Chapter 38 #2
“When Damien last appeared, he delivered a second prophecy.” My voice rose with desperation.
“It—it was a task. Born again through the shade of heart, the Angelcurse claims its start. Seek the seven of ancient promise. Blood of fate, spilled in sacrifice. Strive, yield, unite, Or follow the last’s lost fight,” I repeated the words I’d memorized many nights ago.
“He said I must unite them, but I’m still working out what them could be. ”
“And you didn’t think to tell us?” Rina asked. Betrayal stared back at me from all around the room. Spirits, this was what I’d been trying to avoid.
“I wanted to.” I was floundering, reaching desperately for their support, but I’d pushed it away and now, they were hurt. “Damien warned me not to. He said only I could know, that fate will fight back.”
“What fate?” Cyph asked.
“I don’t know. Something stopped him from continuing. But it was a command from an Angel, and I didn’t know what would happen if I told you.”
Skepticism met me, and I knew what they were thinking. It was a fragile excuse, a loose enough threat that it probably would not have held.
But I hadn’t been willing to gamble their lives until I knew something. Until I had control of the situation. And telling them made it all real.
“The seven of ancient promise…could it be the Angels?” Jez asked.
“No, I doubt she could seek them,” Vale guessed. “They don’t exactly come when called.”
She had a point, and I latched on to it. “But I think that’s on the right path.”
“The shade of heart. We know what that must be,” Lyria’s friend said, and everyone turned to her. She stared back, surprised. “Look at her eyes. Pretty rare, no?”
I nodded. “That’s what I guessed, too. Annellius’s spirit had a similar color.” For some reason, the Angelcurse had to be the cause of my oddly discolored eyes.
I pulled every piece of information I had on the Angels to the forefront of my mind, picking apart the lore and the rumors.
Everything my father had told me over mystlight lanterns before bed as a girl.
Everything I’d gathered on my own in recent months.
Everything the Storyteller had said. The emblem necklace heated.
“There’s also news on Kakias,” Malakai said, making my heart stutter.
“Has she attacked?” My voice was barely a whisper, these revelations draining every ounce of power from me.
He shook his head, and I released a breath.
“We moved half of our troops to the eastern border of the mountains, though,” Lyria explained. “It’s where her army appears to be headed.”
I nodded, remembering the plan I’d established with Danya weeks ago. With various alternatives, given that we didn’t know what Kakias was planning. Everyone kept the defenses up while I was gone—kept us in motion. Thank the Spirits for the council around me.
“What of Kakias, then?” I asked.
Barrett took wary steps forward and explained the sacrificial nature of the pools in the Engrossian Valleys, the theory that his mother may have bartered with the dark magic at some point in the past, though they couldn’t figure out why, and that they believed it tied into her expansive collection of Mystique lore and knowledge on myself.
“And why didn’t you tell us of that tidbit, sister?” Jezebel nudged me.
“I think she found out about my Angelblood.” For some reason, it was easiest to look at Malakai while I spoke.
Maybe because we’d already thrown so many accusations at each other, admitting secrets I was ashamed of didn’t change anything.
Maybe because we’d both hidden things for the good of others, and I understood that decision a bit better now.
“I think that’s why she wants me. But I thought if I told you, it would lead to questions I couldn’t answer about what it means. About the Angelcurse.”
“Well, now we know everything.” Malakai crossed his arms. “Right?”
“Everything that I know, you know. I haven’t figured out what I’m meant to unite. But if Kakias knows anything of this, I’m running out of time.”
And if they were right, and the queen had employed the use of such dark magic, then I didn’t know how I’d ever defeat her.
Her sharp-toothed smile and lifeless eyes flashed through my mind, and I feared my friends’ suspicion was right.
There had been a lack about her—some quality missing that made her less humane.
Her ambition heightened, tunnel vision on her goals driving her forward.
Her thirst for me controlling every decision she made.
“But if that’s right, and she truly only wants me,” I thought out loud, remembering what Aird had claimed as he tried to kill me—Kakias wanted my blood shed. “Then I don’t see why she’s waging an entire war.”
I was one person. My blood held power, but what could that mean to her?
There were too many holes in the theories. I had all the pieces but was working in a room too dark to see their shapes.
I needed someone to turn on the light. Looking around at the dejected faces before me, I realized we all did. The hurt and disappointment staring back at me dragged guilt up my throat.
I closed my eyes, inhaling once.
As I exhaled, the doors to the palace opened. Staff walked in, pausing to greet us and share their excitement for the Sunquist Ball in a few hours. The grounds beyond the entryway were dazzling in gold streamers and candles.
Amid the excitement, I shoved all my concerns from my mind. There may be a dark queen hovering over me and a prophecy to untangle, but the people surrounding me did not deserve the worry etched across their faces.
It was with that resolve that I forced a smile to my lips.
“We’ll figure it out,” I promised, dropping my voice so the staff didn’t overhear. “In the meantime, let’s set aside our concerns and enjoy Daminius.”
One last holiday before the battle began. I turned away from the disappointed faces quickly.
There were enemies breathing down our necks at every turn—a queen, a curse, a war, and an unknown task by the Angels. I wasn’t sure how I’d meet them, but that was my burden to carry. My friends could help me find answers, help me prepare, but as the Chosen Child, as the Revered, I’d face it all.
On Renaiss, I’d presented myself as an image of light and promises, instilling hope in the future for my people. Walking into Daminius, I wouldn’t fail them.
“Alabath, wait.”
I turned at Tol’s voice, my shoulders slumping at the stern set of his lips. “Yes?”
“You knew about this?” he whispered, pointing back toward the foyer. “You knew this entire time that you were at risk and you didn’t tell me?” His jaw ticked as he spoke, heat permeating the air.
Anger.
“Damien warned me not to tell you all. I didn’t know what was happening.” The excuses rushed out of me. “I only had suspicions, and I didn’t want to tell anyone until I knew for sure that nothing would happen to you.”
If I had told Tolek, he would have jumped to my defense, consequences be damned, but we wouldn’t have known what enemy we were facing, which weapons to raise. If we turned our force the wrong way, we could’ve been attacked from behind.
“I don’t care if you didn’t know the whole truth, or what the fucking Angel told you.” His voice cracked with restraint from keeping it quiet. “You should have told me. That threat wasn’t complete, you said he didn’t even finish speaking it. You can trust me with anything, you know that.”
I did know that. And after being fiercely burned by a lack of trust with Malakai, I should never have allowed that to fester between Tolek and me. But I had, and now, he was looking at me with a hurt that pierced my soul.
“Tol, I—”
“Not right now,” he interrupted. “I…I’ll see you later.”
He left me in the hall, storming away with his hands flexing at his sides.