When Angels Sin

04. The Gargoyle's Cries

Alina

Alina trembled as she walked through the high arched passageway, surrounded by Bernard's guardsmen. Several doors stood at one side, while open balconies overlooked the great hall below. The walk was quite long, which Alina was grateful for. She was in no hurry to meet Bernard.

The guards finally stopped before one of the doors, and Alina realized they had reached Bernard's study. She took in a deep breath as the door opened, before the guards led her inside the chamber.

Bernard was standing in the middle of the messed up room where packs of documents and loose messages lay scattered all over his desk and on the floor. His white wings were spread behind him, and his ice blue eyes sparked with silent rage.

Flames crackled in the fireplace, disturbing the ominous silence, and huge shadows of Bernard's wings danced eerily on the stone walls around them. Alina shuddered and turned to look at Mikal who stood next to Bernard, hoping to find any hint of assurance in his handsome face, but he was not even looking her way. Her heart fell at his unexpected coldness.

For a long moment Bernard did not speak or move from his place, until a young winged guard entered the room, interrupting the growing tension.

"My lord," the guard said, his voice hesitant. "We found the stable boy."

"Fuck the boy!" Bernard growled, and the guard winced. "He can rot to death for all I care. What I need you to find is Achilles!"

"Yes, my lord," the winged guard said before he quickly hurried outside the room.

Bernard stepped towards Alina, and without warning, his huge palm fell with a vicious slap across her face.

Alina gasped out as her head spun. The world went black for a moment, and involuntary tears sprang to her eyes.

"Did you have my permission to fly Achilles?" he hissed.

She didn't answer, too stunned to speak. Bernard grabbed her by the hair, and she cried out.

"You do not leave the castle without my permission," Bernard growled. "And you definitely do not fly with or without my permission. You do not fly at all."

Alina gasped for breath as he released her, only to hear a strange clanking sound came from the other end of the room. Alina quickly turned around, and she found a black clad guardsman holding a heap of long metal chains. Her eyes widened with unspoken fear, and she looked back between Mikal and Bernard. But she did not have enough time to wonder.

"Guard!" Bernard called.

The guardsman stepped forward. The metal chains which he held in his black gloved hands clanked heavily as he walked towards them. Alina's heart sunk in horror. Frozen with shock and disbelief she could neither move nor protest.

"Bernard... what are you going to do?" was all she managed to say, her voice shaking.

"Shut up!" Bernard growled and Alina flinched. She looked up quickly at Mikal in a silent appeal, but his cold citrine eyes were deliberately avoiding hers.

"Bernard please... I will not do this again," she pleaded as the guard came closer.

"I said shut up!"

"No!" she cried as Bernard caught her by both arms, and her heart thumped as she found the guard standing right behind her, holding up the clanking chains to her back. "Stop! You can't do that!"

"Mikal, hold her," Bernard ordered as he pushed her towards Mikal. She stumbled, but Mikal caught her just in time and gently helped her up. Her heart raced. She looked up at Mikal with pleading eyes, and she found him finally looking back at her with the faintest hint of a frown.