19
We escaped death tonight because of Jordan’s remarkable driving skills. But the police officers’ tragedy had nothing to do with skill or lack of it. I can’t see how they could have survived that explosion. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught up in something bigger than them, bigger than the laws of this world. I can’t help feeling responsible. Though I don’t know what that dark force was, I know it was after me.
If the police come looking for answers, I’m afraid of what I will tell them.
I had dealings with detectives when my house burned down and my parents went missing. They ask the most intrusive questions, trying to catch you in a lie. I don’t lie. I can’t seem to even when I want to, but I learned that to tell the whole truth sometimes isn’t wise, and can cause more harm than good.
There are nasty storms up here, history will attest to that, but will anyone believe a tornado touched down on Ridge Road and tore up most of Monastery Lane? Maybe the Brothers saw something that could help explain what happened.
And where is it now?
Sitting in the Lambo in the dark, locked in our own thoughts, neither of us seems in a hurry to go inside. I just saw two people slam into a wall and explode. The image will give me nightmares for a long time. ‘Oh, Jordy, what a terrible thing to happen.’
‘I know,’ he says, his voice thick. ‘Come here.’ He reaches for me and I shimmy over. He cradles the back of my head with his hand, murmuring caring words and stroking my hair in a steady rhythm. After a few minutes our hearts settle down from their wild, adrenalin-fuelled ride and he pulls back to peer at my face even though it’s too dark for him to really see it. He holds my face in his two hands and kisses my forehead. ‘I’m so relieved. Thank God you’re OK.’
It feels amazing being this close to Jordan. It’s like this is what I was made for. I lay my head on his chest and he goes back to holding me and stroking the back of my head.
And for the first time since we met I’m not worried he’ll misread our physical closeness for something it’s not.
After what we just experienced, nobody would.
Suddenly, blinding white light floods the garage. The shock makes us jump apart. We stare out of the front windscreen where the source of this blazing light appears to be coming from, waiting in silence as it slowly loses intensity and our eyes adjust. Knowing that only an angel can make a room light up like this, my pulse races as I think for a second it might be Nathaneal.
Except the warmth and serenity Nathaneal emanates is clearly absent. Instead, an icy chill leaves my skin tingling with cold.
As soon as Jordan recognises Nathaneal’s brother, Prince Gabriel, he grins and jumps out. ‘Hey, dude, am I glad to see you.’ He offers his hand. ‘You have no idea what just chased us . . .’
Gabriel stares down his statuesque nose at Jordan, lips curling in a sneer, and ignores the offered hand with a look that has Jordan stopping in his tracks.
Even from here I can tell Gabriel is livid.
I suppose he would be. We didn’t make it home before sunset. Before he left, Nathaneal made sure we understood how important that rule was to our safety. And now two people are dead.
I take the photograph Mr Zavier gave me, slot it inside my skirt pocket and collect our backpacks. ‘Hello, Gabriel.’
He nods at me, then makes a short sharp motion with his head towards the living room. ‘In there. Now. Both of you. We need to talk.’
I know Gabriel doesn’t like me. He made that clear the last time we saw each other. That Nathaneal chose to stay with me on Earth only made Gabriel’s aversion more obvious.
As soon as the internal garage door closes behind us, Gabriel turns on Jordan. Though he’s still big, he’s more slender than I remember, in figure-hugging black trousers, long grey jacket with white shirt underneath. He cuts an elegant, commanding figure, especially with his yellow hair slicked back in a ponytail at the base of his head. If he came to my school, girls would swoon; guys would step out of his way.
‘Do you have any idea what you’ve done? How could you remain out after dark when my brother’s explicit instructions were to have Ebony inside before sunset?’
‘I know I stuffed up. I’m sorry. Gabe, I’m really sorry.’
‘Nathaneal trusts you. We don’t understand how or why he has such faith in a human teenager, but there you have it.’
‘Gabriel, is this necessary?’ I ask, but his need to reprimand Jordan has turned this angel’s ears to stone.
‘Is his trust in you warranted, boy? And, after what I just witnessed in my brother’s own car, I need to ask you straight out –’ he leans down until their faces are only millimetres apart – ‘are you keeping Ebony safe for him?’
I thought he was a tad too angry. He saw Jordan and me comforting each other in Nathaneal’s car. No wonder he’s upset. At least that is a misconception I can clarify – if he’ll simmer down enough to listen.
A sudden blast of hot air shoves Jordan backwards into the wall.
‘Wait!’
Shocked at Gabriel’s show of power, I squeeze between them. ‘Gabriel, back up. Move back now!’ I’m surprised when he does. ‘I pressured Jordan into driving me to my science teacher’s house. Jordan knew I would go on my own if he didn’t come. The whole time we were there, he was conscious of time passing. He kept reminding me of our curfew. But dark clouds swept in and there was a long path back to the car and darkness arrived sooner than expected.’
Gabriel stares at me in silence, his eyes darkening ominously like angels do when they’re drawing on their powers. I force myself not to cower before his intimidating look. ‘If you need to blame anyone for this terrible tragedy, Gabriel, make sure it’s me. I made the mistake.’
While Gabriel continues to stare at me with unnerving silence, I search into his eyes as Nathaneal has been teaching me, but before an impression develops he looks away, shaking his head.
‘I was in the Watchtower at the time,’ he says. ‘In their duty as Gatekeepers of the portal, the Brothers of the Holy Cross Monastery keep the Crossing entrance safe for angelic movement through the dimensions. Brother Timothy was briefing me on recent demonic activity near the portal when an undefinable energy, stronger than anything the Brothers have measured before, appeared on their radars.’
Jordan steps out from behind me. ‘It came out of nowhere, Gabe, and started following us when we made the turn on to Ridge Road. It chewed up the road like a tornado with lightning bolts streaking and booming inside it. Man, it was crazy. It lifted the cop car chasing –’ He stops abruptly, his eyes shifting to me.
‘That police car was after you?’
I jump in quickly, ‘We don’t know that for sure.’
‘When Brother Timothy pointed out that my brother’s car was on the same road as an unidentifiable dark force that was annihilating everything in its path . . .’ He shakes his head. ‘I raced outside and saw a police car exploding, with no idea what had happened to you two until you drove into the garage. And when you didn’t exit immediately I didn’t know what to think. Jordan’s thoughts were chaotic – I couldn’t make sense of them – and yours, as usual, were closed.’
‘We were just taking a breath,’ I explain.
His eyebrows rise, his eyes widen. ‘You were taking more than a breath, my lady, unless the breaths you took were each other’s!’
‘You’re wrong. You got this wrong.’
He laughs, mocking me. ‘I saw you clutched in each other’s arms, gazing in each other’s eyes. I heard your whisperings and promises of love.’
‘Love? What you saw and heard were two people comforting each other after a terrifying experience. The rest your creative mind imagined.’
His demeanour suddenly changes. He straightens his back and starts walking around me, studying me as if I’m an insect from an alien world. ‘You lie, and you do it so smoothly even your micro-expressions give no clues. You don’t tighten facial muscles, alter your blinking rate, or break eye contact. For an angel, that’s impossible.’
‘What are you saying? That I’m not an angel?’
‘All I’m saying is that I’m sure of what I saw – young lovers, clasped in each other’s arms. And your denial makes you a liar.’
He’s so arrogant and self-assured that it will be hard to convince him of the truth. He’ll tell his brother, and Nathaneal will hate me. At the least it will upset him and cause him undue worry, especially if Gabriel tells Nathaneal he caught me lying. But if I ask Gabriel not to tell Nathaneal that would look more incriminating.
‘Dude, you are so wrong. Ebony does not lie.’ Jordan is so angry on my behalf he may do something he shouldn’t. I can’t risk more people getting hurt because of me, especially Jordan.
‘Arguing with Gabriel is pointless, Jordan. Don’t bother. His mind is closed and there are more important things to worry about right now.’ I glance up at Gabriel. ‘So you saw the accident.’ It’s not a question, but he nods anyway.
After an awkward silence, Jordan clears his throat. ‘What if it comes back? I mean we can assume this dark force is looking for Ebony, right? So do you think this house is strong enough to stop even that thing from getting in? I’m not saying your brother didn’t do a good enough job when he built this place. We all know how strong he is, but, dude –’
Jordan is babbling. My hand wants to reach for his shoulder to calm his rattled nerves. But after Gabriel’s insinuations I know how it might look and stop myself just in time.
Gabriel notices I’m struggling, however.
‘A Guardian and her Charge should never reside together,’ he snarls, his piercing eyes directed at me. ‘It’s unheard of! I don’t know what my brother was thinking leaving a pair of teenagers alone in his house for an indefinite period,’ he rants. ‘As I understand, you two pleaded for the opportunity.’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘You heard.’
Looking frantic, Jordan rakes his fingers through his hair. ‘Dude, you got it wrong! Michael said there was no one available to stay with us and –’
‘Did you inform my brother that you did not need babysitting?’
‘I said that,’ I try to explain, even though it’s probably pointless. ‘Nathaneal was becoming distressed.’
He laughs. ‘That does not sound like my brother.’
My skin grows hot. Gabriel seems intent on misunderstanding everything I say. I just want this all to go away, but now Jordan won’t let it drop. ‘That’s not how it went down. Talk to him. Thane’ll tell you how Ebony offered to go testify for him, even though she doesn’t have wings to survive the Crossing.’
He scrutinises me and, when he speaks, surprisingly it’s without the sharp, cynical edge. ‘I’m afraid humans are not known for their restraint. And you, Ebony, think like a human. Left alone together, anything could happen between you.’
But it didn’t! And it wouldn’t! And . . . I’m starting to think less like a human and more like an angel every day.
I want to set Gabriel straight, but if he can think this badly of me, nothing I say will change his mind. The only person that needs to know the truth is Nathaneal. And he already does.
I calm down a little at this thought. But Jordan is a long way from calming down. His face is darkening by the second. Oh, no! I hope he’s not recalling his fantasy from last night. Gabriel will see it play out in his head like a movie with an 18 rating. In their role to protect humans, it’s second nature for angels to tune in to human thoughts, and I’m not sure that in Gabriel’s mind-frame he’ll be able to tell the difference between Jordan’s reality and his make-believe.
I start to feel as if my blood and sweat are mixing together, like a chemical reaction bubbling up through my pores. I clench my hands into fists but it does nothing to stop the escalation of adrenalin.
Gabriel doesn’t miss the red-hot colour spreading under the skin of my face as well as Jordan’s and, as I knew he would, he misreads it completely. He becomes livid all over again and points his finger at us. ‘If either of you disrespect my brother, it won’t only be my brother you will have to contend with. We are a big family and we look out for each other. Do you both understand?’
‘Back off, Gabriel, nothing happened!’ Jordan yells out.
‘That sounds like a threat,’ I murmur, fed up with Gabriel’s accusation. What if Gabriel works on Nathaneal until he convinces him that Jordan and I are up to something? Who will Nathaneal believe, the brother he’s known his entire life, or . . . ? How can Gabriel . . . Ooh! I can feel anger tightening the muscles of my arms.
‘Are you up to the task my brother set you?’ he now asks Jordan.
‘Of course I am.’
‘Do you need reminding of your agreement terms?’
Jordan’s face drops. ‘No. I don’t.’
‘We angels take our contracts seriously. Whether forged with words or signed in blood, we’re honour-bound to them. There are consequences if a promise is broken. Am I making myself clear?’
‘Gabe, I get it.’
I start to see everything through a reddening haze. As I look from Gabriel to Jordan, my eyes pass over a vase sitting on the hall table, an antique from France in potent blue that I love because it reminds me of Nathaneal’s eyes.
Suddenly, the vase shatters, with pieces flying through the air and scattering halfway across the living-room floor. When the dust settles Gabriel and Jordan are staring at me. ‘Well, I didn’t see that coming,’ Jordan says. ‘Did you, Gabe?’
Gabriel gives Jordan a withering look, lifting his hand to his forearm, where blood appears to be dripping to the floor in fat globules. ‘If I did, I wouldn’t be standing here plucking shards of pottery out of my arm.’