Fallen (Undergoing editing)

Chapter forty-seven:

Dressed and padding quietly through the mansion, I moved through the kitchen and down the hall to Alice's den. Throughout the mansion, it seemed to be oddly quiet. There wasn't a person in sight. The curtains were drawn and it was silent. It must've been night time or really early in the morning and everyone was asleep.

I carefully and quietly pushed against the door and stepped into the doorway to find a figure sitting in the bright red satin armchair over by the roaring fire, sipping a cup of Luna tea.

It was Alice.

He turned his head over to me and smiled. "Lilith," he greeted. "I'm glad you're up, come in."

I padded further into the den, sitting in the opposite chair and sat down, feeling the nice hot burn of the fire warm the left side of my body.

"How are you feeling?" he asked calmly taking a drink of his tea.

I shrugged. "Fine, I guess. How long have I been out?"

"Three days."

Somehow, that didn't surprise me. After giving my soul to Demetrius and surviving the biggest war in centuries, I was surprised I hadn't slipped into a coma.

"How's everyone?" I asked.

Alice shrugged. "My second in command appeared to be a traitor, he's dead, thank goodness, the angel civilians are alright. Some are staying here, other's have gone to a safe house I've located for them and Raven's taken a crew to go sort out the demon business, making sure they knew their place." He looked angrily to the fire. "They proved to be untrustworthy and not such good friends, they're on my bad list until further notice."

"What about Demetrius?"

Alice paused, looking over to me, his mouth twitching. "He's...stable. He's in the infirmary; he's been out ever since the war."

I nodded and looked away to the fire. I was hoping to feel some sort of relief of some kind, but I felt nothing.

"You know, Raven told me what you had done back there for Demetrius." His eyes lowered to my forearm where there was a single dark scar from when I'd cut away my grace. "What you gave him."

I sighed, rubbing my arm, tracing the puffy lines with my fingertips. "Yeah," I admitted. "I did what I had to, the souls were destroyed."

Alice nodded. "The point is that they didn't get into the wrong hands. I think your parents would've wanted that the most. Power like that for any reason, shouldn't be used anyway."

I wanted to feel guilty, I wanted Alice to tell me I was wrong, about how it was my fault and feel the pain that went with it, but again I felt nothing.

"What's going to happen to me, Alice?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I wish I could tell you that, Lilith I really wish I could."

I glared deeply into the fire. I didn't want to turn into a monster. I wanted to feel again, feel a smile coast on to my lips and feel the happiness from it. It seemed the last time I smiled was so long ago.

"I dreamed about Falcon," I admitted after a long time of silence. "It seemed so real, as if I was really talking to him, maybe I was...I dunno."

Alice looked at me softly, a grin appearing on his face. "I bet he told you that you weren't alone."

I nodded slowly.

"That's him alright." He sighed and took another drink of his tea. "It is true, Lilith. I'll tell you the same thing I told Demetrius; you always have a family and anything if you need it."