“Qaddisin,” she says breathlessly. “What an honor to see you again.”
Judging by the looks on the faces around me, I’m not the only confused one here.
“You know him?” Jeep asks.
Quinn gestures to her seat and she moves back to it slowly. Her posture and movements tell me she’s hurt even more than we thought.
“You don’t know who he is?” she asks when she finally reaches her seat.
“Apparently he’s an angel,” I blurt.
“He is, and not just any angel. Qaddisin is part of the Council of God.”
“The what?”
“He is the right hand of God himself.”
I bite my lip. My head is pounding again. Is she just playing along? Quinn, the highest angel of all?
I cross my arms over my chest. “And how do you know him?”
She lowers her head. “I stood before the council once, asking for forgiveness for what I did to my people.”
Quinn smiles his too white smile. “And we granted it.”
“In return I was assigned to your grandfather, to fight Lucifer.”
I rub the stubble on my chin. “Right.”
Vicky sighs beside me. “He’s not going to believe you until you show him your true self, Qaddisin.”
Quinn flinches, this time I’m sure of it. Is it that big a deal to show his magical side?
“I’m not sure he’s ready for that,” he says. “He’s seen a lot in just a couple of days.”
“Oh please.” I let out my breath in a loud huff. “If I’m as powerful as you claim, I should be able to handle just about anything. I’m supposed to fight the Devil. How much more surprising can things get?”
“Fine.” He pushes back his chair and spreads his arms.
I’m waiting for his big grin and the inevitable ‘Got you!’. Instead, there’s a flash of blinding light and a loud whoosh. After a few seconds and a lot of blinking, I can see again. My mouth falls open. Quinn is still standing next to the table, but he has changed. He is a lot taller. His head touches the ceiling. There’s a bright light in his eyes and his hair has turned completely white. But the things that really make me gulp for air are the huge wings sprouting from his back. The white of the feathers hurts my eyes, but I can’t stop looking at them. I’ve always been jealous of Quinn’s beauty. I never understood my feelings and thoughts about that. How could I admire his smooth dark skin and muscular body so much while I was so obviously into girls? Now I’m guessing it’s part of the angel package.
We all thought about Quinn that way, which made it less awkward. But it was always a bit strange.
Dust tickles my throat and I close my mouth. I try to say something, but my voice refuses to obey. I swallow and try again. “You are gorgeous.”
His laugh vibrates through my whole body. It sounds different than Quinn’s. Deeper. More powerful. It fills the whole room and everything in it.
My cheeks flush. “Why is that funny?” I ask.
“You are experiencing the effects of my true form. Admiration and awe fill your soul. It makes you say things you wouldn’t normally say.”
“I’ve always thought you were gorgeous,” I confess without wanting to.
He flexes his wings, breathes in deeply and shrinks back to his normal form. Or disguise, I should say. His wings disappear and his eyes turn back to their normal dark. His short curls are black again.
“So your real name is Qaddisin?” I say to cover up my disgrace.
“It is.”
“And your father is…” I give a vague wave towards the ceiling. “…God?”
He tilts his head with a half-smile. “Is that so hard to believe? That he exists, I mean.”
I munch on my lower lip. “Well… Yes.”
“Why? You already know the Devil exists, too.”
I stop chewing. “Know is a strong word. I haven’t seen the guy.” I grimace. “Or being. Creature. Whatever.”
“Trust me, you don’t want to.”
“That’s not the point. Right now I don’t know what to think anymore. Everything I ever believed in has been shot to pieces. No one I know turns out to be what I always considered them to be.”
“Your mother is.”
I sigh. “Again, not the point.”
“I know it’s a lot to digest, but it’s all very real.”
Maël pops up next to me and takes my hand. “You are blessed with a great task, Dante. Have faith in yourself, like we all do. God wouldn’t have sent his right hand if you weren’t important. This is a chance to prove your worth. Not many people get it.” Sorrow seeps through her voice. I know she’s thinking of the people that died because of her.
I put my hand on hers. “Thanks, Maël.”
She vanishes back to her seat and I straighten up. “Okay, so we’ve all been brought together for the same reason. To prevent the Devil from breaking out of Hell and conquering the world.”
Quinn leans back in his chair. “That pretty much sums it up.”
“There’s something I don’t understand.” Many things actually, but let’s start with the most important one. “Why don’t you just save the people on the Cards of Death yourself? You’re what, one of the most powerful beings in the universe?”
“Yes, but I cannot interfere too much. The Devil will sense me.”
I shrug. “So what?”
“If he knows I’m involved, he’ll send his right hand to fight me.”
“Oh great, he has a right hand, too?”
There’s worry in Quinn’s eyes. “You’ve probably heard of him. His name is Beelzebub.”
I drop my head in my hands. “He’s real, too? Where does this end?”
Vicky strokes my back. “Every story you’ve ever heard is based on facts. Most have strayed a bit from the truth, but the creatures do exist.”
I glance at Quinn through my eyelashes. “Beelzebub.” I rack my brain to grasp the information stored somewhere in my mind. “Wasn’t he the one who brought disease to the world and could turn into a fly?”
“That’s the one. But don’t worry about him too much. He doesn’t leave Hell unless he’s provoked.”
I push my fists onto my eyeballs before turning my gaze back on Quinn. “Provoked? By an angel helping a couple of Mages and a bunch of ghosts, you mean?”
He winks. “Exactly.”
“Okay, let’s not provoke him. You just keep whispering to me.”
He grins. “I will.”
“We’re still pretty strong together, right?” I wring my hands together, ready to dive back into the action.
“Sure, but we have to be careful tomorrow.”
“Why? What’s tomorrow?”
“Friday the thirteenth. The day that all evil is stronger than usual.”
CHAPTER 14
See, I told you thirteen brought bad luck. Next time I think I’ll just skip the whole chapter. Move straight to fourteen.
I always thought stories about the number thirteen were nothing more than superstition. Guess I was wrong. Of course, my Shield told me about this, but to be honest, I’d forgotten about it already. I didn’t realize it was this big a deal. This number will never be the same to me again. Bad luck in the magical world is so much worse than it is in the human world.
You think Quinn was exaggerating? Just keep reading then. You’ll see.
CHAPTER 15
I pace behind the table, my hands on my head. “Where does this end? Is there any good news?"
“Sure,” Charlie says. “The prophecy says you’ll win.”
The banging inside my head fades a little. “Oh good.”
“Of course, you’ll have to sacrifice something important to do that.”
I hold up my hand. “Please stop.”
He sniffs. “Yeah, it sucks. But I’ll be by your side to help you through it. And you also have a Shield and an angel on call.”
I let out my breath. �
��That actually helps a lot, thanks. Besides, prophecies don’t always come true.”
“Exactly. We could also lose.” Jeep spins his hat on his finger.
The sparkle in his eye tells me he’s fooling around, so I let him get away with it.
Vicky is not so kind. She emerges in front of him, her body merging with the table, and stares him in the eye until he squirms and begs for forgiveness.
Vicky winks at me before fading back into her own chair.
I turn to Charlie. “I want to know all about that prophecy. There might be-“
A jackhammer comes to life in my head and a trillion colors explode before my eyes. I slam my hands against them, but that doesn’t help. I start falling, not backwards but straight down, as if the floor has disappeared. I clench my fists against my forehead. The trembling and hammering are excruciating. Lights whirl around me.
Then I’m suddenly standing on solid ground. The colors are gone and the jackhammer has been turned off.
I breathe in slowly and drop my hands. I have no idea where I am, but somehow it does look familiar. Heat rises up from the red rocks I’m standing on. The sky is blacker than I’ve ever seen it. No stars, just a giant hole. The silence around me is unnerving. For a moment I freak out, thinking I’ve lost my hearing. But when I clap my hands together in front of me, I clearly hear a sound. It echoes through the air and I flinch. A chill creeps up my spine, making the sweat on my back prickle. I try to see something in the dim light that emanates from the hot rocks, while the sound of my clapping fades into the distance. As soon as silence descends again, large flames rise up all around me with a loud hiss. I scream and duck. Sweat drips from my temples and I jump back when a claw of fire grabs my wrist. I pull as hard as I can and twist my body in an attempt to escape, but its hold is strong. More claws reach for my legs and I kick out in all directions.
A cackle freezes me to the spot. The claws immediately wrap around every body part they can reach. All my limbs burn. I clench my jaws together and swallow a scream.
The cackling stops and a voice pierces my ears. “They think they can beat me. But no matter how many people they save, I will keep going.” A giant shadow looms over me. It consists of a black head with flaming orange eyes, attached to a hulking body. It has long, slender arms like branches that end in large claws. A skeleton finger reaches for me and lifts my chin. My skin sizzles under its touch. “You can fight as much as you want, but this time victory will be mine. You tell him that.”
Moaning rises up from behind the figure. I gulp when hundreds of bodies crawl out from under the rocks, dragging their torn skin along the ground.
But then anger flushes over me and I look the thing straight in the eye. “I’m not afraid of you. You’re not real. You can’t hurt me.”
The shadow throws its head back and shakes with laughter. “You silly creature. Do you really believe in that old tale?” Sparks fly from its eyes. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll find out how real I am soon enough.”
He turns away from me and the fire claws release their grip. I fall onto my knees. When I catch my weight with my arms, heat burns away the flesh on my hands. I scream. Tears drip onto the rocks and vaporize. And then I’m falling again.
I jerk up and let out a cry. Charlie stumbles back with a curse. “Jeez! Stop scaring me, man.”
“Sorry,” I pant. The burning sensation has gone, but I do a quick body scan just in case.
Vicky strokes my back. “You’re fine. Just breathe.”
I do as she says, trembling slightly.
Quinn bends over me, lifts my eyelid and stares into my eye. “I think you just had your second premonition about the Devil.” He lets go and I blink. “Tell me everything you remember.”
I open my mouth to describe what I saw and heard, but suddenly it’s all gone.
“I-I don’t remember,” I stutter. Flames dance through my memories. “Fire. And…” I squeeze my eyes shut, but there’s nothing else. “Fire and pain, that’s all I can recall.” I let out a roar of frustration. “What good are these premonitions if I don’t remember them?”
Quinn stares at me without seeing. “It is strange. I’ve never seen this before.”
“Look at me.” Vicky places her hand on my cheek and turns my head. Quinn immediately backs up, as if he’s afraid of her powers.
Her eyes bore into mine. They cloud over. I get lost in a feeling of comfort. My body relaxes. But not for long. Tension builds up inside me. My limbs go rigid. Fear tugs at my mind. I want to scream, but no sound comes out. With all my strength, I try to break eye contact. My head spins. Black dots fill my vision.
“Stop!” It comes out strained.
Vicky blinks and squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry about that. I was trying to reach the emotions you had inside the premonition. Getting those back could trigger your memory.”
D’Maeo clears his throat. “I’m afraid it will take a lot more than that to break this spell.”
Quinn rubs the back of his neck. “He’s right.”
I haul myself back into my chair and take the glass of water that Charlie hands me. “Thanks.” I take a few sips. “We’ll have to deal with this later. Can you tell me about the prophecy, Charlie?”
He walks back to his seat, while the ghosts all fade back to their usual places at the table. “The prophecy speaks of a decades long battle between good and evil. Three generations of Mages will fight to keep the Devil in Hell. Two will fail, but the third in this powerful bloodline will be successful.”
Tears burn behind my eyes when I think of my father and grandfather, and their Shield, which is now mine. They have been fighting for years, doomed to fail.
I swallow and focus on Charlie’s words.
“This young Mage will be able to walk the Shadow World, aided by those who are bound to him.”
My gaze flickers from one ghost to the other. None of them look surprised.
“The chosen one will connect to someone who has a hidden power. Their combined strengths will seal the Devil’s fate. But a sacrifice has to be made.” Charlie stands up and fills another glass, which he empties in a few seconds. “That’s it. That’s the whole prophecy.”
I want to say it could be about someone else, but that would be kidding myself. And I want my father and grandfather’s lives to mean something. They kept the Devil away from Earth for as long as they could. They made sure I was born to fulfill this prophecy. I have to finish what they started.
Strangely enough, after hearing the whole prophecy, the last part worries me the most. “What kind of sacrifice do you think is meant? Do I have to kill a goat or something?” I grin, but probably look like a madman, because my face won’t cooperate.
Charlie returns the look. “It’s probably something more important.”
“Oh,” I say cheerfully. “So not the mansion or something like time.”
D’Maeo grunts. “I think we all know what it means. It’s a war, there will be casualties.”
I think of everyone I care about and clench my fists. I swallow the ‘unfair’ statement. Even to me that sounds childish. Life isn’t fair, I’ve known that for a while.
But then it hits me. “Hey, I think I already sacrificed someone.”
Dazed looks answer me.
“My father. He died in the battle against the Devil, didn’t he?”
“I don’t think that counts,” Maël says. “That was not your battle yet. The prophecy already said your father would fail.”
“So I have to lose someone else?”
Vicky appears behind me and wraps her arms around my neck. “Don’t think about that too much. You’ve got lots of people to fight with you. You’ll be fine.”
I let her hug me for a while and ban the negative thoughts to the back of my mind. As soon as she lets go, I get up. “We’ve got a lot to do.” I count on my fingers. “Find out who the Devil’s next target is, find out what Paul and Simon are up to and stop them, break
the spell that blocks my memories of these premonitions, find a cure for Maël and find out how Vicky died.”
A low groan escapes from the chair on my left. “That’s a lot of find outs.”
I shoot Taylar a grin. “Good thing I’ve got you guys to help me.”
Quinn leans forward. “The next target is the most important one.”
“I agree. And we’ve already made a plan.” I slam my hand against my forehead. “Which is a really stupid one.”
Quinn shakes his head. “It might not be. If you take your mom, you can keep an eye on her.”
I stare at him blankly for a moment, before realizing he can read minds.
Then I give him the thumbs up. “I hadn’t thought of that. So that’s settled then. I will go to the bird park. Since it’s Friday the thirteenth, I’d better take the whole Shield after all. I’m sorry, Maël, I promise we’ll cure you after this.”
She bows her head slightly. “Of course, that would be my choice too, master.”
Charlie gestures at the walls and ceiling. “I can do some redecorating here, if you want.”
“On your own?” Charlie has never been a loner. He likes to have company twenty-four-seven.
“No, with Quinn of course. That way the mansion won’t be left unguarded.”
Quinn scratches his head. “That’s not a bad idea. You and your mother will be protected by the Shield and we will keep the mansion safe.”
A cold hand grabs my neck. “That’s not necessary, is it? I put a protection spell on the house.”
“I know, but that might not be enough on Friday the thirteenth. And if you need me, you can always call for me in your head and I will come.”
Plenty of backup, but I’m still not reassured.
Vicky senses my unease. “We could cast a cloaking spell. That way it will be harder for demons and other evil beings to see us.”
The tension around my heart eases a bit. “I like that idea. But can I perform a spell without my mom noticing?”
Cards of Death Box Set Page 30
