Chapter 91
Rehan wondered why the others were staring at him like they were. He looked around the room, then he turned and saw the deep crimson of his wings. But he didn't pay much attention to it. That's what they did, they changed. Sometimes he suspected whether that was the reason he couldn't stand among other wings. He wondered if the fact that his features always changed in color was the main distributing factor towards his curse.
He referred to it as a curse because that was what it was.
" Perhaps you're right. I'll try and get some rest, " he said. It was a lie, the last thing he wanted to do was sleep. He felt fatigued but he didn't want to lie down, especially not when that girl was still out there somewhere.
Aziel nodded and then they all told him to link them if he needed anything. Reached over to his bedside table, he took the glass of water that the reckless angel had poured him a few moments ago and went to take a sip. But then his fingers suddenly began to tighten around the glass out of their own free will.
It broke in his hand and the water fell into his sheets. His hand began to bleed and the small drops of blood followed the liquid. The other three angels all stopped and turned towards him.
" Rehan?" Viktor asked, and the angel with the mysterious wings and eyes turned to all of them and simply shrugged, no words coming to mind. His heart began to pound and his mouth felt dry.
" Bloody dungeons! " Aziel cursed, his eyes on the sheets. All the others followed his gaze. They watched as the water that was supposed to be soaked by the bed covers began to move in a uniform line, it resembled some sort of crystal snake. Then with eyes filled with disbelief, they all watched as the liquid flowed towards Rehan. He shook his head and moved aside, getting off the bed completely and taking a few steps back. Not wanting to admit that it meant what he thought it did.
The liquid seemed to be hunting him down, it crawled on the bed until it got to the edge. Then it spattered on the floor and formed a wet patch.
The three angels in the room all slowly looked at Rehan, his only response was a shake of his head, then he uttered the word, "No."
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Early the next day, Nuriel had been in his and Flame's chambers trying to get her to eat. He had returned the previous night and found her already asleep. It seemed as if all she wanted to do was stay in bed, quiet and broken. And then suddenly he heard a loud knock on the door, and the being in the other side didn't wait for a response before she walked in.
It was Idah. She seemed breathless, like she had climbed into the mountain where The Triecan was without making a stop.
With narrowed eyes, Nuriel stood and asked her what she wanted. He had come to realize that the girl hardly ever stayed still. He would walk over to one part of the house and find her, walk to another and somehow she'd be there. He had even seen her in the hallways where the warriors were. She was young and quite spirited.
But he wasn't too happy about how she had barged in. And he was about to ask her to be a little more courteous the next time when she spoke.
" It's Sheila! She's... she's here! " The girl said in a rather loud voice. Her face bright and relief clear on her features. Nuriel was at a loss for words. He turned back to Flame and found her staring at Idah quizzically. As if she couldn't believe what she had heard as well. And then she finally spoke and Nuriel felt capable of breathing again.
" Sheila? " She asked and Idah assured them both.
" She's in the living room with her parents!"
Flame didn't waste a second. She got off the bed and dashed to see whether it was true for herself. She wasn't willing to believe it until she saw the proof with her own two eyes.
And when she got to the living room she stopped. Sheila was there, seated on one of the couches, her parents on either side of her and little Anna seated in her laps. Refusing to let go if the sister she had already thought was gone. With slow and shaky steps, Flame walked in. They noticed her and we're about to stand and bow but she put up her hand and shook her head to stop them. Then she proceeded to walk over to where they were.
She was alive!
Phoenix hadn't succeeded in killing her. Flame exhaled sharply and then she bent down and wrapped her arms around both Sheila and her sister. Nuriel arrived in the room moments later. He ran a hand over his face when he saw the family there, complete and satisfied. But in all earnesty, he was more glad to have his mate back. It might sound selfish, but having her finally back to reality meant more to him than even she would ever know.
After the lengthy hug, Flame let go and she stepped away from Sheila. Then she turned around and looked at Nuriel before she slowly closed her eyes. A single tear of relief rolled down her cheek. She didn't know whether Phoenix had kept her end of the deal but she didn't care, the important thing was that her friend was back. That she was safe and unharmed.
With quick strides, she went over to her angel and let him wrap his hands around her.
" Finally!" he whispered into her ear. And when she let go, see turned around. But Nuriel kept his arms wrapped around her from behind.
" What happened? How'd you get here?" Flame asked. They watched as Sheila smiled a sad smile. Then she gave her younger sister a peck in the cheek and hugged her closer.
" She let me go. One moment I was in this dark cave and the next I was back in our house. But I didn't find anyone there so I ran all the way here, "
Her parents had sent the night there. Nuriel had asked them too. They had looked so shaken and we're in so much pain he feared letting them go home alone. So he had asked them to stay the night at least.
Flame bit her bottom lip and thought about what she had done once more. That the only reason Sheila was there was because she had given her blood.
" Was she with you, in the cave...was she there?" Flame asked and Sheila seemed to be thinking about something. Then she shook her head and said no. That it had been completely dark and she hadn't heard a thing.
" Could it be the same cave I found her in last time?" she asked Nuriel who shook his head.
" Bastian already checked, there was nothing in there. "
There was still a lot of bad things happening around them, but at least Sheila wasn't among the list of them anymore, Flame thought.
Now all they had to worry about was catching Phoenix and possibly her mate as well. A task that they all now considered next to impossible.
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All the council members as well as Flame were seated, and they listened to every word that Caspian uttered.
It had been a full three days since Sheila returned. And Kalen had finally gotten the time to go and fetch the keeper of words once more and take him to The Triecan. Rehan couldn't be there for reasons they were all aware of. And plus he had other things in his mind at the moment.
Nuriel and the other two had vowed not to utter a word of what happened in his chambers. It would not help to improve the situation at all. They already had too much to worry about, telling them of that incident would only add to their burden.
" It would have been better had she been marked her when I first talked you, " Caspian told Kalen. The others were all confused. And when they asked what that had to do with anything,Kalen had no choice but to explain.
" Wait! Are you trying to tell me all this could have been prevented had you marked her?" Rylan asked. But Nuriel chose not to respond.
" Why didn't you?" Kael sought to know.
It didn't make sense to them, why Nuriel would choose to let his mate be preyed upon when he had the ability to prevent it.
" It must have been very difficult for you, I'm certain you didn't have a choice, " Caspian told Flame. She gave him a weak smile and nodded,not wanting to ever relive that part of her existence ever again.
" No,I'm still on the bloody marking issue. We need an explanation, " Rylan added and Aziel supported him. And even though the others weren't that vocal, Nuriel could tell that they also wanted answers.
Sighing, Nuriel straightened his back, then he unconsciously flapped his wings before he started talking. He told them his reasons. That he wanted the hunt for blood to end with Flame.
" The cycle has began,whether or not you want to accept it. If not Flame then she would have simply waited till the next pairing. "
Nuriel found himself glancing at Rehan's seat when he said that. The others all keot quiet. Questions still lurked in the air but none were voiced.
" Why haven't they attempted to strike yet?" Viktor asked. It had been three days and nothing had happened. If Phoenix woke her mate then they would have already done something to inform the angels of their plans. Their silence was odd.
" Perhaps they want us to relax our defences. Come at us when we least expect it. " Phelan suggested. They talked for a little while longer before Caspian suddenly turned to Flame and started to ask her something, but then he quickly pursed his lips and looked around.