The Falling (Book I)

Deal

When I came to, we were still chained to the wall. The blindfold was gone. Blood stung my eyes and my face throbbed. The whip did not allow fast healing without aid. William was in worse shape, his torso cut to ribbons. He heard me stir and his head shot up.

"Mel? Mel, are you alright?" His voice was hoarse.

I licked my dry lips, wincing when I felt the cut that split it. Lucifer had barely missed my eye, the wound splintering my face. If I survived, the scar would be ghastly. I whispered, "For now. What happened after I fainted?"

"Healers are going to come to treat us. Lucifer decided on our sentence. He thought it would be poetic to have us fight to the death in the arena. Whoever wins earns their freedom." He fumed.

[That is interesting,] Rayi cooed. I had almost forgotten she was there.

"I will let you kill me," he said.

I shook my head and regretted the motion when it spun with vertigo. "No! Stop trying to sacrifice yourself on my behalf! Lucifer is the father of lies; he will kill the one who remains anyway."

"Mel," his voice broke, "I cannot kill you."

"And you think I can? It is out of the question." I snapped.

The door opened and two healers entered with Lucifer. After his emotional outburst, he was all smiles again. "I am sure the angel told you what I have decided: you two will be pitted against each other. Whoever lives will be freed."

"I am not a fool, you will kill us regardless," I spat, temporarily dislodging the healer from her work. She hissed at me and resumed.

Lucifer merely smiled at me. "Once you are healed, you will be taken to the arena."

He stayed while we were treated. William remained quiet and did not move. By the time they were done, our wounds were no more than scars. The healers left and several guards took their place. Zane and Amnon were among them, to my dismay. Zane would not look at me, but I sensed Amnon's eyes on me. His body quivered.

"Escort these two to the carriage," Lucifer commanded.

"Yes, Your Perfection," the guards replied and he left.

Six of the guards, including my brother, escorted William out. He glanced after me before he disappeared from my sight. Amnon remained, unlocking me from the wall, and kept his hand around my upper arm. His hold was gentle. I smiled tearfully at him.

"I feared the worst when I did not see you, Amnon. I am glad you are still alive."

He led me out and his voice shook when he said, "I have failed my duty to protect you, my lady. While you were gone, the king took me out of your service so I could not help you! If I find a way to help you escape, I will not hesitate to act."

Outside was almost blinding compared to the gloom of the dungeon and torture chambers. William was already locked inside one carriage. Zane held the horses' leads and urged them to move with a flick of his wrist. As Amnon helped me into my carriage, I grasped his arm. "If you can, help the Archangel escape. There is no place I belong but Hell and a life without him is not worth living."

He reluctantly nodded. "As you say, my lady."

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The arena thundered with the roars of demons. I walked on wooden legs on the blood-soaked sand, fitted in a leather jerkin and roughspun trousers with light bracers and leg guards. William looked around at all the demons, dressed similarly, with a baleful gleam in his eyes. The power neutralizer collar was no longer on him. When Lucifer appeared in his box, William threw a ball of fire at him. It bounced harmlessly off an invisible barrier. I shook my head; I should have told him any inside the pit could not harm those outside.

Lucifer laughed and projected his voice so all could hear him. "You must think us dull creatures, angel! You are not able to attack anyone but those in the arena with you."

William seethed something incoherent at him. To the crowd, Lucifer roared, "Welcome, my children! We have quite a fight to witness today! An Archangel, Heaven's mightiest warrior, graces the battlefield. And with him, his Optima lover, Melanie Amdusias!"

The demons jeered and booed. I looked at my family's box and saw Father and Mikayla sitting there. Mikayla's face was smug as she met my eye.

Why? I yearned to ask her. Why did you do this to me? Your twin, your other half?!

Maybe it was jealousy, maybe she never cared for me. In the end, her reasons did not matter.

Father, who probably had only just found out before coming to the arena, stared daggers at me. If I had not already been sentenced to death, I bet he would finish me off himself. Across the arena, I saw Shep, Zane's best friend, look at me in horror. I saw the muscle in his jaw twitch and he closed his eyes. Lin was present, too, gulping down wine from the bottle. He only had hateful eyes for William.

"We shall see how strong their 'love' is when they are backed into a corner and their lives hang on the line. Whoever survives will walk away with their life!" Lucifer concluded and sat down, his arm draped around his latest plaything.

William and I looked at each other, our expressions helpless. Fear locked my limbs in place. I cannot do this.

[You cannot. But I can.]

Rayi threw herself at the mental barrier hard enough I winced. "What are you doing?!"

[He is a threat! If you will not do it, I will!] When she charged the barrier again, it cracked. My hair lightened. I struggled against her and the strands blackened again.

"Mel?" William began to approach me.

"Do not come closer, Will!" My voice flanged when I barked at him.

He stopped, eyes wide.

"Lucifer will kill us regardless of the outcome, Rayi! Do not do this!" I pleaded.

[No, he will kill you. If I take over and get rid of you, he will spare me. I have been a hostage this whole time! Now stop fighting me and vanish!] With one last push, the barrier crumbled and I let out an earsplitting scream.

Usually, the Adsecula nibbled at their host's spiritual energy until there is more of them than the original. It was the least painful way. I was more me than Rayi and it hurt.

I sank to my knees, fisting my hair as I tried to rebuild the barrier before more of her slipped out. But it was too late. I looked at William's horrified face through blurry eyes and whispered, "I love you."

She yanked me back into my own conscience and the barrier came back up, stronger than what I had made.