Slowly, she dropped her gaze, trying to keep her heart steady.
The center of the room held the entrances to the realms themselves. They were two swirling portals that stood side by side. One was filled with a pure white light so bright it hurt her eyes, and the other was a black more pure than any on Earth.
The angel realm. And the demon realm.
Beyond both of them, almost concealed by the dark cloud of magic, was the thing that made her sick to look upon. The Soul Destroyer. A place seldom used, to destroy souls found too dangerous to be allowed an afterlife.
“Surcy.” Caine’s voice swept over her. Through her. Dark, dangerous, and threatening. “You have disappointed me.”
Everything I’ve risked, it’s all been for this moment.
I hope my demons were wrong.
Instinct forced her down until she knelt prostate before him, head bowed. “And I have come when called. To explain myself. And for judgment."
Silence snaked through the room.
What will he say? What will he decide?
“You have destroyed your perfection by awakening the humanity within you. You have fallen in love with demons. And you have betrayed me. And for these things, you must be punished.”
And here goes nothing…
“On the surface, everything you’ve said is true, but my intentions are also just as true." She took a deep breath, knowing her own life—her very soul—could very well hang in the balance. "Time has changed you, my Lord. I have met many, many innocent demons, which can only mean that you're sending humans to the demon-realm who don’t deserve it."” She took a deep breath, hating that her entire body shook. “It must be difficult to be the judge of all of humanity, but something has gone wrong. You need to hear these things, so that you can fix the wrongs and return to your former glory.”
After another long moment of silence, his voice came again. “You will be stripped of your wings and returned to Earth.”
Her heart pounded. I’ll lose my wings? It’s a cruel fate, but at least I’ll be with my demons once more. Yet, he didn’t respond to my words.
“But what of the changes I spoke of?”
He continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “But that is not enough, is it? For you have already turned your back on what it means to be an angel." His words were barely louder than a whisper, and yet, they carried through the room like a crack of thunder. “I could destroy your soul… but what good would that do me?”
Her breathing filled her ears. This is not good. If I ran, could I escape?
Not the fortress. Nor the army of angels that circle the skies above me.
“There is a war coming, Surcy, and your demons will play a part. There is only one thing I can do that will both punish you and help me.”
“Please, Caine, please, My Lord…”
Her limbs shook. Her muscles tensing. She had to run, at least try, no matter the odds against her.
“I will give you what you want. I will return you to your demons. I will take every ounce of the humanity you have stolen over the years, and I will return to them a cold angel. You will have no memories of them. Without your confusing human emotions to drag you down, you will gain their trust once more, and you will betray them. For me.”
She rose, shaking her head. “I will not.”
His cold laugh came, so harsh it wrapped itself around her throat. “That’s the thing, my dear. You don’t have a choice.”
Racing to the doors, she pulled on the handles, but they were sealed shut. Calling her soul-blade to herself, she held it out before her. Ready to fight. Ready to take on the most powerful being in all the realms.
Anything to keep my demons safe.
His voice came, so close she could feel his breath on her ear. “Do you really think I care who is guilty or innocent?”
She spun, holding her sword out in front her and scanning the darkness surrounding her. Where is he? Where is he? She could see nothing.
She tried again. “But that’s the job of The Judge.”
Speak. Show yourself.
He laughed, a cruel, awful sound that came from everywhere but nowhere. “Not this judge.”
He’s mad! My demons were right. He must be overthrown.
Spreading out her wings, she leapt into the air, heading for the escape in the ceiling. Pushing herself faster and faster, she glanced back to see the swirling darkness barreling after her. She clenched her teeth. No. No! She wouldn’t let him reach her.
Shooting forward, her eyes widened. The hole in the ceiling—it was gone. She slammed into the space it had once been. Beating her wings to keep from falling, she clawed at the stone.
I’m trapped.
The darkness enveloped her an instant later, and cold hands grasped her throat. As Caine pried into her mind with his cruel, violating touch, she thought of her demons. Tears slid down her cheeks as she focused on their faces. And then, the memory was snatched away. Lost to her forever.
I failed.
3
Surcy woke shivering, so cold she thought she must be dead. She opened her eyes and stared at a dark sky filled with snowflakes swirling toward her.
She began to cry, shaking with a terrible loss that she didn't understand. Tears flowed down her frozen cheeks. It was strange to cry for no reason, and yet, to feel deep inside that she had lost something beautiful and sacred.
But what?
After several long minutes she gathered her wits about her and stood on stiff legs. She found herself naked and alone in a field of pale green grass. Snow drifted lazily from the sky, covering the green grass.
What’s wrong with that picture? Why is the grass so
