Page 3 of Gray
Panic set in. I didn’t want to leave him. The celestial army was strong. Angels killed without mercy. With heavenly swords and wings like snow, they destroyed anyone who dared think differently.
“Go,” Father said, pulling back to look at me. “Now.”
As I turned, he shouted an order to his men. I looked back only once before facing ahead and running at full speed. I released my wings and rose into the air, flying past trees and over flowery meadows.
By the time I got to the mountain, my eyelids weighed so heavy I had to fight to keep them open. My body was sluggish too, as if my muscles refused to properly work. Father said I was special. I didn’t feel special though.
I just felt sleepy.
I entered the small cave at the foot of the mountain, one easily missed if you didn’t know where to look. I sunk down into the corner and listened for any signs of movement. Water trickled around me, and the musky smell made me curl my nose.
And now, I wait.
I lost the battle to keep my eyes open and drifted to sleep, dreaming of colorful flowers in a grassy field and butterflies.
Snap.
I opened my eyes. Distant yells filled the air. The battle had begun. I hugged my knees, making myself as small as possible. Clouds had rolled in, making the dark cave even darker. The sunlight from earlier felt like a distant memory now.
Another snap sounded, followed by the flutter of wings.
My hope of it being my father was ripped away as a man with white hair and wings of the same shade appeared at the cave entrance. An angel. Fear slammed into me, and I put my hands over my mouth and stayed as quiet as possible. Trembles racked my body.
“I’m not here to harm you,” he said. “But fight me and I’ll have no qualms about putting you in your place.”
Shaking, I pushed to my feet. Father had given me a dagger before I left, and I clutched it in my hand.
The angel stared at me with only a faint flicker of interest. “You’re smaller than I expected. Yet, your spirit is strong.”
“Leave me alone.”
He cocked his head to the side. “You’d rather stay here with deserters and demons?”
“Better than with you! Angels are pure evil.”
“Poor child. Belphegor has corrupted your mind. You know not what you speak.”
I was cornered. Nowhere to run behind me. The only way out was through him. My advantage? I was small and quick. Bringing forth my training, I charged directly at him, then slid under his legs before letting my wings catch on the breeze as I fled the cave.
“Father!” I yelled, knowing he could hear me, even from that distance.
The air stirred at my back.
The angel grabbed my left wing and yanked me backward. I cried out as I slammed against his chest and bit his hand when he tried to place it over my mouth. His arms constricted around me, and no amount of thrashing broke his strong hold. The more I moved around, the more tired I became. That always happened to me. My energy waned so easily.
“Take your hands off my son!”
The angel’s grip loosened when my father barreled into us, and I weaseled out of his hold. Midnight black wings clashed with white ones as they fought in the air. Blood ran down my father’s chest, though it didn’t look to be his. The angel summoned a whip made of lightning and struck at him.
“Father!”
He dodged the attack before using his wings to propel him forward, smashing into the angel’s side. They rolled in the air, bodies colliding like boulders. The sky rumbled its discontent, and the clouds darkened. A drop of rain hit my skin, quickly followed by another.
“Run, Gradyn,” Father said before roaring in pain. The angel had clipped his wing with the whip, burning his feathers.
I gripped my dagger tighter. I needed to be strong. Brave. Angels were the enemy. It was time to show my father I was ready to fight beside him. So why was I shaking? Crying?
Black feathers blurred past me, and I caught a glimpse of red hair. Caim. Both he and my father fought the angel now. They sent him to the ground, but he didn’t stay down long. He leapt back up, his lithe movements graceful.
