Chapter 14
The seven suns beamed high in the sky across the Efysis islet. Beyond the peaks of the Temple, I could see small bits and pieces of the Citadel. I was thankful to be out of Sanctuary and have the rest of the dawn to myself. I needed time to process and heal.
“So we need to head to the front building and then turn, right?” Daelun asked, squinting at his scrollmap.
“No,” Isandra said, snatching it from him. “Follow the feathers. See?” She pointed at the center of the map. “The feathers are dancing along this line.”
I peered over her shoulder and looked as a golden feather flew through an exact, realistic, replica of the temple grounds.
“Then let’s go,” Ellabeth said, grumbling. “After that Sanctuary my soul needs a bath.”
“That is the truth.” I nodded.
Seventh Choir floated into the air and began flying.
“You imbeciles know we’re coming, too. Right?”
We all stopped flying and turned around. The female Xadarien who spoke looked eerily like the Fallen Prince, Quazar. She had his same black hair, bright emerald eyes, sun-kissed skin, and six pairs of black wings fading to emerald at their tips.
Then there was her Fallenspawn mark. Thorns crawling up the right side of her neck, down her right arm all the way to her hand. I blinked at her before looking at the rest of Seventh Choir.
Isandra narrowed her eyes. “Coming where? Cause it sure as the stars isn’t with us.”
Kazemir and Omarion crossed their arms, spreading their legs in a wide stance. Ellabeth’s hands were beginning to fill with water bolts.
My chest twinged. I could feel it. An itch to fight. The need to go at the Prince’s throat again. But what was done, was done. We’d been temple-mated to the Fallenspawn. At worst, we had to tolerate them.
“Guys,” I cut in before another fight broke out. “The poison-eyed one is right.”
I gingerly touched my face where it had been slammed into the desk. I could feel it swelling up but I tried not to focus on it.
“We’re all stuck together until our final Ascension. Pretty sure that includes the same wingtower.”
“Stars,” Daelun grumbled, eyes burning at the Fallenspawn.
“My name is Ivyana,” the female spat, curling her lip.
I rolled my eyes. “I was close enough.” I groaned as one of my nerves pinched, sending a rush of pain through my upper body. “Holy stars,” I huffed, rubbing my neck.
The Fallenspawn watched me with small, victorious grins. I’d gotten my hide handed to me by their Prince and they were proud of it. Omarion was instantly at my side.
“Safah?”
“I’m okay. I…” The rush crawled through my shoulders again. I pressed my lips together trying to hold back my cry. I grunted through the pain doing my best not to whimper.
To my chagrin, Quazar started chuckling.
“Beastly creature. This is a good lesson for you.” If I had any strength left, I’d tackle him and slap that smug smile from his face.
Kazemir and Daelun slipped closer to the Fallenspawn.
The Fallenspawn spread their stances, ready to fight if that’s what it came down to.
“Hey, I can carry you to the wingtower if you want.” Omarion gently laid a hand on my shoulder, rubbing some of the growing stiffness away. Stars. That actually felt wonderful. It relieved enough pain for me to open my eyes. And find the Fallen Prince glaring at Omarion.
“No, it’s okay. Worse,” I grunted, grinding my teeth together. “I’ve been through… worse. I…I’ll be good. I’ll find a Raephim once we settle in.”
I desperately needed the mender. I hadn’t entirely healed from the damage Tharic had done. And now this scuffle with the Prince had me tweaking.
“Safah, don’t be stubborn. I don’t mind.” Omarion brushed my hair out of my eyes as he shielded me with a wing.
“Forever at my rescue, are we?” I smiled up at him. “It’s alright, Omi. I’ll make it.”
“Sazu, you’re sure—”
“Are you deaf? Or were your ears clogged when she answered you the first time?” Quazar cut in. His voice was smooth like velvet. My ears twitched at the sound. I flinched in surprise, looking at Prince Quazar, taken aback.
Omarion blinked at him, his eyes lightening so much they turned hazel. “Excuse me?”
“Omarion, don’t let him bait you.” I grabbed my friend’s hand before he lunged for the Prince. “As for the rest of you,” I said to the Fallenspawn. “Since you have no scrollmaps, keep up.”
I turned away from the Fallenspawn, levitating into the air. I floated to keep from using my wings and aggravating my wounds worse.
“Come on,” I said. “I’m already tired of this insufferable heat.”
“Agreed,” Ellabeth said, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. “You’d think with all these clouds it wouldn’t be this lambasting hot.”
Daelun grunted, spinning away with the rest of us.
We followed Isandra letting her take the lead.
The temple grounds were beautiful. We passed interconnected gazebos, with golden pillars and glass floors, entirely swarmed by thick billows.
Beyond the gazebos, out in the distance, I saw a flock of stareagles flying by with beautiful ivory fur, golden beaks, and golden talons.
“Safah Anathelle?”
I came to an abrupt halt, flying into Daelun’s spine.
“Oof.” I groaned as my face erupted with fire. One of the Fallenspawn males snorted.
“Stars, Safah. I’m sorry—”
“It’s not you,” I whimpered, holding the sides of my face. “I wasn’t paying attention. And…who called me?”
I looked up into the faces of a group of Farasees. Xadari Legion stopped flying behind us, all scowling. None was more annoyed than Quazar Valoryen. Daelun and Isandra parted so I could be seen clearer. The Farasees looked at me in a way that immediately made my skin crawl.
“Look at those eyes. Lavender as an Ashiris star. Wings high, Safah Anathelle.”
I didn’t like the way these males were leering at me. Instinctively I pulled back, putting a small bit of distance between us.
“Wings high, Farasees. How…how were you so sure it was me?”
I kept my eyes low. Manmi said in situations like this, avoiding eye contact was optimal. The males of Seventh Choir noticed my discomfort and pressed in, creating a wall between me and the Farasees. Stars. I’d lucked out with getting an amazing Choir.
“We’d be able to tell Amaryss Anathelle’s fifi from a star away.”
The Farasee who spoke was shorter than the rest, dark skinned with greedy hazel eyes, and a crooked nose. His eyes dragged down the length of my curves, slowly, drinking me in.
“I am Farasee Nathaniel. My, my. You look so much like her.”
The Farasee floated forward, reaching out as if to touch me. My wings twitched. I jerked back on instinct to pull away. Only to collide into Quazar’s chest. Stars. I whipped around, facing those jeweled eyes.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“You never have to apologize to Fallen dogs, dearest Safah.”
I turned and found Farasee Nathaniel trying to get closer to me. Omarion and Daelun gave him no room to pass.
“Farasee, if you’ll excuse us. We need to be getting on our way…”
“I just want to see if you feel like her—”
The Farasee’s shadow lengthened past his natural height becoming monstrous.
My eyes widened as the shadow plunged onto the Farasee and began choking him.
Then a wave of shadows seeped out of the ground and slapped the Farasee with such brute force, he went flying across the grounds into a distance I couldn’t see.
We all turned to look at Quazar.
But Quazar was only looking at me. His nostrils were flared. He looked vehemently angry at having his time wasted.
“Are you ready to go now? Or are we going to stop every time one of these Hèls-possessed Farasees pisses themselves when they see your eyes?”
I rocked back as if I’d been slapped across the face. Hard. My jaw dropped. I’d used up my storehouse of anger for the dawn. All I was left with was a crushing ache.
I blinked at the Prince for a long time, stunned into silence. Then I turned around and flew away without a word. Disrespectful bastard. I was mentally exhausted and would not deal with him any longer.
A strange emotion formed in my chest, knotting my stomach.
I missed Manmi so bad. She taught me so much, yet now that I was facing certain challenges in real time, I just wanted her back.
To ask her questions. To just have her give me a hug.
I held back tears. I would not let the males of the Farasee Order rattle me.
With the help of Isandra’s scrollmap we navigated our way through the grounds. We passed goddesses handling the many gardens littering the grounds, while watching more stareagles fly overhead. We finally made it to a tower with a single level and a winged design carved into the sides.
Above the doors were the smoke insignia of Incense Order. Inscribed above the doors balanced a sign: First Dominion, Seventh Choir.
Isandra flew to the doors first, shoving them open without preamble.
Sweet incense filled the wingtower. We all floated into a common room that was beautifully decorated and laid out.
On either side were hallways leading further into the wingtower.
I assumed that’s where the bedchambers were accessed.
“I want firsfast,” Isandra sighed, her wings drooping.
I nodded in agreement. I pulled off my sandals, then lowered to my feet, opting to walk around.
The cold of the marble floors gave me enough of a shock to soothe the burn in my body some.
The rest of Seventh Choir removed their sandals.
The hall to the left was labeled Efysiens.
The hall on the right was labeled Azarathiens.
I turned in time to see the Legionnaires remove their boots before lowering to their feet. Xadari Legion stood by the entrance glaring at Seventh Choir. And we glared back.
“Quazar?” Ivyana called.
He slid his gaze to her. I watched his face change. He looked…caring. Protective. Gentle.
I wrinkled my nose at the thought. This male was anything but that.
His emerald eyes landed on me. The hatred of a thousand generations speared me through.
I lifted my chin and crossed my arms. He could try me, if he dared.
But he’d be met with a viper that would never relent.
We glared at one another. And again, all I could think about was Manmi and her life brought short because of him.
“You,” I seethed.
He tilted his head. Slipped his hands into his pockets.
“Me.”
Dakairi crossed his arms, as Ivyana followed suit, tilting her head at me.
“Keep your Fallen on your side and we Hallowed will stay on ours.”
The Fallenspawns flinched. Quazar looked like he was ready to set me—and the rest of Seventh Choir—on fire. Without another word, he stomped away letting his wings drag across the marble.
“Talons,” Quazar barked without looking back.
Xadari Legion followed him as a unit without question.
They headed down their hall which was separated by glass walls.
The moment they all crossed to their side, Quazar threw up a thick barrier of shadows that coalesced into a black wall writhing from the floor to the ceiling.
We couldn’t see past it and we couldn’t hear a thing either.
One of the front chambers opened and a Raephim flew out.
“Thank the stars,” I cried, practically running over to her. “I desperately need mending. I can’t even tell you what all is damaged—”
“Ascendant Safah, it’s quite alright. Come on in.”
“Thank you,” I breathed. Then paused. “How’d you know I was—”
“Starry lavender eyes?” she said playfully.
I frowned. These eyes of mine were starting to be a curse.
“And you are…”
“Raephim Zara.” She smiled prettily, inviting me into her mending chamber. “Let’s get you mended.”
I followed her into the chamber thankful to finally be healed. The moment I sat in the cloudchair, a loud, piercing scream erupted outside of Zara’s room.