Chapter 17
Roughly ten days after he left, Dusk finally returns.
Somewhat.
I’m on my way to breakfast when I spot him in the lobby of our hotel. Immediately, I run up to greet him in a hug, grumbling my complaints about his absence. “There you are! I was beginning to think you were never coming back. What the hell happened?”
Rather than returning the hug, he pats my back with one hand. “Hey, Kae.”
I pull away, taking a long look at his face.
He smiles for a few seconds, though it doesn’t quite reach his eyes.
Once it slips, his gaze drifts beyond me, fixating on something.
I glance over my shoulder, but there’s nothing there.
I realize, then, that he’s disassociating. And he used my real name.
“Jesus, what did they do to you?” A crease forms between my brows. The loneliness here was brutal, but it seems to be nothing in comparison to whatever he’s endured.
“I’m fine.” He looks back at me, forcing another smile for a few seconds before noticeably changing the subject. “Are you heading to breakfast?”
“I am. Will you be joining me?”
“Not today. I have some business to attend to first.”
My eyes search him for answers. What happened? Was he tortured? How badly did they hurt him? “Are you sure you’re—”
“I’m fine, Kae. Don’t worry about me.” My hope plummets as he walks away, leaving no room for argument. “I’ll see you at dinner.”
Then he’s gone again.
Whether or not he left me on bad terms, I still consider him to be a friend. He’s suffering, clearly, and all I care about right now is helping him. But if he won’t talk to me about it… I can’t force him to.
Maybe he just needs some time to recover.
I sigh, beginning my trek to another breakfast alone. The King could occasionally grace me with his presence, but no. He seems content to avoid me for all of eternity, leaving me only with the company of the locusts that never seem to leave my peripheral.
I barely make it a few paces outside the building before another angel lands just in front of me—if he can even be called an angel.
Actually, I’m pretty sure that thing is called a harpy.
Massive talons stand where his feet should be, and no arms are to be seen beneath his oversized wings. His body is short, somewhere between the height of a small human and an eagle, covered in fur and feathers. But his face, in contrast, is perfectly human.
It’s a decidedly horrifying combination.
Before I can push past my shock, though, he suddenly shifts into a normal, winged humanoid.
In a matter of seconds, he grows to over twice his original height.
The white robes that once draped over his talons now only barely cover his groin area.
And his expression… Well, he almost seems offended to be standing in my presence.
“Have you never seen a shifter before?” He scoffs, his face souring. “How utterly mannerless you are, staring at me like that.”
Definitely offended.
“I’m sorry,” I stammer out. “I’ve just never seen a… harpy… before.”
“I’m not a harpy. I am Stev of House Telantes.” His scowl deepens, his voice fluctuating in anger with an unusual lilting accent. “You are Kaelene Lambros?”
“It’s—” I stop myself, taking a breath. I don’t need to upset him further. But seriously, where does everybody keep getting my full fucking name? I have never gone by Kaelene! Not even as a child! “Yes. I am.”
“Hmm…” His eyes skim over my body in the most judgmental way imaginable, and I suddenly wish I’d taken the chance to have some armor crafted by now. My training attire seems entirely too bare for the company of such a hostile entity. “I don’t see what’s so special about you.”
My eyebrows jump to my forehead. “Excuse me?”
“I expected more of this human everyone’s talking about,” he sneers, his posture stiffening with superiority. “But you’re just another basic bitch. What a disappointment.”
I’m shocked and appalled. I take a step back, working my jaw to find words. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m not exactly well-versed in your kind, if you can imagine.”
Stev ignores me entirely, pulling a messenger bag around his waist to retrieve an envelope. “Your letter.”
The moment I take it from his outstretched hand, he takes a step back, shifts again, and bursts into the air. It stirs up a cloud of dust, sending dirt straight into my eyes like little tiny razor blades. The asshole probably did it on purpose.
“Perfect little angels,” I mutter, ripping into the seal. “The chosen people. So divine. So Holy…”
Kae,
You better be glad I love you, because if not, I’d fly to Israel just to slap you in your lying ass face.
Why couldn’t you TELL ME where you were going?
! I mean, yes, I would have told you how absolutely idiotic it is to go to ISRAEL right now, but your dumbass could’ve used it.
I looked up Urim, Kae. It’s right fucking next to the Gaza strip.
Everyone knows those two are a breath away from all-out war with each other, and with this new "144k" doomsday cult coming out of nowhere to antagonize everyone… I mean, what in the actual Hell have you gotten yourself into?! I swear to God, if you die, I’ll bring you back to life just so I can kill you myself.
You’re starting to sound like my sister.
Don’t tell me you’re convinced those Global Peace Objective people are trying to take over the world, too?
They’re just a bunch of Nordic countries worried about climate change.
Why else would they want to buy the rainforest?
They’re only trying to prevent further deforestation.
That’s it. I highly doubt it’ll cause a world war, especially one on American soil.
People here will turn a blind eye to anything to avoid lifting a finger for the greater good…
Or did you mean something else? Why can’t you talk on the phone? I have lots of questions for you, girl.
BTW, I don’t know if I’m going to continue my Bachelor’s degree at UNC. I might just take a break from school altogether. If my work doesn’t give me a promotion here soon, I’m going to find a new job.
I miss you too. Come back home.
— Jackie
ABADDON
The newly returned Messenger requested my early presence at dinner this evening.
While I might have liked to refuse, if only to avoid the displeasure of his company, he prefaced the request by stating his intentions to relay a message from The Council. Thus, I reluctantly agreed, as is my duty as a Principality.
I now find myself being briefed by him at my dining hall’s table.
War preparations are underway, and the Messenger has been assigned to oversee communication lines between Elohim and a multitude of satellite stations for the growing army of human disciples.
Open-ended field assignments require a high degree of trust—only the top echelons of officers are given such a long leash.
“So they have promoted you,” I remark once he is finished, by way of question. “As a reward for bringing the girl to me.”
“Yes.” Malak scowls. Always so obvious with his emotional expressions, that angel. “I’ll be the primary liaison to the 144,000.”
“And?” I look at him blankly, expectantly. He knows exactly what I am asking.
As if ashamed, the Messenger averts his eyes and lowers his voice. “And they have restored my position of Chief Messenger and Archangel of Lightning.”
“Very well.” I nod once, quick and curt.
Excellent. This is all going according to plan. I’m quite certain the disgraced angel knows nothing of my involvement in swaying The Council to restore his status—for my benefit, of course. Not his. It is hard to hate a pest that will no longer be underfoot.
He clears his throat, keeping his eyes lowered. “And I would like to ask you for a favor.”
As unexpected a request as that is, I keep my mild surprise from showing on my face. It must be of quite importance for him to ask politely rather than demand. I suppose I could give him a small gift for finally ridding me of himself.
“Go on, then. I may be inclined to agree.”
“It’s… about Kae.” My blood boils at hearing her name on his tongue, but I don’t interrupt. “She will be upset when she hears how long I’ll be gone. And before you say shit about our interpersonal relationship, you should know that I have always taken her training very seriously.”
“You are asking me to instruct the girl in your place?”
Malak nods, but not without a grimace. “As much as I hate to admit it, our interests are aligned when it comes to helping Kae reach her potential. Do not take this to mean that I like or trust you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
“I’m glad we can agree on that much. So perhaps you’ll understand that I want you to swear an oath that Kae will be unharmed in my absence.”
“You would have me swear this to the Power of Oaths?” I’m moderately offended, but I do not let my body show it. “I have no intention of harming her.”
“Please, Abaddon.” He brings his eyes to me, pleading with his expression as much as he is with words. It’s unsightly and pathetic. “Swear you will protect her from harm.”
Not that I need him to beg for me to agree, but it is a satisfying feeling nonetheless. Such regular interaction with Kae will directly conflict with my intentions of staying far away from her, but when offered such an opportunity on a silver platter… I cannot resist.
I put a hand over my heart, as I’m told the humans often do when taking an oath. “I, Abaddon the Destroyer—King, Angel, Principality of the Abyss—swear in the name of Kesbeel to protect Kae Lambros from all who wish to harm her during your absence.”