Chapter 17

" Forgive me, I know that it's all too much to handle at once. I am also well aware that this is probably not where you wish to be! But do not, and I am saying this to you for the last time, do not! accuse me of being a liar. Everything I said is the truth. And whether you like it or not you are not going anywhere! " 

Flame shook her head. 

That was both unfair and insensitive. It was her life. She had a right to decide how to live it. 

"Okay. I'm sorry for not believing you, " she said in a bitter tone to match his stern one. 

" And I'm also sorry being overwhelmed by all this, " she waved her hands around her surrounding. Her voice raising up a fraction. 

" Oh and forgive me for trying to have a little control over MY life! " By now she was yelling, the cloak she had draped over herself now long forgotten as it fell in a heap to the floor. 

" Now I don't know what kind of person you think I am! But I will NOT let you try to control me! "

She had had enough of that. Her whole life people had tried to tell her what to do and she was sick of it. 

No more. 

Nuriel ran a hand through his dark hair. It had not been his intention to anger her. 

" Listen m'eudail -"

" Flame! Okay? my name is Flame, not melody or medaly or whatever it is you keep calling me. And it is NOT 'my queen ' either. Get that? " she placed one hand on her waist and pointed at him fiercely. Her tone that of a warning. 

Nuriel sighed defeatedly, then he nodded. 

"Fine then... Listen, Flame, I assure you that I did not mean to make you upset, " he sounded sincere, apologetic. 

"...but I'm sure that deep down even you know that what I'm saying is the truth, you are my Doseth. It does not count how many times you deny it, that fact is not going to change, "

Flame did not want to be in that room anymore. 

"No I'm not! " she refused, shaking her head. 

Then she basically ran out of there.

                 💮🌸💮🌸💮🌸

Nuriel strode into the training room. It had been almost three hours since his talk with Flame. 

He had known she would be hesitant to believe him at first. But he had not expected her to completely refuse every word he said. 

When Aurelia had first proposed the deal to them, they had assumed that the females would be Willing. That all they would have to do was find and take them. But nothing would have prepared him for this. 

And he did not have time to devote every second to her. 

He wanted to, but he could not. Especially not now when the kingdom was possibly under attack. 

He was dressed in a pair of black silk pants which he normally wore for training, his chest was bare. And so were his feet. 

He walked over to one of the walls and retrieved a sword from the many that had been hang there. Then he begun his practice. 

He needed to clear his mind. What he had told Flame had been true. It had taken a lot to relive his dark past. And he had only told her part of it. The things that had gone on during that time had been awful. 

Too awful to say out loud. 

And not only to him, but to the other council members as well. 

Some more than others. He actually believed to have been among the few lucky ones. Because though the others looked alright, he knew they were continuously haunted. 

He grabbed the sword tightly in his hand, then he cut through the air a few times before standing in position. One foot slightly in front of the other with the sword in a firm hold in both his hands. 

He had dug up memories which had taken centuries to bury. And now he was going to have to try and re-dig the graves and shove them in again. A task he was not looking forward to. 

He practiced by himself for a while. Cutting the sword through the air, pretending he was in battle. 

" Thought I made it clear that those swords were to be taken seriously, " a new voice loudly spoke out.

Nuriel stood and turned. Then the corner of his lips lifted up in a smile. 

At the doorway stood Angel Victor. The head of his warriors and the eldest angel in the council. He was older than Nuriel by about a hundred and fifty years. 

Though one would never know just by looking at him. 

" Are you saying that I'm not taking them seriously? "

" Your words, not mine, " He answers as he took a step inside the training room. His brown wings folded behind him. They had an earthly tone to them. And they made for great spy work since they were not too conspicuous. 

" So I take it you did not have much luck with your chosen, "

Was it really that obvious? 

" What makes you say that ? "

Victor shrugged. His brown eyes seeming to gleam. He was currently dressed in a pair of black leather pants and a tight leather vest. Of course the councils outfits had to be custom made in order to have slots for their wings. The leather though was a very rare and hard material. 

Cost a fortune as well. 

" A little birdie with oversized wings told me, " 

Nuriel shook his head. It had not even been a day yet. Rehan had actually acted on his plan to tell everyone about his issues. He would not be surprised if the entire kingdom knew. 

"For the record, I did not lose her. I was well aware of where she was the entire time, "

That was such a tremendous lie. 

" Are you saying that Kalen lied to me? Because we both know that is impossible. He's practically the king of virtue, " Victor said as he went over to the wall and drew out another sword. Nuriel frowned. 

"Kalen was the one that told you? "

"Correct. And if I remember correctly, he got the information from Barin, who got it from Zarek who-"

"Stop right there. I have heard quite enough, "

Nuriel put his hand up. Rehan and Drexel were just unbelievable. How had they even managed to inform everyone in such little time? 

" Anyway, will you tell me what's got you so worked up or do I have to slay it out of you.... my king? " Victor joked as he played the sword skillfully  in his hand. His eyes twinkling with humor.

Out of all the others, he had known victor the longest. Although before the war they had never said more than two words to each other. Such a long way they had come from that. 

He huffed out a breath. 

" It's her. She has me feeling like I'm going insane! " He recalled how she had ran away from him in the record room. It had hurt. 

Victor laughed. They were the same height. And as the angel drew closer, Nuriel could feel the strength that seemed to radiate off the angel. It was like an aura of strong energy being thrown his way in waves. 

And it was also impossible to ignore. At first, he had thought he was the only one that could feel it, but as it turns out that the energy was truly a real part of the angel. 

It intimidated most of the beings in the kingdom. Rumors had it that some had even passed out after being close to the angel for too long since they had been unable to handle the intensity of the energy.

" What do you find so amusing? " Nuriel asked once victors laughter had died down. 

" Nothing to be honest. I just wish I would have been here to see your reaction when you found her in the kitchen, "

Again, Nuriel was going to kill those two bastards. 

" Can we just forget about that? "

" If you say so. Now tell me, what is the other reason why you are on edge. Because I know that there IS one, " 

Nuriel was not shocked. Just leave it to Victor to see right through him. But he feared that if he told him the true reason for his current state, the other angel would be affected as well.  For reasons only Nuriel was aware of. 

" It's nothing. Just forget about it, "

Nuriel got ready to get back to his training. But then Victor suddenly slashed his sword inches from his skin. The smile gone from his face. 

" I thought I told you to stop that! " Victor said. His tone a little harsh. Out of all the angels, only two dared to talk to him like that. Victor was one of them. The other was just reckless and uncaring of consequences. 

He knew what Victor was referring to. But he still acted as if he had no clue. 

" Stop what? "

They got into a sparring position. Then they begun with their not too friendly duel. Victor shifted his weight from foot to foot. He was one of the fastest when it came to striking with a sword. Something that had earned him the title of General in his army. 

" You talked about it today. Did you not? "

Their swords scraped against each other. 

" So what if I did? "

Nuriel saw a vulnerable moment and struck with his sword, but victor moved aside and countered the move. 

" You are afraid to tell me for fear that I won't be able to handle it! Am i wrong? "

" We've been through this victor! "

Victor went for Nuriels feet but he put his wings into good use and flew up a fraction. 

" That's cheating! " Victor remarked as he swang on his feet to face Nuriel. 

" I didn't realize there were rules, "

They sparred for a while. Normally it was always Nuriel who won. But not today. Victor managed to pin him to the ground, his sword on Nuriels neck.