Birthmarked

21-In the End

I hurried into the mansion after Mac. There was no sound to be heard, no angels lounging around to be seen. Everyone was upstairs, hiding behind the moss green door.

    Mac held the door open for me. Everyone crowded around Sofie’s bed, but parted when they saw me come in.

    Rebecca sat at the edge of Sofie’s bed, only looking up when I stood beside her. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

    She stood, and I was shocked at what I witnessed. Lying on the bed was not my friend. This was not the energetic Sofie I knew. No, as I looked down at her, I knew that that Sofie was gone, and replaced by someone else.

    As if shocked beyond belief, Sofie’s eyes stared unblinkingly, glossed, watching nothing. I reached to brush hair off her brow and my fingers lingered.

    Sweat covered her feverish brow. I looked up, meeting everyone’s gaze.

    “What’s wrong with her?” I choked out.

    “We think this is Akron’s doing,” Mac answered.

    Mnakir continued grimly, “she was fine a few minutes before this happened. And then suddenly, she just stopped.”

    “We were sure that it was just her receiving another vision. She’s always had that ability,” Rebecca said.

    “She started screaming,” Haelyn inserted.

    Isra picked up where he left off, “We weren’t worried. She can get very eccentric when the visions come to her. She sees them as if she were there.”

    “But unlike other times,” Ian began, “she didn’t stop. She collapsed and began speaking in the Old Language.”

    “The Old Language?” I questioned.

    Nehemiah nodded, “Yes, the Old Language, spoken before the castigation of the Grigori. Once they were cast from heaven, the Old Language was no longer used.”

    “We angels speak the Divine Language,” Rebecca said, glancing from me to Sofie. “She shouldn’t have been able to know that.”

    “What happened then?” I asked tentatively.

    “She stopped, but that was it. There was no response from her. She’s been like this since it’s happened,” Nathan responded.

     “What is he doing to you in there?” I whispered to an unhearing Sofie. I stood and turned to the other angels.

    “I think Akron is using her as a distraction. He plans to strike and soon. We don’t have much time.” I looked to Nehemiah for confirmation.

    “Is this true?” Rebecca asked, also turning her worried gaze to Nehemiah.

    “How many days do you think we have left?” I asked him quietly, all calm reserve and businesslike.

    Nehemiah meets my steady gaze with one of his own. His lips move, “I give him two days, three, at the most.”

    Someone gasped, but I didn’t take notice. “We have to be prepared.”

    Zach snorted. “This is what we have been waiting for. Are you?” My eyes shift to Edon’s quickly and back to Zach’s. He caught the quick motion and smirked.

    I ignored him and answered, “yes, I want this as much as anyone here.” I dared not look at Edon.

    Nehemiah sighed. “We can’t help Sofie by crowding around her. Let’s go downstairs, clear our heads, and think of what is to come.”