“Jack,” I grumble, my voice horse. “Please, stop pacing. You’re giving me a headache.”
He peaks inside the door, my arms wrapped around my bare legs with my cheek resting on my knees as I stare at the wall across from the bathroom’s entrance. I can’t look at him. The water of my bath swirls with the remnants of Darkness from my skin. His voice is gentle, “Are you ok?”
I don’t answer. What kind of question is that? Of course, I’m not ok. None of this is ok. I slaughtered innocent people. What are the Originals going to do to me?
“Ivy?”
I burst into tears, heaving and shaking with the remorse and shame of my heinous iniquities. What kind of person am I? Where do I go from here? My heart is destroyed. No. It’s my soul.
Jack ambles to the side of the tub and turns his back to me as he slides to the cold floor. He pulls his knees up, letting his arm drape over them. He’s silent as I break down. There’s nothing you can say to fix what I’ve become… A killer… A murderer.
Hours later, I’m wallowing alone beneath the covers of my bed. I can’t find the courage to face anyone, especially my father. My door opens, and I recognize Alice’s gait as she approaches the opposite side of the bed and climbs on top of the covers beside me, her weight barely registering in the springs of the mattress. I hold my breath. No, Alice. I can’t face you now.
Her arms embrace me from behind, holding me tight against her. I sob with convulsions. She says nothing, pulling me more firmly against her body. Her fingers trail through my hair. She kisses my temple and lets me cry until I have no tears left. I mumble, my voice cracking, “I’m so sorry.”
Alice squeezes me once, “Turn over.” I do as she says, staying within the safety of the covers. She strokes my hair, “We love you.”
I choke on my weeping. “How? How can you still care about me after what I did?”
Her hands stop on my cheek. “That wasn’t you. The Darkness can turn you into the most atrocious monster. You have no control over it.”
“I knew what I was doing.”
“But the Darkness confines your morals. It wasn’t you. You were not the Ivy we all know and love. This—who you are right now—This is the real Ivy.” I nod a few times, not able to acknowledge her judgment. She continues to soothe me, stroking my hair back. “Why’d you do it? Why did you make a deal with Lucifer?”
I inhale a deep breath, letting it go slowly. I squeeze my eyes shut, “He showed me his collection, threatened to do the same to all of you, and I couldn’t let that happen. He said he needed my help to restructure Sheol. He said he was losing control of the Fallen. It was only supposed to be until I fixed everything for him. He was going to let me go.”
I open my eyes. Her eyebrows pull together, “What collection?”
My gaze bounces between her eyes, “He collects wings of Light… They’re displayed like butterflies pinned to a board.”
Her eyes widen, then she shakes her head. “He never would’ve let you go. He knows, once you let the Darkness in, you never want to leave. He deceived you, and took full advantage of your sentiments for us.”
There’s a knock on the door, and Cassius enters. He falters with his hand on the doorknob as he sees us, “Oh… I’m sorry.”
He turns back to leave, and I sit up, “No. Cass, wait.”
He freezes, looking back over his shoulder, “I didn’t mean to interrupt…whatever you’re doing.”
Alice bursts out laughing. It chimes in the air with light enchantment, like hearing a baby laugh for the first time. It brings a small smile to my face. She scoots from the bed, “Don’t worry Cass. Neither of us swings that way.” Genuine laughter bubbles from my chest. Alice walks past him, patting him on the shoulder, “I’ll let you two talk.” Alice closes the door behind her, and Cass turns to me with pity in his gray eyes.
“How’s Beck?” I hasten.
Cass remains at the door, “He’s fine now. He’s left The Keep for a few days, but he’ll be back soon.”
“Where did he go?” I wonder.
“After what Telly did to him… He felt it was urgent to see Becky. Take a break from everything. He left a few hours ago.”
I deflate, “Oh.” I wanted to see him with my own eyes. I focus on my hands as I pick at my fingernails. I swallow before revealing, “Telly wasn’t real. She was an illusion.”
His tone deepens, “That’s not possible. We all saw her.”
I shake my head, facing him, “That’s not what I mean. Telly wasn’t Telly at all. It was Lucifer, disguising himself as Telly.”
“The Devil was here?” he laments.
I nod, “You were all right not to trust her… Him… Whatever.”
“That’s…”
“Insane,” I finish for him.
“Right,” he replies distantly. “Well, I just wanted to come check on you. And Camael asked me to let you know the rest of the Originals are on their way. They will be here by nightfall.”
My stomach clenches with fear. “Ok. Thanks for letting me know… And for checking on me.”
I rush to make myself presentable once Cassius leaves, then take a deep breath and find my father in the Throne Room. Michael, Camael, and three strange men surround him. The Originals.
Michael greets me first, “Ivy. We hear there has been quite the commotion around here these days.”
My heart pounds in my chest. There’s a broad man with deep brown eyes, his dark hair framing his glare at me. What do I do?
He continues, “Glad to have you back with us.”
What? That’s it? No reprimand? No Bastille? No flogging of any kind?
He presents behind him, “This is Gabriel.” Gabriel inclines his blonde head towards me in greeting, then meets my nervous smile with his bright blue eyes. Michael indicates the next man with the same blue shine to his irises and hair so blonde it’s almost white, “This is Raphael.” Raphael inclines his head to me, a grin playing on his lips. Michael lets his hand fall to his side as he introduces the more indignant angel, “And this is Merrick. He is a Dominion and has insisted on joining us to monitor your progress.”
Shit.
I muster up the softest smile I can, “It’s nice to finally meet you all.” I look to Merrick, “Thank you for coming, Merrick. And thank you for allowing Jack to stay in my life. Without him, I don’t know where I would be.”
He fumes, “You have some nerve. If it were up to me, you wouldn’t be on the surface anymore. Yet, Michael has the ultimate say, and you will remain here for the duration of your training.”
I steel myself, my inner defiant child rearing its head, “What is it that I’m to train for anyway? All this time and no one has thought to enlighten me on what it is you, exactly, expect me to do.”
Raphael glances to Michael with amusement, and Michael nods with the roll of his eyes. Raphael addresses me, “You are the prophecy. You are Death. The end of the end.”
“Yes, I’ve heard. But what does that even mean?”
Gabriel lifts his head in pride, “You are the one who will war with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse…and will defeat them.” My eyes widen with disbelief and terror. He adds, “They are War, Pestilence, Famine, and Death. You have already proven yourself by defeating one of the four.”
My countenance contorts in confusion. Michael enlightens me, “You are Death, Ivy, and you have overcome the Darkness within.”
My mind fades, revolving around a single thought. I’m a Horseman of the Apocalypse?
My father offers to show them their new quarters within The Keep, but Ezra stops Michael in the corridor, “Michael?” He stays behind as the others leave, and I eavesdrop as the weight of my responsibility pushes down on me. “May I speak with you?” Ezra asks.
“What is it?” Michael’s tone with Ezra is more firm than the one he uses with me.
Ezra lowers his voice, “There have been some events in Sydney that have been brought to my attention. I would like to request for time in my coun
try to investigate further before I confirm my suspicions.”
Michael queries, “What are your theories?”
Ezra is silent a moment, and I imagine him squirming beneath Michael’s observation. “Do you remember the incident with the Visari?”
“I do.”
“It’s very similar.”
Michael sounds alarmed, “That is impossible. Yes. Leave at once and report back as soon as you know for sure.”
As they part ways, Solas and Jack join my side from the dungeons, sandwiching me between them. We focus ahead of us, not looking to each other. I know they’ve been listening to my conversation with the Originals. “So…” I drawl. “You heard that?”
They each respond, “Yes.”
“I couldn’t have done it without either of you.”
Solas expresses, “You will have a long journey ahead of you.”
Jack and Solas look to each other over my head. Jack declares, “And we’re not going anywhere.” My head turns between them, looking for an answer, and they smile down at me tenderly.
Epilogue
Lucifer
That insolent child! Lilith should have let The Supreme have her! How dare she break a blood oath! To me, no less! I gave her a safe place—freedom from the tyranny of the Light! I gave her Beleth’s position in my court! And what does she do? I cannot wait to get my hands on her. She believes my son showed her pain? I will make her beg for forgiveness, then she will beg for death!
My remaining Duke’s footfalls echo as they enter the battle arena. I stand from the perch of my throne to address them, my eyes blazing with my fury. Uriel addresses me first as he is the highest Duke within the court, “You summoned us, My Liege?”
I inform them, “The Princess has broken her blood oath. I will not tolerate such betrayal.”
Roman scowls at the news, “I knew we should not have trusted her.”
“Silence!” I demand, throwing my sinister wings wide in dominance.
Mephistopheles requests, “What would you have us do?”
My true voice reverberates with its resonance of many tones, “I want her wings!” The Dukes look to each other in assessment. “Whosoever brings me her wings, I will reward them with her deserted position as First Duke!”
This garners their attention. Logan’s eyes spark to life, “Do you care for what means they come by?”
My harsh, raucous voice thunders throughout the arena, “By any means necessary.”
Acknowledgments
To my family and close friends who have filled my heart with love and joy, thank you for being a part of my life. You are the very best part.
A big thank you to my mother for the drive she’s given me for the tenacity of life.
A heartfelt thank you to my PA, Lisa. Without you, my mind would be jumbled, and Gilded Inferno would be held back.
To my Beta Team and Street Team for falling in love with The Helio World and always showing your support.
To my editor, Kiri, I would be lost without you. Thank you for all that you do in between your hectic life. I cherish your brutal honesty, especially with a glass of wine.
For Tony Ingram, thank you for your culinary skills and Big T's Sloppin' Sauce!
And lastly to my co-conspirator, Aaron Speer, you have been my muse throughout the Gilded Inferno journey. You’re my favorite Aussie, and I’m glad you are part of my tribe.
THANK YOU FOR READING!
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Vermilion Horizon
The Helio Trilogy
Book 3
VALERIE ROESELER
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, businesses, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental.
Vermilion Horizon
Copyright © 2017 Valerie Roeseler
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Published by Valerie Roeseler
Editing by Kiri Roeseler
Cover Design by Valerie Roeseler
Cover Photography by Igor Igorevich
Layout by Valerie Roeseler
www.valerieroeseler.com
ISBN-13: 978-1544967899
ISBN-10: 1544967896
AISN: B06XVWX3J6
First Edition: 2017
To myself and anyone else who has struggled with perfection and finding their place in this world. You were not created to be a perfect being. Your flaws, faults, and mistakes have shaped you into the being you were meant to be. don’t let anyone make you think you are any less because of them. It is because of them that you are more. They are your scars. They are your beauty and strength.
Embrace them.
You are perfectly imperfect.
Prologue
When Light meets Darkness in the illusion of captivation, a being of Divine creation will emerge with the mark of Death. The scales will shift in the wake of their trials. Darkness will cloud their path, yet their strength will surpass the evil within.
Blood will fall from the sky, tremors will crack the ground, and The Creator’s children will weep in fear. All will know the coming of the Horsemen for their enemy. The final battle will be fought on corpse-riddled earth.
The only hope for humanity will face both the iniquities of Sheol and the relentless truth that victory cannot be achieved unaided.
The end of the end will come, and the wind will whisper the warrior’s name on a vermilion horizon;
Teloch.
Chapter 1
Pain is subjective. Temporary. Yet the affliction resonates in your bones, relentless to let you forget. My guilt will follow me in the shadows, a disgrace hanging over my head. All the pain and destruction I’ve caused will remain a stain on the hearts of people I care about and people I’ve never met whose family, friends, and lovers I’ve murdered. Their blood is on my hands. There’s no coming back from that. It has changed me forever. My arrogance, to make my own destructive decisions, without heeding advice, has buried me deeper in shame. I know I can’t go on like this. I’ll have to let the Originals do what they came to do: guide me on the journey of my destiny.
There’s only one aspect of my life I will keep control of: my heart. This may be the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make. I never wanted to hurt them. Prolonging a decision is only hurting them further. Jack and Solas deserve so much more from me.
At the peak of The Keep’s mountain, I can finally be alone with my thoughts. No more distractions from sidelong glances. No pressure from being in Jack and Solas’ presence. The waves swell and crash against the rocks at the base of the cliff below The Common, mirroring the ache in my chest, my heart, and my soul. We are untamed and unforgiving in our course. The sun shines brightly, kissing my skin with its warmth and contradicting the brisk wind whipping my hair into tangles behind me. I consider how selfish I’m being by letting my love life take precedence over the fate of humanity, but I can’t think straight with the weight of the torture I’m putting them through.
How do you choose between two perfectly imperfect beings? While Jack keeps me calm, Solas has a way of soothing my soul. Any choice I make will destroy one of them. There was a time Jack planned on asking me to marry him. When I found out, it was all I wanted. He gave me a sense of family and changed me from being a reckless young girl to a determined woman. Solas doubts he’s part of my destiny, yet he’s been my rock when I doubted myself and my anchor of assurance in my perseverance. Then, there’s the fact that Jack fought to come back to me from Paradise. Solas has only left me, and I feel like I had to guilt him into coming back to the surface from Sheol with me. Is he miserable here? Does he want to leave? Should I let him? I’m constantly telling them
I want to be free to make my own choices. How can I ask him to stay if that’s not what he wants?
I need to clear my head. I can’t do that while Jack and Solas are constantly pressuring me for an answer. Well, Jack. Solas has been quiet, and I wonder if there’s even a decision to be made.
What if he doesn’t love me the same way anymore?
My heart breaks with the thought of losing him. I think about Jack leaving, and I feel the same.
This isn’t going to be easy.
The last few days, since the Original Archangels arrived to mentor me, have been tense between Jack, Solas, and me. I told them I needed time to myself. A bomb has been dropped on me. Not only do I have to prepare to fight the remaining three Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but I’ve learned I defeated one just days ago. It couldn’t have been accomplished without the love of my friends because that Horseman was Death. It was me.
Merrick, the Dominion angel from Paradise, hasn’t made things any easier. He’s constantly lurking over me. Just as he is now. “Find what you’re looking for, Merrick?”
His deep voice is rich with petulance as he comes to stand behind me, “I have not decided.” It prickles my skin. Not in the same manner as the presence of demons. This is an unnerving intrusion of personal space. It’s accompanied by a flicker of pulsating waves in my core; a sign of angelic company.
The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3 Page 70
