Keely jumps as the next horse arrives and whinnies restlessly. It’s a solid black, its coat glossy as oil. The Angel jumps from the horse, planting his large feet on the ground. As he looks around, his eyes rake over the other kids until they fall upon Keely. His amber gaze locks with hers and he nods almost imperceptibly. There’s something familiar about his eyes and she’s struck with the feeling that she has seen him before.
The last horse thunders up and stops abruptly. The pure white horse stomps its feet as his rider dismounts. He is the only one with light hair. It’s long, swaying back and forth across his shoulders as he walks. He speaks first.
“Who is in charge here?” His voice is loud and clear and stands the hairs on Keely’s arms straight up with its beauty. Purer than her father’s voice. Gentle and strong at the same time.
Like a ripple in water, the students fall to their knees. “It is the end of days,” a girl cries out. “Who of us are chosen?”
“Please give me the seal of our Father,” a boy pleads. He folds his hands in prayer.
“Please stand. You do not bow before us,” the Angel says. “You may rest easy, for the end of days does not come now. We are here only for the Scion.”
The students rise to their feet slowly, unsure what to do, but wanting to obey this beautiful Angel before them. They begin to part down the middle as Ambriel walks briskly forward with the man Keely thinks of as the principal and the man she has always thought to be in charge.
“My name is Nathan. I head this Academy. How may I assist you?” the man says. His eyes are full of wonder as he looks at the Angel before him.
“We come for the release of the Scion,” he says again. Only this time, his pale hand thrusts out, his finger extended. Every head follows the direction he points. Keely does an about face to look behind her and gasps.
The only one behind her is Asmoday, standing in the doorway of his prison. His eyes break away from the Angel and meet Keely’s for a moment before returning.
“There must be a mistake,” Nathan begins. He shakes his head. Angels sent from Heaven would not make mistakes.
“Please release the boy,” the Angel says. He moves his finger slightly. “And the girl as well.”
“Me?” Keely asks in shock.
The Angel smiles at her revealing perfectly white teeth. He nods.
“We will release the Demon to you, but the girl is needed. She’s our only Doyenne and is said to fulfill the prophecy of damnation,” the principal says.
The Angel with amber eyes and ebony skin steps forward. His hand brushes across a scroll hanging from his belt. “We have a prophecy as well. The girl,” his hand sweeps toward Keely, “holds the key.” His hand sweeps toward Asmoday.
“Is that a seal? May we see it?” Principal stumbles forward, his hand outstretched.
“You are not worthy of its contents,” the Angel with the golden hair declares. His hand goes to his sheath, ready to draw his sword.
“Please, we have so many questions,” Nathan says. “We’ll do as you ask, just speak with us, please.”
“We have no time for council. The King of Demons has waged war upon us.”
“What do you need us to do?” Ambriel asks. “We want to help.”
He nods at her. “For now, stay put. You’re safe here. He’s after the blood of the innocent. Do not allow him to take it from you.” He looks back to Asmoday. “Release him now.”
“Yes, of course.” Ambriel and Nathan move to the building. Nathan paces around the outside while Ambriel moves past Asmoday, going inside. They murmur something softly, repeating it over and over. As Ambriel appears back in the doorway, a gust of wind ruffles the grass. “That’s it.”
Asmoday looks at her questioningly. “I am free to go?”
“Yes.”
He bounds down the stairs and sweeps Keely into his arms. She hugs him tightly, unsure what they are about to face.
“You ride with me,” the light haired Angel says to Asmoday.
“You are with me,” the amber eyed Angel tells Keely. She takes his outstretched hand and he helps her onto the horse that is black as a moonless night. She runs her hand down his mane.
The Angel propels himself up onto the horse behind Keely. “He’s a gorgeous animal, isn’t he?”
She nods. “Yes, he is.”
“His name is Ephesus and I go by the name Elijah.” He slaps the reigns and makes a sound that Ephesus understands. He trots forward and Keely grips the saddle.
“I’m Keely. Well, you probably know that already.”
“Yes, we’ve met before.”
Keely tries to turn to look at him, but she sways and he straightens her. She looks over at Asmoday who looks perfectly at ease with his fingers knotted into the white mane of the horse he rides.
“I don’t mean to sound rude, but I don’t remember ever meeting you. I don’t think that’s something I could ever forget.”
“Your body had died at the time,” he says as if this is self explanatory. Her body stiffens and he laughs, the sound like a melody of chimes. “I brought you to my Father after you were attacked. Your soul was strong, but your body weak. I called the paramedics to save you. My Father had to join you with your body twice before you were strong enough. I remember it well.”
“You saved me? After Apophis attacked me?”
“Yes.”
“I thought it was a security guard making his rounds.”
“Or a Guardian Angel posing as one.” Keely can hear the smile in his voice.
“I have a Guardian Angel?”
“I’ve been your guardian ever since you died at such a young age. Currently you have two, due to circumstances. On the red horse, that is Micah. He will help guide you as well as guard you.”
“Your father, do you mean…?”
Elijah smiles. “The Lord, my Father.”
“God?”
“Yes.”
“God put my soul back into my body? Twice? Why?” Keely asks incredulously.
“He’s the only one who can do it.”
“But why did he do it?”
“Because,” Elijah says. “You fulfill our Prophecy of Peace.”
Thirty-Eight:
“I read the prophecy in the Grimoire. I saw it. I bring damnation. Not peace. It’s awful what I do. So many people…die,” Keely explains.
Elijah says, “You’ve only seen what will happen if you fail. You have not been shown the possibilities if you succeed.”
“But the prophecy is that I won’t succeed. Isn’t it?”
“That is not how ours reads.”
“But it is how it reads in the Grimoire. Isn’t that risky?”
Elijah laughs. “I have faith in you.”
“I’m glad you do, Elijah, because I watched myself fail. I felt the importance of what I was doing, and I knew I shouldn’t look back, for whatever reason, but I did. And the whole world fell apart.”
“In ours, you succeed. And the whole world remains intact. Trust me. In our prophecy, it has only ever been you. You have only ever conquered the darkness. You are a heroin.”
Keely ponders this new information. Her chest fills with pride and her eyes slide over to Asmoday as he beams at her. She smiles, feeling embarrassed.
“Why do you have names?” Asmoday asks the Angel he rides with. “The Demon King always told me that he has no human name.”
“It’s true, we don’t. Our Father gave us these names to call ourselves while we walk among you.”
“What is yours?”
“Ramuell.”
“Why don’t you have wings?” Keely asks. Her cheeks go warm as Ramuell looks over at her and smiles. Did she just ask a really dumb question? Are Angels with wings something humans exaggerated or possibly made up?
“We cannot use them in our human form.”
“So you’re human right now?” she asks.
He nods his head. “As much as you are.”
“Why did everybody think it was the
end of days?” Keely tries to look at Elijah again.
“They’ve read the Revelation to the prophet John,” Elijah explains. In the prophecy, four Angels come to Earth to put the seal of our Father on the chosen.”
“Are you one of those Angels?”
He laughs. “No. But Israfil is.” He points to the Angel with the curly hair upon the cream colored horse. “He sounds the trumpet as he did tonight.”
“Do you know? When the end of days is coming?”
Elijah laughs again. “I like her,” he says to Ramuell. “No. We do not. Only our Father knows.”
“And if we accomplish our mission, perhaps the day will never come,” Micah says. He grins at Keely, his almond eyes squinting as she looks at him in surprise.
Keely shivers and Asmoday fidgets in the saddle. Ramuell looks over at Elijah. “It appears it’s already complete.”
“I suspect that too,” Elijah says inclining his head.
“What is complete?” Keely throws the question out for any of them to answer.
“Have you sealed your bond?” Israfil smiles deviously at Keely, dimples appearing in his round cheeks when she looks at him with a puzzled expression. “With a kiss?”
“Oh my…” Keely lets the word go, not wanting to offend anyone, but too shocked to say anything else.
Asmoday looks at her as he confirms. “Yes. More than once.”
Micah nods. “Could be why he moved tonight.”
“I agree,” Ramuell says.
Asmoday asks, “Where are we going exactly?”
“For the others,” Elijah tells him.
“What others?” Kelly wonders.
“There are more in the prophecy than you two,” Israfil informs him.
“I am in the prophecy?” Asmoday stares at him in disbelief.
“You are the key,” Israfil says.
Keely sighs. “I don’t understand.”
“There are four who aid you to the Cimmerian Stairway,” Elijah explains. “The Prophet, the Perceiver, the Warrior, and the Demon. They fight with you, alongside us. Once you’re there, however, it’s all left to the two of you.”
Keely licks her lips and asks, “What’s left to us?”
“He must stay in darkness. You must ascend the staircase into light,” Ramuell says.
“Why would I leave him?” Keely feels a panic attack edging its way forth.
“Why is not in our prophecy,” Ramuell says quietly.
“I can’t do it. I’ve seen it. I don’t make it. I turn back and now I know why. I won’t leave Asmoday in darkness.” She looks at him and is reminded of Bryon. Recalls the fear that overtook him in the tunnels. She shakes her head. “I can’t do it.”
“You do,” Elijah says.
“Why? Why didn’t you just leave us there? We were safe. Nobody could get to either of us. I wouldn’t have to do this and take the chance of failing.”
“We got to you,” Israfil says.
“But the Demon King could not,” Asmoday counters. “They have a spell around the grounds. No Demons can enter and I could not leave the prison.” Asmoday rubs his forehead. “If you had just left us-”
“If we had left you, you could not fulfill our prophecy,” Ramuell says firmly.
“I don’t see why it’s so important as long as we don’t fulfill the Demon King’s either,” Keely adds.
“Because you bring peace between Heaven and Hell. That is too important. Especially now that we are at war,” Elijah says softly.
“How does walking up a staircase refusing to look at someone bring peace? It doesn’t make sense!”
“It will,” Elijah offers.
“What if I don’t want to do it? What if I say no?” Keely cries defiantly.
“You will do the right thing,” Micah tells her. “Even if it’s hard. You always have, Keely. It’s who you are.”
“How is it right to leave him?” Her voice is barely audible as she chokes out the words.
“Because I want you to do it,” Asmoday says. “It will ensure your safety.”
“I won’t do it.”
“You will. You have to. It’s what I want. Does that not matter to you?”
Keely swallows hard. “It doesn’t matter right now. We don’t even know what’s down there. You could die.”
“Or I could be fine. You do not know. Besides, one life, to save so many others, to save you. It is worth the cost.”
“Not to me!” Keely screams. She buries her head in her hands and begins to cry. A slow steady stream of angry tears. “Not to me,” she sobs. “Not to me.”
***
The rest of the ride is silent except for the rhythmic pounding of hooves. Keely is aware of Asmoday’s feelings as if they are a knife stabbing her. His sorrow, his determination, his pride, but most of all his love for her.
She ignores him as best she can as she struggles with her own state of mind, knowing he is just as aware of her as she is of him. She wasted too much time pushing him away. Too much time fighting her feelings for him. Soon she will have to leave him behind. Possibly forever.
“This is Nick Wallace’s home,” Asmoday says. Keely pulls herself out of her thoughts and looks around. “This is the Warrior?”
Israfil nods, confirming his assumption.
Elijah slides from Ephesus and reaches for Keely. She jumps off the other side before he has a chance to help her. Just because they’re Angels doesn’t mean she needs to like them right now. Not when they are making her do something so terrible.
Elijah stares at her and chuckles. “I really do like her.”
Keely ignores him and heads for the door that leads to the steps. She bounds down them and knocks as Elijah and Micah catch up. A moment passes and she knocks again. “He might be at the hospital with Bryon,” Keely suggests.
“He’s here,” Micah says confidently.
“How do you know?”
Before he can answer, the door opens and Nick stares at Keely with red rimmed eyes that go big with surprise. Nick grabs Keely’s shirt and tugs her toward him, wrapping his arms around her so tightly she can barely breathe. “I thought you were gone. You’re all right. You’re all right.” He pulls back and cups her face in his palms. Looks at her face. “You’re all right,” he says again and Keely thinks he’s talking more to himself than to her.
“I’m fine, Nick,” she says quietly.
“Ambriel called me. She said they took you…” He looks past her now and his words trail off.
“You need to come with us,” Elijah says. “Now,” he adds when Nick just stares.
“Yeah, o.k.” He pulls the door shut and takes Keely’s hand tightly in his.
***
Nick perches behind Micah, more in awed silence than discomfort as they stop outside of the hospital.
“Who here?” Keely asks urgently.
Before Keely can ignore his help, Elijah grips her waist and lowers her. Dismounting, he smirks at her as she crosses her arms in front of her. “The Prophet,” he says.
“Who’s the prophet?” Nick asks. He slides off the horse and immediately takes Keely’s hand. She feels Asmoday’s eyes on her, but keeps her gaze fixed on Elijah.
“The Watcher.”
Keely freezes. “Which one? There are two here.”
Elijah looks at Israfil. “What’s the boy’s name again?”
He pulls a scroll from his belt and unrolls it several inches. “Hill, Bryon Nathaniel.”
Relief washes over Keely instantly, grateful it isn’t Dustin. “But he’s hurt. He needs to stay in the hospital.” Then something else occurs to her. “Bryon’s not a Prophet. Is he?”
“He is,” Israfil states, “according to this.” He rolls the scroll closed and reattaches it to his belt.
“A Prophet? Bryon?” Nick can’t believe it. He and Keely share a look of mutual surprise. Nick shrugs. “All right.”
At this point, Keely nearly shrugs too. Nothing should surprise her anymore. “Well, he probably should
n’t leave the hospital.”
“We’ll ask him,” Micah says as he strolls past her.
“I’m pretty sure we all know how that will go,” Keely sighs.
Elijah raises his eyebrows. “Exactly.”
“You know, for Angels, you guys just don’t seem very angelic,” Keely murmurs as she follows after Elijah and Micah.
Elijah laughs. “We’re not Angels right now, remember?” He wriggles his brows.
“Hey, Micah, you want to take the armor off before you go in there?” Ramuell calls.
Micah looks down at himself, his eyes crinkle with amusement. “Guess I should. Don’t want to frighten the humans.”
“I don’t know why you wear that stuff anyway,” Israfil says with a grin. “It’s not like you ever need it. I haven’t seen you engage in battle in over a hundred years.”
“I’m overdue, don’t you think?” He flashes a brilliant smile as he slips the breast plate over his head. Beneath, he wears a plain black tee shirt and Keely is struck by how normal he looks. How normal they all look. If she had passed them on the street, she wouldn’t have given them a second glance. O.k., she might have. They are all amazing looking, but she would never have guessed Angels. Not like this. Just normal guys joking and talking outside of a hospital.
Bryon smiles as Keely comes into the room. He’s sitting up watching T.V. and sipping Mountain Dew from a straw. “Kiem, you finally came to see me?”
She smiles back, glad to see him look so good. Nick comes in behind her, followed by Elijah. “How are you doing?”
“Better. Who’s this?” He scrutinizes Elijah carefully.
“He’s an Angel. Like, a real Angel,” Keely whispers.
Bryon grins, sure she’s joking with him. The smile fades slowly as he reads the serious expression on her face. His eyes dart to Elijah, then to Keely. Over to Nick who nods. “Why?”
Elijah laughs loudly. “He is definitely your friend,” he says to Keely. “You are a part of our prophecy. We need your help,” he adds turning to Bryon.
Without a word, Bryon plucks off the plastic rectangle clipped to his finger and tosses it on the bed. Pulls the blanket back and pushes himself gingerly off the bed. He pulls at the one string tying his hospital gown together and it falls to the floor leaving him standing in his white boxer briefs. Keely’s eyes are momentarily glued to the bandage on his chest. As her eyes begin to trail down his stomach, she turns around quickly.