Brighid's Fallen (Keepers of the Flame Book 5)

by Cate Morgan

  “Three days.” He paused. “Is that...normal?”

  “No idea. The first time it was five.” She sipped again. “Mairya?”

  “Gone, with Michael’s sword. Don’t know when we might see her again.” He paused. “Not that I’m not thrilled you’re okay, but I’m not entirely sure how it’s possible. You wielded an angelic sword. An archangel’s sword.”

  Cara looked down into her water. “It was Brendan. He…joined me. Alex, I think that’s why he died. So he could be there when I faced Lillith. He shielded me.”

  His expression cleared in understanding. “So when Mairya—”

  “She made it possible for him to help me, when I needed it most.” She would still grieve his loss, of course, but her heart wasn’t quite so burdened as it had been. He hadn’t shut her out; he’d liberated her. Made her stronger than ever before. “The city? Is it safe?”

  He cleared his throat, smiling. “Why don’t you come see? If you’re up to it, I mean.”

  She set the water aside and fumbled her way out of bed with Alex’s help. How could she be so stiff, and yet so wobbly, at the same time?

  They stepped out onto the balcony. She stopped and stared.

  Paris--all of Paris--was alight. Blazing with it. She approached the railing in awe.

  “How?” she whispered.

  “You,” he said. “Somehow, when you released all that light into the tunnels, you also released something else. Something so strong it can’t be extinguished.”

  She struggled for words. “I just wanted to use all that excess power to shield the city, so I used the tunnels. Brighid guided me so I didn’t hurt anyone.” She shook her head. “I didn’t expect this.”

  His strong arm curled around her waist, offering support. “People are talking about rebuilding, instead of escaping somewhere safer. Paris is becoming a haven. There is hope again.”

  She remembered, abruptly, that she hadn’t been the only one fighting through that mess. She turned to get a good look at him--now that there was light enough to do so.

  His red-rimmed eyes and pale skin had turned his eyes a brilliant blue. He looked exhausted, but otherwise fine. “Never mind me, how are you? You nearly…” she trailed off, not quite knowing how to refer to Lilith’s near-fatal command of his demon.

  “I did,” he said, looking grim. “I turned. But for some reason the demon didn’t want to hurt you. It’s anger was completely focused on Lilith.”

  She thought she understood. “So it is a symbiotic pairing, then,” she said. “Your anger is its anger. Your pain is its pain. So when Lilith freed it, it reacted to you, not her.” She suppressed a smile. “That must have come as an unpleasant surprise.”

  Alex’s eyes glittered in response. “Nothing near as much as being impaled by a six-foot sword. Now I know where the term ‘run through’ originated.”

  She pressed her palm against his broad chest, and her smile faded. “I think I have enough left to get rid of it, if that’s what you want.”

  To her surprise, he shook his head. “I considered it--God, did I ever--but now? No. After...all that, I don’t fear it like I used to. I learned just how much it was a part of me, how it doesn’t need as much control as I thought. I feel like I can breathe again. Live again.”

  “As you like.” She poked him with her finger, making him yelp. “But you listen to me, demon. You give him, or anyone else, any trouble not intended by your host, you’ll have me to contend with, got it? After Paris you’re not even close to a challenge.”

  Alex chuckled and drew her close once more. “I think you’ve gotten your point across.” He paused. “In other news, while you were playing Rip Van Winkle I started tracking down some of the other soldiers in the program that put the demon into me to begin with.”

  “Really?” She looked up at him. “Do you think you can persuade them to come here?”

  “I hope so.” Alex smoothed her wind-ruffled hair from her face, but his smile didn’t quite make it to his eyes. “If anything, I’m thinking they might need the same help I did. They deserve to know the truth, if nothing else.”

  “Maybe they’ll stay,” she murmured thoughtfully “Maybe they’ll help fight.”

  “Maybe.” He cleared his throat. “What about you? I know you’ll fight, but will you stay?”

  Cara looked out over the lights of Paris, glittering like stars and diamonds, and knew she had found her place at last. This was her city now, and her people. She would look after them as best she could.

  “Yes,” she said. “I’ll stay.”

  Thank You For Reading!

  Reviews help other readers find books! Please consider leaving one if you enjoyed this story.

  Into Action & Adventure?

  How about Magic & Mayhem?

  See what else Speculative Ink has to offer!

  About The Author

  Cate Morgan hails from a long line of Irish storytellers and musicians, so it came as no surprise to her mother when she taught herself to read from the back of cereal boxes at the ripe age of three. Now she’s fulfilling her familial obligations by foisting her stories on an unsuspecting public.

  She resides in Florida with her long-suffering, supportive husband, gators in the backyard, and two Ninja Katz underfoot.

  Sign Up Here For Bookish News and Other Updates

  Come see what else I’m up to!