Chapter 23

Midnight. 

Flame had finally gone to sleep. And Nuriel was determined to be there when she finally awoke. 

He walked around the room silently, the doors that led out into the wide balcony was shut, he would have walked out and stood there but he was afraid of Letting the cold seep in. So he settled for simply pacing the space and keeping an eye on his Doseth. 

Not long after he started his roaming she shifted on the seat. Then she writhed and turned a few times before settling back down. She did that for a few more times and he was weary that her pain had followed her even in her sleep. 

She mumbled something under her breath and squeezed her eyes shut ,her face contorting as if in pain. Then she turned some more. 

Nuriel inched closer to her with the intention of waking her up. It was clear that she was having a bad dream. But as soon as he got closer to her, she laid on her back. 

Then she arched her back and screamed. A shrill sound that echoed in the entire room. And the next thing Nuriel saw was the seat being consumed by flames. 

He rushed to bed and carried her in his arms, willing her to wake up. Being her mate he was immune to her powers. And the fact that he was an angel meant that it would not affect him as much. As proven by the angels Victor and Bastian when they had gone to retrieve her from earth. The two angels admitted to having received a few minor burns but they healed naturally fast. 

The seat was no more. Gone to be replaced by ash. 

" Flame!... Wake up! " 

At last she slowly started opening her eyes. 

" You have to make it stop.... will it away Flame, " he said referring to the cloud of flames that was still luminous on her entire form. She looked at him as if wondering what he was talking about. Then she realised what he was saying. And she also recalled the dream she had had. The reason why she had ' lit up ' in the first place. She did not know how to turn off whatever was happening. 

" Just close your eyes and concentrate on what you want, " Nuriel said and she did just that. She imagined the fire dying down.

" That's it. Good job, " Nuriel encouraged. And when she opened her eyes the next time, she was back to normal. There was no denying it this time. That truly had just happened and she was the cause of it. 

She was the cause of all of it. 

" I killed them... " she whispered. Clamping a hand over her mouth to stop the sob that wanted to escape. 

" Oh God, I killed them, " she repeated and Nuriel cradled her closer in his arms. Walking towards the bed and sitting down with her in his laps. Then he pressed her head to his chest and tried to hush her down. 

He was being kind. 

And it only served to pull her feelings to the surface. And when he started rocking her she could not contain it any longer. 

She wept. 

All those kids she had been living with as a foster child. All those children who she had strived to protect.... She had been the cause of their demise. And when she thought about that, she thought about everything else as well. 

She thought about how she had been sent to that asylums. About how she had been treated, how she had been mocked and tortured. But she deserved it. She had deserved that and every other bad thing that had ever happened to her. 

Because she had killed them. 

She buried her head in the angels chest and sobbed. Wailing as the pain poured out of her. She cried like she had prevented herself from doing for so long. 

She cried with undiluted grief. 

" It's okay m'eudail. I'm here, " Nuriel tried to soothe her. Gently stroking her hair as he whispered to her ear. 

" Just let it all out, "

Because that was the only way she could move on. He rubbed his hand up and down her arm and she seemed to calm down. Her cries being reduced to whimpers. 

" I'm a monster, " her voice sounded choked. And he could not let her torture herself with blame for something she had no control of. 

" No you're not. And please don't say that, "

She looked up at him with eyes swollen from too much crying. A desperate look on her face. 

" Of course I am , I.. I.. " she could not even bring herself to repeat that statement. 

" You were in distress and so you're mind reacted how it was supposed to. You played no part in it whatsoever, " he was trying to make her feel better and he feared it was not working. 

" If I'm not a monster then what am I? "

She was no one. Just a useless person who only caused grief. That's what she thought and it made her want to cry all over again. 

Nuriel held her chin and angled her to face him. Leveling his silver gaze with her amber one. 

" You are Flame. You are the first fairy to rise in centuries and the holder of the first account, " he firmly informed her. Intent on making her believe him. On washing away her doubt and confusion. 

" But most importantly... " he added as he cupped her cheek , " You are mine. "

                         ❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️

Peace. The closer she leaned into the angel the more at ease she felt. His strong and powerful scent seemed to lure her into sleep. And the drowsiness started to overcome her. 

Each time she breathed in it felt as if she was inhaling a relaxation drug. 

A very soothing one at that. 

She fisted her hand in his shirt and leaned closer. Intent on bridging whatever little gap was still between them

" It's called Laviel, " Nuriel quietly informed her and she looked up with drowsy eyes. 

" What? "

" The feeling of calmness you are getting from inhaling my scent. It's known as Laviel, it's common between angels and their intended. " he informed her. 

That was why he had wanted her to let him hold her earlier. He was certain that he would have been able to make her calm down. All male angels exumed a chemical in their scent that had the capabilities of calming down the nerves of their mates when in distress. 

Only their mates. 

" I like it, " Flame said as she tightened her arms around his neck. Not ready aware of what was going on around her. All she knew was that she was sleepy and he made a rather comfortable bed. 

She yawned and slowly closed her eyes. 

Nuriel shifted to lean against the headboard of the bed. His wings spread out beside him. Then he held her. 

He held her like he had been dreaming of doing for centuries now. 

He held her like she was all that mattered. 

Because she was. 

                        🌼💮🌼💮🌼💮

Nuriel strode into the council room. He had scheduled a meeting for that morning and he was the last one to arrive. Which was the opposite of how it always was. 

He always got there way before the others started coming in. 

Even Kael had beat him and the angel always made it his mission to enter the room last only seconds before the meeting actually started. Saying something about the last golden bird catching the worm. 

A notion no one actually understood. 

As usual they were all seated around the large rectangular table. Six on either side. Nuriel occupied the seat at the head of the table. 

" I hope you fare well brothers, " he greeted as he sat and they all answered in unison. He could tell they were curious as to why he had delayed but he was not going to discuss that with them. It was his personal affair.

" I believe you are all aware as to why I called this meeting so suddenly. There is a possibility that the kingdom is under attack, " he began. 

Then he asked Rehan to give the facts. Rehan was his second in command. He had proven himself capable of maintaining and overseeing things whenever Nuriel was away. And Nuriel trusted him with any issue concerning the kingdom. 

At the moment he was seated on the first seat from Nuriel on the right. And across from him was angel Victor. The General of the kingdoms army. 

" The first death is believed to have occurred six weeks ago. But the body was not found until two weeks after by a group of younglings who were playing in the jungle, "

" Why did it take so long for the body to be found? I thought your troops always did a survey of the entire Kingdom before nightfall. " Nuriel asked. Directing the question to Victor. 

" They do. But the body was well hidden my king. And whoever was responsible made sure to cover their tracks, they covered the body with branches from the many Grardur trees in the area, " Victor explained. 

Grardur trees were well known for their ability to coat any stench. They gave out a strong herbal smell and most of the beings used them to purify their homes for they believed the tree had spiritual significance. 

" I see. Rehan, you may continue, "

Rehan gave a curt nod. Then he went back to the book in which he recorded everything that regarded the kingdom.