by Deirdra Eden
Azrael gathered firewood and stacked it neatly in a pile. I took off my gloves and held out my hands. Fire burst from my fingers and ignited the wet wood as if it were dry timber.
Azrael let out an impressed whistle.
I smiled at his compliment and sat next to the flames. Baby nuzzled against me. I hadn’t realized how cold I was until the fire and the tiger’s warm body started to thaw me. I shivered in the wet night air.
Orion laughed. “You’d think someone who can control fire wouldn’t ever get cold.”
“I don’t have as much energy when the sun isn’t out. I get cold easily at night.” My teeth chattered as I spoke.
Korban sputtered and rolled his eyes. “Azrael complains about his energy when the weather is stale, and Orion can’t get on a boat on open water.”
“Yes I can,” Orion objected. “I just sleep the whole time. I need to be connected with earth.”
“What about you Korban?” I asked.
Korban hesitated, but then said. “My power is swordsmanship. I don’t need anything except my weapons.”
Azrael sat beside me and took my cold hands, warming them between his. “Neviahans need their energy source to have full strength. The sky’s been overcast lately. You’ve been deprived of the sun’s energy for some time.” Azrael held my hands until I was warm again.
“Thank you.” I pulled away before I burst into flames. “Aren’t you worried about us being this close?”
Before Azrael could answer Orion said with a huff, “I am.”
Korban nodded in agreement, and then made the sound of an explosion.
Azrael shook his head. “I’m not going to light your blood on fire.” He said with reassurance. “Besides, ‘tis not really your blood, but the power running through your veins that will create Starfire.” His deep, calm voice penetrated me. “You must release it before I can light it, and I know you have good control over your powers.”
I shook my head. “I don’t have as much control as you think I do.”
His eyes glimmered like a universe bursting to life. I stopped breathing. The sudden feeling of vulnerability caught me off guard. I blinked hard to stop myself from slipping into a trance. “Perhaps, we should practice before we return to London,” I suggested. “Because I have no idea how to create Starfire without bleeding to death.”
Azrael let out a warm laugh. “Aura, you always know how to make me smile.” He put his hand over mine. “Of course we will practice. Would you like to practice now?”
“Now?” I jerked away as if I would blow up. “But I –”
“‘Tis the perfect time,” Azrael said. “The sun ‘tis not out, which means you will be less likely to have an energy surge. You are still recovering from your injuries. ‘Tis the perfect time to practice with minimal danger.”
Azrael was right. Now would be a great time to practice using the power of Starfire. I mentally prepared myself by thinking about small, controlled flames instead of explosions. “Show me what I have to do.” I was pleased at how brave I sounded.
Korban and Orion both slid back like I would suddenly burst into uncontrolled star flames. Even Baby slunk off into the woods.
Azrael stood and took both my hands in his to help me to my feet. “Don’t do anything until I tell you,” he warned in a velvet voice. Silver light glinted in his eyes, which meant he was already starting to do something with his mysterious gifts. Fire was his minor power, but I had yet to discover his major power.
He held my hands in a firm, comforting clasp, then his fingers smoldered with heat.
My heart beat fast and fierce with the excitement of discovering a new power inside me, waiting to be unleashed. Flames burst to life over our hands. I repressed the urge to add my own flames to his. I soaked his heat into my body, letting it fill me with his emotions of passion, excitement, curiosity, and hope. His comforting fire danced up my arms and down my back all the way to my feet. My hair swirled weightlessly around my face like the fire enveloping both of us. Azrael’s fire rushed through my veins. My fiery blood boiled hot. I felt as if I would never be cold again.
Please remember.
His eyes were closed, his lips still. Please remember. I heard his voice echo again inside my head. I closed my eyes.
Can you feel this? Azrael asked without speaking.
Yes, I answered back in my mind.
This is spirit-to spirit communication. You can feel everything in my heart; see my past, present, and even my future. You can even see my dreams, desires, and fears. This is why I can never hide anything from you.
Azrael’s memories played out in my mind, slow at first, then faster. I grasped onto a memory and watched Azrael fighting off the Shadow Wolves with Baby, Korban, and Orion. I even saw him lean over my body and breathe life back into me. I was relieved that I hadn’t looked as bad as I had imagined.
Like flipping through the pages of a book, I saw bits of Azrael’s memories. In every memory, I saw his face. I frantically examined his mask-less features before the next memory played out. When did the curse of the black mask start? I searched through his memories until I felt myself falling into a hazy darkness—the kind of darkness that surrounded me with claustrophobic suffocation. Azrael walked among the Shadow Wolves as an ally. His dark hair was spiked like daggers and his lips and eyes were lined in black as if framing the darkness of his soul.
How could this happen? Why would a Watcher, who was made to do good and help humans, fall? I remembered Azrael mentioning he had joined with the Rebellion for a short time. What if part of that evil still existed in him?
I traveled deeper into his memories, all the way to his birth and then pressed back even further. I saw something I didn’t expect to see—it was me. I saw myself saying good-bye to him before he came to Earth. He ran his fingers through my hair. “I promise everything will be fine,” he said. I saw myself through his eyes, and how much I was in love with him.
“I don’t ever want to forget you,” I said in the memory.
That memory hurt. It hurt because I did forget him. I’d forgotten everything when I was born into a human body.
I rushed through his memories until I came to the present time and saw us standing here surrounded by white energy. I pressed forward and plunged myself into his blurry future. Images of war hit me with despair. Devastation was everywhere. Frightened humans and smoldering heaps of rubble surrounded us. Events that hadn’t yet happened seemed to force their way into my mind. Azrael tossed a blood ruby at the feet of a beautiful dark-haired sorceress. Molech was back, tempting Azrael to join with the Legion once again.
I pulled myself back to the presence. Scorching energy burned in my heart. I strained to repress the well of emotions and elements inside me. I felt my control slipping. My eyes sprang open, and blue flames shot from my hands into the sky. Air rushed in and out of my lungs like a whirlwind. The trees blew sideways as I exhaled.
Lightning flashed overhead. The ground rumbled at my feet. Earth essences flooded through me, mixing with the wind and fire. Energy shattered across the treetops and raced over every leaf and branch like lightning bolts.
“Keep control of the energy!” Azrael shouted above the sound of the electric wind.
I had the power of fire, wind, earth, water, life, spirit, and even death racing through me. It was like trying to wield seven long whips that sparked when they clashed together. I had to unite them and gain control. I wrangled the seven elemental streams of energy together. The elements blew out of my hands in white waves. The leaves on the trees erupted in a celestial firestorm. Starfire illuminated my skin and ran through my body like the blood in my veins.
Chaos surrounded me, then everything went still and silent as if time itself stopped.
Gentle ethereal light curved and swirled around my body like a slow whirlpool. A gown of shimmering pearl silk cloaked the contours of my body. The heavenly cloth sparkled at my slightest movement. Pink, blue, green, and gold aurora waves added to the creation
pallet floating around me. I touched the energy orb surrounding me like a cocoon. It rippled in soft waves and let out a gentle soprano melody.
“The energy is moving too fast,” Korban shouted. I could hear his words, but it was as if he was in a dream far away.
“She’s consuming all the energy on Earth.” Orion’s urgent voice grew faint. “She’s becoming a weapon, Azrael. You have to stop her, or she will never be able to touch another mortal again.”
The sound of ocean mist brushed past my ear like a whisper. Perfect round drops of water stood suspended in the air, reflecting the light of many stars and worlds. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Nothing on Earth could compare with the divine celestial colours and lights. I reached out and touched a droplet. A delicate indigo and gold flower blossomed from the tiny element. The creation process became so clear. I immediately understood how to form life with a single touch.
I reached out and touched another sphere of water. The inhabitants of an unknown culture several galaxies away flashed through my mind. In a split second, I saw every life form on the planet and felt I knew each one individually.
Azrael sounded closer when he said, “Her energy ‘tis too great. I can’t reach her.”
“You can, Azrael, and you must,” Orion shouted. “Korban is dying.”
I pulled my hand back. What had I done? I didn’t know how to step out of the creation cocoon spiraling around me. “Azrael?” I whispered. My body tensed and the light whipped violently. I took in deep breaths, searching for Azrael in the tempest of energy.
A hand shot through the waves of heat and grasped mine. Azrael stepped into the cocoon. His silver eyes reflected down on me like twin mirrors. He held my glowing hand. I was shocked at how different, but beautiful my hand looked. Shimmering iridescent light wrapped around our bodies.
“‘Tis your true form. What you look like without your human body,” Azrael answered.
“Did I destroy my human body?” I asked.
Azrael shook his head. “No, but you need to come back now or you will not be able to stay here on Earth anymore. We need you, and the longer you are in this form, the more your mortal body dies.”
Chapter Ten
Dwarf Village
We should let her sleep,” Azrael said.
“We have to keep movin’,” whispered Orion.
“Mortals need to sleep, and she’s had little the last week,” Azrael explained.
“After what happened last night, she might sleep for another week. Just think of what damage she could’ve done if she were one of the Immortals.”
I tried to make sense of what they said before remembering the Starfire experience. What had I done? My eyes sprang open and I lunged forward.
Orion jumped back, his eyes wide with surprise. I probably looked just as startled as he did before he let out a bellowing laugh.
“Aura.” Azrael leaned forward and grasped my shoulder with a firm but gentle grip. “Are you all right?”
I didn’t answer his question because I didn’t know if I was all right or not. “Where are we?” I sat up and brushed back my tangled hair. “What time is it?” The sun shone through the leafy trees overhead, but I couldn’t tell its position in the sky. They must have moved me to a different location because there was no evidence of the damage I had caused. I could have killed someone. My heart dropped. What if I had killed someone? I whirled around. “Where are Korban and Baby?”
“Baby ‘tis hunting, and Korban . . .” Azrael nodded his head toward a bright patch of sunlight. Korban’s body lay strewn out in the sun. I watched his chest to see if he breathed. His body lay completely motionless.
I covered my mouth to muffle my horrified gasp. “Is he . . .” I stopped myself. He couldn’t be dead.
“He’ll be fine,” Orion assured me. “That lazy bum is in survival sleep.”
“Survival sleep?” I asked, blinking away tears of guilt.
Azrael threw Orion a warning glare.
Orion cleared his throat and amended, “His body, ‘tis healin’.”
“Healing?” I whispered so my voice wouldn’t crack with emotion.
Orion laughed. “He got too close and you knocked him out cold.”
“Oh, no!” I dropped my head in my hands. Starfire was too powerful for me to control. I really didn’t mean to hurt anyone. “I could have killed all of you.”
Orion crossed his arms. “You probably would ‘ave if ye’d been at full strength.”
“We have bigger problems to worry about,” Azrael said. “We crossed into England’s borders last night. The Shadow Legion patrols this area, so we need to find a safe place to rest until Korban awakes.”
There had to be somewhere we could go. Someplace with friends we could trust. I sat up taller and leaned forward. “I know a town where we can stay. The people there are allies to Watchers.”
“Where is this place?” Azrael asked suspiciously.
I brightened my tone. “It’s in the Golden Valley.”
“Aye, is that where the dwarves live?” Orion asked.
I nodded. “Yes, perhaps Ruburt still lives there.”
Azrael stroked his unshaven face. “The Golden Valley ‘tis close. We can be there by nightfall.”
“I say we go,” Orion agreed.
A massive force slammed against my back in an affectionate nuzzle. I caught my balance and turned to see Baby. “There you are.” I wrapped my arms around his fluffy neck. The colossal kitty laid his head on my lap, pinning me to the ground. I ran my fingers through his silky fur.
Azrael pulled my hand from Baby’s coat and held it to get my attention. “Do you need to sleep?” He sounded overly concerned. “That wasn’t a small light show you put on last night. I don’t want you pushing yourself.”
I looked down at his hand holding mine and remembered the way his soul was exposed to me. Part of him would always be inside me now. I pulled away and shook my head. “I’m fine.”
Orion scooped Korban up and tossed his motionless body over his horse. “We are down one fighter. We can’t afford to lose you too, Aura.”
I pursed my lips. “I’m not going to fall off my horse, Orion,” I assured.
A deafening roar cut through the forest. My heart jumped and I whirled around. The sun dimmed and the air chilled my skin like a sudden frost. Smoky clouds rolled across the sky from the east. They weren’t like any clouds I had ever seen before. I watched the fast-moving shroud devour all light in its path.
“What is that?” I asked as the black storm moved across the sky toward us.
Orion swung his leg over his horse and cursed.
Azrael took my hand and pulled me to my horse. “It looks like we have less time than we thought,” he murmured. “The Rebellion ‘tis veiling the sun. It makes us weaker while given them an advantage in the darkness. They are preparing for war.”
“Erebus?” The Shadow King’s name came out in a gasp. I bent down and lifted my horse’s saddle. It felt heavier than usual after my Starfire explosion.
Azrael snatched my saddle with one hand, tossed it onto my horse, and buckled the straps with ease. I tried not to look impressed by his display of strength. Like Samson, maybe Azrael’s power was inhuman strength.
“Stay on your guard,” Azrael warned. “Not only do we have the Shadow Legion to worry about, but thieves and assassins patrol these woods.”
I swung my leg over my horse and turned south. I wasn’t too worried about thieves or assassins. Even though our caravan was small, Azrael’s huge tiger was sure to scare off anyone who might think about ambushing us.
We didn’t talk much as we urged our horses into a gallop. Guilt over hurting Korban ate at me, and worry for Lucas consumed me with anguish. I had put people I cared about in danger. What if Lucas was dead? And Korban . . . I looked at Korban’s limp body bouncing over the saddle as we rode. He looked dead. Orion and Azrael didn’t seem worried and planned to tease him when he awoke. Starfire was too dangerous. I c
ouldn’t control it. There had to be another way to defeat Erebus.
Azrael glanced over his shoulder. We made eye contact and then he looked away. Last night, when he awoke Starfire within me, glimpses of his dreams, dark secrets, sins, and desires, along with a few of his memories meshed with mine. I even saw a vague future, full of war.
This wasn’t good. Our bond was already too strong. I was worried I might be falling in love with him, but I had to stay true to Lucas who had stayed loyal to me. I let out a frustrated sigh. Only the most horrible woman in the world would dump a longtime friend for someone she just met . . . or at least, just met on Earth. I remembered Azrael’s memory of us from before Earth life. Was our commitment to each other deeper and stronger than any other?
There were a few things I wanted to talk with him about aside from his Watcher powers. I couldn’t help but be terrified by his dark past with the Shadow Legion. What had he done as the servant of Erebus? What if he had killed humans or even other Neviahans? What if someday he turned back to the dark armies and abandoned us? His future sent waves of doubt through my mind.
Azrael whirled around and pinched his eyebrows together in concern.
I took a breath and I smiled like everything was all right until he looked away. “Focus, Auriella,” I told myself. I had a bad habit of asking ridiculous “what if” questions until I got worked up. I had to stay grounded and concentrate on what I needed to do. Too many people depended on me. I shook my head. There would be time to figure out the problem with Lucas and Azrael after I destroyed Erebus.
We rode hard, outracing the dark storm. It wasn’t long before we reached the Golden Valley. I could only imagine what the dwarves thought when we rode down the main street of their village. Korban looked like a dead man draped over Orion’s horse and our clothes were singed from the Starfire incident. Then there was Baby. We must have looked like a freak show, or invaders. The dwarves seemed unsure as to whether they should run and hide or stay and watch.
