33. Some Answers
Some Answers
Knots
Ican’t help but stare at my sister from my seat at the table as I watch her help a student don his weapons. I feel as if I’m watching a ghost or, better yet, a miracle. Hell, last I saw her, Cain was—
How? I have so many questions, and I need the answers more than anything.
“So when was the last time you saw your sister?” Levi asks, wiping his mouth with his napkin.
We are pretty much done with our dinner, having opted to freshen up and change clothes before eating.
We didn’t want to gross out or offend our gracious host. But, like the litter box pointed out, we’re rolling with the heirs, so it probably doesn’t matter what we do, look, or smell like.
I, on the other hand, wanted to be at my best while I get to spend time with Angelette again.
Speaking of being at my best, the shield that Rez put on me seems to be holding up okay. I haven’t had any negative effects so far, but I don’t know how long that will last.
“Too long,” I answer and give him a timid smile. “All this time, I thought she was dead,” I admit, and watch the understanding and surprise on a few of the faces around me.
“Hey Levi, you might know,” Ryker starts. “Do you think they might have a library here?”
“We do. It’s not as extensive as L.A.M.B.’s or Lilith’s, but it’s decent.” Zissa walks up behind us and plops down at the end of the bench facing us. “I can take you there if you want. And I can help you search for something if you need.”
“That would be great. There’s one place we are going that I have no idea about, and since I have some time, I would love to see what I can gain,” Ryker explains.
“I’m assuming you are talking about Tranquil Waters.” Levi stands up and gives Ryker a nod. “I’ll help. I’m curious as well to see what we are up against.”
Zissa nods and stands, showing the two of them out of the dining room.
“I think we’re going to call it an early night,” Moni says, grabbing Chester’s hand and giving us a small wave, leaving the rest of us at the table.
I take a look around the room, taking in the students still milling around.
There’s a mix of demons, fae, and a few shifters here from what I can tell, and, as Angelette mentioned, they don’t look gentle at all.
One fae creature has spikes protruding out of his spine as he’s hunched over, eating his food.
One shifter looks as if he’s on the brink of bloodlust with a chain wrapped around his thick throat as he downs his drink in large gulps, barely containing his beast.
“Ready?” The soft voice of my sister easily pulls my attention away, and I focus back on her.
“Of course.” I give her an easy smile before saying goodnight to my family and following her out of the room in comfortable silence. We continue down the hall and end up going downstairs, and I stifle my surprise when she turns on the light, and I find it’s a sparring room.
I arch an eyebrow, and she smirks.
“Times have changed, and I missed my time slot today,” she simply says as she walks to the other side of the mat. When we were up in heaven, she left before completing her studies and aligning to become a guardian, as we often talked of. So, where did she get her training from?
“So, you figured I would be a decent opponent?” I mock, tilting my head and taking in her stance. Her defensive stance is decent, I’ll give her that.
“I know you, Kanotiel. You are already judging me, and it won’t stop until I prove myself to you.
” She gives me a knowing smirk and pulls out MoonDance, her modified Spear.
I haven’t seen that since Heaven, back when she could access her weapon.
Her spear is lined with barbs further down the handle for extra pain, and has a scythe at the other end to slice through her enemies. When did she gain access again?
“You would be correct.” I release Alexis. “But the same rules apply,” I tell her as I pull my sword back to my thigh, indicating to Angelette to prepare to go first. “So, how are you still alive?”
She leaps, swinging MoonDance into an arch and easily spins away, while I draw up Alexis behind me to block her hit.
“I was saved, simple as that,” she says, kicking out at my leg, causing me to stumble forward.
I forgot she liked to do that.
“Last I saw you,” I note, twisting back and swinging as she blocks and dodges my swings as we move around the mat. “Cain was stalking towards you, and we both know he doesn’t leave survivors.” She flips into the air and kicks my chest, propelling her back further when I get too close.
“Says the man that survived Cain at our last meeting,” she says, twirling her spear and jabbing it back fast enough that I don’t move in time, and she nicks my forearm.
“Stop playing,” I growl, spinning as I leap into the air.
Landing, I swiftly swing out my blade in a sweeping arc of fury, causing her to stumble back.
I throw her off enough that I’m able to spin behind her and bring Alexis up to her throat.
“Even Cain,”—I swallow around the lump in my throat—“said he finished you off.”
Angelette’s arm jerks up into my crotch, and an intense, immediate pain radiates to my abdomen, causing me sudden nausea, and she easily pushes my sword away from her neck.
As I try with all of my strength to keep from curling up into the fetal position, she leans down to eye level and clucks her tongue.
“You know better than to actually believe Cain.” She shakes her head, and I fall onto my back, giving in to the temporary paralysis.
“You might be a strong ass angel, Knots, but you’re still a man, and your balls are still your biggest weakness,” she tells me with a smug look, leaning on her staff.
“But since you were a good sport, I’ll answer your question.
It was Jinn. You remember him, right? My husband? ”
It’s great that I’m getting the answer, but I can barely be happy in my current condition, though I try and nod my head.
“He was definitely a knight in dark armor. A red portal opened up right there in the ground, and he pulled our kids and me straight into hell, and I have to admit, that’s the first time I’ve ever seen Cain scared. He didn’t follow us in, and I’ve been here since.”
“Where’s Gabriel and Hannah?” I wheeze out, finally able to see straight and sit up. Angelette offers her hand and helps me stand.
“They’re on Earth. Both are happy and with stable jobs as of last month when they visited.” She gives me a cocky smile as I slowly uncurl and take in a full breath.
“And you?” I cough lightly, still feeling the twinge in my balls. I hope they still function normally. Damn, she has power behind her. “What do you do here?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” a male voice rings out, pulling my attention to the door.
Walking in is another face I haven’t seen in centuries.
White hair floats around the sculpted face of a God, with sharp cheekbones and deep swirling black eyes.
His skin is different from what I remember, though.
Instead of the dark ebony I’ve seen, today he’s a light purple, and he’s wearing gold bands wrapped around his biceps and waist. He completely fits the Disney version of a genie, how ironic.
As my eyes travel down, I can’t help but comment.
“Well, I’m glad you got all the kids you wanted from him,” I snort, pointedly glancing down past his torso.
“Oh my—Knots!”
Smack. A sharp sting resonates at the back of my head.
Turning to Angelette, I can't help but act innocent. “What? I’m just saying, since he’s dickless, at least you got what you needed from him.
” I point down to where Jinn’s legs would be, but since he’s truly in his Genie form, his legs are now a swirling tornado of purple clouds.
I don’t know if he’s hiding a dick in there or not, and to be honest, I don’t want to know, but I love poking fun at the man.
“Very funny, Kanotiel. Or should I say Knots now?” Jinn raises an eyebrow at me before gliding over to us on his cloud of purple smoke.
“But like I was saying, it should be obvious since she knocked you to your ass, that she’s one of their best trainers here,” he says with pride, and why wouldn’t he?
My sister is a badass, even though that was a cheap shot.
“Makes sense.” I smile at my sister.
“And I thought angels were supposed to be nice,” Jinn comments.
I pick up my sword, and as I put her away, I point to myself. “No longer a heavenly angel,” I say snidely, just in case the asshole forgot that my sister is in the same boat, because of him.
She left heaven because of her love for him.
We used to be Guardian Angels together, but she decided to fall to Earth for Jinn, and that’s why she has no problems being down here in Hell.
Where I, on the other hand, was fucking knocked out of heaven, so whatever that made me, sure as hell didn’t make me a heavenly angel anymore.
Not a fallen nor heavenly but a cast-out one.
I feel petite hands on my arm, pulling me out of my thoughts, and find those beautiful brown eyes peering up at me.
“I was hoping you would be proud of me,” she says timidly, so unlike what I just witnessed a moment ago.
Sighing, I wrap my arms around her and pull her into a bear hug, tucking her underneath my chin.
“I am proud of you. It turns out you were right, you didn’t need me to protect you after all.
” My tone is a little defeated, and I feel her try to open her mouth to dismiss my words, but I keep talking.
“But I feel better knowing you just wanted me around at those times.” I feel wetness on my neck and pull back to see her smiling.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too. Now, why don’t you show me the rest of your school?” I propose.
She grabs my hand, and we turn towards the door, and as we pass Jinn, I stick out my tongue.
I get a smug look as his jaw hits the floor, and I flat out laugh out loud when I hear Fur Boots yell out, “You mean this is literally called Special Training Fraud Unit? STFU? Shut The Fuck Up? Oh, this is fucking gold.” I hear him laugh, and I have to agree, whoever named this place has my type of sense of humor.
As we turn a corner, my smile falls off my face. Since when did I find myself agreeing so easily with the furball?
Aww shit. I can’t actually start to like the flea bag.