Clarissa flicked away a piece of grass on her shirt. If that one bothered her, she should look in the mirror. She had many blades of grass poking out of her hair. I guessed she and Milani wrestled on grassland.
“Why should I tell you?” She spoke like a normal girl and not with a deep monster voice. Her tone reminded me of the poster of her I saw at the beach along with other missing children. “And if I knew how, why would I want Eli to know? I like him just the way he is. I want him around forever.”
I ground my teeth and took deep breaths from feeling my temper rising. “He doesn’t want to be with you.” The words just flew out, and I felt a bit ashamed for sounding so petty.
Clarissa pushed back her dirty dark hair away from her face. “It doesn’t matter what he wants. Cyrus will never let him go.”
Father uncrossed his legs and leaned closer to Clarissa. His body took up the armchair, making him appear even grander. “Do you know anything about the volcano?” Father changed the topic. I wondered where he was going with this. “Is Cyrus trying to make it erupt?”
“He’s not trying to. He will make it happen.”
Butterflies flipped and flopped inside my stomach in an unpleasant way.
“Really?” Father rubbed his chin, as if contemplating whether Clarissa was telling him the truth.
“He’s been preparing for it. It will happen.”
“How do you stop this from happening?”
“You can’t, and I’m not going to tell you, so don’t even bother torturing the answer out of me.” For the first time, she looked scared. And for the first time, I felt sorry for her. How bad was her home life for her to want to be like this? A monster doing Cyrus’s dirty work.
I had once thought humans had it bad, but I was beginning to think otherwise. They were oblivious to the war happening right in front of their eyes. And the supernatural beings not only had to deal with being a human in a human world, but also the problems of the supernatural world. It was too much to bear.
Father cleared his throat to get Clarissa’s attention. She kept glancing at the front door. One, she obviously wanted to escape, and two, was she expecting someone to rush through the door and rescue her?
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Father said. “You’re just a child.” He glanced at me. “You made bad choices, but you can fix them.”
“I can’t,” she snapped, her brown eyes glaring stone cold. “Don’t you get it? Cyrus will kill my family.”
“I thought you didn’t care about your parents,” Jack pointed out.
Clarissa worked her jaw, irate by Jack’s comment. “I don’t, but I care about my little brother. He’s too young to die.”
“And so are you,” Uncle Davin threw in. “You have a bright future ahead of you, so why are you giving your life to Cyrus?”
Clarissa closed her lips and stared at the cuffs. “I hate my life,” she mumbled. “I hate who I am. I hate what I’ve done. And…” tears filled her eyes. “I’m lost. I don’t know what to do or how to fix anything.”
My intuition warned she was playing us, but the other part of me felt sorry for her. Was she for real?
I don’t believe her. Zach spoke telepathically in my mind.
I don’t either.
Something’s off.
I feel it too.
Zach went to the kitchen and came back with rolls on a plate and set it in front of Clarissa. I was surprised we even had food, but sometimes Uncle Davin went to the market and stocked food to make us look like humans, more for show. Not that we had visitors. Clarissa’s eyes widened, and her tongue poked out at the tip of her lips. I had no idea what she ate, and I really didn’t want to know, but she looked tempted.
“Have some.” Father pushed the plate closer to her.
I wondered what possessed my brother to bring bread, but figured it out when Father nodded at him, and then Zach nodded back. Clarissa shifted her body sideways so she wouldn’t look at it.
“What do you want from me?” Clarissa asked softly.
Father rubbed a spot on the sofa and said, “What happened on the night Cyrus took you? What did he offer that you couldn’t resist?”
She didn’t say anything for several seconds, and then she released a breath. “Eternal life. He offered me eternal life and power, but he didn’t take me. Vince found me and told me he was an Elementa just like me. I think he knew I hated going home. Maybe he had been keeping an eye on me. I don’t know. After I found out Milani’s mother was killed, I lost it. I became scared. It wasn’t just me. All the parents became scared. Kalani and Ikelia were their saviors. They had been protecting us the best they could. All the adults were too afraid to fight back. Their powers were no match for Cyrus.”
“I’m sorry you were lost,” Father said with compassion. “I’m sorry you didn’t have parents you could turn to for help.”
Clarissa regarded Father for a second and blinked away. What Father said touched my heart, and my anger toward her lessened. My parents and Uncle Davin had explained that human lives were complicated. What you saw on the surface could be a cover-up, and we shouldn’t judge. I was lucky I had parents, uncles, and aunts that loved and supported me. I didn’t have to worry about human necessities as some children worry about on a daily basis.
“Vince told me I wouldn’t be the only one,” Clarissa finally said after a long stretch of silence. “When he took me to their hideout, that was when I met Cyrus and that was the first time I saw the teens that had supposedly gone missing. They actually looked content. But then … they became like monsters, and by then it was too late for me.”
Uncle Davin stretched his legs in front and crossed them at the ankle. “It’s never too late. You have a second chance. You’re free from Cyrus. You can help us, help the others that want to change their minds.”
Clarissa dug her nails into the cushion and raised her voice. “You don’t get it. Cyrus will never let me go. Since Vince is dead, he’ll probably send Mortem to look for me. For some reason, I’m his favorite pet, next to Eli.”
“It’s because he senses something special in you,” Father said. “Perhaps your Elementa power is stronger than you think.”
Clarissa shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t know.”
“And the fact that you have wings tells me you have angel blood. Perhaps one of your parents is a fallen angel.”
“I think it was my father. I never knew him. My step-father is the only father I know, but he’s not a good one.”
“I never got to know my father, either,” Father admitted. “Long story, but back then the Divine Elders were not allowed to contact or acknowledge their child. One, to protect the child from evil beings and also for political reasons.”
The tension in Clarissa’s face softened.
Father did a double take when his gaze shifted to the photo frame on the wall. “When did you put that up?”
“What? That frame?” Uncle Davin pointed, letting out a chuckle.
“Yes. That one.” Father furrowed his brow.
“Oh, I wanted our home to have the feel and look like Jack’s, like a home.” There was a nervousness to his tone.
“Why isn’t there a picture of Claudia and me?” Father continued to stare at the photo.
“Because both of you weren’t here when we took the picture,” Uncle Davin explained. “Is there a reason to this conversation, Michael? Jealous are we?” He teased.
Father frowned. “No.” He glanced at Zach and then to me. “I missed seeing them all dressed up. They look so human. It reminds me of the time when we went to a party and Aden showed up. Do you remember, Davin?”
“You went to a party?” Jack blurted out and ran his hand down his face, as if he didn’t mean to open his mouth. “I mean, of course you did.” When Father flashed his eyes at Jack, he said. “The Talker will shut up now.”
Uncle Davin sat up taller, his green eyes bright and glowing. “The best of times. Now look at you and Claudia, and you have two blessed children. So
much has changed.”
Father took one of the rolls and took a bite. His eyebrows lifted. “Tasty. Not bad.” Then he took another bite and started speaking again to Clarissa. “I used to be a fallen angel.”
That piqued her interest. She twisted in her seat, and her grip on the cushion eased. “Why are you telling me this? I already know.”
She took the words right out of my mouth. I wanted to know why Father felt the need to confess to her, but I also knew he had a reason.
“I’m telling you because I want you to see me. I want you to know that it’s never too late to fix anything. But it will be too late if you die. If you don’t make the right choice for yourself, then at least do it for your brother. Where will he live when this island is under water? And what will he think when he finds out his older sister could have stopped it but didn’t?” Father’s chest rose and fell as he released a long breath. “You are so young. You have a long life ahead of you. Will you be able to live with yourself? I was your age when I made bad choices too, but look at me now.”
Jack plopped his elbow on the table and propped a fist under his chin. He looked at my father with adoration. “He’s amazing,” he whispered.
Clarissa rolled her eyes and looked at her fingers, bending and straightening at her knuckles. “Cyrus told me he fought against the angels because they were against equal rights.”
“Wrong,” Uncle Davin spat.
Clarissa scowled. “He told me he wanted peace and unity”
“False,” Uncle Davin said, shaking his head.
“Cyrus told me the angels killed his people.”
“Only because he started the war first,” Uncle Davin explained.
“Cyrus told me—”
“Come on Clarissa,” Father interrupted. “Open your eyes. I know you know he’s wrong, or you wouldn’t feel the need to protect Eli from them.”
I winced and stiffened. Jealousy pricked inside me. I hated that Clarissa thought she had some right over Eli, but at the same time, I was thankful Eli at least had Clarissa. I counted to ten to ease my frustration.
“I don’t know.” She covered her face with her hands, panting into her palms. I couldn’t tell if she acted out of anger or sadness. “I…I’m confused. I don’t know what to do.”
Father stood up and everyone tensed. “I’m letting you go.”
“What?” we all exclaimed in accord.
“What the heck are you talking about?” Uncle Davin scowled.
Milani looked surprised too.
“Clarissa isn’t bad,” Father started. “She just needs time to gather her thoughts. Zach, I want you to take Clarissa home so she can see her brother.”
“No.” Clarissa jumped off the sofa and leaned against the wall next to the door. “I don’t want to see my brother. Cyrus will hurt him. I’m not supposed to see him.”
Father slowly paced toward her. “I wonder why Cyrus puts so much restriction on you? And here we are, supposedly the bad guys, setting you free. You should be able to see your family anytime you want. Cyrus doesn’t care about you. Once he has no use for you, he won’t care. You’ve been helping Vince and Mortem recruit teens, haven’t you?”
Clarissa’s eyes opened wider, as if Father had discovered her secret. But how did Father know? I guessed he put two and two together, and that only came with experience.
“It’s okay,” Father said softly. “We all do things we’re not proud of and regret after it’s done. We wouldn’t be real if we didn’t make mistakes. But the beauty of it all is that every day is a new day. You can do better. It’s up to you and no one else. No one is bad. It’s the choices that define us.”
“Come on, Clarissa. I’m taking you to see your brother.” Zach held onto her wrist. “Then I’ll take you back to Cyrus.”
“No.” Clarissa sucked in air. “I don’t want my brother to see me.”
As soon as Father released the cuff from her wrists, it disappeared. “He doesn’t have to see you. I want you to go see him. I want you to remember who is most important to you. Life isn’t worth living unless you have someone worth dying for. When battle brews, who will you die for … Cyrus or your brother?”
Zach wrapped his wings around Clarissa before she had time to respond, and they were gone.
Uncle Davin laced his fingers through his hair and slumped into the sofa. “I understand why you let her go, but why did you let her go?”
Father shoved his hands inside his pocket and gazed at the photo again. “Cyrus sent her to spy on us. His motive was for us to feel sorry for her, to take her in, because that is what good beings do, and then he would use her to his advantage. I could be wrong about my feeling, but I didn’t want to take a chance. After our conversation, I knew she was lost, neither here or there. I’m hoping after she sees her brother, she will see a new light. Hopefully after she goes back to Cyrus, she’ll see his evil ways, and then the rest will be up to her. I can’t make her be on our side. She has to want it.”
“Brilliant,” Uncle Davin smacked Father’s back.
Father growled playfully, and then set his eyes lovingly on me. “Let’s go talk outside.”
I swallowed. I knew “the talk” was inevitable, and I dreaded when it would happen.
“Uh. I’ll go home,” Jack declared. “It’s getting late.” He walked to the door, picked up his sword leaning against the wall, and turned the knob. “It’s funny, my sword didn’t light up when Clarissa was here. I guess she’s not that evil. Or maybe it didn’t light up because she’s an Elementa. Or maybe it only lights up when Fallen and demons are nearby. Or—”
“Goodbye, Jack.” Uncle Davin sounded annoyed. “Or I can take you home.” He smirked with a cunning grin.
“The Talker will go home now.” He swung the door wider and flashed a cute grin, making me laugh a little. “See you at school, Lucia. Then after school. And don’t forget your family is invited to my house for dinner tomorrow night.”
I didn’t get to hear the rest. Father enveloped me with his wings.
Chapter 30
Lucia
The hole in my heart kept getting bigger because of Eli. Every time I was alone I thought of him, especially when I was on the roof. Somehow he had grabbed ahold of my heart without me knowing and refused to give it back. I’d never be the same again. My parents had told me beings would enter my life. Some would come and go, but there would be a few who would leave a lasting imprint on my heart. Eli was more than an imprint. He had become my heart.
I knew I was in trouble when Eli took me away, and I didn’t care if my team worried about me. I didn’t care the world needed us because, at that moment, I needed Eli and he needed me. I was his lifeline against falling into darkness, but he was mine from breaking apart. Father said life wasn’t worth living unless you had someone worth dying for. Eli was worth dying for. I had never admitted that until Father and I had “the talk.”
Father leaned back on the roof beside me with his hands planted behind him. He shifted from side to side. “So…” He bit his lips. “So, this is going to be a strange topic.”
I had never heard Father sound so uncomfortable and nervous before. I giggled to myself. Then my face warmed. Oh God! I hoped he hadn’t planned to have the sex talk with me. I would die right there and then.
“What do you want to talk to me about,” I asked, sounding innocent, but deep down I knew it was going to be about Eli.
“I know you care for Eli, but I’m not sure…I mean…is this more than friendship?” Father scratched the back of his head. “I’m just going to just say it. Are you in love with him?”
My face flushed even hotter. I thought about denying it and giving him a flat out lie, but our relationship was not based on lies. My wonderful, loving, and supportive father deserved much more. “I can’t put it into words because I don’t know what I’m feeling. I know that I care for him as friends and…” I squinted. “Maybe more.” I tucked my knees to my chest, feeling a knot somersaulting in my stomach.
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“I see,” Father said. “I can’t tell you how to feel or what to do.” He cleared his throat. “I disregarded a lot of rules when it came to your mother. There is nothing I would have done differently. I love your mother with all my heart and soul. Life wouldn’t have been the same without her and without you and Zach. So I only have one piece of advice, and you can’t ever go wrong. Follow your heart, Lucia, and don’t regret your choices.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldn’t believe Father didn’t demand I refuse to have anything to do with Eli. He didn’t give me the green light, but he didn’t say no. But that didn’t mean I could jump in Eli’s arms and live as we pleased. We were complicated. I didn’t have time to think about the future. And there would be no future if we couldn’t fix the present. Cyrus could not take over Eli’s mind. I would do anything and everything to stop it.
“Thank you, Father, for trusting me, for letting me make my own choices.”
Father leaned over and kissed my forehead. “It always has to be your choice, Lucia. As your father, I worry. I don’t want to see you get hurt, physically or emotionally.”
I closed my eyes and took in his kiss and love, warming my heart. “I know,” I whispered.
“I’m going to Halo City for few days. I’m going to expect you to come and train with your mother to help you control your energy after you have dinner with Jack’s family. You don’t have to stay long, especially since we need to find the third page. But I would feel a little bit better if I knew you had a handle on it.”
“What happens if I don’t have a handle on it?”
Father glanced up to the moon peeking through, exchanging places with the sun, looking a world away, lost to the time before. “Your mother blasted everything around her, and she blacked out. I didn’t know if she would come out of it.”
“Oh,” I said. “Kind of like how I blacked out.”
“Yes.”
“I was lucky you were there when that happened.”
“Very.”
Father stood up and stretched his wings, so mighty and grand. “Tell your uncle I left. And be safe.” Father winked. “See you when I see you.”