Devil's Daughter

Chapter Twelve

All rights reserved © Ellimay

Loud voices permeated the room, dragging the red-headed girl out of unconsciousness. Rubbing her violet eyes, Aria slowly sat up and looked blurrily around her. It was a much larger room than what she shared with Ivory, and far whiter. Rubbing her eyes once more, the voices that awoke her started to become clearer.

"I am not asking you again," a familiar voice growled loudly from beyond the room. "Where. Is. My. Daughter,"

"Mr. Hades, Sir," a far more timid, and slightly scared voice replied. "Your daughter needs rest, and I have been given instruction to not allow anyone in to see her,"

Sighing softly, Aria swung her legs off the bed and stood up slowly. Still feeling a little woozy, the young Devil took it easy. Looking towards the door, it was a relief that she wasn't too far away. One step at a time, she neared the large door that she knew would lead her to where the commotion was coming from.

"You are aware of what Devil's do, are you not?" Hades began to threaten. "I could very easily -"

"For Divinius' sake father," Aria sighed, opening the door and stepping out into the hall. "Would you please stop threatening people; you're going to make them think all the mortal rumours are true,"

Unlike the witty retort she was expecting, Aria was immediately pulled into her father's strong embrace. After a moment of surprise, the young Devil couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

"You're such a big softy father," she smiled, hugging him back.

"Father below," he breathed, "I was so incredibly worried when the school told me you were hurt!"

"Father, please," Aria replied, "I'm not hurt, I just passed out because I used too much magic, that's all,"

Ever so slowly, her father pulled away from the embrace; violet eyes meeting violet eyes. Aria almost cursed herself when she saw the emotions building up behind them.

"You didn't use Devil's tongue did you?" he asked slowly, cautiously, trying not to jump to conclusions. "Because you know how much magical power those spells use..."

"Okay, so I may have used the calming spell," Aria replied truthfully.

"That's alright, that one doesn't use too much magic power," her father replied, relieved slightly.

"On every living soul in the school," she continued, avoiding looking in her father's eyes.

"On what?!"

"Aria! You're finally awake!"

Looking over her father's shoulder, Aria's eyes grew slightly wider as she saw someone unexpected running towards them. As they came closer, more people began to appear in the hall behind him.

"Raziel, what in the world..." Aria began, stepping around her father, who was also distracted momentarily, only to be drawn into another tight hug.

"Father above me," Raziel murmured, holding the Devil tight against his chest. "Have you any idea how worried I was? How worried everyone was?"

"R-Raziel, please," Aria objected. "I can't breathe!"

At her words, the Angel loosened his grip on her, and instead rested his forehead against her own with his arms still loosely wrapped around her waist. Aria looked up slightly into his eyes, and immediately her cheeks flushed. Being so close, she could both see the Angel's raw emotions of relief, joy and even some frustration in his eyes, and feel them run deep within his soul. Flustered, the Devil couldn't think straight at all.