“Jerome, what’s going on?” Leila begged for some answers. They fell on deaf ears as the two men could only focus on each other.
“It was him. He was so angry. He tried to get me to agree and I wouldn’t. He told me I was going to regret it.”
“Who did? Who did this to you?”
Michael shook his head, trying to sort through the newly-discovered memories. “He took away my wings. He told me I could die like a human. He sent me to Earth so I wouldn’t be found. He hid me here so I couldn’t get in his way.”
Jerome placed his hands on his shoulders again, not speaking until he had the man’s complete attention again. “Council member Michael, who did this to you? It’s important, I need to know.”
“It was… I mean, he didn’t mean… it was Benecio.”
Jerome let his hands fall to his side. He didn’t know why it should surprise him so much, but it did. Benecio wasn’t afraid of making threats to angels, Jerome knew it firsthand. But to take away another’s wings and banish them to Earth? It was unfathomable that someone could do that. He shouldn’t have even been permitted to do it. Never in council history did Jerome remember them doing something so harsh. Taking away an angel’s wings was even worse than being banished to the wastelands, it was stripping the angel of their identity, everything they ever were, everything they were born for.
“Why did he do this to you? What did Benecio want you to agree to?” Jerome threw out the questions, needing answers immediately for fear he might burst with not knowing.
“He wanted me to join him, I don’t know why,” Michael continued to stutter the words, having trouble forming complete sentences. “He told me nobody would find me here.”
“How long ago was this?”
“I met him six months ago,” Leila chimed in when it was clear Michael couldn’t remember.
Jerome nodded in acknowledgement, not taking his eyes off the councilor. “Michael, what is Benecio up to?”
“I don’t know.” His shoulders slumped, having run out of steam. Jerome patted him on the back, giving comfort to the frail looking man. He was just a mere shadow of the council member Jerome knew from the meetings and events in the village. He was saddened to see how far he had fallen.
“Jerome, what’s going on? Who is Benecio?” Leila demanded to know some answers.
“He’s a council member, he was the one who banished me and accused me of killing the two angels.”
“So he’s not a good guy then.” Leila watched as Jerome shook his head slowly. “What does this mean?”
“I don’t-” Jerome didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as Lucia appeared behind Leila. “Lucia, you made it.” They all turned to look at the angel. To Leila’s annoyance, she hadn’t suddenly grown ugly overnight like she had wished for.
Lucia looked around, unable to see Jerome due to the enchanted necklace. She did, however, see Michael. “Council member? What are you doing here?”
Jerome filled her in, gripping her arm like he had the day before so she knew where he was. Leila waited on the sidelines, not being a part of the whole conversation. She had never felt out of place with Jerome before, but with so many angels gathered, she felt decidedly human.
“So he’s human now?” Lucia asked after she had heard the few pieces of information they knew.
“It appears so,” Jerome answered. “But we cannot deal with that right now. We will need to make it right, but first we need to restore the council. What news do you bring?”
Lucia grinned. “I did everything you told me to. We are all ready and awaiting your signal.”
Jerome sighed with relief, unsure whether the news made him more nervous or relieved. It was really about to happen, he was about to either fail or succeed. He didn’t want to think of the outcome either way, the finish line was too far away to be visible quite yet.
“Let’s get moving then,” Jerome replied with certainty in his voice. He looked around at the faces surrounding him in turn. They were all staring at him for instructions, all awaiting his leadership. It was frightening.
“I’ll meet you there,” Lucia said, still nodding as she vanished.
Jerome didn’t waste any time – he couldn’t. “Michael, you’re coming with us.”
“I would expect so.”
“Leila, hold my hand,” Jerome instructed her. She slid her little hand inside his and took a deep breath, it was really happening. With his other hand, Jerome gripped Michael’s arm. He now knew there was only one way to get them to the village and he had to be holding them to make it work.
The trio flashed to the angel realm, waiting for the bright white light to leave them before opening their eyes. They found themselves in the living room of the hostel. Alexander was waiting for them, expecting their presence.
All he saw was Michael and Leila. Fearing something was wrong, Alexander panicked. “Where’s Jerome?” He demanded, keeping his gaze fixated on the human.
“I’m right here,” Jerome said, touching his arm. It made him jump with surprise. “I’m wearing an enchanted pendant so no angel can see me.”
“Well, it’s good to have you back. I got Lucia’s message and everything is ready. You found council member Michael?”
“Benecio erased his memory and took away his wings.”
“Benecio?” Alexander asked in disbelief. He knew the angel wasn’t particularly nice, but that kind of behavior was unspeakable.
“The details are still a bit fuzzy. We’d better get moving before they find out about Leila,” Jerome replied. “Michael, do you want to stay here?”
Michael looked indignant, pulling himself up to his full height. “Of course I’m not just going to wait here. I want to confront Benecio and get some answers. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when he sees me.”
“Fair enough,” he shrugged, he doubted whether he could stop him even if he wanted to. The man might not have wings, but Jerome was unsure about his other powers. For all he knew, his strength might exceed his own. “Alexander, is everyone here ready and prepared?”
“They are. Can I have a word before we leave?” Alexander nodded towards the hallway. He couldn’t see his friend’s reaction so he strained to hear an answer.
“Sure.” Jerome gripped his arm as they left the others for the quiet corridor. “What’s wrong?”
“Are you certain it’s a good idea letting Michael come with us? He is a member of the council, he might not appreciate us taking them down.”
“He doesn’t know what we are planning and I think he is more interested in Benecio than the rest of the council. He’s not the angel he was before,” Jerome explained. He didn’t think one council member would be able to thwart their plans, but he wasn’t going to say as much for fear of sounding overly confident. But Michael wasn’t a threat, Jerome was sure of it.
Alexander took a moment to consider it, running through all the scenarios in his head. Finally, he came to a conclusion. “If you trust him, then that’s good enough for me.”
“Okay then, can you gather everyone in the hostel, there is just one more thing I need to sort out before we leave.”
“Will do,” Alexander nodded, but he hesitated before moving. “I think it goes without saying, my friend, and I know we can do this. But if we don’t manage it, then I want you to know how much I have cherished our friendship. I couldn’t-”
Jerome cut him off. “Don’t finish that thought. We are going to be fine and all those things don’t ever need to be said. We know it in our hearts.”
Alexander took a deep breath and left him, heading up the stairs to start rounding up the troops. Jerome headed straight for Leila. He may not need to speak of any feelings with his best friend, but he did need to get something off his chest with the human.
“Leila, come with me,” he directed, grabbing her hand before she could refuse. He led her through to the bathroom, the only place free from listening ears.
“I know what I have to do, we’ve gone ove
r it a thousand times,” Leila assured him as he closed the door behind them.
“That’s not what I want to talk about.”
“Then what?”
“I have no idea what is going to happen once we step outside the hostel,” Jerome started seriously. “But I know I can’t leave without telling you something first.”
Leila could hear her heart beating in her ears, her chest was tight with anticipation. She didn’t even dare guess what he was about to say. She stayed silent, waiting for him to speak.
“I love you, Leila, and I know you don’t feel the same way but I had to tell you. I couldn’t walk away from you today without you knowing. You are the most special person in the world and I need you to know that.”
Leila was shocked at such an open confession. She didn’t need her memory to know he had never said that before. He wouldn’t have been so nervous about it. She didn’t know what to say in response.
“I know you have Reece and I don’t expect you to return my feelings, but you had to know.”
“I broke up with Reece,” Leila finally replied.
Jerome held his breath, unsure if he had heard right or what it could mean. He didn’t know what to say, all his words had evaporated out of his head. Finally, he thought of the only two he knew: “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, I never loved him like I do you.” She looked up into his blue eyes, they locked for the first time since they entered the room. There were so many other things she wanted to tell him, but the time wasn’t right. Anything more confessed would just sound forced due to the dire situation. She didn’t want her words to be tainted.
Neither did Jerome, he had heard the words he needed to most. There was just one thing left to do. He took a step closer to her, closing the gap between them. With one swift movement, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply. Their first kiss had been reserved, fearful of stepping over the line. Not this one, Jerome kissed her passionately, letting the last six months of longing free. She stroked his wings at his back, sending tingles shooting through him.
Neither wanted to let go, not even needing to gasp for air could tear them apart. Jerome kissed her jaw, her neck, her forehead. Each one radiated warmth through her skin. It felt like nothing else mattered and what was about to happen wouldn’t eventuate.
But it did matter and definitely would happen. Jerome finally released her, missing the feel of her body against his already. “We should get going, they’ll be waiting,” he muttered.
Her heart was pounding so hard she thought it might jump through her chest. She needed to catch her breath, taking deep gasps for air.
Yet there was one thing worrying her, something she couldn’t shake off so easily. “Can I ask you a question before we leave?” He nodded for her to continue. “Is there anything going on between you and Lucia? You seem… friendly. I don’t want to be all crazy and jealous and everything, but I just need to know.”
“We used to date,” Jerome confessed. He didn’t realize they were doing anything that Leila would notice. “I was with her when my family was killed. After that, I pushed her away, I couldn’t handle anyone being close to me. I didn’t even speak with Alexander for some time. I didn’t want to be with anyone – ever again. Until I met you.”
Leila just nodded in response. Her question was answered and she knew she could trust every word he said. She wasn’t competing with the angel, she was just a part of his past. And everyone had a past.
Jerome led the way back through the living room to the front door, Leila followed close behind. Alexander had gathered all the other angels that resided in the hostel. They couldn’t see Jerome but they knew he was there.
He turned to face everyone, knowing they would recognize his voice. “What we are about to start cannot be stopped. If you do not wish to do this, then now is the time to back out. You will not be disgraced for following your heart.”
Everyone waited, looking at each other to see if anyone was going to retreat back to their rooms. Nobody moved, they all stood there, staring at the door where they assumed Jerome was, and waited for it to begin.
“Okay then, let’s do this,” Jerome announced. “Let Leila through.” The angels parted to allow the human through to the front door. They looked at her curiously, but never said a word about her presence there. They all knew she was vital to the plan, just as Lucia had explained.
The two of them stood facing the door, nerves and adrenaline coursing through their bodies. Right then and there, it was the time they had waited for. Everything would change the moment the door opened.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jerome asked. “You can still change your mind and leave. I mean it, we can find another way.”
Leila smiled up at him. “I’m okay, Jerome, I have faith.”
He wanted to smother her with kisses right away but couldn’t. She had said the magic words and it was enough to restore his faith a thousand times over.
“Good luck,” he whispered.
“I don’t need luck, I’ve got a guardian angel.” She glanced at him once more before turning the doorknob. She stepped out into the village, making all hell break loose.
CHAPTER 18
Leila didn’t look back. She ran as fast as she could to the right, just as she was told. Everything was exactly how Jerome had described it, she found the road she needed to and continued her sprint.
Suddenly, footsteps pounded behind her. She didn’t waste any energy looking back to see who it was. She pushed herself to run faster to try to outrun them. The success of the entire mission rested on her shoulders, she had to make it.
The footsteps doubled, then tripled, she couldn’t determine how many were now following her. She urged her feet to keep going, ignoring the pain in her side from the exertion. She silently thanked all those hours spent cycling and walking around Aron. If she had a car, she wouldn’t have been able to run half as far as she was.
The road continued for as far as she could see, just like she expected. Her feet pounded on the path, the noises behind pushing her forward.
But it wasn’t enough. Before she knew it, strong hands gripped her from all angles and sent her crashing to the ground. She stood no chance against the strong guards.
Back at the hostel, they couldn’t be permitted to think about Leila’s fate. She was on her own out there. Jerome led the charge, followed by Alexander and the rest of the angels. They stepped out onto the path, for the first time in five days, and turned left.
Charging up the path, more angels emerged from the buildings as they passed. They joined the legion of those determined to get back their village – and their future.
With each new supporter, Jerome’s chest swelled with pride. He had never expected so many of his peers to join him. Young and old, they rallied behind him. Everyone wanted to see change and they were all willing to put themselves in danger to get it.
By the time the council building was in sight, they were hundreds thick. Jerome lifted his pace, knowing they wouldn’t get much of a head start once they were in sight. He anticipated there would be guards but there was no way he could predict how they would react. They had done a good job keeping everyone away from the building when it had been attacked, he hoped it wouldn’t be repeated again now.
Alexander hastened too, causing everyone behind him to follow suit. Lucia, Gabriella, everyone they knew. They charged right to the edge of the council building and didn’t stop.
One by one, the guards swooped on them. Their cries to stop were drowned out by the stomping of feet.
“Let us pass,” Alexander demanded in a loud and steady voice. He had to do the talking considering Jerome was still invisible to all angels. But he wasn’t going to be intimidated by the guards, they were severely outnumbered.
“You are to halt and return back to your homes,” one of the guards screamed. “You are all in breach of the lockdown. If you do not follow my orders you will all be banished.”
Alexander took a
step closer to the guard, staring him right in the eyes. “We are not scared of your threats. You can’t banish us all.”
“Watch me.”
“No, watch us,” Alexander replied to the cheers of the angels behind him. He pushed the guard aside and kept walking towards the entrance.
The guards started attacking. They pushed any angel that was within reaching distance, trying to at least make an example of a few.
But they pushed back. For each angel that was pushed to the ground, so was a guard. They weren’t going to be passive followers any more.
One of the guards grabbed Michael, taking advantage of his diminished strength and pushing him to the ground. He struck his head on the path, leaving him lifeless. Alexander caught a glimpse but knew there was nothing he could do for him. He would heal in time on his own, he had to keep going.
They inched forward slowly, Jerome using his invisibility to catch some of the guards by surprise. Fighting didn’t come naturally to any of the angels but they had to fight back. Using skills they never thought possible, one by one the guards retreated. When it was clear they weren’t going to succeed, every one of the guards stood down.
Boosted by the win, Jerome burst through the council doors. He didn’t slow down or wait for the others, he knew they had their tasks in hand. They all split up, angels going in all different directions once inside.
The sounds of scuffles and yelling carried down the corridor. But Jerome couldn’t listen to them, Alexander would have everything under control. He headed straight for the main meeting room, hoping it would all be intact and didn’t suffer from the fire. He didn’t have a plan B, instead just putting his faith in plan A.
Jerome didn’t realize so much of the building had been destroyed in the fire. As he walked down the corridors, great chunks of the rooms were just lying in cinders on the floor. Their roofs caved in and exposed to the elements. The entire place was a mess.
He pushed through the heavy doors to the meeting room, telling himself it would be okay if some of it was destroyed, he would make it work. No matter what happened, they had come there to finish something and it was going to happen – destroyed building or not.
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