Chapter 37 Phin #2
“Couldn’t possibly be all of them,” I muttered to myself.
“Doors to the fae realm?” I asked quietly, and a row of four lit up gold, the ones for Everwood and Aevum Cay included.
“Saints.” I thought quickly as Seir educated our guests on what to expect in that realm.
“Doors to cold places?” Several lit up, all up and down the hall, a faint white light hovering around them like it did the silver deals.
“Doors to forested places?” Green illuminated these.
I exhaled, wondering just how far my Voice talent extended and how many new surprises it would bring as I continued to heal.
It’s wonderful that you’re finding it again, Ramsey said in my head, startling me. She panted, smiling. Your gift.
“Again?” I asked. “How do you mean?”
Why do you think your father took you to the archives with him? Do you really not remember at all?
Saddened, I shook my head. “No, I don’t. What all does it work on?”
One way to find out, mistress.
Cryptically helpful, as always.
Ramsey planned to accompany the three Nephilim to Everwood with Seir as another layer of familiarity. Despite not being able to communicate clearly, they’d built a level of trust.
“Thank you,” Brinda said, drawing me close and giving me a brief hug. “We owe you so much more than we did when we arrived, but I’m grateful for such a debt.”
“We’ll see one another again, soon,” I promised her, and I meant it. I wanted to talk with them, and any other Nephilim that might have escaped the councilman’s grasp.
Tap activated the portal and just as Brinda moved to step through, every other doorway in the hall also came to life, flickered, then went dark again. Then they started to come on at random, but only for a moment before going out again.
“What in the …” Seir glanced around. “Tap?”
“I think it’s safe to assume we’ve arrived at eclipse totality,” Tap said. “This has happened before, though not so widespread. We should wait until it settles.”
Seir nodded and activated his small scrying mirror, trying to reach Rylan or Vassago at d’Arcan to confirm.
The pressure in the room changed. The temperature dropped. Portals hummed as they activated just to go dark again.
And somewhere amidst the chaos, Councilman Armaros stepped through the same portal the three Nephilim had arrived through.
The angel smirked as he looked around the great hall.
I’d gotten very brief glimpses of him that day at the church, but now I was getting to see him straight on.
He was tall, with the silver-blonde hair and violet eyes that gave him away as an angel.
He was painfully beautiful, but his evil nature shone through, dulling any attractiveness.
I shivered when his cold eyes landed on me, then my anger flared when he arrogantly winked at Brinda.
Seir tensed and stepped in front of the three Nephilim, clearly recognizing him as well as the threat he was. Ramsey had her teeth bared, a low rumble in her chest as she took up a defensive stance. Her eyes glowed red, and black smoke swirled aggressively over her whole body.
“How dare you step foot here,” Tap growled.
His wings snapped out wide, his demon features instantly at the surface.
“You are breaking several Heavenly ordained rules by daring to come here.” The angel just chuckled, looking at Tap like he was a child having a tantrum.
It was odd to see, because Tap was taller than him by a few inches, especially in his demon form, so the angel’s ego had him smirking while looking up at Tap.
“Armaros, this is my domain, and you are not. Welcome. Here.” Tap’s deep, resonant voice boomed around the wide hall. I held my breath as he approached the angel, blade raised. “You are not now, nor have you ever been permitted to come to this place.”
Seir stepped forward, handing the mirror to Brinda so he too could draw his blade. I saw a flash of Rylan’s face in the glass, which was reassurance that they were at the very least hearing what was happening.
He just laughed, the sound like broken bells. “Oh, Tap. What a pleasure to see you again.”
“I could not disagree more.”
“You’ll be made an example of for breaking the transit covenants,” Seir warned, shaking his head in disgust. “You should leave.”
Armaros shrugged. “Not if I’ve got the proper reasoning and leverage.
” The three Nephilim huddled together, backing as far away from him as they could get without falling through the portal.
“You know, I was losing my faith in Father Morton there for a bit, but now, I think he deserves a reward for being so helpful.” He turned to face me, wearing a grin that scraped along my spine.
His words landed like punches, giving me further confirmation that Father Morton was not, and perhaps had never truly been, a friend to me or my parents.
He was not even a good man of faith; so easily swayed by temptation as to reveal my location once I was no longer under his watch. Shameful.
“Absolutely not,” Tap warned, the tip of his blade raised and aimed at Armaros’s throat. “You don’t even look at her. I will kill you where you stand.”
“There’s no need for ugliness. As we discussed in Vincara, that lovely little Nephilim has been chosen for our repopulation initiative.
Demon mother or not, she’ll make us some very useful angel offspring.
” Rage flowed through me, hot and thick.
He didn’t wait for a response before continuing, “We’ve waited years for you to reveal yourself, Seraphina.
Your father did an excellent job of hiding you away.
I was reasonable the last time we met, because I couldn’t be sure it was you under that robe.
” His head tilted to one side. “I couldn’t sense you properly at all then.
” He inhaled deeply, eyes sliding closed.
“But I can now. And you’re definitely ready to be matched.
Even if you did dishonor yourself by spreading your legs for a demon.
” He sneered. “Apples not falling far from trees, and all that.”
Tap unleashed a guttural sound of rage, and Armaros stepped back as Tap swung his blade.
“Come home, with me, Seraphina. Fulfill your highest purpose as a Nephilim.”
My stomach turned at his words. “Heaven has never been my home,” I replied softly, wishing I could summon the strength to be louder. I forced myself to stand taller, and push my shoulders back, pretending to be brave as though that would make it real.
“You mustn’t judge based on how things used to be. You’ll see, things are much improved for Nephilim since these three left.”
“Left?” James huffed. “We escaped. Nothing that comes out of your mouth is the truth.” The Nephilim’s disdain for him was obvious, and when his eyes met mine, the plea for me to believe him was clear.
“Come now, James. I know your memories are probably a bit darker than I’d like, but privileges have been reevaluated.
Everything is different now. And just think, if you’re a carrier for a talent that’s useful to us all, you’ll be rewarded even more handsomely.
” He turned to face me again, and I had to force myself not to shrink away.
“Come with me, Seraphina. Despite the nature you inherited from your mother, Heaven is where you belong.”
Behind him, Seir had quietly activated the gate to Everwood, and the other Nephilim edged right up against it.
I set my jaw, trying to be smart about whatever was about to happen. “No.”
His pleasant expression disappeared, and Tap stepped even closer to him, rage pouring off him in waves.
“You request death by coming here. A slow, painful one for threatening her.”
He was smug. “You wouldn’t dare. To kill me would be to incite a war between Heaven and Hell.”
Seir shook his head, a smile that was too sharp to be friendly on his mouth.
“I very much doubt you’re worth that much, Armaros.
You’re nothing more than someone who sits in a fancy chair somewhere and directs people to do his dirty work and useless errands.
Nobody will miss you.” I gasped, his words intentionally incendiary.
I wasn’t sure what he was playing at until Armaros began to tremble, a vein throbbing in his forehead and red streaks forming around his eyes.
“How dare you?” he boomed, and it was then I realized how unhinged he truly was.
He raged, spit flying and the cords in his neck strained to snapping.
“I’m the one who has figured out how to match angels and Nephilim for the best Voice outcomes in their offspring!
All I do, I do for the good of Heaven. My initiative is the best possible scenario for you.
A gift!” He swept his arm, vaguely indicating that he was including me and the Nephilim in his statements.
“All of you are an abomination! None of you should have existed in the first place. Your parents stepped out of the light and fornicated with humans and witches and even demons to create you. At least this way, you can be useful. You can earn your place in the glory of the celestial plane. You should be grateful!”
“Grateful?” Tap boomed in response. “For what, exactly? Imprisonment? Rape? Forced impregnation? Death? You’re insane.”
“Such crude words!” He snapped. “I’m bringing life back to Heaven, there are several new babies thanks to me!”
Brinda gasped, and I did my best to hold my body stable, to not draw attention as I took tiny steps toward Ramsey.
“How many women would I be joining?” I asked quietly.
Armaros grimaced as though disgusted. “The previous vessels we managed to successfully breed were weak, but their progeny shall be strong. They’re being raised by deserving parents, and they will want for nothing.
” He spun to me, a wild look in his eye.
“Which is why we need her.” He seemed to remember that Brinda was there too and turned her direction. “Them. We need them.”
“You will never have either of them.” Tap stepped forward, blade raised. “Or any other Nephilim.”
Seir grabbed onto the sleeves of both James and Harmon, who in turn both held Brinda, and pushed them through the gate. He paused and followed only after making eye contact with Tap.
Ramsey quickly padded several doors down. Come with me, mistress! I will keep her safe, demon.
I hesitated, and that was a mistake. One heartbeat too long, and the plan was given away.
As I moved to follow my hellhound, the councilman pivoted and snatched at me, grabbing the fabric of my shirt. Tap rushed forward but the councilman was faster, spinning us toward the nearest active doorway.
Chaos reigned, a whole world of things happening in the space of a breath.
Ramsey barked, running and leaping at me as Tap’s eyes went wide, his arm reaching for me as his blade swung down, the heavy sound it made cutting through the air forcing my eyes closed.
Magnus’s booming voice echoed through the great hall and then we were gone, my breath knocked from my lungs as we landed in a foreign place.