The Tainted Earth (Royals of the Realm Series #3)

Prologue

Apprehension...

Every fiber in my being felt the anxiousness creeping in... felt sure that my time is near. The cold, clammy cells keeping us from the rest of the realm gives no clue regarding date and time.

But I'm sure as hell tomorrow's my wedding day.

My strapped wings hurt, unable to spread its wingspan and embrace freedom. Though caged and constricted, no one could deny its beauty. The white paint the Cherubims used to hide the golden hue wore off weeks ago and revealed its true magnificence. The very reason why I was locked here, why the rest of us are here.

Typical angels have pure white wings, blonde or brown hair and the Charm. Charm is the ability to compel any creature in the realm. Higher ranks could do it on immortals, too. These qualities are common, but not for us. By 'us', I mean my prisonmates.

There were four of us. Alorah is a brown-winged angel, a result of an interracial marriage between an Angel and an Earth Elf. Toriel has white wings, but the crest crowning his head brought him here. His mother was a beautiful Swan-shifter. Azrael, however, is very different. His wings are pitch black. His father is a demon. Thankfully he didn't inherit the horns and claws. It would make matters worse. Me, on the other hand, is purely angel. My father was the former Chief Throne angel. He married an unranked angel, my mother.

We are born completely human, when we reach our 15th year we undergo celestial training until we acquire our wings at 18. You can only proceed to train for rank if the Cherubims will allow you. My father died before I could acquire my wings, that's when a cruel and power-hungry Throne replaced him. He wanted to retain the purity of our race, and remain superior above others. All half-breeds were imprisoned... and were executed when the new Chief, Maqiel, celebrates the day of his birth every year. When I reached my 18th year and the Cherubims summoned my wings, they we're scared to death. It shouldn't have golden hue, or I'll face death.

White dusts were painted all over my wings before I presented them to the people fresh from the ritual, no one suspected a thing and the Cherubims moved me to join the ranks.

I was almost an archangel.

The last days of the rank were harsh and intolerable. We're trained to exhaustion and tested to stand the harshest wrath - mother earth. That was my demise, freakin' nature.

The white paint wore off under the stormy rain.

Lightning and gold is a dead giveaway. No one missed seeing my golden wings, even from afar. Even the Chief himself.  I was caught by Chief Maqiel and dragged to kneel before the Thrones and Dominions as they decided my fate. They know who I am and who my father was. Those under the influence of Chief Maqiel voted for me to be executed along with the rest of the 'anomalies'. The others fought for me, but they were overpowered.

Chief Maqiel never wanted any of their suggestion, though...

Still undecided, I was brought in the cells where I met Alorah, Toriel and Azrael. Our wings were strapped and our fate already sealed. Chief Maqiel's birth is only two months away, and the apprehension grew as the days passed. A week after, I was summoned back in the castle. Apparently, the higher ranks have finally decided my situation. I thought I would be forced again to kneel before them all, instead, it was only Chief Maqiel whom I saw was waiting for my arrival.

I was accommodated like a princess, which terribly confused me. The chief, like any immortal, still retained his youth. He is a good-looking guy, albeit uptight and stoic most of the time. Definitely every girl's dream, but there is something in him that I will never like. He's heartless, and greed runs in his blood.