“You told me you would never leave me. Never hurt me. Never lie to me. But you did lie, because you’re hurting me now. Look me in the eye and tell me it doesn’t matter. Tell me you don’t care that you are breaking my heart, and I’ll…I’ll go.”
Asmoday closes his eyes. Takes a deep breath. He opens them slowly and moves in front of her. Bends his knees so he’s eye level with her and holds her gaze steadily. “It does not matter enough. I want the thrown more than I want you.”
Keely’s eyes go big. Her head feels light. She nods. “O.k. O.k. I…” She squeezes her hands into fists. “I’m going to go then. I just…” She shakes her head. The tears won’t stop and it’s hard to see. She can’t even concentrate. “I don’t know where to go.”
Asmoday swallows hard. He points at the door. “Back the way you came.”
“But the stairway-”
“It is a metaphor. Walking into darkness. Now you must leave it. Go back into the light. Go be the Doyenne.”
Keely blinks tears from her eyes and nods again. Her throat is dry and the agonizing sadness is ripping her heart in half. She turns and limps through the door. Tells herself over and over not to look back. At the last second, she fails.
Keely glances over her shoulder at Asmoday. In that moment, she sees it. The lies he’s told her. His anguish. His loss. She sees the love he still has for her and it gives her the strength to make it to the next door. Words he once spoke to her replay in her mind. I cannot wait until the day it no longer surprises you. The day when you know without a second thought that I would lay my life down for you.
Keely steps back into chaos. The screaming. The fighting. The horrible smell of decaying Demons. She reaches for her dagger and remembers Asmoday still has it. Something hits her hard from behind and she falls forward. Her knee explodes with agonizing pain as she lands hard on it. She doesn’t have time to react before she is struck again. Her vision is blurry while she fights to keep her eyes open.
Something grips her ankle and drags her across the stone walkway. Her shirt bunches up around her chest and her stomach is skinned raw. Keely kicks out attempting to cease the movement, but it’s no use. Her foot swings idly in the air.
She’s rolled over and now she can see him. Sees the disgusted look on his face. Cringes at the pure revulsion he regards her with.
“Why are you doing this?”
He laughs coldly. “Why?” He removes his glasses and rubs his forehead. Grips the front of her shirt and yanks her up. Leans her against the building. “You took everything from me. I want—no, I need you to die. I need you to suffer. Slowly. I hate you, Keely. I hate you so much, I can taste it.” He throws his arms out and spins in a slow circle. “Because of you, all of this happened. I don’t know who you think you are. I don’t know what they see in you, but I am not fooled. Not for a second. You stole my life.” He shrugs. “So now I’m going to take yours.”
***
Lila takes Nick’s hand. She gives it a firm squeeze. “I love you, Icky.”
“It’s not over yet. Don’t get mushy on me.”
The Demons keep coming. More join the others as they move to circle around, enclosing them in. Beyond that, Bryon rushes in their direction, Israfil beside him. Lila looks at her brother. She can’t reload quickly enough and Bryon will never make it in time. “I love you,” she says again. “I need you to know that.”
“I do,” he says. He pushes her behind him. “I love you too.”
“This is no time for goodbyes. You’re a warrior. Fight,” Elijah yells.”
Nick nods and jabs his dagger into the chest of the closest Demon. It smiles at him as blood trickles from its mouth. Licks its lips and laughs. Lifts a finger, moving it side to side while shaking its head.
Bryon throws his sword, it hits its mark. The tip of the sword comes through the Demons chest, nearly touching Nick’s. Kicking his foot up, Nick pushes the sword back out and knocks the Demon down. He rolls it over and grabs the sword from the ground. Slices into the neck of the creature next to him.
Elijah swings his sword, cutting off a misshapen arm of another. Spinning himself, he swings again severing the other arm. Kicks the Demon away from him. It falls to the ground flailing its legs.
Israfil brings his arms out at his sides and tackles two Demons at once, knocking them to the ground. He flips his blade and stabs it into the back of one. Twists it. The spine breaks free of the flesh, pulling away with the sword. He raises his eyebrows and shakes it off.
One by one, the Demons begin to disappear. Blinking out in an aura of darkness.
Nick looks around before cocking his brows. He gazes at Lila. “Did their time run out?”
“I don’t think so.” She breathes quickly in and out. Across the grounds, Lila makes eye contact with Micah. He turns and says something to Ramuell and their heads turn in the direction of Mount Zion. A cold pang sits in Lila’s stomach. She twists and runs for the building.
Her feet falter when she sees him. She should have killed him when she had the chance. Lila screams his name, certain of his intent. Dustin’s body jerks. He spins around. “Stay back Lila.”
She doesn’t stop, but she slows. Walks hesitantly up the steps, her hands out in front of her. “What are you doing?” Her eyes flick to Keely’s unconscious body.
“I’m making things right,” Dustin spits.
“How?” Lila steps silently, leaving little space between them.
“Look, Lila. I love you. I have loved you from the very first time I saw you. I wanted a life with you. I wanted to marry you.” He jabs his finger in the air, pointing at Keely. “She took it all.” His voice is quietly pained. “She has to pay.”
“She has, Dusty. Look at her.” He turns and glances at Keely. Lila raises her gun. Rock salt won’t do much to a human, but it’ll hurt like hell. She aims for his back. Pulls the trigger. Dustin grunts and staggers a step. He spins, face contorted with pain and confusion. He wrenches the gun from her hand and throws it.
“Why did you do that? How can you turn on me? Everything I did, I did for you. Because I love you.”
“You don’t love me, Dustin. You just think you do. This isn’t love. This is insanity.”
“No, Lila. Don’t say that. You are my whole life.”
Lila shakes her head. “I can’t be anymore. I’m done. You’ve lost it.”
Dustin takes her arm. “After she’s gone, everything will be all right. You’ll love me again.”
Lila tugs away from him. “I will never love you again. That time has passed. I don’t even recognize you anymore. You’re a stranger. A psychotic stranger.”
He rips the bandage from his eye. Hits himself in the face. Lila’s eyes go big. She steps back and Dustin flies at her. Wraps his arms around her. “Look at me. Look what she made me. This is why you can’t love me.”
“No,” Lila cries. She struggles to get away.
“Take your hands off of her,” Micah shouts.
Dustin stiffens. “Who the hell are you?” He glances from Micah to Lila. “Are you cheating on me?”
“I—no. I can’t cheat on you, Dusty. We aren’t together and Micah is an Angel. He’s Keely’s Guardian.”
Dustin straightens and turns to face Micah. “Then I’ll have to kill him too.”
Micah raises his sword. He looks past Dustin to Lila. “I’m very sorry,” he says quietly, his voice full of remorse. The expression on his face is the mirror image of the one he wore earlier when she asked him about the prophecy. And Lila knows Dustin is about to die. She moves away quickly, averting her eyes.
Dustin hurls himself at Micah and it’s over. Micah puts his arm around Dustin like embracing him in a hug. With a sigh, Dustin’s eyes close and Micah pulls the sword from his heart. “My father will forgive. Peace be with you.”
Bryon runs past Micah and kneels next to Keely. He brushes the hair from her face and she groans. “Keely, you o.k.?”
She licks her lips and tries to open her heavy
eyes. “Come on Kiem. Let me see those pretty greens.”
“Where is Ramuell?” Israfil asks.
“I don’t know,” Elijah answers.
“Keely?” Nick is slow to get up the steps. He lowers himself next to her and caresses her face. “What’d he do to her?”
“I don’t know,” Bryon says tightly.
Ramuell comes up behind the group. “She did it. The prophecy has been fulfilled.”
“She needs a hospital. How do we get back?” Bryon says.
“I believe that is where I come in.”
Everyone turns toward the small voice. A little boy stands just before the doorway. His dark almond shaped eyes innocently regard them. “My King has sent me to transport you home. I was told the girl is to go first.” He points a chubby finger at Keely.
“Who?” Bryon asks.
“King Asmoday,” the boy replies. He moves his silky black hair out of his eyes and walks over to Keely. “She’s pretty.”
Nick touches the boy’s arm. “Take her to Hunt Memorial Hospital.” The boy nods and he and Keely disappear.
Epilogue:
Keely puts the last of her clothes in her drawer. Hands on hips, she shifts, taking in her room at the Academy. She’s made it her own. Pictures of her parents. Posters of her favorite bands. Her own bedspread. The stuffed animal Bryon gave her during her short stent at the hospital after her leg surgery. She rubs at the brace over her knee. Another scar added to her body.
Keely texts her mom and let’s her know she’s settled in all right. Things have been strained since Keely decided to move to the Academy, not that things were great prior. Her mom was passionately against the move, but Keely was determined. After all, she has a plan. She needs access to the Grimoire and the only way to do that is to be here. She will be a good little Doyenne. Learn to use her accolades and train to become a warrior. Educate herself in anything and everything that has to do with who she is. And the first chance she gets, she will search the Grimoire for some way to get Asmoday out of the Demon realms.
Right now, she is a shell. Her inside is missing. She doesn’t know what she needs to fill the void, but she knows in her heart it has something to do with Asmoday. Maybe it’s because the cord binding them has never severed. Keely thinks it may be because they unknowingly sealed the bond. Regardless, she can’t leave him there. She told him she’d come back for him if there was any way possible and she is determined to find it.
Someone knocks. Nick smiles at Keely when she opens the door. “Hey. I just wanted to check on you.”
She moves out of the way so he can come in. He kisses her cheek. “So, how are you doing?”
She plops down on her bed. “You mean since yesterday? I’m good.”
Nick stares at her. “You’re not good. You’re miserable.” He sits beside her. Puts his arm around her. “It will get better. Easier at least. Over time.”
Keely wiggles out of his embrace and stands up. Paces in front of him. “Better? Easier? You just don’t understand. I wish you could. Something is different in me, Nick. I don’t want it to get better or easier. I’m so…”
“Sad.”
“And angry.”
Nick nods. His phone sounds in his pocket, a steady buzzing. “Sorry.” He takes it out and looks at the caller I.D. His eyes go wide and he closes himself in Keely’s bathroom. She can hear his hushed voice on the other side of the door. After only a moment, Nick comes back into the room. “I’ll take care of it,” he says to the person on the line. Turning away from her, he ends the call and pushes the phone back into his pocket. Presses his thumb and finger against his eyes. Takes a deep breath.
“Who was that on the phone?” Keely asks.
He whirls on her and she stops dead in her tracts. “I’ve tried to be understanding,” Nick says. “I have been patient. I mean, I thought you were going through this terrible depression because that cord, or whatever you call it, broke. I assumed that’s what this is.” He gestures at her. “I could deal with that, but it didn’t break. Did it? You’re still tied to him, aren’t you?”
Keely looks away, but Nick isn’t allowing that. He won’t let her hide anymore. He pulls her chin so she is facing him again.
“I don’t know what hurts more. That you’ve been in this misery because you miss him, or that you love him so much you’re willing to put yourself in danger just to be with him.”
“It was him? Asmoday called you?”
Nick glowers at her. “Yes. He could feel your intentions to go back to the Demon realm. He wanted me to stop you. He doesn’t want you to go back. Don’t you get that? Whatever you had with him is over.” He shakes his head. He can’t even look at her anymore. “I can’t compete. I won’t. I can’t always wonder if you’re going to put yourself in danger. I love you, but this is too much. Especially when you can’t love me back.” He pauses, gives her a chance to say something, to protest, to stop him.
“I do love you, Nick. I just love him too. And…”
“And?”
Well, if she’s going to be honest, she might as well spill it all. “I love Bryon too. I didn’t mean to love anyone. It just happened and I’m so confused.”
“Well, let me help you out. I’m done. You can just worry about two guys now.”
“I just need time. Please.”
He shrugs. “Take all the time you need, but don’t you dare come to me unless you know for certain. Unless you know you only want me. I don’t share people. I want you to myself. If you can’t do that, just…just stay away.”
“Will you still be my Guardian?” Keely asks, panicked.
“I swore to protect you. I always will.” He closes his eyes and kisses her forehead, his lips lingering on her skin. “Goodbye, Keely.”
Nick opens the door, nearly runs into Bryon.
“Hey, man. What’s up?” Nick brushes past him without responding. Bryon gives Keely a look and shuts the door. “What’d I miss?”
Angry tears fill Keely’s eyes. She did this to herself. It’s her own fault. “Nothing.”
Bryon raises his eyebrows, but doesn’t comment on it again. Decides to change the subject. “Have you seen Lila?”
“Not since this morning. She went to the park with Micah.”
“What’s going on with them?”
Keely wipes her eyes and shrugs. “I don’t know. I think she likes him, but it’s weird for her, ya know? He killed the only guy she ever loved and he feels so guilty about it. I don’t know where it will go, but the others left. He’s the only one still here, so I think that means something.”
“I hope it works out. She deserves some happiness.” He turns the bar bell ring in his brow and licks his lips. “Which is why I’m here. You know I’m a prophet, right?”
Keely smiles at him. “Right.”
“Well, two days ago, I had a dream. At first I didn’t think much of it because it isn’t the first time I’ve dreamed about you, but last night, I had the exact same dream. I mean, exactly the same. I think it may be my first sight into the future.”
“Oh my gosh, Bryon. That’s amazing. Can you tell me about it?”
He sits on the edge of her bed and gazes at her. “Well, what are you doing tomorrow night?”
Keely scrunches her nose. “Tutoring. Same as every night until this thing comes off and I can start training.” She pokes at her brace with disgust.
Bryon smiles. “Wrong. You’ll be with me. On our first date.”
Keely blinks at him. “Wait, what?”
“I’m taking you out.” He winks at her. “I have to. It’s been written in the stars.” He waves his hand in front of them, a dreamy expression clouding his face.
“That’s what you prophesized? A date? With me?”
Bryon grins widely. “Don’t worry. You have a good time.” He meets her eyes evenly and sighs. “Look, I know there are a lot of things that need to be discussed. Things you need to work out. Things I need to get over. But I’m willing to try. And I kind of
already know you are too. So, what do you say? Will you go on a date with me?”
Keely can’t fight the smile tugging her lips. “Yes, Bryon. I would love to.”
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Cheryl McIntyre, Dark Calling
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