Authors: Laura Kreitzer
“
The Illuminator must be killed,” he growled.
Where was Aiden? Here I was, a protector of knowledge, at a loss for words. They just wouldn’t form. Either he had bound my tongue, or I was literally scared speechless. Where were those words that would cast him out—sending him to another dimension far, far away from here?
“
Ombra, ho gettato fuori
,” Aiden’s voice sounded behind Jeff, a little breathless.
Jeff growled in fury. “This isn’t over,” he yelled, absolutely livid, as he twisted and turned until he curled into a ball and disappeared all together. I sighed, grateful to hear the most beautiful words on this Earth: Shadow, I cast you out.
My baby was safe—we were both okay. It was in that second I knew the life growing inside me had more meaning to this world than what some ridiculous prophecy said.
<>
Piercing noises sent me rocketing back to reality. A horrifically painful feeling rushed back to me. I wished I could be knocked out again. Being in another world—another mind—was a million times better than this pain.
Soft hands pulled my hair from my face. “Sweetie?” The female’s voice was musical—beautiful—a little frantic. “Please, baby. Open your eyes.”
It was too fatiguing to do that. Too excruciating.
“
I told you, Abelie. She was hurt quite severely. That spell should have killed her—who knows how much time we have left,” I heard Andrew say, his voice heightened. That really didn’t sound good. “We need to get her out of here. It’s too dangerous.”
Wait . . . Abelie? Was I still in my dream or back at the battle? I was so confused. Was Abelie here? I mean really here? Ehno did say that my dreams would become so vivid that I might even start acting out things while awake, but I’m not Abelie. I’m me, and she’s here.
There was the sound of wood crackling in the background, as if we were near a campfire. Through my eyelids, I could tell that the sun was high in the sky. The cacophony of battle echoed around me, louder than before. My head felt fuzzy and dizzy. There was movement beneath me, and my eyes shot open in pain as I bit down on my tongue to stop the scream from escaping my lips. Above me was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, like she was in some strange fog or in my imagination. She had long, brown hair that curtained around my face. Her eyes were large, round, and the most brilliant green—very similar to my own. She had a small nose and a dazzling smile. She was an angel. No, she was more beautiful than an angel. Was I in heaven?
“
Abelie?” I breathed.
“
Hi, sweetheart. It’s so wonderful to see you.” Her smile was blinding, and her eyes were full of rich, golden tears.
All of a sudden the pain didn’t matter, the battle around me disappeared, and the only two people that existed were me and my mom. The sun against her back made a perfect halo of light around her stunning features. Tears streamed down my face, a mix between bliss, terror, and pain from the throbbing ache at my side. And though we were all in danger, I felt comforted by my mother. I tried to sit up, but Abelie held me down against her lap. There were several loud crashes to my left.
The fog returned, though I tried to wade through the mist. I grasped and clung to reality, but I was too exhausted. My body wanted to sleep, but I couldn’t—not while everything was happening around me, and most definitely not with my mom holding me in her arms. This could be the last time I ever saw her—I could be dying. Or this could all just be an illusion—one I didn’t want to go away.
“
Aiden, grab Joseph,” Lucia shouted in the distance. Aiden? He was here too?
“
Andrew, it’s time we get out of here. I don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to hold up our shields. I’m growing weak.” Lucia’s voice sounded strangled.
What about Ehno? I wanted to ask. It felt like someone had given me morphine lollipops. My head spun, and everything was confusing and disorienting. Andrew reached down and pulled me from my mother’s lap. Her smile was still in place as she rose to my level. I tried to return it, but I was sure it had come out more as a grimace than the loving smile I wished.
As the seconds passed, I fell in and out of the blackness. Andrew murmured beautiful Italian words in his deep accent. Every time I thought about speaking, my throat would spasm like it was willing me to scream my discomfort. No—tripping in public is uncomfortable. This was unspeakable torture.
Suddenly, an ear-splitting noise rebounded off every surface and made me want to cover my ears. There was shouting, yelling, and more loud crashes and bangs. I closed my eyes and buried my face in Andrew’s chest, not wanting to see the outcome. Everything happened so quickly.
“
Aiden! Behind you,” someone yelled.
“
Ehno—use your shield,” Lucia called out.
“
Proteggere
,” Ehno shouted. I breathed a sigh of relief at his voice.
How was
he
okay? Why wasn’t
I
okay?
“
Ombra, ho gettato fuo
,” chanted one of the white-eyed women.
“
Deflettere,”
Abelie commanded musically.
“
Thanks, baby,” I heard a man’s voice say, probably Aiden.
The white-eyed angels chanted a long, fluid stream of Italian words, and it sent chills down my spine.
“
We have to get out of here,” Lucia screamed. “Now!”
Andrew gripped me tighter in his arms. Pain shot down my legs, but I didn’t care. Getting out of there was the best plan I had ever heard in my entire life. Afraid of what I would see, I debated for several seconds about whether or not to open my eyes. I gave in to my better judgment and chanced a look.
Aiden was there—truly there. I still wasn’t sure if I was dreaming or not. He was literally on fire, his skin blazing with viciousness. He wasn’t really vicious, I knew from my dreams. He fought against the two white-eyed women at the same time as his palms shot fire. Human flame-thrower, I thought dazedly, but I knew better—he wasn’t human at all.
Abelie, my mother, stood between Andrew and the white-eyed women, protecting us. Her long, white robes blew out as she sent a spell flying into the madness. Ehno, covered in a molten gold, radiated a reddish light as his power pulsed from his body. Every spell the white-eyed women threw at him he deflected. He closed his eyes and expanded the red light to surround us. I couldn’t see Joseph and assumed he was behind us—I hoped, for his sake.
In the distance, a tree was on fire, and the branches hung crookedly. Lucia was the farthest from me, and her long, auburn hair tangled in the rush of wind that came out of nowhere. Her back was to me, but I could see her raise her arms out, palms flat, as if she pressed against a solid wall. The wind picked up, and her hair flew wildly up into the air. There was a disturbance in the space between her and the tree.
The two white-eyed women put their arms out, palms down. They continued their fluent Italian chanting. A silver mist descended upon Ehno’s red light.
“
Run,” Abelie commanded frantically.
Police sirens sounded far off, though they quickly grew louder. Andrew took off toward Lucia. We rushed en route to the disturbance in front of Lucia. She beckoned us forward, and he stepped into the strange air before us.
Everything disappeared.
CHAPTER
23: FATALITY
It was as if we tumbled into a painting. Maybe I was dreaming again? Was this a memory? Rolling hills spread out around us, and the towering trees in the distance were a rich, golden red. The sun was low in the sky, and the moon glowed faintly in the twilight. Far off, there were gigantic snowcapped mountains, and clouds hugged the top of the mass.
“
Where are we?” I barely breathed. The small amount of strength I had was fading away, and the pain in my side was only getting worse.
“
Italy,” Andrew murmured and placed me on the soft grass. It was incredibly cold, but it could have just been from blood loss.
How did we get here? I wondered dreamily, still in a fog-like daze. The sun lowered in the sky, and I shivered, which made my muscles knot and caused piercing pain to shoot through me. One-by-one the angels appeared around me. First Abelie, who was at my side in an instant, and then the others. Ehno was last, Joseph’s arm around his shoulder. Now that I knew everyone was okay, I wanted to sleep. Exhaustion began to overtake me as I started to tumble through a cold blackness.
“
Gabriella?” Abelie whispered. I blinked. I hadn’t realized I closed my eyes. “I’m going to help you, but I need you to do me a favor.” I barely nodded my head. “Hold still,” she commanded. Like that was going to be a problem, I could barely lift my head. “Andrew?” Abelie looked up, and Andrew’s silhouette came into my view. “Do you mind?”
“
Anything.” His voice sounded desperate, pleading. I actually believed that he really would do anything for me. I was lucky to have found him.
Andrew held out his hand, and Abelie grabbed it. I wondered why that was. She placed her other hand over the wound, her palm warm against my cold skin. Maybe I’d lost more blood than I realized. She closed her eyes and bowed her head. Andrew jerked but didn’t let go of Abelie’s hand. I had no idea what was going on. Her face lit with a golden glow. It was then that I realized it was the reflection from the light being emitted from her palm. I hadn’t grasped how cold I had become until warmth spread through me like a wildfire. It felt amazing.
“
Take it slow,” Aiden cautioned and placed a hand on Abelie’s shoulder. “We can’t heal you if something happens.”
As I lay there, I had to see for myself what she was doing. Each second my strength returned. I sat up. The torturous ache was almost completely gone. The deep wound at my side was healing. I couldn’t see it, but I could feel it. Abelie inhaled deeper breaths, panting, and then she collapsed backwards.
“
Are you okay?” I gasped and got to my knees to check on my mother. My mother . . . My mind went all loopy at the thought.
“
Yes, baby. I’m more than fine.” She smiled up at me, breathless. She reached up, and her fingertips trailed along my cheek. “You’re more beautiful up close than you are from a distance.”
“
What did you do to me?” I barely whispered in awe, more to myself than her. I realized I was being rude, but I wanted to know.
Ehno and Lucia came to Abelie’s side and helped her up. “You were going to die.” The word sounded sour on her tongue. “The wound was a magical one—the Ladies of Light are more powerful than all other immortals. I did the only thing I could: I healed you.”
Maybe I didn’t hear her right. “You healed me?”
A gusty wind whipped my hair up and around my face. Abelie caught a few pieces and put them behind my ear. “Yes. Not many know about my ability. My whole existence I’ve feared that someone would use it against me. I’m a healer, and always have been. But I was surprised I was able to heal that wound.” She placed her palm over the torn spot in my clothes and looked into my eyes. “It’s one that would kill an angel if not treated correctly.” She paused for a moment, and a pained look flittered across her face. “It would only take minutes for the magic to flood through your veins like poison and kill you. We were lucky I was able to do as much as I did. I was so afraid I wasn’t going to be able to help you. It’s impossible to completely heal that wound, but I did my best.”
My palm automatically went to my side where I could feel the scar there. I still felt weak but amazingly better than before. Then I glanced back up at the face of the angel who saved my life. For several short seconds I just stared at her in wonder and compared our features. The same sea-green eyes, the same nose, even the same color hair. She was fantastic, and the first person I had ever met who looked like me. And no matter how much I resented the person who left me all those years ago, she wasn’t someone I could begrudge. That was when I began to cry the happiest tears I had ever cried, and then I tackled her. She hugged me back, and we sat in the cold damp grass like that for several minutes with the sun slinking away in the background. We cried and laughed and smiled and hugged each other. She was real, and she was my mother. I was part her and . . .
“
My father?”
She pulled away but still held my arms. “Aiden is your father, Gabriella.”
“
So it’s true then? I’m the Illuminator?” Even though angels popped into my house and tried to explain this to me, and even though I saw the prophecy myself in my dream, I needed to hear it from my mother.