Page 57 of Hunted by the Fallen
“Claudia Hutchins,” one of the hooded figures addresses my classmate’s mom. The voice belongs to a male. “This is asurprise.”
Mrs. Hutchins stands. She looks at the figure right in the middle of the table. “Your Honors. I am here to deliver the one who’s signature youseek.”
Acting as one again, the hooded council shift their attention to me. My blood runs cold. It’s like their eyes pierce through my skin, searching my insides forinformation.
What the hell had I been thinking? I should’ve made a run for it, not stood there like an idiot admiring the ceiling. I press my hands against my legs, but I’m no longer able to keep them fromshaking.
The same Fallen who’d spoken to Mrs. Hutchins raises his arm. The robe shifts down and reveals normal looking tan skin. “Come.”
I don’t budge. I’m not willfully defying him. My legs simply won’tmove.
Another cloaked figure says, “Rebellious. Not surprising considering the Fallen she’s keeps companywith.”
“How did you find her?” Another asks. I’m not sure whichone.
“Fortuitous coincidence,” Mrs. Hutchins replies. “I sensed fellow Dark Fallen at myhouse.”
“You are not Fallen,” a raspy voice chastises from the end of thetable.
I see Mrs. Hutchin’s lower her head. “Forgive me, Your Honor. Of coursenot.”
“You said you sensed Fallen in your home?” A female enters the conversation. “And you found thisgirl?”
“Yes, Your Honor. The moment I saw her, I sensed the mark you’ve been searchingfor.”
Signature…Mark?
I can only assume they are speaking about whatever it is which identifies my Fallen race. Dread enters my thoughts. If the Dark Council is able to sense such a thing, they must know I am half-Dark and half-Light. My prospects for getting out of this situation unscathed just diminisheddrastically.
I hold out hope I am wrong about what they are talking about. After all, my protectors claimed to barely have a read on my powers, even with the ward being lifted. There is a chance Mrs. Hutchins is talking about something other than proof of my half-racestatus.
“Thank you for bringing the girl here so promptly,” the female Fallen says. I follow the regal sound and see she is standing next to the man at the center of the table. “You have done well,Claudia.”
Mrs. Hutchins dips low. “It is my honor toserve.”
“Jude,” the original cloaked figure speaks. “You may escort the girlout.”
For a heartbeat, I hope he is talking about me. Unfortunately, the massive Fallen, Jude, gestures for Mrs. Hutchins to come with him. The Council must be pretty old if they call a grown woman “girl”. Then again, I acknowledge Nephilim would be much younger than the original Fallenangels.
Mrs. Hutchins follows Jude out a door concealed by a floor-length painting on the side of the room. The painting swings closed, and I am forced to return my attention the twelve Fallen on the other side of theroom.
“Come.”
This time, I listen. Each step is a struggle, but I manage to walk to the center of the room. I stand in the middle of an elaborate pattern painted on tile. My eyes are trailing the scrolled design when I’maddressed.
“So, you are thebashert.”
Hearing the angelic word for soulmate snags my attention. I can’t tell which person to look at. I decide to scan the sea of hoods as I speak. “I’m sorry. What are you talkingabout?”
“I wonder how long they have kept you hidden,” the male in the middle says. I get the feeling he is talking to himself more than me. “How long have those boys kept their Nephilim from joining ourranks.”
They think I’mNephilim.
I force myself to not react, careful to keep my surprise from showing on my face. The Dark Council is run by powerful Fallen. How can they not sense the truth of what Iam?
My memory provides the answer. All four of my protectors believed I was Nephilim. It wasn’t until they felt thebashertconnection that they knew I was more than that. And the only reason Lukas knows is because he witnessed my Resurrection power. No Nephilim would be capable of suchstrength.
For some unknown reason, despite the fact my powers are no longer contained by the ward placed on me at birth, no Fallen is able to deduce the truth of my parents’ identities. All they can sense is a soulmate connection and, I’m assuming, some hint of underlying angelicpower.
