AZRIEL

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

ADELINE

In the end, only Celeste and I joined Azriel in his journey to Zybern with Julian remaining behind to guard Velastille.

Azriel and Celeste were dressed in their typically regal attire - both wearing black accentuated with threads of silver and white. Nothing but the best for the Arch Angel of Velastille and his cousin. For my own clothing, I had opted for something with a little more colour; a baby blue flowy dress which ended at mid-thigh, accompanied by sheer dark tights. 

For my hair, Cirse had crafted it into a simple loose braid cascading down my back. It had swished as I had descended the final two stairs and hopped into the foyer to join the dark male. He had simply cast his gold eyes in a swift glance from my silver-slippered feet to my hair, and with a subtle nod said, "Good, let's go."

My mouth popped open, but Celeste explained with a swift eye roll, "Don't mention it, fairy-girl. He's always pissy."

I watched as Azriel held out his hand to me in an invitation to come closer. He lifted his free hand, and a concoction of sleek black smoke with chimes of sparkles began to appear from his palm - exactly like how it had once done when he had taken Celeste and I to the border of Zybern the first time when we had been tasked with stealing back our weaponry. My eyes squeezed shut tightly, somewhat nervous somewhat panicking as the black smoke began to consume the surroundings - engulfing us tightly before I felt my feet lift from the ground beneath me.

Within seconds I had been placed on solid base again, and when I mustered enough courage to open my eyes I was shocked at our surroundings - the same bone-chilling, cavernous, dusty land Celeste and I had found ourselves upon when stealing back the weaponry - Zybern, the land of the Angels of Death.

We seemed to be upon a gravel path, standing tall in front of us a spine-chilling, almost grotesque looking chateau. I noticed a flock of crows circling their way around the building, and my body shivered - the blood in my body running.

For all I knew, the crows were most likely a creature far more deadly than what I thought.

"Welcome to Zybern, Arch Angel." A figure stood forth from the shadows, tall and slender. It took my eyes a few moments to focus, and I took in his ghastly pale skin and coal black eyes and carven cheeks. His robe matched the colour of his orbs, and the shadow the hood cast over his face left an ambiguous aura about him - something almost sinister yet beautiful.

"Arch Angel Raphael." Azriel nodded, and dropped his head in respect.

Arch Angel. He was one of the five.

I couldn't help but notice how different the two Angels were, and why I had always thought they'd be alike. While Raphael's presence, masked by shadows and smoke enrobed in dark felt eerie and ominous, Azriel almost illuminated - exactly like the moon in a night sky, his aura regal and imposing.

Three other people emerged from behind Raphael, all of them with frowns of confusion of varying severity. Like their Arch Angel, they were all pale - as though they had lived away from the sun for most of their lives, and their eyes were two orbs of black and nothing else. It was almost like they were dead.

Well, that would explain them being Angels of Death.

All at once, the Arch Angel and his disciples' eyes turned towards Celeste and I.

Azriel slid one hand into his pocket, and with the other gestures towards Celeste. "Celeste, commander of my armies. I am sure you remember her from our previous meet over dinner discussing affairs." Cool, calculating grace.

Raphael gave Celeste the briefest nod, without saying anything else. Instead, his gaze shifted back to Azriel. "And the other one?"

"We thought it would be best not to bring him." Azriel shrugged slightly, and Raphael's expression seemed to give away that he was relatively pleased with the decision of leaving Julian.