The Devil's Daughter

Chapter 17 ~ Sentencing

Chapter 17 ~ Abbegael

He kissed me. Zak kissed me. The thought fills my mind; a tumultuous hum forcing its way to the forefront of my thoughts even as I fight to push it to the back of my mind. It circles like a shark biding its time for the perfect moment to attack. And as it repeats over and over again I have no idea how I feel about it. I have no idea how I'm supposed to feel about it, I didn't stop him at the time, and if we hadn't been interrupted I have no idea if I would have pushed him away or pulled him closer. I trust him, at least I thought I did, but in reality I have no idea what his motives are. I thought I could trust Chase with my life and look how that turned out. I can detect when people are lying to me, and yet Chase managed to betray me so easily and so completely it nearly destroyed me. In the back of my mind I can't help but wonder; what if Zak betrays me too? What if he's really been on Lucifer's side this whole time. Or simply using me as a means to regain his place in Heaven, useless as that may be now that his block has been removed and they know he is a Half-breed. I can't imagine being betrayed like that again. It would be bad enough as it is. If I let Zak get any closer than he already is...he'd be able to destroy whatever is left of me.

Yes, I trust Zak. As much as I can trust anyone at this point with the doubt still lingering in the back of my mind like a festering wound spreading its sickness ever deeper. But letting him in further, cannot possibly be a good idea if I'm going to survive this war we are fighting. And for all I know he didn't even mean to kiss me. The thought sends a slight ache through my chest and I fleetingly wonder what that could possibly mean. But even after deciding to keep Zak at arms length the thoughts are endless only finally interrupted by the soft sound of a groan, echoing around me and sending me straight into fight mode.

Blinding white light burns itself into my retinas as I peel my eyes open from the darkness. All thoughts of Zak disappearing from my mind as I am instantly forced to close my eyes against the glaring light. With a deep breath I try once more to slowly open my eyes against the glaring white room, slowly easing my eyelids apart until I can see the world around me. Arching white walls shimmer around me like I'm standing in the middle of a mirage, all the same glowing white colour, nothing like I expected Stagnum Ignis to look and extremely reminiscent of the walls of Heaven.

Once I've established there is no imminent danger, I finally take note of the blinding pain radiating through my skull, leaving me gasping for breath. Only managing to force it out of my mind when my eyes alight on the two red haired figures lying unconscious on a raised platform across the room, the sight causing all the air to escape my lungs.

"Ahriel? Isa?" their names slip out, barely above a whisper but too loud in the silent, too large room. Forcing the pain in my skull out of my mind I drag myself to my feet and move toward where they lay, only to be stopped in my tracks right at the edge of the platform I seem to have been placed on. Glancing around my self in confusion, I attempt to move forward again, only to have my foot stopped by an invisible barrier. Focusing on the space in front of me, I place my hand out before me and rest it lightly against the barrier before me, a slight tingle running over my skin where it touches the invisible wall. Walking slowly around the perimeter with my hand sliding along the barrier, I find that the wall runs the entire way around me, a small square about two metres in size.

"Where are we?" I whisper, the only response more silence, until a groan sounds from the other side of the room and Isa rolls slightly to the side.

"Isa," I call, slightly louder than before, though still barely above a whisper as the fear of being heard by whoever brought us here settles over me, "Ahriel?" No response is forthcoming and a sense of urgency starts to niggle at the back of my mind.

"Isa," I call again, louder, "come on, wake up," Isa groans again, and her eyes flutter open, before she pushes herself up so she is sitting, facing me.