Beauty Awakened (Angels of the Dark #2)(94)
Author: Gena Showalter

A few hours earlier

NICOLA STOOD in the center of the spacious room located in a palace high in the heavens. A lifetime seemed to have passed since she’d been brought here, but in reality, only a half hour had. Malcolm and Magnus had summoned Zacharel, told him what they’d witnessed, and the dark-haired warrior had gathered her close and flown her here.

He had yet to speak a word.

She was still raw over her sister’s death, still wondering where Koldo was—and growing more determined to find him by the second. She needed to be out there, right now, searching for him.

He was hurt. She sensed it deep, deep inside, a knowledge her concern for Laila had shadowed. But it wasn’t hidden anymore, and urgency was riding her hard. Whether he’d been hurt from the whipping or something more, she didn’t know. But she would. Soon.

“I have to leave,” she said.

Zacharel shook his head.

Frustrating man! “Just as soon as I figure out how to land on the earth without going splat, you won’t be able to stop me.”

She gazed around the room, looking for a window without a thirty-thousand-foot—or more—fall. She saw alabaster columns, with ivy twined from base to ceiling. The floor was ebony, the walls ivory, with gorgeous tapestries hanging throughout. But no windows. The only exit was the door, now guarded by two winged warriors with metal swords.

She breathed deeply. The air smelled clean and fresh, and pure. As if it had never been tainted by evil. She looked up. The ceiling was domed, with Sent Ones painted throughout—no, not painted, she realized. Not painted at all. The dome was made of crystal and peered into a higher realm of the heavens.

There she saw…no way…but there her precious Laila was, standing beside a handsome young man with red…hair…

Robby? Was that Robby, all grown-up? Nicola’s eyes widened. The two were hugging and grinning and laughing, so happy it made Nicola’s chest hurt.

They were together again.

Joy was deposited directly into her heart, filling her up, overflowing. One day, Nicola and Koldo would join them. She’d had knowledge of that before, but just then, it sank deep into her spirit, coming alive. Yes, one day.

But not today.

“Koldo needs me,” she said. “I have to—”

An unassuming-looking man suddenly paced in front of her, claiming her attention. He had dark hair and kind, dark eyes. He wore a white robe, his hands anchored behind his back.

Oh, good. Someone else to pester about this. “Sir,” she said. “My name is Nicola, I’m human, and I need—”

“My name is Clerici.”

“Clerici. Hi. Nice to meet you. I have a problem and—”

“Sent Ones are not angels, you know,” he said, interrupting her again. “We’re often called angels, and sometimes we refer to ourselves that way, but if we break down the pieces, we aren’t angels. Really, we are humans with special abilities. And yes, we have longer life spans and wings. We also fight evil.”

O-kay. Trying again. “Sir. I know all that. It’s been explained to me. But I really need to—”

“Our people serve the Most High, who is a Holy Trinity,” he said. “The Merciful One, the Anointed One and the Mighty One. We—and you—were created in His image. We are spirits, we have a soul, and we live in a body. Your spirit is your power source, what lives forever, and your soul is your mind, will and emotions. I’m sure you’re well acquainted with your body.”

“I am. Now. I’d like to leave and—”

“The Most High gave each of us a sword of fire. A sword you wielded,” he said, and stopped. Just stopped and stared over at her with an enigmatic expression.

“Hey, you can’t be any more surprised than I was. But there’s no time to ponder the reasons. Koldo is out there, and he needs me, and I’m going to find—”

“You didn’t wield the sword because you married Koldo, although that plays a part, I think.”

Argh! Would he never allow her to finish a sentence?

“You wielded it because you were adopted into the Most High’s family. That adoption is the true origin of a Sent One. Perhaps one day you’ll even grow wings. Now, however, you will fight for us.”

Wait, wait, wait. She was now a supernatural being, meant to join this warrior’s army? Head…spinning… “I’m happy to help you. I am. But I’m going after Koldo first,” she said in a rush before the male could stop her. She would do whatever was necessary to succeed. “We’ll talk about all this other stuff when he’s safe.”

“I know where he is,” Zacharel said. His first words since this had started.

Nicola spun to face him. “What! Why didn’t you tell me? Where is he? What’s happened?”

“There was nothing you could do to aid him. You would only have harmed him. And my attention was and is needed elsewhere, where I can do some good. Another of my warriors is missing, and his friends are near the breaking point.”

“But—” Nicola began.

“The part about Koldo is true,” Clerici said, cutting her off. Again. “Any Sent One who has been whipped for the Water of Life cannot be aided until their wounds have healed.”

“That’s insane!” she gasped.

“I agree. I have attempted to convince the Council to abolish the tradition, but they insist on continuing it the way Germanus did. I will continue to work on them, though. But until I succeed, to aid Koldo is to condemn one’s self to the same pain he now suffers.” He turned to Zacharel. “For all but her. She can aid Koldo. She’s his other half, an extension of his being. Whatever she does to aid him will be as if he’s doing it himself.”

A muscle ticked in Zacharel’s jaw. “To escort her to him is to die myself, for I cannot fight the Nefas. I’m not bound to the warrior, thus anything I do on his behalf before he is healed will be considered aid.”

“I know. But you can aid and protect her.”

Zacharel’s shoulders straightened, and he jolted, as if he’d just experienced a startling revelation. “That’s true.”

So…he and his men couldn’t hurt the bad guys unless they threatened her? Otherwise they’d be helping Koldo. And they could help her, even though she was Koldo’s other half, because she was also half…well, Nicola. Had anything ever been more confusing?

Clerici’s head tilted to the side, returning to his study of her. “Are you ready for battle, Nicola?”