairo stand up. Cairo leans against his brother as Thames looks around and says, “We need to get out of here. Before the council—”
Thames’ words come too late. From all around us men and women start appearing as they teleport onto the situation. They’re all wearing the same outfit; long robes colored with silver, with shoulder pads of purple and white capes descending from their shoulders. I’m guessing this is the council.
One man with golden hair and kind eyes step forward. He’s gotta be the head honcho. He looks at the burning cabin, and says, “Jacen, Killion, take care of the fire. The rest of us will deal with the matter at hand.”
Two Nephilim nod and begin walking toward the house. Cairo’s face has gone pale white, but it’s not from the pain. He clings to Thames like a little boy, scared to let his big brother go. Thames’ face is calm, like he’s resolved himself to his fate.
“Thames. Cairo. You know where to go,” the man says. Thames nods, and in the blink of an eye, they teleport.
The man offers his arm to me. “You have nothing to be afraid of, my dear. My name is Athias. I am the oldest of our order. I promise no harm will come to you.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” I tell him. I look behind me, and see that the black wings are still there. “Um… do you know how to… turn this off?”
“They will vanish if you simply imagine it,” he says. “Try.”
I close my eyes. When I reopen them again, the wings are gone. I give him a sheepish, awkward grin.
“Thank you.” Reluctantly, I take his arm. In an instant we’re transported to a large, dark room that’s completely empty. I’m assuming we’re at the warehouse.
Thames and Cairo are already there. The Nephilim gather around us in a circle. I let go
of Athias’ arm and join the boys, where I belong.
“First, I’d like to congratulate our newest member.” Athias gestures toward me. “Though we’ve yet to meet, the way she slaughtered the demon earlier with no training already proves promising for her future. Tell us, child, what is your name?”
“Cassia Delamore,” I say dryly.
Athias gestures to me warmly. “Welcome, Cassia. I’m sure that you’ll become an outstanding member of our team.”
The council breaks into applause. When the clapping stops, I say, “What makes you think I want to join?”
“Cassia, hush,” Cairo tells me sharply.
Athias acts like he didn’t hear me. He turns to Thames. “We’ve been looking for you, as I’m sure you’re well aware. The evidence is clear. You took a human life.”
“I accept my punishment, whatever it may be.” Thames is calm, but I’m anything but.
“Thames was protecting me.” My voice, unusually brave, vibrates around the chamber. “The man he killed molested and abused me. He got what he deserved.”
“The reasons do not matter. Thames broke our sacred vows, the promise not to take a mortal life,” a tall woman says.
“So you don’t mind killing demons, but you’ll let rapists walk free? That’s sort of hypocritical, don’t you think?” I say nastily.
“Our matters lie in that of the eternal. Human lives are so short that these problems often work themselves out, as you’ll come to realize,” the woman responds coolly.
“I don’t care how old I become. I’ll never allow injustice to happen just because most of my peers consider it insignificant,” I snap.
The council shifts uncomfortably. Athias is the only one who dares to speak. “The law is clear. We permitted Thames to live because he agreed not to slaughter humans, but he broke that agreement. He must die.”
“No,” Cairo whispers weakly. Thames’ remains straight faced.
I step in front of Thames. Clenching my fists, I repeat what Cairo said, except much more loudly. It’s not a question. It’s a demand. “No.”
“No?” a Nelphim asks in astonishment. “Do you think your word is above that of the council?”
“I mean, no, you’re not going to kill him, because if you do then you’re going to have to kill me, too,” I say. “If you execute Thames than I vote to be euthanized immediately after.”
The room gasps. Mutters and whispers are passed between the members of the council. Athias’ eyebrows raise.
Thames’ grabs my wrist. “Cassia, no,” he says. “You’re not sacrificing yourself for me.”
“You did it for me. It’s time for payback. You don’t really have a choice,” I snap.
He pulls back and lets go of my wrist, his mouth downturned.
Everyone’s still surprised at my proposal. Except Cairo. “I second,” he says, raising a hand and stepping forward. “If you kill my brother, I vouch to be euthanized as well.”
“Cairo!” Thames shouts. Cairo doesn’t look at him.
“This is preposterous!” a Nephilim bursts. “Do these young people truly believe they can make demands of us, elders of the council?”
I grab Thames’ hand and take Cairo’s in my other, to show them we’re a united front. “Yep. If Thames goes, we go. That’s that.”
The council dissolves into scattered arguing. Athias has his eyes on us, but he’s not saying anything.
“Execute all of them, then. We don’t need Nephilim who are reluctant to follow orders,” an older one says.
“We can’t lose two Nephilim! Especially not one as reliable as Cairo, or one as promising as the young lady before us!” The lady who was reprimanding me earlier has suddenly switched sides. “Both of them could take hundreds of demon lives within the next few decades. It’s too costly.”
The arguing continues, until Athias raises a hand. All conversation comes to a halt.
“I propose we vote,” he says. “Cassia, do you agree that if we spare Thames, to join our ranks and become one of us as a proper trade?”
I nod. “Yes. That’s fair.” More than fair.
“Then it’s simple.” Athias spreads his arms wide to the council. “All those in favor of sparing Thames’ life?”
Many hands raise. I count them quickly before Athias asks, “All opposed?”
I watch all the hands shoot into the air. My chest tightens as the count gets higher and higher in my head. It’s the same exact number. A tie.
The deciding vote comes down to Athias. My palms are sweating, and a cold chill presses in on me from all sides. This old dude is deciding our fate. I really hope I made a good first impression, because it’s what our lives rely on.
He stares at me, and then smiles.
“I vote in favor,” he says. “Thames’ life will be spared. However, you are to report for training immediately, Cassia, starting tomorrow after your classes.”
“Thank you.” I sigh in relief. Cairo sags beside me. Thames can’t believe it.
“Thames, we have agreed to spare your life. However, for your crimes, you still must be punished,” Athias insists. “You will be banished from Michigan, and from having any contact with the Nephilim council and its members, save for your brother.”
“What?” I ask. My mouth drops. “That wasn’t part of the deal!”
“It’s okay, Cassia. They’ve already done enough.” Thames looks toward the council, and nods. “I accept.”
“Very well.” Athias claps his hands. “The council is adjourned. I look forward to seeing you report tomorrow, Miss Cassia.”
The council dissolves. They teleport one by one, vanishing to various places, until Athias is the only one left. He tilts his head to me before vanishing himself.
“I can’t believe that worked,” Cairo gasps. He’s leaning against a wall for support; he’s still not recovered from Alexander’s attack.
“Only because Cassia’s got bigger balls than we do,” Thames says. His eyes are laughing.
Then he looks at his brother. A seamless understanding passes between them as he says, “I’ll come by later. To say goodbye to you and Mom.”
Cairo swallows, and grimaces. “Okay. Meet up with you soon.”
Cairo looks at me purposefully. “I’ll be waiting for you outside.”
Cairo gives Thames a manly, one-armed hug, which Thames returns gruffly. Cairo then shuffles away. The large door closes with a loud snap behind Cairo as he leaves to give us some privacy.
I know what’s coming. And I hate it.
“Banished, huh?” I scuff the floor with my shoe. “Does that mean you can never come back?”
“Never ever.” He puts his hands in his pockets. “But you can come visit, wherever I am.”
“But the council said you can’t have contact with any of us except Cairo, and that includes me,” I say.
“I’m sure we can get them to look the other way.” A corner of his mouth lifts. “That is, depending on how much of a prodigy you become. If you staking that demon earlier was any indication, you’ll be better than both Cairo and me in no time.”
“I’m sorry again, Thames. I didn’t mean to kill your father. I just had no choice.”
“Seriously, don’t feel bad about it.” He shrugs. “It’s over. Cairo was right all along. He was terrible.”
“What are you gonna do now?” My voice is small, like a mouse. I’m surprised he can hear me.
“I don’t know. I thought about following in Mom’s footsteps, and becoming a doctor,” he says. “After I travel the world a bit. The bike’s longing for a cross country trip.”
“You can’t go, Thames.” I take a steadying breath. “I… I love you.”
“But you love Cairo more.” I look up, and he says, “Don’t lie, Cass. I know it’s true. We both do.”
I swallow. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”
“I know. But it’s not fair to me. I’ve gotta find my own way in the world, and be open to finding love somewhere el
se.” He smiles sadly. “I know there’s a girl out there waiting for me. I’ve just got to find her.”
“Whoever she is, she’s one incredibly lucky girl.” My voice is getting thick. I wipe tears from my eyes and add, “You’re gonna be so good to her.”
Thames walks forward and embraces me. I hug him back tightly, and he whispers, “No matter what, you’ll always be my best friend. That’ll never change.”
“Yeah.” I sniff loudly. “Same here.”
“Hey.” He raises my chin. “Take care of my little brother, okay? He’s lost without you.”
I nod, and try to keep my lip from trembling. Thames backs away.
He gives me one last, roguish smile just before he vanishes.
When Thames leaves, it’s like everything comes crashing down. I put a hand over my mouth and sink to my knees, sobbing. I can’t believe it. Thames is gone. I don’t know when I’ll see him again, or if I’ll ever see him again. I don’t even know if the council will permit me to speak to him. He’s never allowed back here, an outcast from home. I did that. It was me.
I lost Thames.
I lost my best friend.
Then I remember the boy waiting outside for me. I wipe my face on my sleeve and force myself to my feet, holding my head up high. I did what was necessary. I saved Thames’ life. Now he can be free to go on and live without me. Free to be himself.
Free to love someone else.
Cairo’s leaning against the side of the warehouse when I come out. He instantly wraps me in his arms when I emerge. It’s so hard to keep from trembling as I lean against him, inhaling his soft, wonderful scent to calm my nerves.
“I’m sorry, Cass. I know it’s hard.”
“Yeah.” I pull away from his chest, and look up. Everything still seems perfect when I’m looking into his eyes. “Can I go home?”
Cairo laughs. He leans forward to plant a kiss on my cheek. “Yes, Cassia. We can go home.”
Silver and light blue balloons, Heaven High colors, create an archway in the gymnasium. The band plays our school song as my senior class and I walk down the aisle way, venturing to the stands packed full by our families. I hand Isolde a brugmansia bouquet, our school flower, clutching my diploma tightly in my other hand.
