Page 43 of Heart Shaped Wreckage
“His palace was magnificent back in the day.” Aurelius stepped out in front of a giant stone that stood at the end of the hallway. My golden light shone against his white robes and wings.
I needed to get just one feather from them. I had to get close enough.
“Whose palace?”
“Yourfriends,” he made it sound so lascivious. “He went against the word of God and acted like he was a deity to the people in this temple. They gave him many opulent gifts, and slaughtered many animals in his worship.”
“Wasn’t he once your friend?”
“He was mybrother.” He unfurled his wings and stood there as if he wasn’t sure what to do. “Why are you here? I see that he is not with you.”
“You slashed him with your sword. He’s not feeling his best thanks to you.”
“Did I? Hmm… It must have been a lucky blow. I was just trying to drive him out of his host. I would have if you hadn’t surprised me with your magical tsunami. Quite impressive for a mortal. A half-life is not the way I want to see Magnus live.”
“Wait? So, you were helping him?”
“The only way to save a fallen is for them to fade. Anything else requires magic we angels don’t possess. He is no longer imbued with the essence of our father. That power faded as he walked this world many years ago. Without the divine connection, he would always be lost.”
“So, this had nothing to do with our prophecy?”
“Was there a prophecy? There’s always a prophecy these days.” He grinned. Something about it made me believe he was lying.
“I didn’t know angels could lie.”
“Did I? Why did you come here, seeker? I was content to let you live your meager existence.”
“I came here for him.”
“Did you? Hmm…” he chuckled, and it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. “A human ready to fight for the life of a demon. You are nothing if not intriguing.”
“I can’t leave here until I have what I came for?” I tried to sound ferocious.
“Are you here for myblood, child?” he hissed. “My ichor will do nothing for one of his kind.”
“I saw your golden blood. It was the same as Heath’s.”
“That would be impossible, child.”
“Are you calling me a liar?” I brought up the stones, trying to threaten him in the only way I could.
“Oh, yes! The stones. Do you know why the stones work for you?” He folded his wings back into place behind his back. “Why were you the only one who could find them, and there could never be another?”
“I hadn’t really cared.”
“You should. It’s your blood, you see. You carry the blood of the very first person to ever hold those stones in their hand. They are an ancient magic created by the fates to balance the world in times of darkness. Only the bloodline of he who first held them could ever make them work.”
“Why should I care?” Why was he stalling me? Was there more to these stones than he wanted me to discover?
“The lives of the seekers who have used the stones are shrouded in death. For you to find them means that your life is forfeited to the fates.”
“A life?” I laughed. “I have no life that I even know of. Do you know who I am?”
“I do not deem to know the lives of humanity any longer. We have withdrawn.”
“Then why don’t you go back to where you came from?” I spat angrily. This angel was truly pissing me off.
“I have my reasons. Are we going to do this, child, or has your courage failed?”
