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Zoe
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My daughter.
A woman’s soft voice. Her words weren’t even loud enough to be called a whisper, but I heard them in my head. Was I going crazy?
No, Zoe. You are not crazy. I am speaking to you through your mind.
This internal conversation only added to the craziness I’d heard, witnessed, and experienced over the past week: the warehouse event which had started it all, the angels, demons, fairies, and wolves ...
And Cali. She’d died.
Who was speaking in my head?
My name is Grace. I am your mother. Zoe, you are special. You are destined to do great things. She paused, then a kind of pyramid of glowing words appeared in my vision. She chanted them, and they sounded so beautiful. Like a soft, sad song.
Glory!
Babe born.
First and last.
Heaven and unto Earth.
Receives the highest in jubilation.
Enlightens will unite, they shall band.
Triumph be if darkness is driven back.
Help found who love, the world will stand.
Yes. Kieran and Shay had told me about the prophecy. I remembered hearing him chant those odd words. But I still didn’t understand what any of it had to do with me.
Zoe, you are that babe. You are the first and only Seraph Angel born on Earth, though you have a twin who was lost. Compassion may be found in an unconventional Eternal. And with the help of your friends, you will stand and unite the Enlightens. Together, you will drive back the darkness. Be prepared, Daughter. Much sorrow and death may come. But out of these ashes you will find happiness. I am only sorry I cannot do any more for you.
This made no sense. I knew my mother, and this voice did not belong to her.
Yes, you were born to Ordinaries, but I passed part of what makes me an angel to you. Zoe, you will always have a choice in everything you do. God has not taken that away, not even from you. We have been waiting many centuries for you, because you will have powers wielded by no other Enlighten. Your heart is pure, your intentions are true. Hold onto those and remember the strength of the Seraphs. We will be with you always.
And then, silence.
An overwhelming calmness settled in my mind and body.
When I blinked, my friends’ faces stared back.
Breathe, Zoe. I shook my head, reminding myself that I had nothing to celebrate. After all, I was kneeling over my dead friend and touching her lifeless body.
I looked down—and Cali’s torso shot straight up. She drew a deep breath, and her eyelids opened, revealing light-brown eyes.
“Cali?” I whispered.
“Zoe?” She looked into our faces, looking entirely confused. “What happened? What’s going on?”
“Oh my God!” Sidelle whispered. “Zoe! You brought her back from death!”
Cali sat up slowly. “I was ... dead?”
I nodded.
“Cali!” Rena hugged her, and Quinn started sobbing again, this time with happiness.
Kieran, Shay, and Sidelle stared at me, their mouths open. Vash almost flew across the room to gather her into his strong arms when he heard her sweet voice, but stopped short upon seeing our huddled group.
I embraced my friend and found myself searching for the faces I had grown to love over this week’s time: Kieran, Shay, Sidelle, and Vash.
Something changed inside of me. Pieces of a puzzle locked into place. I was More. My angel mom ... had just confirmed it.
All my life, I’d thought I was ordinary. Not anymore.
Now I knew my life was way beyond average, and I’d be someone special.
I knew what I was destined to do.
A war was coming.
A final battle between good and evil, and only the Redeemer would be able to save the world.
I was the Redeemer. I knew that, from the bottom of my soul. And though I wasn’t yet confident in what I could do, I would learn. I would fulfill the prophecy. I would save the world, because I had the power to do it.
He had given me my powers, my strength, and my friends. He had seen something in me.
I. Am. Special.
I looked at Kieran, Shay, and Sidelle, feeling my whole body become still like the early morning dawn. Their expressions were unsure, as if they waited for me to answer some unspoken question.
I smiled and clenched my fists, sensing the purple glow fill me completely. When I opened my mouth to speak, the words came from my heart.
“Everything will be just fine.”
