Page 84 of Grave Revelations (Prophecies of Angels and Demons #3)

Chapter 83

Sophia

Rebecca and Adalaide fell as if in slow motion, and as they did, a shimmering light surrounded them.

Sanura released Sophia’s arm, darting forward as if she could put herself between them and stop it, but the light grew blinding as the world was bathed in bright white.

When her vision cleared, Rebecca sat up, dusting her palms off, and the earth beneath her exploded in new growth, a blanket of green rolling out from underneath her. The tree beside her burst into bloom, white blossoms erupting all along its branches, petals floating listlessly to the ground.

Sanura leaped for the girl, but Rebecca threw up her hands, and blinding blue flames tore from her palms, engulfing Sanura.

She screamed and dropped to the ground, rolling over freshly formed grass. When the flames winked out, she was on her feet again, racing for Rebecca.

Rebecca lifted both hands to the sky, and fat rain clouds formed from nothing, spears of lightning striking the ground all around her.

Sanura jumped backward. “Give me your blood, girl!” she screeched, her wild eyes searching for a path to Rebecca that didn’t end in her being charred to a crisp.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you, but your hate has blinded you. We aren't our ancestors." Rebecca squared her shoulders, letting one hand fall to her side as a tremor rocked the earth and vines burst from the ground, surging forward and knocking Sanura off her feet. They climbed up her body with blinding speed, wrapping her in place.

A strong wind funneled into existence, trapping Rebecca and Sanura inside it and Sophia watched in fascination as the lance Rebecca had used on the mortal plane appeared in her hand. In a blink, Rebecca darted forward and plunged it into Sanura’s chest. Her eyes misted as she sunk to the ground with her.

The witch stretched her mouth wide, a guttural roar bursting from her lips, shaking the very fabric of the realm. Thick black blood spewed from her wound; she scratched and clawed at it, trying to dig the object free.

Rebecca pressed the lance deeper, twisting until it was buried in Sanura’s chest. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Sanura’s eyes stuttered, golden hue flashing yellow before dimming to a soft saffron. Her head dropped as her arms fell loosely at her sides, and she stared blankly at a rapidly brightening sky.

Rebecca pressed her palms into Sanura’s limp body and dissolved it into dust, drifting on a phantom breeze.

Sophia dropped to her knees beside Rebecca and wrapped her arms around her friend’s shoulders. Rebecca startled, momentarily forgetting she wasn’t alone, then wrapped her arms around Sophia, hugging her fiercely. Her head dropped onto Sophia’s shoulder, and she sobbed, wet tears staining Sophia’s bare arm.

Sophia squeezed, holding her friend as she cried.

When Rebecca’s shoulders stilled, tears drying and back straightening, they got to their feet.

Sophia surveyed the landscape, marveling at its transformation. Looking down at her hands, she turned them over to inspect them; instead of the dull gray they had been every other time she came, they were tanned, like on Earth. The deep gouges in her arm from Sanura's nails were gone, in their wake only smooth unmarred skin remained.

Rebecca gazed out over the brightening realm, vision fixed on some distant point.

“Do you feel different? Now that Adalaide and you are… one?” Sophia asked.

Rebecca shuddered, her red-rimmed eyes glistening. “I feel his loss more keenly. We loved him. With all our soul.”

Sophia twisted a strand of hair around a finger. Rebecca needed a task to take her mind off him, a purpose. “Do you think the others could be here?”

Her gaze shifted to Sophia. “The others?”

“The other souls.”

Rebecca glanced at the small patch of grass sprouting up around them. “We could search for them.” She leaned down, picking up the bone white lance—the only thing that remained where Sanura once was—and slid it into a pocket in her new white robes.

“How did you do that?” Sophia asked. “Transform the terrain. Turn her to dust. Change your clothes. All of it?”

“I’m not sure. When we merged—Adalaide and I—it felt as though something inside me was unlocked. I can feel everything: the air, the grass straining toward me, the heat from an invisible light. Even the moisture in the air. I can’t explain it.”

Rebecca’s eyes glazed, and she disappeared inside herself again, lost in grief.

Sophia touched her friend’s arm. “Sanura ruled this place. Do you think you’re its ruler now?”

Some of the fog cleared from her eyes. “Ruler?”

Sophia had expected her to laugh and roll her eyes, but Rebecca only frowned.

“Come on. Let's look for our coven.” Rebecca held out a hand, and Sophia took it.

A new kind of energy zinged through her, calming her. As they strode toward the river, grass shot up through dry, cracked ground, and small flowers bloomed in shades of white and blue. Trees straightened, growing heavy with foliage and fruit .

They reached the riverbank, and Rebecca stepped in. As with every other place she had set foot, it transformed. Murky water washed away, the trickle becoming a stream, clearing a path as far as she could see.

Rebecca was oblivious as she splashed through the brook, stepping onto the muddy shore on the other side. She stopped beside a massive gnarled tree, and without seeming to realize what she was doing, she rested her hand against it.

Branches untangled themselves, stretching wide, revealing a deep hole at the tree’s center. As its branches reached for the sky, creatures tumbled out, staggering on unsteady paws.

Sophia recognized them as the soldiers she’d seen when she arrived in Sheol, constantly patrolling the shoreline.

They formed into lines, righting themselves and straightening their armor.

Rebecca opened her mouth, seeming to come back to herself. “Hello.”

The one in front said something Sophia didn’t understand, bowing low. The others followed suit, bowing on large tufted paws.

“What did you call me?” Rebecca asked the one who had bowed first.

He said the same strange words as before.

“Stand, all of you. I am no one's queen.”

The group of half-men, half-lion creatures, stood, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. “Balladak nin?

Rebecca cast a beseeching look at Sophia.

Sophia quirked an eyebrow. “I don’t know what they’re saying.”

Rebecca covered her mouth. “You don’t?” She turned back to the creatures, replying in that same strange language.

The one in front responded, and she glanced back at Sophia. “They say I can understand them because I’m the… queen… of this realm.”

“No. Call me Rebecca,” she continued, “and this is Sophia.”

They darted nervous glances between Sophia and Rebecca. “Re-be-ck-a,” they said, sounding out her name.

Rebecca rolled her eyes, and Sophia’s heart swelled at the single human gesture. Rebecca was still in there. She just needed time.

“We need to find our friends,” Rebecca told the soldiers. “Will you help us? ”

The creature in front said something to Rebecca and turned to the other soldiers, barking orders. When he finished, they darted away in groups of two, each going in a different direction.

“That was strange. They are cute though, aren't they? They reminded me of sphinxes,” Sophia said, looping arms with Rebecca as they continued forward.

“They were pretty helpful. They were right about splitting up to cover more ground.”

Sophia bit the inside of her cheek to stop from laughing. “I’m just glad one of us could understand them.”

Rebecca darted a glance at Sophia. “That is odd. Say something in Greek.”

“Adelfi.”

“Something I don’t know.”

“Lypámai poly, Adelfi.”

Rebecca released Sophia’s arm, finding her hands and squeezing them. “Please don’t apologize.”

“You understood!”

A deep vee formed on Rebecca’s forehead. “I guess I did.”

She released Sophia’s hands, pacing away from her, continuing over rocky terrain, and everywhere she stepped, new life formed. As Sophia watched her go, she could have sworn the faintest outline of wings hovered just over her back.