She listens and her heart breaks. He speaks the truth. “I do understand it, the desire to be free! To make my own choices, but the true power comes with the freedom of that choice. To choose to do the right thing and say no to evil. It is not too late for you, Raphaim, to say no,” Elina responds through tears.
This is not going as he planned. He intended to break her then convince her to join him, but he can see now that it will take more. Instead of convincing her, she is preaching to him! With a deep sigh, he stands, “Elina I had hoped to avoid any more unpleasantries, but I can see now that you are going to be difficult.”
Kane enters, followed by three of his companions. Malevolence oozes from his body and Elina knows fear again.
“Raphaim,” she begs, “choose this day whom you will serve,” she responds.
“I already have.” He leaves and the others move into the sound of screaming.
Chapter 10
He waits in the shadows of hell for the screaming to stop. One, by one, they leave smiling and laughing over, the fun they have had, at her expense. Elina did not bother to fight back this time for she knows it would only excite them.
In her mind she goes to her secret place, longing for her father to rescue her. She knows now, she is Fallen. That much of what Raphaim told her was true.
When Lexy replayed her memories, Elina saw the moments of weakness that caused her destruction. “I’m sorry, Father, forgive my weakness.” On the ground naked and surrounded in her own blood, Elina feels him before he speaks.
“The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, Elina. Ask and you shall receive,” Nameed tells her. Quickly he picks her broken body up and walks to the stone table. Stretched out on the table, she whimpers and cringes in pain.
“Just let me go, Nameed. Let me die. They will not get the book from me...” she coughs up blood from the abuse done to her body.
“You prayed for forgiveness, Elina. Your sins are no more, let go of the guilt and shame, and follow the thread placed in your life.” Nameed begins to heal her and soon, Elina begins to feel better.
He cleanses her body in the ways of the Angels and clothes her in a white robe. He cleanses her skin of all damage, dirt, soil, blood and sweat. Her hair is cleansed and fresh, and her wounds are no more.
“I don’t understand, Nameed. Am I not fallen?” she asks confused.
“No, you chose the righteous path, but made a few bad choices on the way. Yet your heart remained true to your God. Will you continue on this path, Elina? Are you prepared for what must come next?”
“I am scared I will fail us all again, Nameed,” she whispers hanging her head in shame.
“Once our Keeper told me to stay true to the covenant made to our Father. Now I tell you the same thing! We need you, Elina, but the choice is yours.”
“Are you fallen, Nameed. Did you come just to play with me, like the others?”
“Reach for your power, Elina. Do you feel it?” He asks with a soft smile.
Elina closes her eyes and seeks her Father God, and she feels him. He fills her spirit with his grace, his strength, and his love. She feels his forgiveness, wrapped in his perfect love and she weeps with joy. “Thank you, Thank you,” she cries into her hands. When she lifts her eyes to Nameed’s she sees his tears reflected there.
“There is no condemnation for those that walk in faith, Elina. Forgive yourself and let go of the shame. It will weaken your power. Your sins are washed away, never to be seen again. Do you believe it? Do you feel it?”
“I do.” She says standing up she takes his hands in hers, “Nameed how do I get out of here?”
“I will show you the way,” he holds out his hand.
Elina grasps the hand of salvation and feels a protective light surround her. One minute they are in the fiery depths of hells belly, the next moment they are in a vast empty white space. No sound, no breeze, only emptiness. Nameed releases her hand and reassures her.
“Elina we are in between time and space. We have much to discuss and here you will find the rest you need to rejuvenate your body and hopefully your soul. Do not be afraid.”
He smiles and turns painting with his hand a large blue sky with white clouds moving. A soft breeze caresses her face and blows her hair back, she closes her eyes and inhales taking the fresh air into her lungs.
Soon the unmistakable sound of the ocean fills her ears. The ebb and flow of waves crashing on a beach and the salty smell of sea air fills her nose. Beneath her bare feet, she feels warm sand and overhead seagulls call out. The hot rays of the sun cause her to shield her eyes before she opens them. She smiles in delight.
“Where are we?” Elina asks as she drops to the sand and picks up a fistful, letting it sift through her fingers.
“I searched your soul and found this to be a place of peace for you. Do you like it?”
“I love it, Nameed. But why now? I don’t understand?” she says when she sees a small cottage on the beach behind her with a porch.
“Elina, the choices you have made set off a chain of events that brought us to where we are. You are being given a rare gift, to set things right.” Nameed begins to walk towards the small house and Elina follows him.
“Wait a minute; please,” she calls
