Authors: Christine Fonseca
Lacrimosa (31 page)
Nesy
The Great Hall is full by the time I arrive. Zaapiel nods at me, his cold eyes sending shivers down my spine. He and a handful of Sentinals are locked in conversation with Mikayel. About me, no doubt.
“Wow. You Sentinals always look so impressive in uniform.” Zane materializes next to me, Cass two steps behind him. “When do you leave?” he asks.
“Anytime now.”
“I don’t think you should go,” Cass says as she pulls me away from the crowd and into one of the interior corridors. Zane follows close behind, looking angry. No not angry, worried maybe.
“Cass, stop.” Zane says, his eyes darting from Cass to me.
“No, I have to say this. Nesy, it’s a trap. Azzaziel’s using Aydan as bait. He’s going to kill you.”
Yeah, no kidding.
“He can try.”
“I’m being serious, Nesayiel.”
“And so am I. Cassiel, I’m not planning on tangling with Azzaziel. I’ll let Mikayel take care of him. I want Aydan. I’m going to do what I should have done four days ago. If I happen to kill a few more UnHoly along the way, all the better.” Anticipation wells up through me, mixing with my torment. “They’re going to pay for what they did to Lorelei. What
he
did.”
Zane shifts uncomfortably, his wings stretching behind him. “Not that I’m unhappy that you are back to acting like the cocky Sentinal again, but something about this doesn’t add up.” His worried expression deepens. “Since when were you willing to let go of your feelings for Aydan?”
He knows me too well.
“Since he decided that Azzaziel was his last hope.” My face hardens with the words. “Since he killed my sister.”
“Nesy,” Cass says as Zane grabs her arm.
I ignore Cass’s words. “Aydan made his choice. We both did. The difference is I thought about someone other than myself when I made mine.”
“Aydan isn’t the bad guy you think he is,” Cass says in hushed tones. “He
wants
Mikayel and the army to come down. Wants—”
“Cassiel,” Zane warns “Don’t.”
“You made the promise, Zane. Not me. Nesy deserves to know the truth. I won’t let her go on thinking—”
“Guys, I’m standing right here. Stop talking about me like I’m not. Tell me what’s going on or get out of my way. I have an army to join—some demonic butt to kick.”
“Fine,” Zane says, releasing a deep sigh. “Aydan didn’t kill Lori for Azza.”
“I saw him do it. And I don’t care what he thinks his reasons were. It doesn’t matter now.”
“Nes, listen to me. He did it to save her, to end her suffering. She begged him to kill her and save you. He did it for her. He committed a selfless act. On his own.” Zane stares at me, the weight of his words a yoke around my neck.
“So what? Am I supposed to be impressed by that?” My voice cracks and my stupid tears return.
I am so tired of crying over him
“He let you believe the lie so you would tell Mikayel. Ensure his death.”
Like that makes a difference.
“He never planned on joining Azza. He’s only doing this to protect you. Save you.” Zane stares through me.
Dangit.
“It doesn’t matter now,” I lie. “Lorelei is still dead because of him. Aydan still belongs to the Dark One.” The words strengthen my resolve. “His intentions don’t matter now. It’s too late.”
“It
does
matter. Do you know what Azza will do to him?” Cass asks
“Yes. He’ll receive the marks. Be branded for eternity.”
“And those marks will strip everything away, Nesy. Everything. His feelings for you, his mercy for Lori, his memories. All of it. When Azzaziel’s finished, Aydan will be nothing but a killer.”
Cassiel’s words cut through my warrior’s shell. Bitter acid fills my mouth as everything I hope, every crazy fantasy I still have, ends.
I can’t let him do this. Not for me.
“I have to stop him,” I whisper.
“That’s what Azzaziel is counting on. He wants you dead. You and Mikayel.” Cass puts her hand on my shoulder.
“What am I supposed to do? Let Azzaziel strip Aydan’s soul away? Let Mikayel kill him?”
Yes, that’s exactly what I’m supposed to do.
“What if Mikayel fails?” I ask. “What if Aydan is bound to Azzaziel forever, another Dark One we can’t fully defeat?” I pace in front of my friends, trying to ferret out a solution. “I can’t let that happen. I have to get there first—before Aydan receives the marks. While he still remembers who I am.”
War trumpets blare through the city.
I’m out of time.
“Guys, I need you.” I swallow hard, forcing out my question. “Will you help me end this? The right way?”
“We’ve been ordered to stay,” Cass says. “Help with the wounded.”
“I know, but I can’t do this without you; I can’t fight off all of the demons, the UnHoly and stop Azzaziel all by myself. I need help.”
Zane and Cass share a glance before looking at me.
I knew I could count on them.
I look into the Great Hall one last time. Mikayel catches my gaze.
Blazes!
His eyes widen as he recognizes my intent.
I open a portal in the narrow corridor.
“Nesayiel. Wait!” Mikayel pushes Zaapiel away and runs to me.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I have to do this.” The portal closes as Mikayel fades away, concern marring every feature.
Chapter 41 – Chaos Interrupted
Nesy
Aydan’s voice fills my soul as I whirl through the darkness. He screams my name. His anguish rips a hole through my soul. I reach for Zane’s arms as my legs buckle under Aydan’s grief.
“Nes, what is it? What’s wrong?”
“It’s already started.” I say, gasping. “He’s being branded. Now.”
More waves of torment roll into me. …
I love you.
.. Aydan’s words float through my mind. A farewell. I draw my sword. “I need to stop this before Azzaziel finishes.”
Cass and Zane draw their daggers.
“You guys get Aydan. Get him away if you can. I’ll deal with the Dark One.”
“Nesy, no.” Concern paints Cass’s face.
“There aren’t any other options. Mikayel will be here soon. I just have to distract Azzaziel long enough for you to get Aydan away.”
The vortex opens next the statue of Mikayel. I hear Aydan’s screams before I can see anything.
The courtyard has changed, transformed from the intimate setting where Aydan and I professed our love into a battlefield. Uninvited fear bubbles through me. Fear for Aydan. For my brethren. For everything. I tighten my grip on my sword and spring from the void.
The wind ripples my wings, causing chills to erupt down my spine. Azza’s putrid scent mixed with the smell of scorching flesh, burns my nostrils. My mind goes dark as instinct replaces thought. In one swift move, I swing my sword, striping the angelic sword from Azzaziel. “Get him. Now!” I scream to Cass and Zane. They pull Aydan away from the crude stone alter.
Aydan rises to his full height, his eyes clouded. Lifeless. He swings at Cass, sending her dagger flying.
“It’s too late, little Sentinal,” Azza laughs. “He has already forgotten you.”
I refuse to believe Azza’s lies, no matter how much my heart knows the truth.
I
am
too late.
“Get him out of here, guys. Invade his head, his heart, whatever you have to. Just get him out of here.”
Aydan growls and swings again at my friends. They turn and run into the crowd of dark creatures, Aydan in close pursuit.
“You condemned them both to death when you brought them here. Hope you can live with that. For the few minutes you live.” Azza’s foul breath coats my skin.
I lunge toward him. He spins, narrowly missing my blade. Several UnHoly rush toward me.
“No,” Azza commands. The dark creatures stop. “She’s all mine.” Azza draws his sword and circles me.
Game on.
“I suppose I should thank you for interrupting our little party,” he taunts.
I match his movements, step by step.
“With your arrival, I can kill you myself. And make Aydan watch. A little incentive to ensure he finishes his rites.”
I thrust forward, catching Azza’s side. He growls. Counters. His sword slices the skin on my arm and my silver blood trickles from the wound.
“Shame about that skin of yours,” he sneers. “Looks like we can penetrate it now.”
“Just like I can slice yours.” I lodge my blade deep into his thigh, ripping a long gash across his leg.
His scream rattles the concrete. “You’ll pay for that, Sentinal. You
and
Aydan.”
Our weapons clash in a shower of sparks as we match each blow, each trust. The scraping of our blades split the night air. Dark creatures circle us, watching. Waiting. They bite the air with their sharp beaks, hissing. I block it all out, thinking only of Azza. And his death.
“You can’t beat me.” Azza crows. The crowd’s excitement grows to a feverish pitch, leaking into my thoughts.
Their screams taunt me and I wonder if Cass and Zane’s screams are amongst them. I force out the images that spring to life—images of Aydan killing my friends.
No. Focus, Nesy. Focus.
I shake away my fear in less than a heartbeat and attack Azza. “Maybe not,” I taunt. “But I can certainly hurt you.” I attack again. And again.
Azza parries. He swings around, lodging his sword into my back, slicing through the muscle.
My mind explodes in an inferno. Agonizing pain grips me, engulfing my senses as I crash to the ground. My sword clatters on the concrete, echoing around me.
I gasp for air.
Azza wraps his spindly fingers around the hilt of my sword, raising it over his head.
Mikayel!
I scream through my thoughts.
Terror seizes every muscle as my skin registers the whooshing air of Azza’s blade coming toward me.
I roll away on instinct, my mind too lost to the pain to think.
The ground shakes and the courtyard erupts in a field of chaos. Vortexes open throughout the battlefield. Sentinals pour from every opening, poised to strike.
The scene distracts Azza for a moment and I grab my dagger, throwing it at him. “You won’t win this, Azza. Not now. Not ever.”
He ducks. But not fast enough. It lodges into his shoulder.
“Attack,” he screams as he drops my sword.
I inhale the pain, the torment, the grief. Pushing myself up, I swallow back the agony exploding across my back and retrieve my sword.
He will pay…for everything
.
Two beasts land on my back, sending blinding light across my vision. My senses go into overload as I growl, and spin, throwing the creatures off. An Unholy, tall with the same bat-like wings and same foul stench, rushes toward me.
“
Vicis morior
. Time to die,” I whisper, disposing of him with a single thrust.
I turn, looking for Azza. Gone. He’s faded into the horde.
Coward.
More demons close the distance around me. I hack my way through them, ignoring the clawing and snapping of talons and beaks. I focus on one thought, one goal.
Aydan
. I must find Aydan.
I reach out for his heart.
Nothing. I feel…
Nothing.
Are you already dead?
Chapter 42 - Malediction