Laith glared at him. “I told you…”
Darius ignored him, turning sharply toward me. “What was the deal your father struck with the Destroyer?”
Despite Laith’s warning to Darius, I answered the question proudly. “I don’t know.”
Darius glared at me. “How did he keep you hidden?”
“I don’t know.”
“How did one of the Fallen find you?”
“I don’t know,” I rumbled.
“How—”
“I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know! What are you not getting? I don’t know what my father did, and I don’t know why he hid me. I don’t know who he was. I don’t know who I am!”
“Don’t you?” he yelled back, eyes blazing. “Don’t you know who you are? After all this time? After everything you have been through? You don’t know who you are?”
“Get out!” I screamed, throwing my empty glass at Darius in a fiery rage. He dodged just in time. The glass hit the wall and broke into pieces.
No one spoke as I took numerous labored breaths. I stared hard at Darius, who still waited for my answer.
“I… I am Ava Matthias.” As I said it for the first time in my life, it felt true.
“That’s right,” he said, not taking his eyes from mine. “Ava is the name your mother gave you. I think it suits you well, don’t you?”
I didn’t answer but looked away from his smoldering gaze. Taking in the shattered glass on the floor and the new dent in the wall, I flushed in mortification.
Elisa reached for my hand. “Sarah—”
“That’s not my name anymore,” I interrupted weakly.
“Ava, then. You need to rest,” she said.
“I need to get up and walk around.” I looked down for the first time and saw that I wore only a simple white t-shirt, large enough to be a dress on my much-smaller frame. I cringed, gathering that this borrowed garment must belong to my lovely host.
I felt around my neck, relieved when I touched the cool chain of my mother’s necklace and Elisa’s leather string resting on my skin. I pulled the jewelry out from the shirt, palming the pendant and Ian’s ring to my chest.
Elisa viewed the pendant warily. “How long have you had that?”
I opened my palm to look at the smooth stone. Its inky black color now seemed almost fluid with contents I could only imagine. “I found it in a hidden compartment in my dad’s room when I was twelve. I’ve kept it close to me ever since.”
“Do you know what it is?” Elisa asked.
“Jonathan called it the Demon’s Eye. Was he correct?”
“Yes. The Demon’s Eye is a powerful weapon.” Her gaze swept over the black stone again. “We have a lot to discuss.”
I shifted anxiously in my bed. “And that talk will come later, I’m guessing.”
Elisa affirmed my assessment with a nod.
Peeking under the patchwork quilt that covered me, I saw that my legs were bruised and cuts spread down the length of them.
“I don’t suppose I have any clothes available to me, do I?”
“Someone was sent to get you new ones. They should be back soon. Your boots are all that survived.” She nodded to the side of the room where they sat neatly against the floorboards.
“And my knives?”
Laith took my two knives from his pocket and set them on the table next to me.
I sighed, feeling less naked. “Thank you,” I said.
“Where are we?” I asked, craning my neck for a better view out the window.
“Somewhere secure,” Laith said, soothingly. “I’ll show you around once you’re ready to move, but just know that we are safe. This land is protected by a veil circling about a two-mile radius from this home. Nothing can enter without permission, and no one can find it.”
“Any snow?” I asked with a shiver, even though I lay warm in my bed.
Laith huffed a laugh. “No snow.”
“At least allow me to get you some food,” Elisa breathed. “Will you please eat?”
My traitorous stomach growled loudly in response. I pressed against it, finally agreeing with a nod.
Darius shot to his feet. “Let me get it. She doesn’t want me here anyways.”
No. No I didn’t.
“Thank you, Darius,” Elisa said.
I watched as he disappeared past the threshold of the door, pleased by his absence.
Elisa sighed. “He’s really not that bad once you get to know him.”
“He’s horrible and nothing you can say will change my opinion.”
Laith pished under his breath. “This should be fun,” he said, running his fingers through his thick black hair. A frown pulled at his features.
I put my hand against Laith’s cheek. His gaze met mine. “He’s your friend, and he was there to help. I’ll try harder to be nice. I’m sorry.” I dropped my hand to my side.
“It’s not you,” Elisa said. “Laith gets this way when things are stressful, but he’ll be back to normal. The past week has been… difficult.”
I wondered what they were keeping from me.
“I didn’t make it any easier, did I?”
“No.” Laith shook his head severely. “No, you did not, but if it makes you feel any better, we didn’t handle it well, either. This is the first time Elisa and I have ever had to deal with… with a new recruit, for lack of a better word, on our own and we didn’t do it right. Your caretaker—”
“His name is Aaron. What does that mean anyway?” I asked in a clipped tone that I instantly regretted. “He’s an angel, isn’t he?”
“He is a pre-mortal entity… what we call a Preemie. More importantly, he was your self-appointed caretaker.”
“Who decided that?” I asked.
“Self-appointed,” Laith said slowly. “Which means he appointed himself over you to protect you. I don’t know why. But he is no longer needed.”
My heart plunged and my stomach twisted into tiny knots of guilt. Yes, he was still needed.
I had no family, no one left who cared for me. No one would mourn my supposed death, and not a soul would remember or miss me. Except for Cheryl.
“I still need him,” I said. “Call him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Call him now and let him enter.”
Laith hesitated a moment before closing his eyes. He took a deep breath and began muttering under his breath.
“What is he doing?” I asked, looking toward Elisa, but she didn’t answer.
“He’s doing what you asked him to do.” A voice spoke from the entryway of my room. Relief washed over me when I recognized it as Aaron’s. He shut the door behind him, and walked to my bedside.
I regarded him as he neared. “So, you’re a Preemie,” I said.
His lips twisted up into a smile. “Despite what the nickname suggests I am actually quite old.”
“You don’t look old to me.” I said studying him.
“I am an old spirit,” he clarified. “Most of the humans being born now are old spirits. You have a very old soul and an even greater calling than I had even imagined.”
I shook my head, not wanting to talk about callings just yet. “Aaron, I need your help.”
“But you don’t. Not anymore.”
“I don’t need your help for me, but for Cheryl. I want you to promise to watch over her for me.”
“I watch over many.”
“But I need you to watch over Cheryl and report back to me.”
He nodded. “I can do that.”
I took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I never said thank you for saving me that day at the library.”
“And you don’t need to.”
“You have been given the ability to enter this sanctuary at any time,” Laith said.
Aaron nodded his thanks to Laith, then looked down at me. He reached to tuck a strand of loose hair behind my ear.
“Remember, this decision is still yours to make, and know that I’ll a
lways be there when you need me. All you have to do is ask.” He smiled my favorite boyish grin—and then vanished.
I gasped, looking about the room, but no one else appeared concerned by Aaron’s sudden disappearance but me. My heart beat rapidly and my breathing accelerated.
“He’s right, Ava.” Laith said.
“What?” I asked, still scanning the room.
“When we found out who you were, we were unprepared for the fact that you might not want to accept your destiny. But your… Aaron was correct. This must be something you accept willingly. We understand that this decision may take time—”
“I accept,” I blurted, heat rising to my face.
Before today I might have required time to process what was being asked of me. I may have even rejected it. But not anymore. I was accepting this calling because it would be my only chance of exacting revenge on the ones who took my parents and my friends. But I wouldn’t be able to do this on my own. I would need training, and I would need information. And then, I would destroy them all.
Laith cocked his head at an angle, regarding me. Confusion pulled at the gathered skin between his brows.
I shrugged at his unspoken question. “You never really asked if I wanted the calling before. Now that you have, I’ve decided to accept. I am Ava Matthias. I will be the Defender, although I don’t know what that means. I really feel underqualified. I’m not really anything special.”
Laith smiled. “And that is where you are wrong. You have been kept ignorant, but the power you used against… well us, in the forest is proof enough that you are something much more than ordinary.”
I shook my head, not wanting to remember what had happened to cause me to use this so called power, but I knew Laith was right. I had used it in the forest and in the library with Jonathan, although it didn’t work so well at the time.
“It’s true,” he said, believing my reaction was disbelief. “You have supernatural powers that are given just for the Defender, Ava. There may even be additional capabilities that surface as we train you, but don’t worry, we will teach you everything you’ll need to know. I promise.”
“Sounds great. When do I start?” I inquired, concealing my overexcited nerves.
“After you’ve rested,” Darius said from the doorway.
I rolled my eyes but didn’t argue when he set a tray in front of me with a small bowl of hot stew and a single roll. The bite-size chunks of beef, vegetable, and broth were a perfect temperature. I shoveled several mouthfuls in a matter of moments.
“You should eat slowly,” he recommended, one brow raised as he watched me devour the food. He crossed his arms over his chest, his biceps bulging. “Your body has sustained quite a bit of damage, and you may have a concussion. We have a doctor here at the compound. When he gets back, I would like him to look at you.”
“I’ve had concussions before. Several, actually. Trust me. I don’t have a concussion. Besides, I’ve been here for how long and he hasn’t looked at me already?”
“He was the one in charge of your cover-up,” Darius said, sounding annoyed. “As you can imagine, those kinds of things take time.”
“I don’t need a doctor,” I said over a mouthful of bread.
Darius ignored me, quitting the room without a backward glance.
“Speaking of doctors,” Laith reached into the pocket of his jeans and took out his cell phone. “I need to call Ray. He’ll want to be here when we discuss everything.” Laith walked to the back of the room.
Ray. Ray could watch over Cheryl too. The idea was apparently good enough to make my head spin. I set down my spoon and nearly-empty bowl.
“I need to speak to Ray,” I commanded.
Laith paused in his discussion, crossed the room, and handed me the phone, a wary expression on his face.
My hand felt like lead as I reached out to take the phone from Laith. I swallowed hard as a sudden wave of exhaustion rolled over me.
“Ray,” I breathed, “I need you to do something very important for me.”
Ray’s voice was full of compassion and warmth as he responded. “Of course. I’ll help with whatever I can.”
“Thank you, Ray. I need you to go see Cheryl: Cheryl Davis, Ian’s mother. I moved in with her after he died. Now that I’m gone, she’s all alone. I need you to comfort her and tell her—tell her that I loved her. That she was the only mother I had ever known.” A thick cloud of fog settled over my head, making it hard to see and almost impossible to think. “Tell her that I love her… and tell her that you love her too, and that… no, wait.”
I shook my head once, then twice, hoping to rattle my brain awake. I had something important to say, but that wasn’t it.
“Sarah?” Ray’s voice came to me from the other end of the line. I had almost forgotten he was there.
“Ray, Cheryl is very important to me,” I slurred. As the walls tilted to the side, a form appeared in the entryway of my room. Darius slid his hands into the pockets of his black jeans. His full lips twisted into a smirk as he watched me struggle.
I inhaled, realizing what was going on. “Bastard,” I said.
“Sarah?” Ray asked.
“Not you,” I mumbled, as my head dropped back and into a soft, welcoming pillow. I strained in an effort to open my eyes as the sound of raised voices erupted over me, but it was no use.
It was night when I woke again. Alone in my darkened room, a light from outside the window drew my attention. Uncertain how long I had been asleep, I knew I couldn’t waste any more time. I had to act quickly. Still in a white t-shirt that fell mid-thigh, I grabbed my boots and my father’s knife and tip-toed to the window. The hardwood floors threatened to announce my movements, but I managed to slide the glass to the side and slip through the opening unheard.
When my feet hit dry ground, I sighed, thankful my room was on the ground floor and that we were no longer in the snowy mountains. I took a moment to tug on my boots and allow my vision to adjust to the darkness. Then I quickly got the lay of my new surroundings, noting the location and size of the sprawling ranch home and the fenced-off fields of growing crops. I set off into a large orchard filled with citrus trees.
After running for what I gauged to be a little over two miles, I stopped. Locating the moon, I watched as its silvery beams broke through the leaves of the branches, casting an eerie glow on the surrounding vegetation.
I pulled my mother’s pendant from my shirt, making it plainly visible, then readied my knife.
“Jonathan?”
It was no louder than a whisper, but I knew he would hear. I knew he would come. A dark shadow moved from behind the trunk of a tree and walked cautiously into view. He quickly took in the necklace, the knife, and my lack of appropriate clothes. After all that had happened, all the trouble he had caused, I felt a twinge of excitement and fear at seeing him again.
“You summoned me?” he asked, his expression a mix of curiosity and skepticism. His gaze shot past me, then darted to the sides. “And you came alone?”
“Yes,” I answered, watching his reaction.
“This is very unwise of you. The ban has been lifted. My kind are allowed to execute you on sight.”
“That sounds like concern, Jonathan. Well, you could definitely try, or—”
“Or what?” he asked, taking a measured step into my proximity.
I circled him. He remained fixed where he was but kept his gaze locked on my movements. “My father—”
“I didn’t kill your father,” he interrupted.
I paused, cocking my head to the side. “I know.”
“You do?”
“I saw you weren’t there. I knew it wasn’t you.” I continued in my path until I stood just a yard away. My insides twisted, and I had to fight the instinct to run away from humanity’s natural enemy. “Tell me about the one who did kill him. Tell me about the Destroyer.”
He shoulders lifted casually. “What’s there to tell? He is the Destroyer. He is the opposition in a
ll things.”
“He is evil,” I finished for him.
Jonathan smiled wickedly. “Or just misunderstood.”
“He killed my father,” I hissed.
He made a noise as he rolled his eyes. “Your father struck a deal with the Destroyer. No one strikes a deal with the Destroyer and expects to live. Your father knew the repercussions of his actions and the ultimate outcome.”
My mouth opened and closed as I bit back a heated response. “What was the deal?” I asked.
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”
“You never do. I get it.” I flicked my wrist, annoyed. “But if you could guess…”
He sighed. “Then I would guess that your father wanted to hide you from the one who murdered your mother… the one that would hunt down an innocent babe and slaughter her and her guardian father.”
“The Annihilator,” I whispered, remembering what the Destroyer had said to my father. “Who is she?”
“She is the Destroyer’s mate.” Jonathan smiled, pausing for my response.
I lifted a brow and waited for him to continue, concealing my shock.
“There is opposition in all things,” he said. “Right and wrong. Good and evil. That remains true, but what most don’t know is that there is a battle waging within the realm of evil. The Destroyer and his counterpart have long been fighting for the rights of the dark world. Cast out with the rest of his followers, she became angry and vengeful. She blamed her exile on the Destroyer, on the one who caused it all, and gave herself the name of Annihilator.” Jonathan smiled, but there was no humor in it.
“In many ways she is worse than my master. The Destroyer understands that there is a certain balance to things. He is calm and careful and uses strategy in his plans. He knows the key players to take out, what political powers to have on his side. He leaves the lesser demons to take care of the lesser humans who mean nothing to him.
“She, on the other hand, would kill anyone, including herself, to exact revenge. No self-preservation whatsoever. The Annihilator is a wildcard: passionate, but sloppy and careless.” Jonathan waved his hand as if to dispel a bothersome fly. “She is drawing many over to her side. Traitors among traitors, liars, and thieves. This makes things… difficult for my master.”
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