Flood and Fire Read online

  I held my breath and couldn’t help but think about Hazella and how far she fell to join the Legion.

  “Joab and Tenebus fought against my two older sons. They killed my eldest son. Zacaris interceded just in time to save my second born.” Eva wiped the tears glistening down her cheeks and bravely smiled back at me.

  I pulled my knees to my chest trying to make sense of all Eva had told me and to reconcile it with the joy she had radiated the entire time I’d been at the Northern Sanctuary. “You’ve been through so much, but you still seem happy,” I said.

  Eva’s smile didn’t fade. “I take immortality one day at a time and try to make the most of it. I don’t have any regrets. I raised him well, despite his personal choices.” She drew in a deep breath as her words began to shake with emotion and it took her a moment to continue speaking. “He knew what he was doing when he made his choices, so what more is there for me to do? Love him. Pray for him. Hope for his future. It does no good to let the sorrow overtake me.”

  Now it was my gaze that found the sea. Regret and helplessness were the two worst feelings an Immortal could have, and both threatened to overtake me. If only I’d known how things in London would turn out. If only I could have seen past Erebus’ tricks and lies. If only I’d gone to the sanctuary with Azrael sooner.

  “You miss Azrael,” Eva said. It wasn’t a question.

  I nodded. Before letting the silence linger too long I added, “I would love to fight by his side again.” I let out a heavy breath. “If he dies a part of me will die. Something stronger than Starfire will be extinguished, and I will become an immortal shell.”

  Eva smiled at me in a motherly way, one full of hope and promise. “Will you marry him when he comes back?”

  My heart soared when she said “when” instead of “if.” “Yes, of course I will marry him. I loved him before this life. I love him now.”

  Eva raised one eyebrow as if she caught the speck of doubt in my heart. I dropped my tough façade. “I don’t know,” I admitted and looked away. “I’m worried he might revert back to his past allegiances and side with the Rebellion again.”

  “You think he will become a Fallen Watcher?” Eva asked.

  I wished I knew what he had done in the last fifty years. Our happily-ever-after had been knocked far off course.

  Eva put her hand over mine. “Auriella, I know Azrael is true. We got word a few years ago that several Legionnaires tried to recruit him. He refused.”

  My eyes widened. “Who told you this?”

  She chose her words carefully. “Our scouts found some Fallen Watchers who were tracking him.”

  I knew exactly what she meant. Azrael was being hunted. An Immortal could destroy another Immortal just as easily as reckless humans could kill each other. My heart stopped then pounded in my ears like a frantic drum at the thought of Azrael in that kind of danger. There were so many enemies fighting against him right now. If he was still alive, it was only a matter of time before the Legion caught up with him and destroyed him.

  “I need to go.” I rose to my feet. “I need to help him.” I started to retrace my steps from the night before to return to the palace and gather the things I would need for my trek to find Azrael before the Legion did. There was no time to lose. I had to get on a ship going to the Celtic islands now.

  Eva arose and stopped me with an embrace. “The best thing you can do for him is to let Zacaris train you. You are no use to him without the proper skills to fight.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut and dropped my head on her shoulder, fighting the urge to break down. “Eva, I’m so worried. He was the reason I chose to return to Earth as an Immortal. I can’t lose him. I can’t live forever alone.” Dangerous heat rose around me. The frustration peaked knowing I couldn’t help Azrael.

  I shoved Eva away just before flames erupted over my body. She stumbled back. I dropped to my knees and clutched the sand. I took deep breaths. I had to stop. The sand turned to molten glass between my fingers. With my new powers I could kill even an Immortal like Eva.

  “I’m so sorry,” I cried. I slumped to the beach, laying my head in the sand. The flames withered, but my body still smoldered with heat. A moment later I felt Eva place a tentative hand on my back and stroked my hair. She sucked in a quick breath, but kept it there despite the heat that must have still radiated off me.

  “Auriella, your powers are like a seed. No matter how deep you bury your gift, it will grow. You were meant not only to survive, but to thrive.”

  Chapter Five

  Druid’s Task

  The mountains towered ominously above, blocking out the morning sun. I waited for Zacaris in the courtyard at the castle Azrael built for me a hundred years ago. The weeds had taken over what I could only imagine was once a spectacular garden. I studied the beauty of the white archways accented in glass and beads of lavender, sky blue, and sea green. Wild ivy garnished the garden walls and weeds grew between the meticulously laid stones that blanketed the massive courtyard floor.

  Zacaris appeared suddenly as if materializing under the archway. “Are you ready?” he asked in his deep, monotone voice. It was strange to hear the lyrical accent he shared with Eva connected to his harsh demeanor.

  I squared my shoulders and stood tall. Ready or not, I had to learn to control this power that plagued me and threatened everyone I came in contact with. I had to learn quickly so I could return to Azrael’s side and save him or at least let him know I was alive so he would end his suicide mission.

  Zacaris narrowed his eyes and pointed to the courtyard garden. “Get rid of all these weeds. I will return for you at dinner time.”

  “You want me to weed the garden?” I asked. “You are supposed to be training me. I have to learn to control my powers,” I protested.

  “I am,” Zacaris snapped. He advanced a few steps into the courtyard, his proximity reminding me of his large stature. “We’ll start with self control and channeling your anger. A day of yanking weeds from the earth will give you time to think, especially about questioning my methods.” Zacaris spun and marched out of the courtyard, his dark indigo robe billowing behind him like a storm cloud.

  I stared after him. Surely, he must be joking. Weeding? How could weeding a garden help me train? It was a menial task that would do nothing to curb the overpowering fire that surged inside of me at the smallest provocation. Ridding the courtyard of the weeds that had overgrown it on all sides was a waste of time. Was Zacaris trying to avoid training me? This would only delay me from finding Azrael. Even if Zacaris thought I could learn to control my powers by doing manual labor, surely there was something more productive I could do. Moving boulders and racing long distances to deliver special messages would take full advantage of my new immortal skills. It seemed as if he was trying to keep me from Azrael.

  I dropped to the ground in a huff, surveying the job before me. Thousands of tiny, insignificant weeds had destroyed this garden by blocking out the precious sunlight the flowers needed to grow. I blew a stray lock of hair from my face and started in one corner. I yanked the largest weeds out before tossing them into a heap on the courtyard floor. Even with long roots that webbed together, the thick weeds were easy to grip and uproot with my immortal strength. The feel of the earth on my hands brought back mortal memories of working on the farm in Oswestry.

  By noon, I had the fattest weeds in a pile. I continued to unravel the morning glory from the ivy and clear the dead leaves, allowing the sunlight to penetrate the new growth. I leaned against the pillar and admired my work. The heap of weeds stood waist high. The deep, rich soil contrasted the white marble walls surrounding the courtyard. Because of the weeds, the only surviving plants Azrael had planted were the ivy and a few brilliant, orange-red marigolds.

  I didn’t notice Zacaris approaching from behind until he was within arm’s length of me. That man had amazing stealth. I smiled brightly and motioned toward the mound of weeds. “What do you think?”

  Zacaris scowled at t
he pile, and his frown deepened as he took in the rest of the courtyard. “You’re not done.”

  I pinched my eyebrows together and stood, dusting off my hands. “But look how much better the garden is.” My tone pled with him. “I’m ready to move to my next lesson.”

  Zacaris’ nostrils flared. “I can already sense you will be as difficult to train as Azrael was. All the weeds, even the small ones, need rooting out.”

  Thousands of tiny weeds, no taller than my smallest finger, littered the garden. Plucking each one would take hours, hours that could be spent learning to control the immortal fire within me, refining my fighting skills, anything that would help Azrael. I clenched my jaw, but forced myself to relax before answering in as even tone as I could manage. “I’ll be able to grasp them easier once they get bigger. They are not doing any damage right now. The flowers have plenty of light to grow.”

  Zacaris flexed his jaw. “So you would wait until the thousands of little problems get bigger? Until they spread, gain strength, and multiply?” He wasn’t talking about weeds anymore. “Even the Shadow King, Erebus, was once only a Spirit of Shadow.” Zacaris glared hard at me, his disapproval burrowing into my soul. He turned sharply and left.

  I sighed, letting my head roll back and closing my eyes. “I could sure use more of Eva’s sweet biscuits.”

  I knelt next to the garden and pinched a weed between my thumb and forefinger before plucking it out. “One down, several thousand more to go,” I grumbled. It would be easier to burn down the whole courtyard and start over again, or rip them all out at once when they got bigger. Instead, I painstakingly plucked each bad sprout from the ground one at a time with my fingertips.

  I let out a deep sigh of boredom. Zacaris said Azrael was difficult to train. There must be a fantastic story behind his perturbed comment. I clenched a ball of tiny weeds in my fist while plucking with the other hand. From the corner of my eye, a gold blur streaked across the courtyard toward me. “Oh.” I gasped in surprise and stumbled backward as the massive lion came to a stop next to me. I looked up to see Eva standing under the archway with a tray of food.

  “I thought you might be getting hungry,” she said, advancing into the courtyard toward me. “The mountain blocks most of the sun in the morning, and the courtyard walls hide the light in the afternoon.”

  My immortal body didn’t feel hungry, but I was weaker, which meant I needed energy.

  Eva motioned toward a bench in the courtyard and placed the tray on it. When I sat down she sat beside me, waiting while I studied the food. Two pieces of thick, white bread sat in the middle of the silver dish. I pushed aside the top piece of bread to reveal a heavy slice of tomato and white cheese. Placing them back together, I lifted the bread to my mouth. I had never enjoyed bread so light and rich tasting. The crisp tomato contrasted the sharp, smoky flavor of the unfamiliar cheese. Was the food simply better at the sanctuary or was Eva just an exceptional cook? Perhaps both.

  “The courtyard looks lovely.” Eva broke the silence.

  She was too sweet and it made me feel worse for losing my temper and endangering her on the beach. “I’m sorry about earlier today—”

  “Do not fret,” she cut my apology short. “These things happen all the time. You see worse when you live with the High Druid of Fire.” Eva laughed to herself.

  I was sure Eva had seen her share of accidents from new trainees, but my untamed immortal powers could destroy her. I tried not to choke on the delicious sandwich as a knot formed in my throat. I took a sip of the drink she had brought, indulging in the sweet, tart, lemony taste.

  Eva waited until I was done eating before she spoke. “I thought you could use some company.”

  I laughed. “That would be nice, but don’t you worry I might catch on fire again?”

  Eva shook her head. “You have more control than you realize.”

  It wasn’t true, but I didn’t argue. If I had more control, I could be with Azrael right now. We might have already defeated Erebus had I not lost control of Starfire and nearly killed my friends. This war could be over, and we could all return to Neviah. The lion licked my hand then rubbed against my arm, almost knocking me over. I pulled myself from inward torture and stroked the lion’s fluffy fur. “Is this your animal companion?”

  Eva patted the great cat’s mane. “No. He belongs to Zacaris, but Dandy Lion thinks he belongs to me.” The great lion nuzzled Eva. She smiled and kissed the lion’s golden velvet nose.

  “Dandy Lion?” I snickered. “Zacaris named his lion, Dandy?” The thought of a hard man like him giving his lion such a lighthearted name was hard to believe.

  Eva laughed too. “Actually I named him. Zacaris just called him ‘Lion,’ but I thought he deserved a more suitable name.”

  Dandy grinned, pleased to hear us talking about him in cheerful tones. I patted him. “Do you think I will get an animal companion?”

  “I know you will,” Eva answered.

  Hopefully it wouldn’t be something like a snake or a rat. I would hate to have one of those following me everywhere and talking to me. I would like to have a great cat like Dandy or Baby, Azrael’s tiger. I patted Dandy again then slid off the bench and went back to plucking weeds in a spot not too far from where Eva sat. It would be nice to have her company while I worked.

  “I need to apologise,” she said.

  “For what?” My eyes widened with confusion about what Eva had to apologise for.

  “I should have never told you about the Fallen Watchers who are hunting Azrael.”

  I dropped my shoulders and picked the weeds faster. “I’m glad you did. I had a feeling something was wrong, and I have a wild imagination. It is better for me to know than to wonder.”

  “There are other Watchers out there fighting against the Rebellion,” Eva said, injecting hope into her voice for me.

  I couldn’t think about this anymore. I had to distract myself. “Tell me some of your happy memories of Azrael,” I asked.

  Eva sat back and thought for a moment before starting, “I met Azrael when he first came to this sanctuary many years ago. He was still mortal then, but I knew right away he was special. He’d already discovered a few of his gifts, but didn’t realize how powerful he actually was. That is the case with most Watchers. He came to the sanctuary against his will. He wasn’t happy to be here, but he knew his uncle would be disappointed if he left.”

  “Uncle?” I asked. I faintly remembered Azrael mentioning him once. We’d had too little time together to get all the details of each other’s past. I had hoped when I awakened from my survival sleep that we would be able to spend countless hours in conversation with one another, learning everything we could. “Yes, he raised Azrael after his human parents died from fever,” Eva explained. “At the sanctuary, Zacaris assigned Azrael mundane yet meaningful tasks, like working in the garden.”

  I turned toward Eva, frowning. Considering what Zacaris had said about Azrael, it seemed that, like me, Azrael had not appreciated those mundane tasks.

  “When the sanctuary came under attack, Azrael realized how powerful the Watchers powers could be. After the battle he decided he was ready to learn. Good things started happening to him. It saddened me when he left the sanctuary seven years later and returned home to his uncle.”

  It was hard to imagine Azrael as a mortal. In my mind I always saw him as a spectacular, god-like warrior. “How did Azrael die? Why did he decide to come back to Earth?” I loved him so much, and it felt wrong that I didn’t know the small details about his uncle and his life before immortality or the big details, like his death.

  Eva hesitated. “I don’t think I should be the one to tell you that. But once you see him again, you can ask him yourself,” she said in a confident and cheery tone.

  I looked away and weeded a new spot of ground. I had to believe Azrael would return to me. “There are a few other things I would like to ask him about too.” Another moment of silence passed while I wondered why Azrael chose to come bac
k as an Immortal. I thought of why I had returned—for him.

  “Azrael is a great man and deserves a nice girl like you.” Eva patted my hand. “There will be time for you to learn all you want to know from Azrael.” She paused and leaned toward me, lowering her voice in a conspiratorial way. “Tonight Zacaris is going to test you.” It sounded as though she was trying to warn me.

  “What kind of test?” I asked in a whisper.

  “Nothing you can’t handle,” she said with a wink.

  I wasn’t so sure. I continued picking weeds, and worried about my upcoming test, and Azrael. I should be sailing across the ocean to save him. Instead, I am pulling tiny weeds. Zacaris was torturing me by making me wait to start my search.

  As I worked, Eva hummed then sang in a language I had never heard, but instinctively understood.

  “The light to have is small at start,

  only but a flickering spark.

  Then, as quickly as it came,

  it will burn into a flame.

  With effort and desire,

  it will grow into a fire

  that will warm the coldest night

  and will light the darkest sight.

  The smallest light we can see,

  will make even the shadows flee.”

  My breath quickened. The song she sang wasn’t in English, yet I knew the meaning of the words. The syllables were melodic with rolling L’s and soft M’s and N’s.

  “What did you just sing,” I asked in awe.

  Eva’s calm face radiated light. “The language is Neviahan.”

  “Neviahan?” I whispered. “We have a language?”

  “It is the universal language all our people speak,” she explained.