Everlasting Fate (Third Book)

Chapter Eleven

New Haven, December 2012

It's been almost two months since Antony was murdered during a surprise attack in Cael's realm. A Halloween party had turned into a deadly ambush thanks to Lucifer's demonic armies. I was called down from my heavenly realm to assist, but I had no idea what I was walking into. I had no idea that Antony lay in a pool of his own blood struggling to hold on. What was even worse was attempting everything in my power to save him, but feeling him slip right through my fingers like sand. He was an angel. Angels aren't marked for death because they're immortal servants to their God. Their untimely ends do happen, but it's not common. I had a dreadful feeling that was all going to change.

In that moment when I realized Antony was going to die, Syri was holding onto her lover screaming and crying. That look on her face haunted my every waking moment and my sleepless nights. Antony wasn't still alive and well like my Gabriela was. He was gone forever and there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't bring back the dead, no matter how hard I tried. And there are always consequences for even toying with dark magicka I don't dare touch it.

The infuriating part was feeling my lethal power surging through my blood, but also knowing there were limits to my abilities. What good was being a God if I couldn't even protect an immortal angel?

Syri and Marc were absolutely crushed by Antony's passing. I promised them vengeance and that his legacy would never be forgotten. I promised them everything under the sun, but none of it made a difference. They would trade it all to have him back in the flesh again, not born into the glowing sphere that was his soul. Marc threw all of his pent up grief into the war. I sent him on dangerous, physical missions that were of high importance. He would quickly finish one and then he'd report back to my realm to ask for another. I debated "cutting him off" from such crucial quests in order to give him some rest and a chance to really grieve. But I knew that that would fall on deaf ears. He didn't want to grieve or rest. I doubt he knew how to do that anyways. Syri, on the other hand, was totally consumed by her agony. No amount of glamour or fae strength could mask the sadness on her face or the emptiness gnawing on her heart. It wasn't even two months after all, but I knew that her loved ones and friends dearly wished to comfort her and pull her out of this reverie. As her God, I felt her pain intimately. Each day its weight on my shoulders threatened to break my back.

It was the day of the Siren Queens' introduction into society. Although Artemisia and I had been claimed as allies by the Dark and Light Queens, and they were created by my mother, they didn't belong to any one pantheon. Their power surpassed any deity or any other supernatural creature. They could choose to destroy the world if they so wished or turn their back on their fae natures and side with a different pantheon. Every choice or whim was left to them. One might argue that the moody and passionate Dark Queen or that the flighty and flawed Light Queen aren't the best choices for 'end of the world humanoid weaponry'. But their imperfections and their human, fae, and siren natures make them perfect for it.

After the Siren Queens were unveiled, the dancing and strategic talks were carefully taking place. Deities pled their case to the girls; flattering and schmoozing them to protect their own interests. Mine were safe being that Maya had chosen me as her first ally, my brother was safe being that he was married to the Dark Queen, and unfortunately she had become close to my mother. My next plan was to introduce them to my other family that no one knew of; Loren, Lana, and the twins. Perhaps seeing Loren's realm would be enough to enchant them. If their first impression was anything like mine, the Siren Queens would adore my little family. The only thing that I was missing was Gabriela. She was technically safe being bound to Lucifer, but that also made her a target to other pantheons that still held ancient grudges against the Atlanteans.