The Helio Trilogy: Volumes 1-3

by Valerie Roeseler

  Ashford shies back, “It destroys the essence of any being of Light or Darkness.”

  I coax, “And how do you know that?”

  His brows converge is confusion, “Because we watched you use it on Ryker the day the First Duke of Sheol had you battle him in this room.”

  My lips quirk. “You’re right.” My eyes travel the room, “Did you know I could do more than what you’ve seen?”

  Others begin to answer.

  “You have Second Sight!”

  “You can heal!”

  “You can see!”

  I search for the voice to the last claim, “Who said that I can see?” The room parts and a fair-haired man with a deep dimple in his chin is revealed. I prompt him, “What do you mean that I can see?”

  The warrior explains, “You can see into our essences and tell if we belong to Sheol or Paradise.”

  I admit, “Yes, I can.” The conversation seems to be putting them on edge. I realize they believe a culling to be in order and begin to backtrack. “I’m asking you these things because there has been a recent development to my abilities. Each of you has stood up for me since I first arrived and have been loyal to the core. Not one of you has given me a reason to believe you wish for anything more. I want to thank you. What I’m about to offer you is not a requirement, and I want you to answer with your heart.”

  The sense of dread gives way to excitement. I take a deep breath and motion to Beck, “Beckett, will you join me up here?”

  Ever the egotistical show-off, he marches up the steps as if to claim the Throne of The Keep for himself. He faces The Gray Legion with a cocky grin.

  I backhand him across the chest playfully, “Stop strutting around like that.” I point at him, “You are not a peacock.”

  His lips tighten as he fights the laughter, though his comeback could not be held back, “I eat peacocks for breakfast.”

  The legion seems appalled by our interaction. I ease, “Beckett is like a brother to me. He has always protected me, and I will always protect him.” Appreciation and adoration fill the room. I divulge, “When my ability of Immortal Pestilence flourished in conjunction with my other abilities, Beckett had the courage to allow me to test them out on him.” I take a step forward out of Beck’s way and give him a nod over my shoulder, “Show them.”

  Beckett pulls his shirt off over his head, dropping it on the floor beside him. He releases his wings from inside his body. They sprout gradually from beneath his shoulder blades, splitting the skin ever so easily as they have done countless times before. He keeps them tucked against his back as they bud. I turn to watch Alice and Eric’s expressions. In an explosion of wind, Beckett throws his wings out proudly. The room gasps at the sight of their beauty. Alice and Eric’s faces morph from content anticipation to awestruck wonder. I imagine their countenances are an exact replica of my own when I had first witnessed Jack’s exquisite wings.

  The sense of reverence in the Throne Room grows into a frenzy of questions about possibilities and consequences. I raise my hands to calm them down, “Please.” The legion stills. “I’ve been assured there will be no ramifications for you. I am offering you a chance to start fresh; a second chance. You know you have never been obligated to remain a part of this legion. If you accept my gift to you, you are not required to leave either.”

  I thank Beck for helping me, and he retreats into the crowd with his siblings. I give the Originals a silent nod, and they take positions before me on the dais, facing the mass of warriors. Raphael addresses the room, “We are here to give our blessing and ensure everything goes smoothly.”

  Camael adds, “If any of you do not want to accept this gift of redemption, you may leave now.”

  It’s nerve-racking, waiting for someone to refuse, but I know there must be some. I profess, “There is no shame in your refusal if you believe in your heart that you should leave. There are some I wished would accept, yet they’ve refused. I support their decision. It was theirs alone to make.”

  The ache in my chest swells with the stillness of the room. A Fallen warrior steps forward, his body rigid with military-like formality. I wait, allowing him to take his time. I see it in his eyes when he makes his decision. He places a fist over his heart from across his broad chest, then takes a knee in a deep bow of respect. When he rises, I give him a slight nod of approval with a tight smile. He pivots away, marching from the Throne Room.

  Sixteen more warriors follow suit. The ache in my chest lessens with each refusal because now I know Solas won’t be alone in his decision. I wonder if those who refused only did so because they realized it was their Chief of Command who refused first. The Gray Legion is as loyal to him as they are to me—if not more so. They respect him. It wouldn’t surprise me if they sacrificed their only chance at redemption for him.

  The doors to the Throne Room seal with a definitive thunder after no one else appears to want to leave. Jack is the first to approach me on the dais, led by the elegant grace of his mother. Evelyn passes his hand from hers to mine as if trusting his essence with me. I smile, grasping both of his hands firmly as he faces me. I bid, “Are you ready?”

  Jack’s million dollar smile flashes. “I’m always ready, Sunshine,” he winks.

  I confess, “I’m glad I can give you back what you lost for me.”

  His smile falters but lingers. “It was worth it.”

  I instruct Jack to focus into my eyes, and my mind plunges into his being. His essence emanates a bright green, the color of tropical waters on the hottest day. As my consciousness nears, it exhibits a display of distress, bouncing erratically as if it doesn’t know if it should be attracted or repelled by me. The situation is a shipwreck waiting to happen. I cease my pursuit, consenting to its need to deem me worthy of its brilliance.

  Instead of using my Darkness to boost my ability, I drive it back. Jack’s Light overpowers the Darkness tainting his essence. It brushes against me like a cat seeking attention, and I reach out to stroke it innocently. As I sweep over his essence, I ease his Darkness away.

  The Darkness slithers over me, searching for a place to call home. I bring my own Darkness forward. They collide flawlessly, sending a spike of chilling tingles through my body.

  I try to release Jack’s hands, but he fortifies his own grip, clutching my hands inside of his. I secure the walls around my mind, eliminating any chance of sending my emotions through Jack or the entire room. An inferno engulfs my senses. I hear the bones in Jack’s hands fracture. My wings expand behind me. I want to fall to the ground in a fit of screams, yet Jack holds me up. My teeth grind against each other as I fight back the sound of my pain.

  Jack’s Darkness yields to my essence, joining its likeness.

  My shakiness is hidden by Jack as he maneuvers me beyond the sight of the legion. Alice rushes the dais, discreetly shoving a protein bar in my hand, “Here. You need this.”

  I devour the powdery tasting chocolate appreciatively. I mumble around the food in my mouth, “I’m going to need a lot more.”

  She offers, “I’ll get more.”

  I chew until the muscles of my jaw threaten to lock up. All the while, Alice stares at me. When I can manage, I garble, “What?”

  “I’ve never seen anything like that, Ivy. It was…” she trails.

  “Intense?” I offer.

  She corrects, “The most stunning magnificence.”

  I smile tightly, not wanting to show the chocolate stuck to my teeth. When Alice leaves for more protein bars, Jack confirms that he will stay by my side the rest of the evening.

  Cassius approaches fretfully for his turn. I’ve known Cassius was deserving of the Light before I ever knew his name. The moment I discovered the tears on his face from being forced by Beleth to punish me with a whip, I knew there wasn’t an evil bone in his body. When I saw his true essence, I longed for his salvation as much as he had. Cassius has the heart of a lion. My ultimate hope for him is to find peace.

  I take his Darkness as my o
wn, not because I need it, but because if I do fail and the Horsemen destroy the world, Cassius deserves to die with the Light. He has fought for so long against the temptations of the Darkness. After this moment, he will never have to again.

  Once he and Theodora obtain the Light that is rightfully theirs, they follow the others to celebrate. Each time becomes easier for me.

  Jack whispers into my ear, “Why didn’t you tell them you needed their Darkness to defeat the Horsemen and Cora.”

  Finally, able to speak without food constricting my jaw, I whisper back to him, “What kind of person would it make me to put that on them. I won’t guilt them into anything they don’t want to do. And if I still fail, I won’t let them feel like it is their fault if they didn’t accept the offer.”

  When he pulls away, I see his understanding is clear. I didn’t lie to them. I was allowing them to make their choice without the weight of the world sitting on their shoulders. That’s not their burden. It’s mine.

  Chapter 23

  I remain in the Throne Room until every last being is given redemption. There’s a pile of brown and green protein bar wrappers behind the throne that Jack is constantly trying to hide with the nudge of his foot. Despite the energy boost, my body is drained. When the last of The Gray Legion leaves to celebrate with the others, Gabriel turns to me, “The events of today will always be remembered as the day the Griffins were returned to the Light.”

  His statement warms my heart, yet I remind him, “There are more than Griffins among them. There are Archs, Thrones, Virtues, and Powers as well.”

  He remarks, “Yes, though they are few and far between. The Griffins will be given this day.”

  My eyelids fall, my body betraying my exhaustion. Jack suggests, “It’s been a long day. You should get some rest.”

  “Epic,” I retort drowsily, forcing my eyes open for a mere moment.

  “Yes,” he agrees.

  I rest my head against the cool, black stone of the throne and close my eyes, “Do we have any protein bars left?”

  Jack is aware that I won’t be able to make it back to my chambers on my own. He scoops me into his arms, “I’ll take you to your quarters.”

  I thank him incoherently, my head lulling onto his shoulder. I’m able to discern the voices around me as he carries me through the corridors, my mind not complacent with my body’s needs. Jack abruptly stops on our path. I smell Solas’ deep musk. I want to open my eyes, yet they deny me. No words pass between him and Jack that I can hear. Jack releases a heavy breath. My body is passed from his arms into Solas’, and my journey of paralysis continues to my bed where I’m laid down. My boots are unlaced, then slid from my feet. The covers are tucked around my body. My hair is brushed away from my face. Solas kisses my temple with his soft lips, the stubble of his five o’clock shadow prickling my skin. “Sweet dreams, princess.”

  Sweet dreams.

  The impressions my mind yields during sleep are sinister and cumbersome. The profound vastness of the Darkness my body contains now is restless. I dream of fire, hate, and a Darkness so menacing, I know I’ve never encountered such evil. I dream of Lucifer’s beautiful smile, enchanting and deceitful. Chills cover my body.

  Memories come of Lucian dying beneath me as I take his essence from him. I see rivers of blood, fields of war, and faces of agony. I see Lilith’s fury and hatred for me. She morphs into Cora. Cora releases an ear-piercing shriek full of anger. I know she’s coming. I can feel it. Her scream consumes me, and I’m taken to a mysterious field, enveloped in dense fog.

  A child-like giggle echoes around me. It twinkles in the air like a windchime. The little girl from my previous dreams skips through the fog, appearing in a flash and disappearing just as quickly. I stalk through the haze in search of her. She eludes me at every turn.

  My eyes open to Solas beside my bed, waiting for me to awaken. Though my dreams began ominously, they ended giving me an uplifting sense of hope and new beginnings. I smile sleepily at Solas, wondering if he saw my dreams. He smiles back. A wordless conversation passes through our locked gazes. Neither of us voice our opinions of my dreams for fear they’re too delicate to speak of.

  Instead, Solas reports, “Michael and your father have returned.”

  I bolt upright, “When did they get here? Why didn’t you wake me? What did they say?”

  I’m out of bed, finding a change of clothes when he assures me, “You have nothing to worry about. You needed sleep. They said to meet them for breakfast when you were ready.”

  I quickly change in the bathroom and come back into the room, searching for my boots. Solas holds them out to me. I huff, “Thanks.” As I sit to lace them up, I ask, “Have you been here all night?”

  He slides his hands into his pockets. “No. I stayed for about an hour or so last night, but returned this morning. I was going to wake you. You seemed peaceful, though.”

  Per general unspoken guidelines of what constitutes breakfast in The Keep, what’s left of a feast of meats and fruits is scattered over the table. My father welcomes me in his arms. “So glad to see some color back in your face,” he hints of my irises returning to their natural Heterochromia Iridium.

  “Hardy har har,” I deadpan.

  Michael presents a seat for me, “It seems all was successful.”

  I take the seat, filling a plate with fruits and bread, “Here or there?”

  My father pours me a glass of water as Michael answers, “Both.”

  Like pulling damn teeth, I think begrudgingly.

  I press, “What happened? What did they say?”

  In typical Michael fashion, he looks down his nose at me. “What is discussed during the summits are substantially confidential. I can only tell you that should any being of The Gray Legion step out of line, they will be cast into Sheol once more.”

  I attest, “I have complete faith in my legion. The ruling is fair enough should I be wrong, though.”

  Azrael expounds, “He means that not only will the guilty be punished, but the entire legion will also fall.

  I shout at Michael, “You can’t punish everyone for the crimes of one!”

  Michael responds calmly, “I will do whatever is necessary.”

  You sneaky bastard. I guess I’m not the only one who needs to watch my back around here.

  He continues, “As for you, if your Darkness causes you to betray the Light in any way, I am to destroy your essence as I should have when you were still in your mother’s womb.”

  I look to my father. He pleads with me through his countenance to keep my mouth closed and watch myself from now on. To prove to Michael that he has not and will not shake me, I take a large bite of the apple in my hand. I smile with my mouth full, “You have nothing to worry about.” I’m promptly dismissed.

  I trudge down the corridor for the café, intent on consuming as much coffee as I can. Solas is waiting for me with Alice and Eric. He passes me a steaming mug of coffee, dark and sweet; just how I like it. I groan with the first sip. “Thank you.”

  Eric questions, “How are you feeling?”

  I shrug a shoulder. “Normal. Does that make sense?”

  “It does for you.” He gives Alice a kiss on the cheek. “I’m off to The Common. I’ll see you later.”

  She tilts her head, “Love you.”

  “Love you too, babe,” he calls over his shoulder as he leaves.

  I plop onto the couch against the wall. Alice and Solas join me. We chat about what changes we can expect from the legion and whether any decided to leave. Solas tells me, much to my delight, that all have remained. I’m just about to suggest to him that I attempt to induce a vision when Alice’s phone rings.

  She answers, “Hello?”

  Becky begins blubbering. It’s barely audible, but there’s no mistaking her words. “You tell that asshole to come get me right this instant! He’s being an idiot, Alice! I can’t live without him! Make him understand! I don’t care about his past mistakes. It isn’t a burden he
should have to carry alone. Tell him, Alice!”

  I watch Alice wide-eyed. She shrugs her shoulders as if she doesn’t know what to do for Becky. I snatch the phone from her. “Someone’s on their way to get you. Be ready.” I hang up and hand the phone back to Alice while addressing Solas, “Where’s Ezra?”

  He shakes his head with an amused grin, “On The Common with Eric and Jack, sparring.”

  I down the last of my coffee, then stand, “Let’s go then.” Arriving on The Common, I interrupt their sparring match, “Well, isn’t this some shit? Why wasn’t I invited?”

  Jack breathes heavily, “You needed rest.”

  I roll my eyes, “I think you’re all just scared to get whipped by a girl.”

  Eric snorts, “Again? No, thank you. It’s been a while, but my ego is just building back up again.”

  I chuckle. “What’s your excuse, Jack?”

  He shakes his head with a forced grin. “No excuse. You want a go? Let’s go.”

  Something seems a bit off about him, but I can’t put my finger on it yet. I brush it off and face Ezra. “I need another favor.”

  He sighs heavily, “You already owe me big for the last favor.”

  I nod, “I know, I know. Thank you. I promise to make it up to you. This favor is more for someone else, though.”

  “Who would that be?” he wonders, running his hand over his shortly buzzed hair.

  It makes me think he had longer hair at one point and misses it. “Beckett…but he can’t know.” Ezra quirks a brow, crossing his arms over his chest and widening his stance. I step closer, lowering my voice, “I need you to go to Red Meadow again and bring Becky back here. She’s a Grigori, my watcher.”

  “How is this for Beckett?”

  “It’s his girlfriend.”

  His eyebrows climb his forehead. He seems to consider it, but insinuates, “Why should I? What’s in it for me?”

  I cross my arms over my chest and cock my hip out, knowing very well I have nothing to offer him. Eric gets a mischievous grin across his face. “What about a little wager? You both like a good gamble.”