LIGHT

Chapter Four: THE PRICE(HER FOREVER GUARDIAN)

The world tilted around her. It turned upside down. Her eyes lay open but she couldn’t see anything –feel anything. The answer was something she’d expected, but still –

“Luxa.” The voice reached through the haze and grasped at her unconsciousness, pulling her out. Eli.

“Luxa, I’m sorry.” It was the other angel. The silver winged one who had delivered the dreadful words. They were still there, apparently. Wings closed, unrelenting, but devoid of the hostility they’d displayed.

Luxa opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out save a raspy breath. She tried again and came up with a strangled version of her voice. “Well, not exactly what I expected.”

Silver smiled grimly at her. “You’ll know what to do if you’re ready. When you’re ready.”

“No!” Eli cried and pushed the blond away. “She wouldn’t die. Not for me.”

“That’s what you said when you Fell. The next time, there’d be no chance of getting back.” Then to Luxa, “Pure souls are the only ones who get Graces.”

Eli growled. “Go away angel.” He muttered the word as if it was poison. “Begone.”

The angel smiled sadly at Luxa then turned to disappear in a blinding flash of light, but not before uttering the words. “Get yours back too.”

Luxa looked on after he’d disappeared, wondering what the angel meant.

 †

“I forbid you Luxa,” Eli’s voice growled low and feral as he spoke. The girl beside him remained passive and unmoving. “Do not do it. Promise me.”

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t know how.” Her tone was as impassive as her face. “You heard what he said. I’d know when I’m ready.” Which I am not. And there are many other things he said…

Eli sighed. He wasn’t at all convinced that Luxa would do exactly as she said. He looked at her, his eyes questioning, but she avoided his gaze and turned away. As she did so, she muttered, “It’s almost dawn. We have to go back.”

†

Papers rustled as she slid off the counter. Some fluttered to the floor, but lay undisturbed. At first she thought the whole deal was a cruel game of Fate she was playing, but when she thought about it, it seemed less cruel and more moral. “I can’t believe this,” she managed. “What do I do?” But the night remained silent and Eli remained asleep. So much time had passes since the fateful meeting with the silver-winged angel and the heavy feeling it left in her chest got worse by the day. Not only was she unable to control the way her emotions flared, sending waves of pain to both her and her nephilim, but everything else was worse. The nightmares, especially. She didn’t know which was worse –the knowledge that Eli would someday fall to hell, or the agony he was suffering at the moment.

“What do you think?”

The voice startled her out of contemplation and she almost screamed in surprise, sprawling backwards. Arms caught her before her backside hit the floor  to cause her much pain and loss of dignity.

“Don’t you angels ever appear normally?” she groaned, disentangling herself from the  angel’s arms. “Like walking through the front door without the zapping and sudden appearances?”

Silver remained impassive, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. He wore considerably normal clothing –much like how Eli dressed, in straight cut jeans and plain shirt. His wings were noticeably absent and she saw the silvery marks curling around his pale arms. On all counts, he was really different from his Fallen counterpart. He was cold and aloof, but exuded some kind of Grace that attracted anyone to him.