Authors: Cheryl McIntyre
“It’s a blessed talisman on a charmed lanyard. One weakens him, just makes him feel sleepy. The other inhibits his powers so he cannot flee to another realm. He’s perfectly fine,” Coach explains.
Keely looks at her mom who is frozen in place, staring at the coffee cup between her palms. She turns to her dad. He opens his arms to her and she throws herself into him. “Daddy,” she cries. “Daddy.”
“I know, H
oney. I know. I’m sorry.”
He looks at Ambriel. “What will you do with him?”
“There is a warded prison on campus.
It’s like a guest house. He’
ll be treated humanely
and
have all his needs met. He just will not be able to leave the building. I give you my word, Princess. No harm will come to him as long as he is not a threat.”
“He’s not. I swear,” Keely
whimper
s.
Ambriel smiles at her kindly. “He is not a th
reat to you, b
ut I don’t know he isn’t to the rest of the world. It is my duty to be sure.” She turns to the man that put the necklace on Asmoday. “William, you may transport him now.” She looks back at Keely. “Once you are both settled, you may visit him to ease your mind.”
“Can I drive her?” her dad asks.
“Of course.
You are welcome any time.”
Kimberly gets up quietly from her chair and hugs Keely awkwardly before escaping to her room. Keely glances o
ver at Nick. He meets her gaze
with questions in his eyes as she turns to leave.
“Keely, wait,” he call
s. She comes to an abrupt stop
. The others move around her, clearing the room.
Her ba
ck still turned to him, she says
, “What is it? I have to go.”
“I didn’t know this would happen.”
“Is that all?”
He pulls her arm, turning her around. “Why didn’t you tell me he wasn’t your brother?”
“Because I just found out
right before everything with Bryon,” she whispers. “There hasn’t been an appropriate time.”
“
I didn’t mean for this to happen to him. They won’t hurt him. I’ll tell them how strong your bind is. They won’t take the chance on hurting you too.”
“Thank
you. I would appreciate it.”
“I love you,” he says quietly. He puts his arms around her. She feels good here, but her head is so confused.
“I love you too, Nick.” She pu
lls out of his embrace, his hands
sliding down her arms. “I’m so tired. I really need to go.”
She walks out of the house without looking back.
Thirty-Seven
:
Ambriel shows Keely to her room on the second floor. It’s larger and much nicer than she expected. The spacious room has two beds with a wide nightstand in between. Two dressers, two desks, two large bookshelves. The burgundy curtains match the bedspreads perfectly and reflect in the roses woven into the plush rug. There is an adjoining bathroom and Keely gives a sigh of appreciation.
“What do you think?”
“It’s nice,” Keely says.
“Anything you need,
do not be afraid to ask. We’re very happy you’re he
re with us.” Her dark eyes focus on Keely carefully. “I will be tutoring you in your spare time. I want to get you caught up as soon as possible. There is a certain responsibility you hold being
a Princess and a Doyenne. You’
re the first of your k
ind in a very long time. You’
ll need to present yourself as a leader.”
Keely
’s
eyes go big. “But I’m not a leader.”
Ambriel smil
es kindly at her. “You will be,” she says.
“
This is more than a school. One of seven Academies around the world. We teach, we train,
and we
hold judgment,
conference, and assembly. We have the dorms, the courts, the prisons. Training facilities, the Great Room where our festivities
are held. There’
s a smaller
building where on sight staff resides. There will be hundreds of se
ts of eyes on you constantly a
nd they will all be looking to you for example.”
At Keely’s haunted ex
pression, Ambriel laughs. “I’
ll help you, Keely. For now, remember how special y
ou are. Hold your head up high
and remind yourself
that you belong here.”
Keely nods, unsure. “When can I see Asmoday?”
Ambriel regards her for a moment. “Don’t you want to unpack first?”
“I can do it later.”
“
I’m sure he’s situated by now.” She motions for her to come with her then stops. “Please do not think poorly of me for saying this, but you may want to keep your feelings for Asmoday to yourself.” She smiles. “At least when there are others around.”
Keely can’t help the question. “Why?”
Ambriel smiles again. “It is not common practice for someone of such importance to have a Demon boyfriend. Or more than one boyfriend at one time,” she says coyly.
“Oh. He’s not…he’s not my boyfriend.”
“Whatever he is to you, keep it under wraps for the time being.”
“O.k.” Keely twitches nervously under Ambriel’s knowing gaze.
*
**
Asmoday opens his eyes and the room spins. Everything is blurry and unfamiliar.
His body feels he
avy and uncooperative, followed by
the stress
of panic.
Keely? Where is she?
The door creaks open and relief washes over him. He know
s it’s her despite the fact he’
s unable to turn his head. “Keely.”
The do
or closes quietly and she’
s standing over him. “Asmoday.” She brushes her lips against his forehead. “You stupid, stupid idiot.” Kisses each of his cheeks. “Why did you do that
,
you big dummy?”
He smiles at her.
“I am not an expert, but I am fairly certain those are not correct terms of endearment.”
“Why would you do that? I was scared to death. Why wouldn’t you just answer her questions?”
“I kept us together.”
Keely stares at him in shock. “You really are an idiot. What if they would have sent you to one of the other Academies to imprison you there?”
“A chance I had to take.”
“Asmoday, you put yourself in jail just to be able to see me. I can’t believe you did that.”
“Someday I hope you will be able to understand how deeply my devotion runs. I cannot wait until the day it no longer surprises you. The day when you know without a
second thought that I would lay
my life down for you. When you accept it as a fact as true as
people
need air.
I love you. I. Love. You.” Asmoday twists a chunk of her hair between his thumb and first finger. Pushes it behind her ear and slips his hand behind her neck. With the slightest pressure, she moves toward him. Brings her lips to his.
Breathes life into his weighted limbs. Her mouth is like a shot of caffeine.
His other hand pulls her leg over his thigh, positioning her
so she lies on top of him. Keely’s
hair falls around their faces, sealing them in their own private cocoon.
Her hips move over
his causing him to gasp
and she
sits up quickly.
“Are you hurt?”
“Not at all,” he breathes.
Draws
her back down to him. His hand slides over her cheek and grips her chin. Pulls her mouth back to his.
Thunder roars outside and Keely jumps. Asmoday laughs and rubs his
hands over her arms. “It’s all right.
It is only thunder.”
Another clap of thunder sounds and Keely ignores it
. She brushes back Asmoday’s silky hair and place
s
her lips back to his. Fingers scratch gently at her back as he pulls her against him. She loves the way his hands f
eel on her bare skin
. How she feels so soft against his hard body.
Thunder sounds again, shaking the building. Asmoday pulls away reluctantly. Appears as if he is listening to something. Thunder ripples in the sky again and Keely realizes he wasn’t listening
to
something, but
for
something.
“Was that four? Four claps of thunder?”
“I think so. Why?”
“It isn’t raining.”
Asmoday pushes
Keely gently off
him and goes to the window. A bolt of lightning streaks through the sky casting
his
face in blue brilliance.
He turns his head toward her, fear in his eyes. He screams her name as a horn blares
from
all around them. It grows louder and louder. Keely covers her ears. Glass
sprays inward from the windows
,
flying through the air.
The building shakes again as the horns die down, replaced with a rhythmic pounding
,
beating against the ground. Keely pushes herself off the bed and stumbles in Asmoday’s direction. Something outside catches her ey
e. It moves in the distance, c
oming fast in their direction.
“It’s happening. They have come.”
“What’s happening? Who’
s coming?”
“End of days,” Asmoday cries.
Students pour out of the Academy
and rush through the yard. Keely opens the door. Asm
oday right behind her. “I cannot
go,” he says as she trips down the stairs.
He starts to say something else, but it fades away as the pounding grows stronger. Keely can see now that it looks like a horse. She moves faster, trying to see better. Now in the yard with the other students, she understands the noise is hooves pounding against the ground as the horse gallops harder a
nd harder. It sounds as if it’
s coming from all around them. Some kids
look
off in other directions and Keely follows one girl’s gaze. Coming from the North, Keely sees another horse
. She turns quickly, from the west, yet another. She knows before she turns again that there will be another from the south.
She looks back at Asmoday, his eyes are fixed on the horse he can see coming from the east. Keely sees now
,
too. It
has a rider. A man with black
hair and a breast plate of armor on his chest. She doesn’t need to be told; she knows what he is as he pulls the mahogany colored horse’s reigns and comes to a stop.
He’
s an Angel.
He slides from his horse as the others approach. Keely forces herself to look away. To look at the other horses. To see their riders. Upon the cream c
olored horse that arrives
next
is an Angel with
thick dark hair
. H
is
eyes
are just as dark and
the
y
nearly glow as they catch the lights from the school building. He dismounts fluidly and comes to stand by the other Angel
who
is several feet taller.
Keely jumps as the next horse arrive
s and whinnies restlessly. It’
s a solid black, it
s
coat glossy as oil. The Angel jumps from the horse, planting his large feet on the ground. As he looks around, his eyes rake over the other kids until they fall upon Keely. His amber gaze lo
cks with her
s
and he nods
almost imperceptibly. There’s something familiar about his eyes and she’
s struck with the feeling that she has seen him before.
The last horse thunders up and stops abruptly. The pure white horse stomps its feet as his rider dismount
s. He is the only one with light
hair. It’
s long, swaying back and forth across his should
ers as he walks. He s
peaks first.
“Who is in charge here?” His vo
ice is loud and clear and stands
the hairs on Keely’
s arms straight up with its beauty. Purer than her father’s voice. Gentle and strong at the same time.
Like a ripple in water, the students fall to their knees. “It is the end of days,” a girl cries out. “Who of us are chosen?”
“Please give me the seal of our Father,” a boy pleads. He folds his hands in prayer.
“
Please stand. You do not bow before us,” the Angel says. “You may rest easy, for the end of days does not come now. We are here only for the Scion.”