Fearless (33 page)

And beside me, Ebony sighs with relief.

‘Greetings to you both, my prince, my lady,' the Archangel says. ‘I am Prince Raphael, Captain of the Empyrean Army of the High King's First Guard. I have orders from our High King to return the two of you to Empyrean immediately.'

‘Is this about my brother's arrest, Prince Raphael?'

‘In part, yes, but not entirely.' He shifts his gaze to Ebony. ‘Our High King would like to meet you, my lady.' He looks back at me. ‘But we need to leave now.'

Ebony tugs on my hand. ‘Don't let them put me in a
lamorak
. I don't need that any more.'

‘Wings are not required for this journey, my lady. We will not be using the Crossing.'

‘But we're
in
the Crossing,' Jez says.

‘True, my lady, but there is a shorter …
method
, known only to Archangels who protect the High King, for obvious security purposes.'

Shae steps forward. ‘Ebony is my sister. She's not yet eighteen and therefore I will accompany her.'

Isaac opens his mouth, but Raphael shuts him down. ‘Your family ties are by marriage. You shall remain behind.'

Isaac is not about to back down and the two angels glare at each other. ‘Prince Raphael, you are correct that my ties
are by marriage, and that is the precise reason I will be going with them.'

With his eyes narrowing, the Archangel shifts his attention to Jez. But she's had time to prepare and is ready to state her case. ‘I am Prince Nathaneal and Lady Ebony's healer. It is my privilege to travel with them wherever they go and I insist on continuing to do so.'

Raphael raises his eyebrows, evidently aware that both Ebony and I are healers in our own rights. My lips twitch at the audacity of my friends. Raphael, though, is less impressed. He growls under his breath and his remaining team members take a defensive stance.

‘We mean no disrespect, Prince Raphael,' I quickly explain. ‘We've just come from Skade, where –'

‘Apology accepted,' he says, and at a near imperceptible nod from him, his team suddenly surrounds us.

39

Ebony

The Archangels have mesmerising eyes that are difficult to pull away from, especially Prince Raphael's. Standing a head taller than Nathaneal, he towers over us. Shae tries to stay close, but once one of the female Archangels wraps her arms around me it's like I disappear inside her cloak. And once we start moving, shooting straight up into the sky at a speed I can barely imagine, I stop thinking of what's ahead and concentrate simply on hanging on.

‘I won't drop you,' the Archangel sniggers. ‘Stars forbid, what would your prince do to me?'

A warm fuzzy feeling curls up inside me at her comment. How far has news of our love reached if Archangels concern themselves with what Nathaneal would do if confronted with the threat of losing me again?

Still, at this speed and with winds rushing around us, instinct won't let me relax until we're back on solid ground.

At least Raphael wasn't joking about knowing a shortcut. Actually, I can't imagine Raphael joking about anything. What feels like only a minute later we're landing inside their walled city of Empyrean, apparently right on the doorstep of the High King's Temple.

My Archangel unwinds her cloak and I step out with unsteady feet. For a moment I wonder if all that swirling wind has upset my equilibrium. I quickly realise that's not the case since Shae and Jezelle look fine as they walk around me, gasping at my altered appearance.

Hearing them, Isaac turns from Prince Raphael, takes in the situation in one glance and whistles appreciatively under his breath.

But by now Nathaneal also knows something is up and he walks away from Raphael mid-sentence, shifting Archangels out of his way until he's standing in front of me. His eyes rake over me from head to foot. He takes my hands and holds them out to the sides, then pulls me in close as if stepping up for a dance. ‘Oh, Ebbie, you are more stunning than the stars.'

While I don't have a mirror handy, I'm acutely aware that I'm not wearing Prince Luca's wedding dress any more. It turns out I'm in a dress that hugs the upper half of my body in pastel lavender that darkens gradually to deep purple as it flows over my hips to about mid-calf in silky folds and a handkerchief hem. I lift the dress a little at the front and see a pair of strappy high-heeled silver shoes on my feet.

I glance at the Archangel who brought me here with questioning eyes. But all she says is, ‘You can thank me later.'

Dismissing his team, Raphael leads us into the Temple, to an open central space where wide corridors spear off in seven directions. As we walk down one of these corridors, I find myself unwinding with a sense of serenity this place seems to be giving off.

The six of us enter a lift that rises to the top level, but instead of stopping there it continues ascending at a much faster pace through floors without numbers. I'm relieved when it eventually stops and Michael is waiting for us. Dressed in a white officer's uniform, he cuts a daunting figure. It's times like these I wish I had my memories back, not just the one or two that occasionally surface. Without memories of my life in the spirit world, or of my time in my mother's womb, and those that Seraphim Angels inherit from their ancestors, everything is new. It keeps me on the outside of this close-knit order. Each memory allows me a peek into the world where I belong. But it's not enough to feel that wonderful sense of belonging I can see they share. They get to belong without trying, and as I go forward into my life as an angel, I wish I could too.

‘Hello, Ebony.' Michael smiles, his eyes widening at my appearance. ‘You scrub up splendidly, little one.'

‘Thank you, Michael. So do you.'

‘This must seem like a baptism by fire to you.'

‘I have no idea what's going on. I just hang around with you guys for the surprises.'

They laugh quietly, but everyone's mood is subdued. I understand that just being here is a big thing, and that whatever is about to happen could have serious consequences.

Raphael confirms this when he says, ‘Ebony, I will escort you to a guest room until our High King is ready to see you.'

‘What's this?' Nathaneal asks. ‘You never mentioned –'

I squeeze Nathaneal's hand, making it clear I want to
handle this myself. ‘Raphael, why do you want to separate me from my family?'

‘You are new to our ways –'

‘Actually I'm not. Through no fault of my own, I simply don't remember our ways.'

He glares down his very straight nose at me. ‘The business we're about to attend to is far from pleasant, my lady.'

‘I gather that, Raphael.'

‘The High King wishes to spare you.'

‘Oh. In that case, please tell the High King I can handle anything as long as I am …' I glance at the others, ‘with my own kind.'

Raphael tilts his head for a second without losing eye contact with me. ‘Very well,' he says. ‘He will allow your presence.'

‘Thank you, Raphael.'

He grumbles under his breath as he walks us into a room that's like the interior of an ancient amphitheatre. It's enormous and stunning, with a white tiled floor, high marble columns, intricate architecture and a semicircular arena where a thousand angels representing the nine different angelic orders are already sitting in the stands. Even the light here is different; bright, though the room appears to be windowless. And there is something about the air, as if it were a living organism that has the ability to deepen my sense of empathy, or, the thought occurs, awaken it.

It feels as if I have dived into an ocean of love.

I've never felt anything like this before.

Or maybe I have and I don't remember.

Soft murmurings from the stands die down when the
angels notice us. Heads turn to check out the newcomers. Raphael escorts us to the middle stand. Nathaneal wraps his arm around my waist in a protective gesture. He's keeping me close, and I don't mind in the slightest.

It's then I notice his clothes have changed too and I have to stifle a gasp. He looks incredibly
HOT
in an elegant, Armani-quality midnight-blue three-piece suit, with a white open-necked shirt. I force my jaw to shut and I touch his lapels, brushing an invisible thread from them. I want every angel in this room to know the Prince of Light belongs to me.

Shae, Jezelle and Isaac have changed too, and they look equally stylish and beautiful. They try to keep near us, but Raphael escorts them to the back row, before showing Nathaneal and me to the vacant front row, to the centre two seats directly in front of a round platform elevated by two steps all around.

Michael sits beside Nathaneal, and thankfully Raphael doesn't make him move away.

‘Anything I should know?' I ask them both. ‘Raphael wasn't exactly forthcoming with information.'

They both chuckle softly. Then Michael leans around Nathaneal and whispers, ‘You only need remember that wh
eneve
r the High King is glowing, don't look into his eyes.'

Just as I thank him a figure of a man manifests into solid form on the platform in front of us. At least eight feet tall, and wearing a white suit and matching long coat, he has a structured face that appears statuesque and yet also kind. His skin is not glowing, so I check out his eyes and find them hauntingly beautiful. Whenever he moves they change
colours like the facets of an opal but with the shimmer of diamonds.

The High King walks down from the platform and comes straight over to Nathaneal and
me
. Wrapping his two long hands around ours clasped together, he welcomes us with a smile and the added words inside our heads,
Welcome, both of you. I'm glad you could come. We will talk soon.

Not sure what I'm supposed to say or do, I just nod. He seems satisfied and walks back to address the entire semicircular arena from the platform. ‘It is with great sadness that I have called you here to witness today's events.'

There's not a sound in the room.

‘A traitor has been walking amongst you. A soldier of the Order of Seraphim. A captain and a prince.'

Gasps break out but the High King shuts everyone down with a sharp look. ‘He was someone you have all welcomed into your homes. Who has drunk your wine and danced at your weddings. He mourned with you when you lost loved ones. Fought by your sides. Commanded your children in battle.'

The outrage is palpable, but so too is a deep sense of sadness. It's this sadness that pours out of the High King and fills the room. His eyes glisten. This is really hard for him. And I get it. He
loved
Gabriel. The thought occurs that he loves us all.

Angels turn and glance at our stand, their eyes roving up and down as if looking for the one who's missing. But no one is saying a word.

‘I have gathered you here today to bear witness to this traitor's sentencing.'

Suddenly Nathaneal is on his feet. ‘My lord, if I may examine the evidence I'm sure I could sort this out. I think a grave misunderstanding has occurred.'

The High King motions to someone out of sight, and the sound of rattling chains brings goosebumps out on my skin. Six Archangel soldiers in predominantly white uniforms, body armour, helmets, weapons hanging at their sides, walk in with Gabriel in a simple white tunic, his hands and ankles in chains, and force him to kneel before the High King.

Michael, are you sure?
Nathaneal asks him in a link open to me too.

Michael's voice rings out like church bells in my head.
The proof is undeniable, as you will come to see soon.
Don't let this get under your skin, cousin
.

The High King steps down to stand over the prisoner. ‘Prince Gabriel, how do you plead?'

Gabriel turns his head to Nathaneal. ‘Help me, brother. Only you can help me now.'

Still standing, Nathaneal frowns and rubs his neck. ‘My lord, Prince Gabriel came to me. He confessed, and I forgave him.'

The High King looks at Nathaneal with eyes shimmering with empathy and remorse. ‘Yes, prince of my heart, I saw that exchange and I was pleased.'

‘He is my brother, and my parents have already lost one son because of the Dark Prince.'

‘Nathaneal, listen carefully. Prince Gabriel did not act like your brother when he used a prearranged signal to alert our enemy to the precise moment Lady Elesha gave birth
to a destined future queen.'

Nathaneal's head shakes. ‘No, no, no, my lord, that was not Gabriel. That was my mistake. I tried to leave the birthing chamber in a hurry and my clothing caught in the protective webbing.'

His glittering eyes still pinned on Nathaneal, the High King is not finished. ‘Prince Gabriel was no brother to you when he released the secret underground hatch to our blessed Holy Cross Monastery, allowing twelve Prodigies and Prince Luca himself to enter our Earthly sanctuary. Three Brothers died that day.'

Nathaneal hisses, running a hand round the back of his neck. ‘That was you, Gabe? Really? Why?'

Gabriel drops his pleading eyes. Now the truth is out, he's no longer able to hold his brother's gaze.

‘Nathaneal,' the High King's voice swells and fills the arena, ‘Gabriel was no brother to
anyone
when he signed a pact with the Dark Prince.'

Nathaneal moans as if he's going to be sick. He drops down into his chair, his head in his hands.

My eyes meet Michael's.
This is killing him
.

The worst kind of deceit comes from the ones you trust the most, little one.

‘Gabriel was no brother to you when he deliberately delayed investigating a powerful force that had attached itself to Ebony, allowing it time to strengthen and take form and multiply before he knew whether it was good or evil.'