The Angel Trials- The Complete Series

by Michelle Madow

  “Why do you ask?” she said.

  “I’m just curious,” he said. “So tell me. Am I right?”

  “You are.” She stepped forward, looking as smug as ever. “I had a deal with the Earth Angel. She brought me straight to Avalon, and I’ve been safe there since.”

  “Camelia,” I said, warning in my tone. I hadn’t known she hadn’t gone through the simulation. But why was she telling Azazel this? He was clearly baiting her. She was too smart to give into his mind games so easily.

  She ignored me. “Avalon hasn’t been what I expected,” she continued. “It’s boring, and the Earth Angel’s army is… underwhelming, to say the least.” She glanced at me, like I was the underwhelming one for not killing Dr. Foster when I had the chance.

  I knew she looked down on me for it. But how was this any of Azazel’s business?

  Camelia had always been cold and icy. Now, she sounded soulless.

  I opened my mouth to say something—anything—to stop this. But before I could, she refocused on Azazel and said the last thing I expected.

  “If you have a deal that will tempt me to join your side, I’m all ears. So please, tell me more.”

  22

  Raven

  I looked at Camelia in shock. She couldn’t mean it.

  But from the intense, interested way she studied Azazel, she appeared to seriously be considering his proposition.

  I hoped this was all some grand plan of hers.

  Then again, I’d felt like there was something off about her since meeting her. And she’d just admitted to not having to go through the simulation to get to Avalon.

  I wanted to trust that she wouldn’t betray us. But after learning on the way here about the way she’d betrayed the Earth Angel back at the Vale… I couldn’t be sure.

  Maybe she’d just been buying herself time back at Avalon until a better offer came along. And now, that offer was here.

  “Join my side, and you’ll be protected in the upcoming war,” Azazel said. “The demons are going to beat the humans and the supernaturals. We’re far more powerful—winning is inevitable. Allying with me is the smart move. It’s the move that will keep you safe.”

  Every word he spoke made me feel sick to my stomach. Camelia couldn’t be buying this. Could she be?

  “An interesting proposal.” Camelia took a few steps forward, until she was only a foot away from Azazel. Only the invisible boundary stood between them. The air seemed to crackle with electricity as they held each other’s gazes. “But if I go with you, I need to be untraceable to everyone. The other witch circles, the vampires, the fae, the mages, and even the angels. Can your Foster witches do that for me?”

  “I had a feeling you’d see things my way.” Azazel grinned and eyed her up, checking her out. “Lavinia told me all about you. You’re nearly as powerful as the Fosters… and nearly as dark, too. I like it.”

  “Answer the question,” Camelia said, clearly not in the mood to play around.

  “Yes,” he said simply. “The Foster witches can grant that request. No problem.”

  “If you’re wrong, the deal is off,” she said. “Understood?”

  “Understood,” Azazel said.

  “Lovely.” Camelia smiled and rested her hands protectively over her protruding stomach. “But it’s going to take more to convince the others of reason. I’m going to strengthen the barrier again so I can discuss this with them in private and convince them to see this our way. Can you stay right where you are?”

  “If you weren’t trapped on this island, I’d worry you were going to turn on me,” Azazel said, his voice warm and threatening all at once. It made for a terrifying combination. “But since you’re not going anywhere, do as you please. I’ll be right here, waiting for you when you’re done.”

  “I expect nothing else.” Camelia raised her hands, muttered a spell in Latin, and shot her yellow magic out of her palms and toward the barrier. Like before, the magic glowed as it did its job.

  But this time, the barrier didn’t remain clear. It became foggy, until we couldn’t see through it at all. We couldn’t hear through it again, either.

  The yellow glow dimmed out, and Camelia turned to face us. Determination gleamed in her eyes.

  “You don’t seriously think you’re going to convince us to join Azazel’s side,” I said immediately. “Because it’s not going to happen.” I reached for my sword—I could fight her if it came down to it. I didn’t want to, since the last thing I wanted was to hurt her unborn child. But if she made an attempt on any of our lives, I’d have to defend myself.

  “Of course not,” she said, and I relaxed, but not completely. “But I was the most likely of the four of us to jump on his plan. I had to pretend I was on board with it, so he wouldn’t be suspicious when I told him I needed to speak with the three of you privately.”

  Noah stared straight at her. His expression was unreadable—I only knew he was still suspicious because I felt it through the imprint bond. “You’re only on Avalon because the fae are out to get you,” he said.

  “What makes you think that?” she asked.

  “You all but admitted to it on the boat ride here,” he said. “You made a deal with the fae in exchange for that potion to reveal Annika’s true identity. But you don’t want to follow through with that deal. You’re on Avalon to hide from them. And for some reason, the Earth Angel is on board. Knowing the Earth Angel, it’s for the sake of your child and not for you. Am I onto something here?”

  “Yes,” Camelia said, shocking me with her honesty. “Avalon is the only place in the world where I can remain hidden from the fae. Azazel’s claim that the Foster witches can hide me from them is wrong. Even if there were a chance he was telling the truth, it wouldn’t matter. I’d never risk my safety and the safety of my daughter on the word of a demon. I can’t leave the protection of Avalon. Not ever.” She placed her hand protectively on her stomach, and I had a gut feeling she was telling the truth.

  Camelia was a terrible person. But she’d do anything to protect her child. And making a deal with a greater demon didn’t fit into that plan.

  “Good,” I said. “I was worried you’d switched sides.”

  “Don’t be relieved yet,” she said. “Because I know how we can beat Azazel. That’s why I needed the four of us to talk in private. But you’re not going to like it.”

  “I’m open to anything,” I said.

  “I think I know Camelia’s plan,” Darra said, and all eyes went to her, since she’d been quiet up until now. She had a look on her face that I’d never seen on her before. Acceptance, perhaps? Or resolve. “And she’s right. You’re not going to like it.”

  “Why not?” I braced myself, ready for anything.

  “Because to beat Azazel, you have to ignite your Nephilim powers,” Darra said. “And to do that, you’re going to have to kill me.”

  23

  Raven

  “What?” I backed away, sure I must have heard that wrong. “What are you talking about?”

  “Azazel said it himself.” Darra stood strong, as if she wasn’t talking about her own life here. “The only way you pose a threat to him is by killing a supernatural to ignite your Nephilim powers.”

  “But the Foster witch who cast the boundary spell might still be here,” I said. “Azazel’s a greater demon. He probably lied when he said she left.”

  “He’s not lying,” Camelia said.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because like I said earlier, I know witch history,” she said. “The pure, ancient magic the Foster witches used allowed them to cast boundary spells they didn’t have to be there to maintain. When I was living at the Vale, Laila was going to breed me—the strongest witch she knew—to the strongest male witch she could find. She’d been breeding witches for generations. She wanted to create a witch as strong as the Fosters had been—a witch that could make the boundary around the Vale stronger than I ever could.”

  Horror filled me to my c
ore, and I searched my mind for another option. “We can’t just give up,” I said. “Can’t we at least check to see if she’s here? You can teleport around the island. Try to find her.”

  “The magic I’m using to keep Azazel out of this cave is extensive.” Camelia’s eyes were sad—I’d never seen her look so vulnerable. It was how I knew she was telling the truth. “If I teleport out, it won’t hold. He’ll kill you all. Then he’ll find and kill me. None of us will make it off this island alive.”

  “Unless you’re a Nephilim,” Darra continued, looking straight at me. “But to become a Nephilim, you have to kill one of us to ignite your powers. Azazel doesn’t think you have it in you to follow through. If he did, he wouldn’t have let us be alone in here to talk. So you need to prove him wrong.”

  “No.” I shook my head, refusing to believe it. But as I looked at Noah and Camelia, their expressions said it all.

  They agreed with Darra.

  “I won’t do it,” I said. “There has to be another way.”

  “You could technically kill any of the three of us.” Darra spoke so casually, as if this wasn’t her life we were talking about. “But Noah is your soul mate—I’d never ask you to harm him, nor would I expect you to. Camelia’s pregnant. Her unborn child deserves a chance at life. So that leaves me.”

  A lump formed in my throat as I continued to look between the three of them, a chill sinking down into my bones. I couldn’t accept that it was coming to this.

  Why hadn’t I done what I was supposed to do and killed Dr. Foster back when we’d first found him? If I hadn’t been so determined to go the moral route, I wouldn’t be stuck in this impossible place right now.

  I’d tried so hard to do the right thing. How had it managed to go so wrong?

  “I guess you don’t have any spells to reverse time.” I looked desperately to Camelia, clawing for any other option.

  “I don’t.” She shook her head, pity in her eyes. “Not even the Foster witches or the mages can control time.”

  “I know you don’t want to do this.” Darra held her chin high, her gaze locked on mine. “But I promise you Raven, it’s for the best. I’ve had a long life. I’ve had a good life. If I were human, I likely would have passed away of old age naturally by now. I’m already living on extra time. So if this is what I’m meant to do—to sacrifice myself so you can defeat Azazel and the other demons on Earth—I’m proud to do it. I want to do it.”

  “No one ever wants to die,” I said.

  “I’m a warrior,” she replied. “I risk my life every time I enter a fight. I was training the Earth Angel’s army so I could eventually lead them into battle. I’ve long since faced the fact that I could likely die fighting for the cause. And I couldn’t wish for a better way to go than by helping you do what I’ve been training you to do—to become a Nephilim. It will be an honor and a privilege to be the one to ignite your powers.”

  From her strong, determined gaze, I knew she meant every word. Especially because Darra was never one to sugar coat the truth or hold back from sharing her thoughts.

  I just didn’t think I could do it. Darra was my mentor. I trusted and admired her. I wouldn’t be here today if she hadn’t taken me under her wing and trained me personally.

  How could I possibly kill her?

  I looked to Noah and reached for him with the imprint bond. We connected instantly. What should I do? I asked, speaking through the bond instead of out loud.

  His eyes met mine, strong and determined. This is your decision, he said. You have to do what feels right.

  That’s not helpful. It took all of my self-control to resist rolling my eyes.

  Darra isn’t the only other supernatural here, he reminded me. I’m here, too. As is Camelia.

  Are you suggesting that I kill either my soul mate or a pregnant woman? I balked at the thought of doing either of those things.

  I’m just reminding you of your options.

  Well, I definitely won’t kill either of you, I said. I can’t.

  But you might be able to kill Darra?

  I paused before responding. Because I didn’t want to kill her.

  But as much as I hated it, it was the most strategic way out of this mess.

  “There has to be another way,” I spoke out loud again, since Noah was only telling me what I already knew. He couldn’t make this decision for me.

  I was the only one who would have to live with what I did in this cave today.

  “We can’t stay in this cave forever,” Darra said. “We’ll either starve to death, or have to go outside for food and water. Once we venture out, Azazel will attack. Without a Nephilim, we’ll be able to hold him off for a bit. But we’ll eventually tire. And then he’ll kill us.”

  “We can only beat him if I become a Nephilim,” I said what we all already knew.

  “Yes.” Darra nodded and stepped forward, so there were only a few feet between us. “I’m proud of you, Raven. I’ve always believed in you, and I know you’ll do what’s necessary to help us win the war against the demons. No matter how hard those decisions might be.”

  Even if it meant killing my mentor.

  Tears welled in my eyes. I couldn’t believe this was happening. It was like something out of a nightmare.

  “I look forward to seeing my loved ones in the Beyond.” She looked up at the green sparkling lights on the ceiling and smiled wistfully, as if thinking of those before her. Then she zeroed in on me again, her mind back in the present. “On Avalon, I taught you the best ways to kill each supernatural creature,” she said. “All I ask is that you honor me by giving me a quick, clean death. You know how to do that.”

  I stood totally still, unable to move. I hated this.

  But I also knew deep in my heart that everything Darra was saying made sense.

  Suddenly, a warm burst of strength filled my soul. It came from the imprint bond—from Noah.

  He might not want to tell me what to do, but that gesture said everything. He knew what I needed to do just as much as I did. And he was trying to help me accept it.

  I didn’t think I’d ever be able to accept it.

  But we’d either all die, or one of us would die. So as much as I hated this and knew I’d never be able to forgive myself for it, I knew deep down that I might be able to do it.

  Too many lives were at stake for me to refuse to consider it.

  “If I do this, what’s to stop Azazel from teleporting off the island the moment he sees I’m a Nephilim?” I turned to Camelia, directing the question to her since she was the one with the magic.

  “Once it’s done and you give me the word, I’ll change the boundary from one that keeps things out to one that keeps things in,” she said. “Before Azazel realizes what I’ve done, I’ll expand the boundary so he’s locked in here with us. He won’t be able to teleport out. But keeping the boundary strong enough to trap a greater demon will require a lot of my magic. I won’t be able to hold it for long. So you’ll need to take care of him as quickly as possible.”

  “You also need to take care of him as quickly as possible because that’s the best chance you have to beat him,” Darra chimed in. “You’ll have angel instinct after igniting your Nephilim powers. But Azazel’s stronger than you, and he has years of fighting experience on you. You have your cloaking ring on, which will keep him from immediately knowing what happened. So you’ll have the element of surprise. It’s imperative that you use it to your advantage and attack while he’s still unaware that you’re a Nephilim.”

  “If I do this at all,” I said. “I never said I agreed.”

  “You’re going to do it,” she said. “You know as well as the rest of us that this is the best option. I can tell.”

  I said nothing. Because as much as I hated it, she was right.

  She gave me a single nod, as if assuring me it was okay.

  I reached for the handle of my sword, my hand shaking. “Are you ready?” I asked, my voice wavering as I spoke.

&n
bsp; Darra squared her shoulders, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, “Yes. I’m ready.”

  24

  Raven

  I drew Excalibur from my weapons belt. Flames danced around the blade the moment it was free.

  Like always when I used the mystical sword, it connected with my soul, letting my body know exactly what it needed to do. My eyes met with Darra’s. She nodded again, reassuring me.

  If I thought about it any more, I wouldn’t be able to go through with it.

  So I sprinted forward and ran the flaming sword straight through her heart. I held my gaze with hers the entire time. Anything else felt like a disservice to her sacrifice.

  Life disappeared from her eyes in a second.

  Before I could comprehend what I’d done, white light exploded around me. An electrical jolt shot through the sword, into my hand, and through my body. Electricity buzzed through me, hot and consuming. It was like being struck by lightning.

  The haze around my mind from the memory potion lifted, and my memories returned at once. They danced around in my mind as clear as ever, as if they’d never gone missing at all.

  I remembered Geneva approaching me on the boardwalk as I walked home from the beach. I hadn’t thought much of her strange flapper outfit at the time, since there were all kinds of unique characters on Venice Beach.

  But then she’d touched me and teleported me to a dark, windowless dungeon. She’d locked me in a cell.

  I remembered the others in the prison with me. The homely older woman Susan, and the glamorous vampire princess Stephenie. Susan had been in the cell next to me, and Stephenie had been across.

  I remembered conversations with them that went long into the night. Mainly with Stephenie, who’d told me about the vampire kingdoms. Maybe that was why I’d been so quick in my studies at the academy. I’d already known a lot of what I was being taught. I’d simply needed a reminder.