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The next morning, I wake to Shay’s eyes gazing at me.
“Hello, beautiful.”
“Have you been staring at me all night?” I cover my mouth from morning breath.
“No, not all night.” He smirks. “Just the last couple of hours. I still can’t believe you’re here.”
“I know. Me, too. But today we need to get moving. K should call a meeting and have Vash come, too, so we all know what’s going on and where we go from here.” I start to get up.
“Five more seconds and we will hit the day running.” He tugs me back down. “I don’t know when we’ll have another opportunity like this.”
I kiss him sweetly, bad breath forgotten.
“Okay, warrior of mine, it’s time to go.” I nudge him out of the bed. “I’m going to take a quick shower. You text K.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I hover near the bathroom door and watch as Shay pulls out his phone, satisfied that he’s up and starting the day. There is something about being back in my old bathroom, using my familiar soaps, and shower that comforts me.
By the time I step out of the bathroom, I feel like my old self in my own clothes that I haven’t conjured.
“Hey, Kieran texted back and said the meeting is set for two hours from now. Vash needs time to drive here, and Sidelle isn’t back from Fairyland yet. He’s still trying to contact her.” Shay sweeps me off my feet and plants a chaste kiss on my cheek. “Go visit with your family for a while. I’ll see you over at Kieran’s house in a couple of hours.” He shoos me away, turns, and leaps out of the window.
I watch his retreating back. He stops and waves once he gets to the end of my driveway.
There is a soft knock on my door.
“Zoe? Are you awake?” The door creaks open and in pops my sister’s head. “Oh, good, you are up. Was that Shay who left?”
“Hi, Stella. Do you need something?’
“No, I just ... just wanted to talk with you. I know you’re probably overwhelmed. You looked exhausted last night, and I wanted to let you sleep. But ...”
“Come, sit down.” I pat my bed. “This sounds important.” I wait for her to begin.
“Where were you?” Her head hangs low. “Kieran said that you were traveling, but I didn’t believe him. You wouldn’t take off like that without telling anyone.” Her head snaps up and looks directly at me. “Besides, he would have gone with you. Or Shay. But neither of them went. Mom and Dad weren’t too worried when you didn’t show up after a couple of days. Something just wasn’t right about it. They weren’t acting like normal parents would whose child was missing. No posters went up around town; nothing on the news was said about it. There was a small report about the car accident the night of your prom. We had a gathering at Coffee Grind, but that was more for wishing you luck and safety on your trip. But that was it.” She tilts her head and waits.
I don’t think I can BS her anymore. She’s thirteen going on thirty. Whatever I say must sound real. I want to protect her and leaving her in the dark isn’t the answer. She was there when the demons came knocking at our front door.
“I’m not stupid,” she says.
“I never said you were.”
“You don’t have to tell Mom and Dad, but you owe me the truth.” Her hands fist. “None of your friends knew where you were, so I think you were kidnapped. But I don’t know by whom. Do you?”
“Stella. I want to protect you and Mom and Dad. Some real bad people are coming, and they might try to use you guys to get to me.”
“So tell me so I can watch for them.”
“It’s not that simple.”
“Does it have to do with those bad things that came to the house?”
“What do you remember of that night?” Kieran was supposed to Mind Wipe everyone. I’m going to have words with him if he hadn’t.
“Everything.” Tears run down Stella’s face. “I remember everything. Three people came to the house and fought with Kieran and Shay. But I don’t think they were even people. Your friend, Vash, turned into a giant brown wolf and killed those black ghost-like things.” She sniffled. “Sidelle and some boy came and fought in the front yard. You went out there and blew everyone away. Cali died, and you brought her back to life.”
“Okay. Yeah, that’s about what happened.” I turn to face her. “You have to promise me that you won’t tell anyone.”
“As long as it’s the truth. I promise.”
“You’re right. Those three guys who came to the house that night were not people. They weren’t even human. They’re called Knights. Demon Knights. But they look like everyday people.” I hand my sister a tissue. “Those dark, ghost-like forms are Marquises demons and only very powerful beings like Vash can kill them. He’s a werewolf as you might have guessed.”
“Like in Twilight?”
“I suppose so, but there’s no such thing as vampires.”
“So, what are you?”
“I’m a ... an angel.”
“Whoa!”
“But I just became one on my birthday.”
“And Kieran?”
“Also, an angel.”
“Shay?”
“Half-angel. The technical term is called a Nephilim.”
“Awesome. Thank you for trusting me with this.”
“When did you get so old?” I smile.
“I had to grow up fast. My big sister was kidnapped, and I had to keep the family together. So why you?”
“They think I’m the girl who will stop Armageddon.”
“Are you?”
“I’m not sure. The devil was supposed to break out of his prison the day I turned eighteen, but nothing has changed. I haven’t heard about any really bad news these past two days. Have you?”
“No, just the bad weather, but that’s all better now. Do you think I’m an angel, too, like you?”
“Honestly, I don’t know, Stella. Why do you think you’re going to be an angel?” She shrugs. “I didn’t know about myself until a couple of months ago that I might be something other than human.” I shrug. “But I do know that there is a war coming, and I must be ready. My friends are going to help me, and I need you to be safe. I’m going to need to be gone for a bit while I look for something important. It might turn the tide on the war.”
“What is it that you’re looking for?”
“A special item. I’m meeting Kieran and Shay later this morning to go over details.”
“I know you’ll find a Seraph’s Sword, and we’ll win over evil.”
Wait. I never told her what we are looking for. Or had I? “How do you know?”
“Because I’ve seen it.”
“What do you mean, you’ve seen it?”
“It’s just what it means. I’ve seen you with a gold sword that has purple gems on the base. You’re in a field, or on a lake, which is confusing since how is that even possible. You’re there with all your friends and you’re using one.”
My mouth drops open, and I close it like a fish. I process that for a while. Every couple of seconds, I start to say something, but nothing comes out. “You’re coming to the meeting with me.”
Two hours later we are at Kieran’s house. Vash and Cali are already there when I walk into the den.
“Oh, my gosh.” Cali rushes and pulls me into a tight hug. “You’re okay, right? He didn’t hurt you?” She lets me go and looks at my face. “I’m going to chew his wings off—” Cali turns her head and notices my sister.
“It’s okay, go ahead and say it,” I say.
Cali shakes her head.
“Glad to have you back with us again, Zoe,” Vash says as he quickly pats me on the shoulder, leading Cali to the love seat.
After our quick reunion everyone keeps glancing at me, wondering why I brought my sister. Sidelle is still MIA, and I hope she appears soon. I sit between Shay and Stella on the couch but slightly closer to my boyfriend, who takes my hand and squeezes.
“All-righty-O, peoples! Let’s get the party started.” Sidelle poofs into the den. “I heard my name and so I’m here.” She spots my sister on the couch. “Stella. Um, what are you doing here?” It’s the first time I’ve seen Sidelle flustered.
“I brought her with me,” I say. “She knows the basics, but I didn’t tell her about fairies.”
“Hold up! Are my eyes for realz right now? Zoe?” Sidelle flies toward me and pats my head. A bit condescending, but at this point, I’m just so ecstatic to see her I don’t care. She grabs and pulls me into a fierce hug.
“Hello to you, too,” I say.
“Whoa. Sidelle is a fairy?” Stella asks as she turns her head, looking at me for confirmation and awe at Sidelle.
“Yes, but we can talk about that later,” I say. “I brought Stella here because she says that she can see things.”
The room is so quite you can hear only our breathing. Everyone gapes at my little sister, who is sitting there with a small, knowing smile stretched across her lip.
It’s Kieran who speaks first. “A Vate?” he asks.
“I don’t know what that is, but I can see things,” she says sweetly.
“Do you know it’s the future?” Shay prompts.
“Most of the time it is.” She shakes her head. “It sounds crazy. But I guess not, considering who’s all sitting in this room.” She glances expectantly at each of us.
“Kieran.” I stand and place my hand on his arm. “The night of our dress shopping three months ago, did you Mind Wipe everyone?”
“Yes.” He nods. “Why?” His golden aura flickers.
“It didn’t take on me,” Stella says. “I remember everything.”
“Is there a way to test her of being a ... what did you call it?” Shay asks. “A Vate?”
“We haven’t had one in a really long time.” Sidelle’s eyes gloss over. “They are extremely rare and at such a young age to already see things,” she mutters.
“You know about them?” I stand beside my fairy friend.
“Yes.” Her eyes sharpen and focus back on my sister. “Vates are half-fairies. It’s how they draw their visions, by using glamour.”
“How is she a half-fairy? And why didn’t you know about her?”
I notice Kieran and Shay exchange a glance. Both of their auras fade then brighten back to normal.
“That’s not important now,” Kieran says. I’ll have to ask Shay about that look later. “We’ve been so tied up cleaning the mess the demons are causing that we haven’t been able to find a Seraph’s Sword yet. And I’ve confirmed that Hell’s gates are not opened, so Sammael is still imprisoned.”
“He’ll be out soon, though,” Stella says. “I’ve seen it. The weather is hot, the crops are still growing, and fireworks light across the skies in a celebration.”
“Could be Independence Day.” Kieran rakes hand through his hair, so unlike him. “Which is only in a couple of weeks.”
“And I think I know where we can find Zoe a sword.” Stella grins.