Their Wings

Chapter 17: Visitors Part 2

Ciara’s eyes widened almost comically as she took me in. Her head cocked to the right and a corner of her lips pulled up in a smirk.

“What a coincidence? Aren’t you the Undetermined I almost turned? It is a small world. And look, your little guardian still stands before you, how sweet.” she said teasingly. She turned to the Council and placed a hand on her hip.

“Well, I knew your standards had dropped but this is ridiculous. An Undetermined is heria? That’s impossible.”

“At yet there she stands; wearing the cloak no less. What else would you have her do?” answered Careena.

“Oh I don’t know, maybe have wings? I mean she is Angelus right. Come here girl, let me see you.” she beckoned to me.

I looked at Luke, who had a murderous look in his golden eyes. He was radiating anger at the Priestess before us. He turned to meet my eyes and the look softened. He asked me a silent question and I answered in kind. He swallowed and turned away from me, to face Ciara. With one last glance at him, I began moving forward towards the smoke-woman on the altar.

I tried to keep my face emotionless as I walked towards her. The smirk still decorated her black mouth, and her dark eyes glittered in excitement. Eventually I stood before her, trying not to show how truly scared I was. She bit her lip as she sauntered around me, examining me in the cloak. Soon she came back around to face me.

“What a pretty face; and such striking eyes. You would be a gorgeous Angelus and an even more beautiful Demonate.” she said slyly.

“I think you can see where my allegiance lays Priestess. And I have no wish to change it.” I said, the words falling out of my mouth before I had even thought of them.  I realized with a shock that I had spoken in the Angelus’ accent.

Ciara raised an eyebrow at my voice, “So your one of them now? Are you sure that’s where you belong? I know of quite a few Angelus who have chosen the dark side despite their wings.”

“As you’ve already pointed out, I have no wings. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know where I belong, and that’s here, not in the Shadow World with you and your minions.” I said confidently, my words still lilting lightly in a flawless accent.

She smiled slightly and cocked her head once more. Slowly she began walking around me again, inspecting me in the silver cloak. Soon she stopped once more in front of me, though much closer than she had been originally. She was slightly taller than me =, so I had to raise my eyes to look at her.

“You may know where you belong, but that doesn’t mean you are safe here. I’ll bet anything you have no defenses up at all.” Ciara said smugly.

“Defenses?” I asked.

“Defenses.” she repeated. She reached up her hand to caress my cheek and I shivered slightly at her cold touch. Everyone in the room had stiffened as she had laid her hand on me, their eyes watching Ciara’s movements warily.

She shook her head and stared into my eyes, “No protection whatsoever, how unfortunate.” She placed her hand on my forehead as if she was checking for a fever. “I should expect more from a heria...”

With those words she silently let a burst of magic through her hand and into my head. I was immediately taken over by a sudden and paralyzing dizziness, my head throbbing suddenly.

“Mehana siruf itiye hevane jiya…” she whispered into my ear, her face dangerously close to mine. I gasped as the words sent a wave of pain through my skull. “Silvana.” she whispered and pushed me backwards.