Chapter Thirty-Two
“ T onight is about celebrating another of the Lord’s children who have joined us in our battle against the evil that walks among us,” Father called out. His voice boomed throughout the dining hall, commanding attention. “Tonight, we welcome Remi Marie Watson to The Order of the Scarlet Quill. Just like her ancestors before her, she has shown immense purity that only the Lord himself could have granted.” Father then motioned for Collin to retrieve a brand new scarlet cape from the chest at the bottom step of the dais.
Josh stood abruptly, making his way over, where Collin lay the cape gently in his open arms. I swallowed a nervous lump in my throat, realizing at that very moment that Josh would be the one to cover my body with it.
“Rise, Remi, and let your body receive the armor from your ancestors,” Father Benedict called.
All eyes were zeroed in on me as I rose from my seat, meeting Josh at the altar, his expression bleak, unsure why he seemed so stoned faced during such a life-changing moment.
Father Benedict had me turn toward the audience, dipping his fingers in a gold bowl Collin brought over, coating his fingers in ash, then marking the sign of the cross on my forehead. “Remi, from this moment on, you are a Scarlet. Protector of mankind, servant of the Lord, and sister of The Order.”
The soft fabric of the cloak draped over my shoulders, and Josh walked around to secure the clasp around my neck. Reaching forward, his mouth mere inches from my own, he raised the hood to sit perfectly on my head.
I could’ve sworn he said the word beautiful under his breath, but I barely had time to register it before he stepped aside for Father Benedict to gesture toward the table of seven silver daggers. Each one twinkled under the lights, some boasting large rubies on the pommel and others smaller and more intricate. The handles were molded the same, easy to carry and to thrust, but the blades were either pin straight, wavy, crooked, or even curved.
Father laid a hand on my shoulder, trying to incite a feeling of excitement in me. “Let the guidance of your purity help you designate the weapon your ancestors have fought with and will continue to protect and serve with today.”
I stood before the display, each dagger placed pristine for my choosing. Josh said one would call to me, but so far, it’d been radio silence. I inched closer to the table, leaning over to examine the crooked blade, but nothing tugged at me to pick it up; it was just a simple dagger with shiny rubies. I moved on to the next, the edge curved to the right, and the rubies were small and designed in swirls on the pommel. Hoping it would strike a chord of recognition, I reached for the handle, the cool, slick steel smooth to the touch, the rubies delicate but striking, and yet, it didn’t call to me.
Frustration coated my feelings while everyone watched to see what I would do next.
Sighing to release some of the anxiety, I moved on to the next. Before I could even consider the wavy dagger with the engraved pommel, someone’s presence shadowed over the table, their body a centimeter from my back.
“Block them all out,” Josh whispered. His words traveled like a soft breeze, helping to rid me of any doubt that took over.
I stole a glance, his eyes piercing, silently communicating. At that moment, he knew the fear I hid, and for once, I saw him as more than just a pretty face. I saw him as my guardian.
A deep breath escaped my lips as I closed my eyes, disassociating myself from everyone and everything that overshadowed my clouded thoughts.
To get my mind completely blank and open my senses took a little time, and I was beginning to think some were becoming impatient, but I was desperate to try anything at that point. I didn’t know how long I stood there, facing the others, trying my hardest to center myself and letting everything go just to answer a call that would never come, but a strange feeling crept inside at some point in the midst of it, starting from my toes. It tingled through my legs, reaching higher, until every inch of my body was coated with the sensation of pins and needles.
Nobody uttered a word when my feet began moving of their own accord, guiding my body along the table. My fingers barely brushed against the smooth oak surface; the hum of an unknown song vibrating inside my head. The more I walked, the louder the hum grew, pulling me along like an invisible string. Opening my eyes, my hand hovered over one dagger, the humming now a voice, singing in a language I couldn’t understand. Heat warmed my fingers, flexing them to feel the sensation spread to my palm and then up my arm until my whole body tingled with warmth. A dagger of the finest point glowed in a shimmery gold hue; the pommel had a single garnet stone in the center with small swirls of diamonds branching off the stone. I reached for it, and the cold steel handle clashed against the heat emanating from my palm. Lifting it to eye level, I examined the blade of the dagger that reflected from the lights above, turning it at different angles, and engraved words flashed on the edge . As instantaneously as it appeared, the words faded, ceasing to exist.
What was that?
I looked over at Father Benedict, befuddled, but he took it as a sign of choosing my dagger. Because even though it sang to me, it reached deep within my body and soul. Why did it take Josh to clear the chaos?
“From this day forward, a Scarlet is born. Swear to protect and serve, to guide and follow, but most importantly to create a sanctuary for the fallen,” spoke Father Benedict.
The room erupted in applause, accepting my position in the Order. It took me by surprise, mainly because they all seemed so rough around the edges with their hospitality, or maybe because I wasn’t used to being a part of something so tight-knit.
Josh firmly squeezed my shoulder, nodding his head in approval.
The crowd suddenly halted as Father Benedict raised his hands again. “And now, for the bonding of the Scarlet and the Tutelary Saint.”
“The bonding? You never said anything about that,” I whispered to Josh.
“I thought I told you,” he whispered back.
My nostrils flared. “No!”
Father coaxed us forward, and Collin scurried over to take my dagger so my hands would be free. Baron came forward to remove the remaining daggers, then Asher and Kal started to set up for the next part of the ceremony. The table, once covered in decorative weapons, was replaced with a thin, white table runner, a silver knife, and two white towels. We stood before the display, and my hands shook with anxiety. Whatever the bond meant, it clearly gave the impression of some type of blood oath, and that made my stomach flip upside down.
Father Benedict picked up the silver knife, examining it in his palm before handing it over to Josh first. “The bond of a Scarlet and the Tutelary Saint is sacred.” Josh sliced a thin line on his palm before giving it to me. I took it without protest, but my anxiety never faltered. I held the knife. Josh’s blood lingered, dripping down until it touched my hand.
Father Benedict then gave us his attention, waiting for me to slice my hand as well. Breathing through my nose, I did a quick cut down the center of my palm, hissing from the sting. Blood began to ooze from the wound, coating my palm.
I didn’t have time to react as Father Benedict grasped my and Josh’s arms, forcing our palms to connect. “Bonded by blood, chosen by fate.”
Our joined hands began to glow with a gold aura.
How in the world?
“In the eyes of our Lord and savior and fellow members of The Order, bear witness to a holy binding.” The light became blinding, to the point where everything disappeared, but I could still feel the connection of our hands pulsating. Josh’s fingers intertwined with mine, and the sense of security from his hold sent a wave of sudden relief through my body. Suddenly, I was flooded with a vision of us connected, fighting back to back, protecting one another, and I never thought I would feel such a sense of gratitude and security by viewing our future selves fighting alongside one another. Our weapons, his bow and arrow, and my—long sword? The dagger I’d chosen moments ago was absent from the vision. The sword’s pommel was designed similarly to the dagger’s, only the stone in the center glistened a honey yellow in the light whenever I swung. We fought until every gruesome creature perished, our clothes caked in black tar and blood. I’d never seen so much carnage in my life.
Eventually, the scene changed, our hands joined on a cliffside, with luscious green valleys as far as the eye could see, surrounded by others alike, basking in the realization that we’d survived a war. I went to turn to Josh but instead found a man with shoulder-length, raven hair, violet eyes, and a sense of death coating his presence. The valley’s green grass suddenly browned at our feet, trees lost leaves, and the sky twisted in an eerie gray. Bodies of once healthy warriors dropped dead, some rolled down the hills, blood staining everything in its path.
I tried to rip my hand from his, but he held tight, pulling me close to his chest, his breath of sugary sweetness fanning my face. “My Juniper.” He lifted my hand to his lips, the cold kiss sending an unwanted chill throughout my body.
“That’s not my name!”
I tried to escape, but his grip only tightened, to the point where his fingers dug into my skin, the feeling of bruises already taking form. His eyes swirled with dark shadows, making the violet color fade, his lips inches from my own until he leaned off to the side, his cool breath against my ear. “You can’t win.”
The golden light faded, bringing our sight back and everything and everyone around us into view. Father Benedict separated our clasped hands, and I gazed upon my palm to find the wound healed, not a single trace of blood in sight.
But that wasn’t what had me taking a step back from them; it was the catastrophic nightmare I bore witness to during our bonding.
My heart pounded erratically against my ribcage, the pressure so intense that an ache began to form. Josh cocked his head to the side, unsure why a look of fear plastered my face. Did he not have the same experience? Was I the only one to see such tragedy? And who was the man calling me Juniper? My eyes darted toward the crowd as they patiently waited for something to happen. Father Benedict looked over at my labored breathing while I clutched my healed hand against my chest. Without a word, he nodded to the others, a signal for them to leave. I needed to get a grip on myself, just enough to get out of there and try to make sense of what just happened.
Collin took the bloodied knife from my other hand and cleaned it with one of the white towels on the table. Baron cleared the remaining weapons before carrying them out of the room. I continued to stare at my healed palm, waiting for something to happen, but there was no trace of the golden light from moments ago.
The members began to leave the room, but Josh remained, standing just inches from me, watching my reaction, a look of concern on his face.
“Remi?” he called. My name echoed in the empty room, and a taste of anxiety coated my tongue.
I swallowed back the bile that threatened to ruin the nice carpeting. “What?”
“You’re as pale as a ghost. Are you okay?” Josh asked, moving forward, trying to bridge the gap I’d created between us.
I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t find the words. It all just seemed so real, regardless of my encounter with an actual demon not too long ago. How could my life go from harmless drunken nights and annoying fancy parties to blood, death, and chaos?
Life has always been that way. The words traveled to me in a whisper, caressing the walls of my mind, a lingering itch I couldn’t scratch.
I frantically looked around, not sure if I was hearing things, when Josh smirked. “It’s the bond.”
“Excuse me?” I said, taking a step back. “Get out of my head. That’s creepy.” Panic swept in like a tidal wave, taking control of my nerves. Because if he could hear my thoughts now, that would mean…
I slammed the images of what I’d witnessed during the bonding down, locking them away until I could separate myself from him.
“Kind of impossible when we are bonded and your thoughts are so goddamn loud,” he retorted.
“You have got to be kidding me! Now I have to hear you inside my head? It’s bad enough I have to listen to you now,” I groaned, ripping the hood off my head.
Josh dramatically grabbed his heart, looking wounded. “Oh, that hurt.”
“I don’t know how you can joke at a time like this.”
“At a time like what? I’m your guardian. It’s not like we’re some part of an arranged marriage,” he scoffed.
I gritted my teeth. “I can barely grasp the concept of demons roaming around, now you have to be planted in my head?”
“And you’re not in mine?” He crossed his arms, annoyance on his face.
He had the audacity to act so irritated by my dislike for our situation that I wanted to stab his eyes out.
“We have only one common goal, and that is to fight and protect the citizens of this city,” Josh stated.
“Glad that’s all we have in common,” I muttered. Arrogant son of a bit—
“Heard that.”
“Good.”
We stood, glaring at one another. “If you’re going to insult me all night—” Josh turned to leave.
I surprised not only him but myself. Although I wanted to, that wouldn’t get me anywhere with navigating my new lifestyle, and as much as I wanted to kick him in the teeth, he was my guardian, and I couldn’t do this without him. I had to rein in my anger to ask the next question. “How does it even work?” I let my hand drop off his arm.
His eyebrows rose in confusion. “How does what work?”
I gestured my hands between us. “Reading each other’s thoughts. Communicating?”
Josh massaged his jawline, his fingers playing with the stubble as he sighed deeply and rolled his eyes, clearly experiencing whiplash from my ever-changing mood. “It only works if we’re close to one another. It’s quite useful in battle. Our psyche is connected because our bond finally received its own blessing from a holy figure.”
Father Benedict’s weird declaration suddenly made sense. “Is that what Father was spewing earlier?”
“Yes.”
I pondered over this new information. “So, you can talk to me telepathically… I’m assuming it works the same for you?”
He nodded. “Give it a try.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“Because it is.”
Hi. I thought. God, this was awkward.
Hey, and it’s perfectly normal. I watched the smirk appear on his lips.
My eyes bulged. “I didn’t even think about the last part.”
“Like I said, your thoughts are very loud,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.
“All because we’re connected…” I trailed off, because from here on out, Josh was going to know all my inner thoughts, unless…
He started to laugh. “Unless you learn how to shield.”
“Ugh! Teach me then, I’m already about to lose my goddamn mind!”
Josh pushed his hair away from his forehead. “We’ll do that tomorrow. "
“Where did Collin take my dagger?”
“It’s getting doused in holy water, and then Father Benedict prays over it in a separate room. That is where the power of our Lord grants them to be used in battle,” Josh explained.
“So, my dagger is only useful until after it is prayed upon?” I questioned.
“It’s not written anywhere in our handbook, but it was passed down from priest to priest. Once the dagger chooses you, it gets a final prayer to activate because it’s tethered to your soul.”
“Should I be with my dagger for that to happen?”
“You already touched it after it recognized your soul.” Josh adjusted himself and stepped off the dais. “Anyways, there’s a party tonight at our frat house to celebrate your… achievement.”
“You? At a frat house?”
“I’ll text you the details.” Without looking back, he exited the room, leaving me standing in a brand new scarlet cape and with a quiet mind.