Page 25

I was going insane.

It had been six days since I last left the dorm or breathed in fresh air that didn’t reek of male body spray and unwashed dishes.

Nadael had given strict instructions: I was to be excused from training following the loss of Lucas.

Meanwhile, Brandon had taken it upon himself to visit me every day, casually dropping updates like, “Hunter beat the crap out of Matias in training again.” That was the only thing that made me smile.

Joe had come by once too, checking in on me, though his answers were vague anytime I asked how the investigation was going.

To top it off, my hair had gone full rebellion mode without my curling cream, and sleep had become a myth.

By Sunday, I decided enough was enough.

I flung my bedroom door open—only to have Brandon and Silas collapse into the room, landing flat on their backs with startled groans. They must’ve been leaning against my door the entire time.

Silas clutched his head like he’d just been assaulted by reality, while Brandon blinked up at the ceiling, barely able to keep his eyes open.

“What are you guys doing outside my room?”

Brandon was the first to rise to his feet, letting out a yawn. “Making sure no one tries to come for you.”

A single brow rose. “Why would they come for me? You said I would fine and besides, aren’t they all meant to be righteous and... whatnot?” Though after the ‘KILLER’ note, I doubted that.

He sighed. “Some Ascendants won’t care, or at least they are trying to scare you. Plus, there’s been... a few more rumors going around the Warriors Sector that you are working with the Riftkeeper’s and killed Lucas yourself.”

I frowned. “How does that even make sense?”

“It doesn’t.” Silas grunted, still rubbing the side of his head.

My gaze went to him, and I wondered why he was here with Brandon in the first place. “I thought you still didn’t trust me?” At least that is what I overheard from his conversation with Brandon the other night.

“Look.” He rubbed a hand down his face. “Just because I still find you somewhat guilty, I also trust in Cain. If he says you didn’t do it, then maybe you didn’t.”

I nodded in suspicion. That didn’t sound like Silas to be reasonable.

“And also, I was threatened by both of these numpties into protecting you, so—ow!” he shouted as Brandon kicked him.

I chuckled for the first time this week, but I couldn’t help but wonder where Hunter was. It was definitely insanity taking over my mind if I was questioning why he wasn’t here once again.

A knock at the door interrupted the strange encounter with the boys, and they pushed me back into the room in a ridiculous protective stance.

I rolled my eyes, squeezing past them. “Relax, it’s Marnie. I texted her to try and sneak out so she could come over.”

“Marnie?” I heard Brandon ask from behind before I opened the door.

Marnie shot past me, wearing earmuffs over her copper hair and a fluffy white coat.

“You will not believe the looks I’ve been getting just by coming up here.

They all looked like they either wanted to punch me in the face or stab me in the stomach!

” She faced me as I closed the door behind me.

“I swear, since everyone knows I’m your friend, they think I’m your minion or something. ”

I cleared my throat, looking past her shoulder.

She turned and almost jumped when she saw a shirtless Brandon and a partially nude Silas standing there. “Oh.” Her voice took on a timid tone. “Hi.”

Brandon raised his hand to the back of his neck, equally looking just as shy. “Hey.”

She instantly spun around again and mouthed the word WOW at me.

I held back a chuckle before grabbing her hand and whizzing past the boys into my bedroom.

Shutting the door, I let Marnie take her coat and earmuffs off as she stared at the lack of decoration I had in there.

After a minute or two, she turned around and smacked her lips.

“You know, when you messaged me to come round, I didn’t expect to see Brandon and Silas. I thought they’d be out training.”

“It’s a Sunday,” I deadpanned. “Besides, no one is allowed to leave Celestia’s grounds until the matter is resolved.” Not that I could leave, even if it was resolved.

“And? Have you not seen them? They look like they’re always training with all those muscles; also, let’s not forget the abs on Silas. I mean, did you see them?”

I’ve seen a lot more, unfortunately.

I passed her, pulling the blinds open and letting what little sun we had into my room. “They said they’re protecting me.”

“Really?” she mused. “Wow, who would have thought, huh?”

Not me, apparently.

Huffing out a breath, I turned to see she was already sitting on my bed. She patted the free space beside her, and I came over and settled onto the springy mattress.

“So...” she said. “Is everything okay? Well, I know it probably isn’t; I mean, I’ve hardly been able to sleep since it happened.”

“Me neither.” I sighed, resting my head on her shoulder. The only other thing I had resorted to was researching and wallowing. Otherwise, I would picture Lucas on the floor, lifeless, every time I even so much as blinked.

Marnie’s head tipped against mine, and we stayed like that for a few minutes before I couldn’t hold it any longer.

“Marnie?”

She hummed.

“What do you know about the Grand War?”

She straightened and looked at me like I had gone insane. I basically had. “The Grand War? Grace, why—”

“Just enlighten me, will you?”

Since I hadn’t gone back to the library after that day, the only other thing on my mind was what the cherub said.

Marnie let out a resigned breath. “I just know that it happened way before our time.”

“Yeah, but after it ended,” I prodded. “There was a treaty formed, right? Angels and demons could remain on earth as long as they didn’t kill one another.”

She looked at me, confused. “Okay?”

“A demon killed Lucas,” I stated. “He was an Ascendant; wouldn’t that mean the treaty is broken?”

At that, her expression fell into a pitiful look. “Grace, that treaty was forged a long time ago. Demons have still been killing other Celestials for a while now, as have angels in return, making that treaty null.”

Oh.

I glanced down at the ground in disappointment. “I just thought—”

“Thought, what? That another war could start just because of Lucas? We’re not the first this has happened to.”

Right. Things had changed over the centuries, and even Joe hadn’t mentioned anything about the Grand War. It was likely just that. The past.

I nodded, then looked at my hands and nibbled on my bottom lip. Marnie watched me carefully as I expelled a breath and glanced her way. “I think I saw him.”

“Who?”

“The one who killed Lucas.”

Her lips parted in confusion, but I spoke before she could.

“He was there when I was in the library.” I retraced my steps from that day and shook my head. “I thought I could get to him with a bloody book. Can you believe that? A book.”

“Anyone would have done the same—”

“No. A Warrior would have fought him, and maybe that’s what Lucas did before he…” I didn’t finish what I was about to say and heaved out another heavy sigh instead. “I just don’t want to be weak anymore, Marnie.”

She placed a hand on my upper back. “But Grace, you’re not weak.”

“I feel like I am.” And I wanted it to stop. “We haven’t got much left until the competition. I have until then to change the Council’s mind on why I should be given the chance that every Ascendant has.”

Marnie jumped up from my bed. “You’re kidding, right? Grace, not even a week ago did you want to participate in something like that. I mean, I would still support you if you wanted to do it but—”

“I don’t want to do the competition,” I was quick to add. “I just want...”

Marnie sat back down. “To prove yourself?” She suggested softly, and I shook my head.

“No,” I said. “I want... others to see me as a threat. I want angels and demons to know my name and realize that a human can do both.”

“But Grace—”

“I don’t want to be protected all my life. So far, that’s all it’s ever been for me. I want to be able to do it for myself... for others.”

Marnie pursed her lips and nodded. “Okay,” she whispered. “Then if that is what you want, maybe you should learn from the best.” Her eyes drifted towards the closed door.

The boys.

“Would they even want to help me?”

She shrugged. “I think the one who would go above and beyond to physically improve someone’s skills would be Hunter.

He’s the best of the class. Azrael’s prodigy, if you will.

If he doesn’t get chosen for the competition or win it, then I bet he’ll still be Ascended sooner or later. He’s been here for years now.”

I mulled that over, but I doubted he would willingly help me. Things were still off between us. Lucas’s death hadn’t changed that. Him asking the boys to protect me was likely to save face. “Maybe”, I said, giving her a tight-lipped smile and resting my head on her shoulder again.