Page 12 of Commanding Flame and Shield
The braid!It was a unanimous thought as we all sprinted in the direction of our ascending soul. Ansel and Lana must have each destroyed a dozen crawlers, moving so fast not even demons could compete with their skills. Lower-level demons were fun to kill, if I was honest with myself. These ones just scuttled about the shadows, easy to burn with a blessed blade. But they were just clearing the path for Aren and me to make it to the girl without opposition. They couldn’t have been more on the mark, because as I rounded the corner on the paved path, I saw her.
Suspended in the air, her red curls flying everywhere on the wind around her, the girl’s eyes glowed a vibrant blue, light escaping from her entire being, hands clutching her throat. I drew my bow, inhaling to steady myself as I nocked my arrow. An average sized man stood in front of her, wearing jeans and a hoodie, and I could sense the demon stuffed within the body. An innocent man in the wrong place at the wrong time, turned into a meat suit. His hand was extended, telekinetically pinning the braid to an invisible wall. It was throwing false promises of freedom and power—the usual demon bullshit—and its words came to an abrupt halt as my first arrow pierced its hand, dropping the woman to the ground.
It whirled on us as Aren reached it, immediately palming the man’s face as he roared, “Impius Vincendum!”
Energy pulsed from my heart through my limbs as the body collapsed in a heap on the ground, black energy steaming away from him, as the demon was forced back into its true form. With a sharp twang, I released my second blessed arrow, and as it met its mark, the demon exploded into sparks, and the heaviness in the park vanished with him, frantic crawlers making their escape through the shadows as rapidly as they could manage, with Ansel and Lana on their tails.
Aren let out a howl of victory, and I could feel Lana chuckle despite herself as she cut down two more crawlers. She was our steadiest hunter, but she still felt the shaky high in her body like the rest of us. Aren winked at me before dropping down to feel the pulse of the man crumpled at his feet. His heart was still so steady, he couldn’t have been possessed for long. Minutes, if that. He held one large hand out over the wound in the man’s palm, and after a moment of blinding white light, the flesh there was flawless. I gave him a nod as he scooped the man up and vanished.
Triumphant joy radiating from every cell in my body, I walked to the young woman on the ground, who was staring, stunned, at her hands, still faintly glowing blue.
“Hello.” I smiled. “I’m Alvara. What’s your name?”
She stared at me, stupefied, before stammering, “E-Em-Emilia.”
I grinned at her. “I know you’re scared, Emilia. We’re here to help you. You can make that stop by wishing it so.” I nodded to her glowing fingers. The glow slowly vanished as she focused. “You’re in for a long night of questions and answers, I’m afraid. Shall we start with a drink?”
She eyed me warily, before nodding slowly, and reaching up to accept my outstretched hands.
* * *
I couldn’t keepthe smile from my face as I walked through Grayshell’s hallways. I hadn’t lost my touch. Not even a little—I was created to vanquish demons and liberate our kind from their chains. It was just August that had thrown me for a loop. He had to be a shield—there was no other way around it.Un-freaking believable. At least Alec would have company. I thought about that for a moment as I slid my glove from my right hand, grounding myself in the brilliant stone walls, which curiously told me that he would finally wake soon. By early morning, by the looks of it. Just enough time to get some food and a long overdue reprieve to rest.
I had sent Lana and Ansel out into the city to check on Layla, who would, no doubt, be in a flurry of panic about August. They couldn’t reveal anything to her, but at least we could cast more protection around their loft, and they could scour the building for crawlers. While we didn’t have to physically be there to check on her, it made me feel better knowing they were taking the extra step of precaution for August’s sake.
I hadn’t had anyone to worry about me when I vanished from my “life”. I winced, thinking of the agony of grief, and spoke a quick prayer for the beautiful woman August planned to wed. Their connection was written over every piece of furniture, every wall of their grand loft in the city. Whatever August did in that immense glass building, he did it very well. I thought for a moment, about the place the green-eyed man called home. The tall ceilings, glass wall framing an incredible view of the skyscrapers surrounding it, exposed brick, and extraordinary, modern furnishings and finishes. That concrete and steel fireplace though—that had been impressive. Especially so as I thought about his age. I guessed maybe thirty years to his name in this life. Nothing in his energy screamed generational wealth. Humble. Tenacious. Resilient. Something about him and his brother…seemed gritty. Like they had climbed that mountain together. Stone by stone.
The common room was deserted when I arrived. I walked to the stove and started water for tea, before turning to the fridge, and pulling out my pre-portioned chicken and greens, and set them on the counter. As the door to the fridge closed, I swiped the bottle of wine out of the door and popped the cork with a quick energetic pull. My prayers were lazy—routine, more than divine connection at that moment. I set its chilled neck right against my lips, sucking down a long swig of Rosé before setting the bottle back on the counter. After I’d forced down the last of my vegetables, I snagged a dark chocolate from a crystal bowl, popping it in my mouth, and walking over to the hearth, the last of the flames flickering feebly in its heart. They warmed my skin, which I hadn’t realized was still chilled until that moment. With a long yawn, I slid a pillow and blanket from the couch, placed the long, soft fabric around my shoulders, and laid down against the warmth of the floor in front of the fireplace. The flickering of the embers swiftly captivated my mind, silencing the voices and the noise of Grayshell around me.
It took all the energy I had left to do one final search of the energy in the halls—reassured that all was well in our home and family.
The moment my head hit the pillow, I found sleep.
Footsteps intruded on my dreamless reprieve, and I blearily blinked the haze from my eyes, fingers automatically finding their way to the blade at my side as I yawned and peered into the darkness. The unmistakable silhouette of Aren in the doorway returned the breath to my lungs, and I brought my hand back to the pillow, allowing my eyes to slide shut again.
“I remember being exhausted when I was called to you.”
I reluctantly opened one eye to peer at him through the gloom. “You do?” My voice came out dry and drowsy.
He nodded, face serious. “Yeah. I just. I couldn’t wrap my head around the weight of being bound toyou. The weight of…”
“Being responsible for the fate of asoul?”
He nodded, eyes softening.
“You did good, kid. That was not an easy first call.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at him softly, before allowing my eyes to slide shut again.
“Love you, Al. Proud of you.”
“Love you, too. Thanks.”
I didn’t feel Aren lift me onto the couch, or tuck me in with a great fur blanket, so when I awoke there, sweaty and a bit cocooned, I started. With a quick roll, I was facing the roaring fire he must have stoked for us. Aren had taken my place on the floor, unmoving, face lit by dancing flashes, and simultaneously marred by their shadow. Energy was stirring impatiently in my chest, and I blinked the sleep away, rising to brew us coffee. We were close. So close. I could feel the anticipation reverberating through the halls, buzzing in through the bottoms of my feet. I poured three steaming mugs of coffee, taking one to Aren and setting it at the foot of the fireplace.
“Aren.”
“Mmm.”
