When Angels Sin

12. Fallen From Grace

Mikal

Mikal clenched his fists, containing a dangerous fury that raged within him. He turned to the wooden table that stood in the middle of his room and struck it several times until stains of blood smeared its splintered surface. He scowled deeply and unshed tears of fury sprang to his eyes.

He was not the cold unfeeling person everyone thought him to be. He was just very good at hiding his true emotions. It was his unique talent. To maintain his unreadable expression, his cold smile, his calm voice, at all times and all situations, no matter how much he burned with rage or suffered in pain. He was the smartest man in Engeldom for a reason.

The setting sun announced the approach of nightfall. Mikal's fury still burned as he walked up and down his room. He stopped before the dressing table and looked into the large mirror with a deep scowl where he saw the reflection of his helpless self, his body shaking and his eyes red with suppressed tears. Unable to stand his weakness, he raised the dressing chair and hurled it into the mirror, which instantly burst shattering, showering the place with endless shards of glass.

Just as he stood for a few moments catching his breath, the door flew open and his mother appeared in the doorway.

"What is it sweetheart? Oh dear!" she gasped in horror as her eyes fell on the dressing table. Quickly closing the door behind her she hurried towards Mikal with open arms.

"Come here," she said softly as she took him in her embrace. He quietly rested his head against her chest and breathed deeply as she smoothed his hair.

"I am going to kill Bernard," he spoke in a dangerous voice, while his whole body trembled with fury.

"Hush sweetheart," she continued to stroke his hair. "Calm down."

"No mother," Mikal snapped, freeing himself from his mother's embrace. "I will not calm down! It's time for Bernard to step down. He is leading us all to destruction. And he won't even listen to my advice. He dared oppose me in council, in front of everyone, mother! He's lost his mind. Haven't you seen what he did to Alina too? I swear it, mother, if he ever lays a hand on her again, I'll kill him."

"Do you love her that much?" his mother asked and he froze. Was it that obvious?

Indeed, Alina had stirred his heart ever since that day he saw her at the manor house where she stayed with her uncle, when Mikal and Bernard had gone to answer their call to help them retrieve Akaria. That wide radiant smile she had flashed him that day never left his mind since then.

Mikal had been deliberately treating her coldly, doing all he could to avoid looking into her sweet honey eyes, because he knew that once he fell for her, there would be no going back. Yet despite his coldness with her, she never stopped staring at him so fondly, making his resistance even harder. And now, he just couldn't help it anymore.

"Perhaps I do love her," Mikal whispered. His tears fell without warning, and he wiped them away quickly. "She was not supposed to get married to Bernard," he said bitterly. "I am going to kill him!"

The next moment the door burst open. Mikal and his mother looked up in alarm where they found Bernard standing with his huge form blocking the doorway.

"Mikal, come with me," Bernard said curtly.

Mikal's heart raced. No, Bernard couldn't have possibly overheard his conversation with his mother. Their voices were not loud enough to be heard through the thick wooden door and the stone walls.

"Is something wrong?" Mikal asked very calmly, trying to read Bernard's face. He did look angry. But he always looked angry anyway. And especially after what happened with Alina earlier today, it was only natural for him to be furious. Yet Mikal could not tell. For the first time, Mikal could not read what Bernard was hiding behind those cold blue eyes.