Eternity (Wings of War Book 4)

by Karen Ann Hopkins

  “You are a soulless Demon. If my Father gets His way, you will suffer an eternity of pain for your sins. But if we succeed, you will be a revered member of my court. I will give you everything your heart desires. But first, you must kill the Watcher girl. She is your enemy. She stands in the way of your true salvation,” Samael whispered to me. “Do it. Do it now.”

  I screamed and swung the sword.

  CHAPTER 33

  EMBER

  Sawyer’s wail made me dare to look. There was a whoosh of wind in my face, as the blade passed over my head and flew through the air with a hissing sound.

  Samael’s eyes widened but he wasn’t quick enough. The sword pierced his chest and he fell backward onto his own writhing soldiers. His bellow reached over the river and onto the shore. Hell beasts scurried away from the flapping black wings, knocking against each other and sending others jumping into the water.

  Sawyer’s eyes were brown once again and his features softened, returning to their former handsomeness. Tears trailed over his cheeks as he held out his hand.

  I didn’t hesitate and grabbed for it.

  I was once again in the protection of his glorious arms. His black hair tickled the sides of my face when he said, “You are my love and my life.”

  Sawyer’s lips touched mine and my Fire awakened, giving me the strength to cling to him.

  I drew in a shaky breath. “You killed Samael.”

  His hand pressed into my stomach. “I did it for our family,” he groaned into my ear.

  He stepped back and a red stain spread across his shirt. The gleaming end of a blade stuck out of his chest.

  I screamed and covered the wound with my own hand, pushing my Gaia into him. His mouth lifted in a slight smile as he buckled forward. Preston rushed over to catch him, and helped me lower him to the ground.

  The sword had entered his back and sliced through his heart. My Gaia couldn’t help him because he was already dead.

  Samael’s maniacal laughter spun me around. There was a slash in his white shirt and blue blood stained it, but his wound had already healed.

  “I’m immortal, love. A simple sword blade cannot kill the Prince of Darkness.”

  His words meant nothing. Sawyer had saved me again, and died for it. Insepth was gone, and Eae and Cricket, too. Timmy embraced Chloe and creatures crawled over them. Uriel and Raphael hadn’t come to save us. And neither had God.

  All was lost.

  Maddie placed Faith in my arms. The baby stopped crying and gazed up at me with an open mouth. I brought her against my heart and held her tightly as Preston stepped in front of us.

  “I might not have superhuman powers or wings, but dammit, you’re not going to kill my friends or this baby!” he shouted at Samael.

  Samael’s black wings unfurled and he smiled. “Don’t worry little man. I won’t kill them for a long time. Death would be too easy.”

  A familiar screech vibrated in the sky and I lifted my face to the sound. Something like fire streaked through the clouds and my insides were awakened.

  “It can’t be…” Samael hissed.

  He took flight, and just as his feet left the ground, he was snatched out of the sky.

  Chumana’s claws held him tightly and she dove into the abyss that led directly to Hell. An explosion of smoke followed her decent. The creatures dropped where they were, their distorted features changing back to human forms, and the Hell beasts and three-headed hounds exploded into puffs of black dust. The dark particles streamed back into the hole that was caving in before my very eyes.

  The rock bridge that Insepth had created was breaking apart. The river rose, reclaiming its banks. Preston grabbed my hand and tugged me along with Maddie. I held onto Faith and searched the place where Timmy and Chloe had been. I saw a hand reach out from beneath the pile of now ordinary bodies, covered in tattered clothing.

  “There!” I shouted, stopping Preston.

  He saw the hand too, and went to it, pushing the dead away. Timmy scampered up, pulling Chloe with him.

  I met Timmy’s relieved gaze, and when he saw that I held Faith in my arms, his face brightened.

  “No time!” Preston urged us forward, helping Timmy carry Chloe over the rocks.

  Maddie clutched my arm and together we stumbled toward shore. I glanced over my shoulder just as a wave took Sawyer’s and Insepth’s bodies away.

  The baby in my arms and the friend holding onto me were the only things keeping me from turning back. The river rose, carrying away corpses and wreckage, and putting out the many fires with a sizzle. Timmy hoisted Chloe onto the bank, and Preston offered his hand to Maddie, who grasped it.

  The rising flood caught my legs and knocked me under. I tightened my hold on Faith, lifting her up to keep her above water. I called on my Tempest, but felt nothing at all. It was as if it wasn’t there anymore.

  The giant hole that Chumana had plunged into had been was completely covered by the fast moving river.

  Panic clenched my stomach as I struggled to stay afloat in the current. I heard a splash and I bumped into something. Hot breath snorted at the back of my head. I reached out and grasped Cricket’s mane. Her strong muscles worked hard to go against the flow of the water as we inched closer to shore.

  Before we reached the bank, Timmy jumped into the river and met us. He held onto me and Faith as Cricket pulled us the rest of the way to safety.

  When we made it to shore, I handed Faith to Timmy and leaned against Cricket, my arms slipping around her neck. She nickered and touched her nose to the side of my head.

  Are you all right, girl? I thought I had lost you. Where are the Horsemen? I implored with my mind, but there was only silence as a reply. I pulled back and looked into the horse’s large brown eye. Can you hear me, Cricket? Talk to me! Again, only silence.

  I reached for my Gaia and there was nothing. I shuddered and grasped at the Fire.

  My heart pounded in my ears. There was only emptiness in the place where my elements had been. It was different than when the Watchers had used their combined powers to sever my connection to the elements. That time I’d still felt the powers just beyond my grasp. This time there was nothing at all, as if they’d never even existed.

  Sunbeams sliced through the clouds and onto the still smoldering city in long, brilliant streaks. Other than the buzzing sound of helicopters overhead, everything was quiet. There weren’t any strange storms or Angels zipping around. It was just an ordinary sky. A cool, misty breeze lifted from the river and I inhaled. It carried with it the scent of life.

  A hand closed around mine and I looked up.

  “He hasn’t abandoned us after all,” Maddie said.

  Her usually perfectly styled black, shiny hair was a complete mess, and the side of her face was bruised. Dried blood smeared her arm and her clothes were torn in many places, but she was smiling broadly.

  I hesitated, not sure what to say. In the end, Sawyer had saved me, but he’d died in the process. And so had Insepth and many others.

  I should have been relieved that it was over at last, but I wasn’t. A dragon had saved us, not God.

  Faith’s cry snapped my head sideways. Chloe was sitting up with the baby in her lap and Timmy was beside her. My brother and his wife were teary-eyed and sniffing as they stared down at their baby, born during the Apocalypse. The heavy weight in my chest lifted at the sight.

  Not far behind my family were the three children Eae had rescued. The littlest girl was in Preston’s arms. Emily held his hand and Joey was talking, motioning at things with sweeping gestures. Eae was nowhere to be found.

  People began to appear in the street, walking in small, dazed-looking groups. The wonderfully familiar sound of sirens filled the air. The river had washed away most of the carnage, but there were still bodies lying around. It seemed that the humans that had been transformed into spiderlike creatures, returned to normal when Chumana took Samael away. But they were still dead. The Hell beasts had turned to dust and follo
wed their master back to Hell. I wondered how history would retell what had happened here. I wasn’t sure myself. At that moment, it just felt like a really bad dream.

  I caught a glimpse of a ball of light. It danced above the rubble, and then darted behind the debris of the collapsed bridge.

  “I need a moment alone,” I told Maddie.

  Her brows raised and her hand stopped me. “Are you okay?”

  I forced a smile. “I’m fine. It’s just a lot to absorb—you know?” I lifted my chin in Preston’s direction. “I think he can use your help with those kids.”

  Maddie followed my gaze and nodded. When she looked back at me, there was sadness in her eyes. “I’m sorry about your friends, Ember. They sacrificed their lives for you—they wanted you to live.”

  She squeezed my hand and then walked away. I marveled at her ability to understand so well. Not so long ago, I had thought she was just an ordinary teenager. Now I knew why she’d been chosen to be a Scribe. The world would know what happened here because of her and Preston. They’d tell the story like it was.

  I climbed up and over the twisted metal and chunks of pavement, causing fresh cuts on my legs and arms. I barely noticed though, as I made my way down to the water’s edge. If I craned my neck, I could just see the tops of the tallest buildings and I could still hear sirens and the muffled calls of people in the distance. But in the shadow of the collapsed bridge, I was alone.

  Bumps rose on my arms and a shiver raced up my spine. The sun brightened and I had to shield my eyes with my hand. I heard the flap of wings and felt cool wind on my face before I saw anything.

  My heart pounded and I held my breath, squinting to see.

  “Who’s there?” I whispered into the light.

  “It is I, your guardian Angel.”

  “Eae?”

  “Yes, child. My wings have been restored.”

  The light dimmed enough that I could finally see him. Eae stood before me with his cool gray wings unfurled and spread wide. He wore a white tunic with a golden belt. His body glowed with a radiance that was almost blinding. And he was grinning.

  “How did this happen?” I murmured.

  “I chose to help the children and you. Even when all hope was lost, I kept faith in the Lord.”

  “He gave you your wings back?”

  Eae’s smile deepened. “And my first task was to bring this one from the water. His light was not completely distinguished and I was able to breathe life back into his body.”

  I followed Eae’s gaze. A hard lump formed in my throat and tears welled in my eyes. Insepth lay beneath the Angel. His eyes were closed and his lips were parted.

  “What about Sawyer?” I struggled the words out and met the Angel’s sympathetic expression.

  “That one I could not save. It was not his destiny to walk alongside you.” Eae tilted his head and his voice softened. “But he earned salvation, and I’m here to bring him Home.”

  Eae stepped aside and the fog thinned, revealing Ila. Her gray hair was piled up neatly in a bun and her hand rested on Riley’s head. She smiled, but I dragged my gaze from her to search deeper into the mist.

  The haze separated and Sawyer stepped up. He was a ghost, like Ila, and I knew that if I ran into his arms, I’d pass right through him. I kept my feet rooted in place and stared.

  “Thank you for saving me, Ember,” he said.

  “But you died for me.” My lips shook.

  The side of his mouth lifted. “My soul was saved because of your love. That love broke through the spell that bound me to Samael. You gave me a reason to believe.”

  I covered my mouth with both hands, swallowing down the tears with a quivering gulp.

  “You’re a strong girl, Ember. You’ll be fine, even without the magical elements. I’ll take care of Sawyer—he won’t be alone,” Ila said.

  “Are they really gone?”

  “I’m afraid so, my dear. It’s all part of the reconstruction. Change can be good, and you have many more adventures awaiting you.”

  “It’s time for me to take them Home,” Eae said.

  Eae’s wings stretched wide, blowing my hair back. “Wait don’t go, Eae. I have more questions!” I shouted.

  “My time of walking by your side in this world has come to an end. But remember, I am always here, watching over you.”

  The three forms faded and the breeze began to carry them away.

  I ran into the cool mist, reaching for Sawyer. “Wait, please, Sawyer. You said we were a family—what did you mean?”

  He chuckled on the wind. “Soon enough, you’ll understand. As far as your magic is concerned, if anyone can work a miracle, it’s you,” Sawyer’s voice touched my mind, like the brush of a butterfly’s wings.

  Riley barked and there was the sound of flapping wings. The wind that touched my face was warm and sweet smelling, sending tingles across my skin.

  When they left, I expected the air to turn normal again, but the world was still swallowed with shimmering eternal brightness.

  I spotted a dark figure through the blurry light and I followed it, stretching my legs to catch up.

  “Stop! Who are you?” I shouted, breaking into a run when I thought the form would get away.

  My feet squished into wet grass and the light dimmed, changing into the fog of a rainy afternoon. I stopped and looked around. Tombstones and old trees surrounded me. I know this place.

  There was a monument close by, and I recognized my parents’ names engraved on it. Raindrops splashed down harder and I wiped my eyes, swallowing hard.

  “Are you so very surprised by who I Am?”

  I turned slowly and faced the being who had spoken.

  He was an old man, dressed completely in black except for a small square patch of white on his collar. He was standing under the thick branches of an ancient maple tree. Drips of water fell from the priest’s black hat, one by one, the same as they did the day of my parent’s funeral when I’d met him for the first time. It was the day my story began.

  “Father Palano—what are you doing here?”

  CHAPTER 34

  EMBER

  The priest smiled, tilting his head. “Do you remember what I told you the last time I saw you?”

  A ray of sunlight cut through the clouds, landing on Father Palano. I shivered and my mouth was dry. “You told me that I was good, that there was light in me, and that I had a choice.”

  His head bobbed and his eyes lit up. “Yes, that’s right. All of My children have choices.” His smile thinned. “Sometimes they follow the path of goodness, and other times, they wander down a dark road.”

  “Your children?”

  His gentle smile returned. “Nature and all its creatures. Angels. Mankind. Watchers. Growlers, dragons and even Demons. They’re all My children.”

  A dozen questions flashed through my mind, but the only thing I managed to say was, “Where have You been?”

  The rain stopped and a breeze rustled the wet leaves. The grass was dappled where the sun came through the tree branches. I inhaled the fresh air slowly and stared at His wrinkled face.

  He chuckled. “I’ve been here all along—watching and waiting.”

  My courage grew, along with my curiosity, and my heartbeat quickened. “Waiting for what?”

  “To see what you would do.”

  “Me? Why would my actions matter at all?”

  He tipped his hat back, revealing a bit more of His still handsome features. “My child, you were the result of Uriel’s poor choice and defiance.” His bushy white brows scrunched. “I thought that because of My first children’s sins, your kind would not have survived. But they did, becoming separate beings—different from Angels and men. I waited to see if balance would be restored without My direct intervention. But with your kind’s evolution, the world became more unstable. And then you were born. A being that could wield all four elements, something akin to the Angels.”

  I felt sick. “All the horror and death is because
I was born?”

  He shook His head. “No, child. Samael rose up and unleashed Hell on earth because of the choices made by Angels, Watchers, and men over the course of thousands of years. You were simply the catalyst to their whimsy. Your birth tilted the balance too far toward a world of magic—and that I couldn’t have.”

  Anger pumped through my veins. I remembered Oldport and my human friends—Lindsay, Randy, and Colby—and their terrible deaths. “So You let the Devil go on a killing rampage?”

  His brow lifted, but His face remained relaxed and friendly. “Samael has been returned to Hell and the walls have been sealed. His time on earth is over.”

  “Yeah, because of Chumana,” I retorted.

  The wind gusted and leaves took flight, spraying into the air. I felt hot breath on the back of my neck and looked over my shoulder.

  Chumana dropped her head to my eye level. Her red scales rippled when she mind spoke. Little one, you speak unfairly to our Creator. It was He who instructed me to capture the Dark Lord and return him to his prison.

  I reached up and placed my hand on her leathery forehead. She closed her eyes and leaned into me. The vibrations of her drumming trill soothed my mind and spirit.

  I’m glad you did what you did, but you should have killed the devil, I told her with my mind. I glanced at Father Palano, not too worried that He would strike me down for my thoughts. If he’s imprisoned, he could break free again someday.

  It was the Father who answered. “That is true. But balance had to be restored. In order to have goodness, there must be evil.”

  I looked up at the dragon. But He let your kind be destroyed by Angels and men. Why do you listen to Him at all?

  Her laughter rattled my head. My kind were not perfect. There were those among us who caused mischief in the world. The war between us was not one sided, like some wars.

  Her admission made me stand straighter, and I looked back at God. “Why are You disguised as a priest?”

  His smile spread. “You couldn’t even comprehend My true form, so I visited you in a way that your simple mind could relate to.”