Divinity: Immolation: Book Three (The Divinity Saga) (4 page)

Focused? More like the elimination of me and the capture of Starling. Many others have tried to go against me throughout the Millennia, mainly out of spite and jealously but they’ve all failed.

I wondered if they were remnants of Drakael’s liege, perhaps to seek vengeance over his destruction or maybe even Baal’s
death since I was tied to both.

Though I wish I had been the one to destroy Drakael, I didn’t do it. His righteous vanquishing came direct and swift for the spilling of Starlings blood.

Drawing the blood of a chosen while they were still mortal, either intentional or accidental, was vehemently prohibited for both sides per universal laws. It’s one law that if broken, provokes instant and direct death straight from Elohim.

“Her name is Starling.” I flatly corrected Berith.

She rolled her eyes. “Sorry. Starling. Have you seen her yet?”

My eyes flicked to Atiro, who remained silent and engrossed in carefully ladling equal amounts of the chocolate batter into each cup of a metal baking pan.

“How are you liking college?” I skated over her question.

She eyed me inquisitively and crossed her arms over her chest, “These humans that teach know nothing about the real world around them. They’re only breeding a new generation of completely clueless, vulnerable humans. I find listening to them both humorous and boring. I would have stopped attending a while ago but there are a lot of nice vessels there.” She grinned.

I gave her a warning glance and then turned to Atiro, still dodging her question on purpose.

“Keep a low profile. I’ll check in again soon. Be very careful, Berith. You too my friend.” I nodded at Atiro.

Atiro nodded assurance and Berith took my blatant avoidance of answering her as an insult, though I was sure that she knew what my non answer meant.

“Wait. I ah, have something else that might be of some interest to you. I was going to give it to Atiro to bring to you but since you’re already here…” Berith began as she turned and padded back into the living area. Her footsteps soon began to t
hump up the hollow wood stairs.

At first, I wondered why she didn’t simply just conjure whatever she had for me into her ha
nds but I forgot, she couldn’t.

She was powerless now. Something else I knew was getting difficult for her to get used to.

“She’s right. I saw some activity when I accompanied her to the food store. It’s mounting. When you’re out there among the humans, you can sense it right away. The time must be growing near.” Atiro offered as he put the cupcake pan into the oven.

I found the scene humorous. Formerly silent Atiro, as huge as his bulk was, and an expert fighter; was now in an apron baking cupcakes.

“What do you make of it?”

Atiro began removing the apron, “They’re gearing up for something else, something really big. That much is certain. Ry, Mac, and Nay are on the western coast of the North American Continent, some place he called Hollywood California, I believe. He’s been looking for a crowd to better blend in with and I think he’s found it,” he laughed softly. “He says there’s so much dark activity out there, that none of them pay much attention to each other. They’re having way too much fun.”

Berith returned, carefully holding a small, extremely old, yet spectacularly preserved, yellow-gold and authentic mother’s pearl decorated box.

I furrowed my brow as she delicately handed it to me.

“What’s this?” I questioned, carefully taking it from her. I examined the design and details in admiration, recognizing the age of the precious metal. Curiously, I turned it over in my hands gingerly and then gently opened the cover to reveal its hidden contents.

I was stunned.

The title on the cover of the nearly petrified, brown leather was written in gold leaf script, and in an ancient language. It was some form of angelic to be precise. I ran my hand over the impressive jewels and then carefully opened the cover. The inside of it contained just a few yellowing, superfine pages, all frayed with brittle, browned edges.

“It’s part of a tome or texts.” Berith whispered.

I looked at her wryly. “Thank you for clarifying that. I meant where did it come from?”

I wasn’t familiar with this form of angelic but I could figure it out if I studied it for a while.

“It’s something that I took from Morning Star right before everything happened. I hid it where only I could find it, here in the mortal realm.” Berith admitted.

“She had me take her to the barren arctic lands near the Northern pole. She sealed and buried it deep. It was a good hiding spot that’s for sure.” Atiro affirmed.

“I don’t know what it is necessarily but if Morning Star had it, then there’s something of deep importance in it. If I were you, I’d keep it locked up at your place, or better yet bury it at the bottom of the Eternal Lake.”

The text appeared scattered, not forming any uniform continuous lines that would nor
mally link paragraphs together.

“He can’t even read angelic anymore.” I commented in bewilderment as I gl
anced over each page in wonder.

There were many pages missing, that much was apparent not even knowing what was written on them. Where or who had he gotten this from? This should have been something that was in the k
eeping of angels.

In fact, I’m sure that at one time it had been.

So how the hell had he gotten it? Another interesting mystery perhaps. I was fascinated. A feeling of both nostalgia and excited curiosity began to kindle in my mind.

The parchment was crafted from ancient fibrous plants and papyrus trees that were indigenous to the Earth around what is now the Tigris
and Euphrates River in the Middle East, after the Great Flood.

I wondered how Berith managed to keep it all in one piece so easily and maintain it so well.

The symbols stoked a distant memory of the speech that I shared with my former angelic brethren once upon a time. Enochian? No, this was different and it was evident it was not written by man.

How many angels or fallen had he killed in orde
r to obtain possession of this?

“I know but some of the newly fallen can and they were helping him to decode some of it in exchange for favors, dominions, and vessels. Either way, I know it was extremely important to him. Maybe it can become a bargaining tool at some point.” She then said with raised brows.

“I don’t play bargain games with the wickedly insane. Not ones I have any intentions of following through with anyway.” I immediately clarified.

She shrugged a shoulder. “You never know.”

There was silence between the three of us for a brief moment. Atiro was attuned to something else; taking in scents and noises around the vicinity to ensure that we weren’t being tracked, watched, stalked, or surrounded.

“This is the real reason he nearly killed you and is now hunting you down, isn’t it?” I finally asked Berith.

She shifted from foot to foot with hesitation. “It’s the main one, yes. He was already suspicious and I think he thought that I was trying giving it to you then,” She sighed, looking down at her bare toes for a brief moment and then back up at me, “I did plan to. I knew you were the one fallen that he’d have a hard time getting it back from if at all. I didn’t want to leave it where it could get damaged or eventually retrieved by one of his minions. He tortured me for days, tearing a piece of me apart each time I refused to tell him where I took it, until there was finally no trace of physical flesh left. When I saw my chance, I fled.”  She admitted. I had no idea just how fucked Berith was but if it was something that Morning Star desperately wanted back. He was going to have to try and take it from me.

V. Starling

T
he last conversation between me and Ilka, after I finally had no choice but to confess, weighed heavily on my mind as I made my way back to my room.

Her reaction and words were not what I expected but I couldn’t make her keep this a secret either. She wouldn’t.

She told me I had to tell the elders in my assembly soon or she would be forced to do it. I understood her dilemma but at least she was sort of sympathetic, at least that’s what she appeared to be to me. I know she was right and I trusted her but I was frightened.

The few people that I bothered to notice or glance at from the corner of my eye were looking at me reverently now, but I felt as if everyone already knew or could see that I was pregnant, even though my stomach was still flat.

I didn’t say a word to Spencer, Kaia, or Brynn, leaving them all to wonder about the diagnosis in my silence. I left Ilka to give the report of my clean bill of both physical and mental health, which was essentially the truth anyway. I mumbled about heading to my room to get a change of clothes, bathe, and then nap for a long time. Even though they all three followed me out of the medical quarters, they left me to find my way back to my room alone, which surprised me and I appreciated it.

I was still dazed. I hadn’t even called out to Cam since earlier and I know he was probably going crazy with worry. I didn’t even know what else to say or do at this point.

“Starling! Oh my God!” I heard a high-pitched squeal from behind me.

Footsteps were quickly tapping towards me.

I managed to turn around just in time for Lira to slam into me, wrapping her thin arms around me in a firm hug. It was a touching greeting and it made me instantly smile as I hugged her back.

“I’m so glad you’re back and you’re okay! We thought you were gone forever!” She gasped, half laughing and half sobbing, which turned into spasmodic, hitching breaths.

Tears glistened in her big, brown eyes.

“Nope, I’m back.” I smiled while forcing
back my own waterworks.

She paused to wipe her face, sniffing and hiccupping with a broad smile.

“Lira, I’m really sorry about what happened.” I then began.

“Sorry? What are you apologizing to me for? That was the most fun
that I’ve had since I’ve been here.” She laughed and sniffed again.

“Really?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Most definitely!”

I sighed. “Still…”

She waved off the start of my self-deprecating speech. “Forget about me. You’re back and that’s what matters. I thought you were…” Her bottom lip and chin began to quiver and she began to cry all over again.

“Come on, no more tears. I made it back and I’m not gonna allow that happen to me or anyone else again if I can help it, okay?” I smiled.

She nodded with a weak smile.

Though I really could care less, I as
ked anyway. “Is Jamie alright?”

Lira beamed through her tears and wiped her face. “Of course she’s alright. It’s you we were all worried sick o
ver. Thank you for saving her.”

I pressed my lips in a tight smile, feeling guilty. I hadn’t set out to save her entirely. I was careless and not thinking when I did it but I was glad that she was safe.

“What about Durien? Have you seen him today?” I asked her then.

She shook her head no. “I haven’t seen him since he and Spencer made it back.” She said softly.

“He didn’t get in trouble, did he?”

I would be righteously ticked if he did.

“No, but he blames himself for you getting taken. He left and he hasn’t been back here since then. I’m guessing that he’s at his place in the human realm.” She told me.

“He shouldn’t blame himself. No one should. Does anyone have a portal gem to his house?” I asked her.

“I don’t know. If you set a guest list with the alchemists and give permission, then those who are on it have access to portal gems to your home. I think Anthony and Gabe might be on his list. Do you want me to find one of them?”

I sighed.

“No, I’ll ask them myself but thanks. In the meantime, I’ll be in my room for a while. If you do happen to see him before I do, will you tell him that I’m back?” I told her.

“Of course.” She smiled, “Can you meet us in the dining hall before you retire to your room though? Everyone has been asking about you since you came through the portal.”

I really didn’t want to see or talk to anyone else right now. I just wanted to be alone to think about what I was going to do but the glimmer in her eyes held hope and excitement that I couldn’t rain on. She seemed to be among the few who were genuinely happy about my safe return so far.

I nodded. “Okay.”

~
~~~****~~~~

I don’t know what the foul crap was that Cam had smeared into my hair but it took forever to wash out. I grumbled about it to myself as I combed through my still damp curls and fought with multiple tangles. Obviously there was no conditioner or blow drying mechanism here and these combs didn’t really do the job well. I couldn’t wait until I was able to venture back out into the human realm and establish my own home.

If I made it that long.

My hair has been a hot mess since the Eternal Lake skinny dip and then bathing at Cam’s place. Maybe I should take Spencer and Sean’s advice and just cut it. They said it would be like a handle to the fallen if it wasn’t tightly wound into a bun of some sort anyway.

It was so surreal knowing that
a baby was growing inside of me right now. This was yet another experience that I never got the chance to have while I was still mortal.

What was I going to do
though? What would I end up giving birth to? A supernatural or a human being? Or both? All of those questions scared and confused me. Regardless, I’m going to be a mother and that realization began to stir up an automatic protective instinct within.

Once I finished fixing my hair, I lingered in front of the mirror and stared at my reflection. I narrowed my eyes to fixate on my aura out of sheer curiosity. The bright, white light began to form a soft halo around me but there was something different now.

There were dark smudges in random spots that broke the solid continuity of the light surrounding me. The darkness smeared into my aura was definitely noticeable, and it was nothing that I could even attempt to hide. With another deep sigh, I closed my eyes.

“Starling.”
Cam’s voice returned to me in a soothing, somewhat seductive tone.

The sound of his voice in my head when he said my name
automatically created a frenzy of erotic sensations throughout my entire body. I could still feel him inside of me, and the phantom aftershocks of the multiple orgasms that left my legs feeling both rubbery and too weak to even kneel.

My breath caught. I was
already literally craving him again.

I bit my bottom lip, keeping my eyes closed and answered him softly.
“I’m here.”

“I couldn’t wait anymore. Are you alright?”

“Yeah.”

“What did the succor say?”

“She’s leaving it up to me to confess. If I don’t then she will, which is fine. I plan to. I don’t have any other choice.”

I heard him sigh softly.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put you in this predicament and make you compromise what you were destined to be and have chosen. I don’t regret any of it though. I’d do it all again. Everything.”

“I don’t regret anything either
and stop saying sorry. I’m not.

Then I paused.
“Do…”
I hesitated to ask the question because for me there was none, but given the fact that he kept apologizing about it made me wonder.

“Do you want me to get rid of it?”
I asked softly.

“
You can’t be seriously asking me that.”
He sounded hurt.

“I just want to be sure, that’s all.”

It was silent on his end for a moment.
“Are you sure? Though I’d do everything in my power to convince you otherwise, I’d understand if you…”

I would have been offended if it wasn’t apparent that Cam really wanted this child. I could hear it in his voice.

“I won’t lie to you, I’m am afraid but that thought never came to mind as an option. This baby…no matter what he or she is, will be a combination of the both of us and will have the same free will that all beings have.”

“You’re not alone. You’ll never be alone. In fact, I’d rather you be here with me anyway.”

I paused. I believed him though I still felt an emotional tug at my heart.

“I know. I just didn’t think as an immortal…that I could even get pregnant or that you as…a supernatural spirit being could…you know.”
I don’t know why after all we did together both in the spring behind the waterfall and in his bed, that I couldn’t even say the words. I felt silly.

“Though we fallen can still switch back and forth between our original spirit forms and physical flesh at will, ultimately we’ve been condemned to endure for eternity in flesh form, which means that I’m no longer perfect. Everything that comes with being of the male species applies. You’re female… and still human.”
He explained.

It was then that I finally understood why he was
so apologetic. Because he was keenly aware of all of that and I was clueless. I had to wonder if Cam had planned this. Fallen wanted female warriors to breed with and I assume that’s why they were all after me, especially Morning Star. But why just me when they could create whatever dual race of beings they wanted with other female warriors? Have they been able to? What made them think that they’d be able impregnate me? Well—Cam had been able to.

I didn’t want to follow where my mind was going to next. I didn’t want to believe anything bad or negative about Cam but he was a Fallen, and I was told never to trust anything
that a Fallen did or said. But what if… no, I wasn’t gonna even go there and think that at all. I swallowed thickly, my heart pounding slow and hard. Warm tears began to pool in my eyes.

There was an air of silence and sudden curiosity gnawed at me again.
“Will you tell me why you fell now?”
I asked.

“No.”

Was he serious? Why was he keeping it such a guarded secret? This was going to drive me crazy. His evasiveness about it was making me suspicious, which wasn’t helping given my current thoughts.

“Why not?”

“I don’t want to continue to talk about this like this. I need to be able to see and hold you.”

“I won’t see
you at all until you tell me.”

This time, he was silent for a long time. I thought he had abruptly ended the conversation for the sake of maintaining his secrecy and i
t was slowly breaking my heart.

“Ok, you win
, but afterwards you’ll owe me something.”

His response surprised me but it made me smile. Maybe I was overreacting and jumping to co
nclusions. I’d almost forgotten that Cam is an incubus. Whatever that something was, I was certain that it involved physical contact—not that I wouldn’t have given in to him anyway.

“I suppose.”
I agreed softly.

“You don’t even know what I want.”

“Um, yeah, I think I do.”

He laughed.
“I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay.”
I smiled to myself.

Returning to my room to put my things away before heading to the dining room to meet the others, I stopped short in the doorway. Sitting on the writing desk, next the notebook for my journal, was a simple crystal vase filled with small white, bell-shaped flowers, surrounded by long,
slender, vibrantly green leaves. The bouquet was beautifully arranged and a hint of fresh floral dew clung to the air. It struck a memory of springtime, filling my room with a relaxing, soft scent.

I raised a brow of curious surprise as I walked over to examine and smell them up close. Was this a welcome back gift or something from Lira and the others?

“Those are lily-of-the-valleys.” I heard from behind me.

I turned around to see Jamie, leaning against the doorjamb with her arms around her middle. She appeared softer, more toned down. Her long, dark brown braid hung loosely over her shoulder.

“They’re beautiful.”

She nodded. “Those should last a long time too.”

It was almost as if she were having a hard time maintaining eye contact with me, like a sheepish avoidance.

“Did you leave these here?” I asked her.

She shifted and inhaled. “I thought you’d like them. They’re…sort of a…welcome back thing…and,” She glanced at the floor, shifting her stance again, and then to my surprise— she began to cry.