Chapter One
THEA
*Please note, this is the final installment of a three-part story. Assumptions have been made that you have read the previous books. If you haven’t, please return this book and pick up the first in the series, Claimed By Power.*
Cool fingers slid up the side of Thea’s head, threading through her hair. They rested on her head, releasing the refreshing healing energy into her scalp, and she sighed as the intense pounding in her head began to dwindle.
“I’m not sure why your headaches are still so persistent,” said Simiel, her healer. He was a stern-looking Archangel with sad eyes, who had been assigned to her once it was established she needed long-term care.
She opened her eyes to see the puzzled expression on his face. Although he had been extremely strict about her care and treatment, sometimes berating her when she didn’t follow his instructions, she had grown fond of his company. “Is it anything to worry about?”
Thea woke up with a headache almost every morning. She’d been bedridden since the attack by Cam left her half-dead. She was feeling better and a little stronger every day, but her body was still weak.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “Any problems sleeping?”
Thea swallowed. “No.” She held the healer’s eyes hoping he wouldn’t know she was lying. Her nights had been difficult. She’d been stuck in this treatment room with little to do and nothing to keep her occupied. Her mind wouldn’t relax enough for her to go to sleep and when it did, her dreams were disturbed.
With the healing energy from his hands penetrating her skull, the headache faded to nothing.
“Very strange,” said the healer, pulling his hands away from her head. “That should be enough for now. I’ll check on you again later.”
Thea smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks, doc.”
He nodded, a slight smile on his face. He seemed to like the term ‘doc.’
After he left, she threw her covers off and pushed herself slowly onto her elbows. Once there, she inched her way up, pausing to breathe every so often, until she was upright. She waited until her breathing slowed, then moved her legs to the side of the bed, allowing them to slide over the edge. She breathed a sigh and then cursed in frustration. It had been almost four months since the attack and still, her limbs were weak and felt like jelly most of the time. They ached if she pushed them too hard. She hadn’t realized it would take her so long to heal.
From where she sat, there was a partial view of the Angel Realm through the window, though she couldn’t hear anything. Angels soared through the air, their robes flapping in the wind, while others strolled the streets below among the pastel-colored buildings. Same as always. It seemed on the surface like nothing had changed, but it had.
Her beautiful warrior angel, her mate, who she had trusted and given up her world for, had cut her with a blade soaked in demon blood. Then he disappeared.
The day she told Zak that she would see Cam, he never showed. Zak hadn’t returned to visit, either, which was odd. When she’d asked Simiel, he said he didn’t concern himself with anything Powers or Dominions did and therefore wasn’t able to help her. Dani didn’t know anything either.
The plain, white walls around her were the only ones she had seen for months, and she could feel herself slowly going crazy. There was no color, no sensory experience she could latch onto in the room. If it wasn’t for Dani’s regular visits and Simiel’s treatments, she would feel like she had been left there to rot.
A rhythmic knock at the door pulled her attention away from the window, and she turned to see Dani flounce into the room.
“Hey, you’re up!”
Thea managed a smile. “Yeah, and it took ages.”
Dani dropped into the chair next to her bed. Her copper hair remained the same, silky and short. Her relaxed demeanor was comforting, but her violet blue eyes swept over Thea with concern, even as she smiled back. “But it’s progress.”
Thea grunted and turned back to the window. “How’s Amber?”
Dani’s hesitation forced Thea to glance at her. “She said Maddy’s fifth birthday is coming up in six months and she wants you to be there.”
Thea clenched her fist, ignoring the pain that shot through her arm. Maddy was growing up without her, and she had promised Amber that wouldn’t happen. She hadn’t even been able to view the pictures Amber texted her thanks to the non-existence of cell service in the Angel Realm.
“How did she seem?”
Dani shrugged. “I’ve only been communicating with her by text, Thea. I can’t judge her mood. But she didn’t seem too chatty. She was probably annoyed.”
“Fuck,” Thea whispered. She hadn’t considered that she would still be stuck in this room for more than two human years. Dani had been sending and relaying messages between Amber and Thea, and Thea kept them superficial and light. She didn’t tell Amber she was ill. Instead, she pretended everything was fine and that she and Cam were in a good place. But Amber had to be wondering why Thea hadn’t been to visit. “Six months… How long is that here?”
Dani eyed Thea. “About three weeks.”
Thea sighed. “Tell her I’ll try to come.”
Dani nodded.
“What about…” Thea’s throat closed up at the thought of Cam.
“Nothing,” Dani said, shaking her head. “I haven’t been able to get in to see him or Zak. No one answers Cam’s door, and I can’t seem to ever catch Zak at his office in between my assignments. I don’t even know anyone that would pass a message onto them for me,” Dani said, her eyebrows drawn together. “Thea, you might be able to get some answers if you ask yourself. You worked with them both directly and you spoke to the Dominion League. I’m a nobody. No one would tell me anything, anyway.”
Thea sighed. She was probably right. If she wanted answers, she needed to reach out to the Dominion League. “Can you tell Asteroth I’d like to speak to him?”
Dani nodded. “Sure.” She hesitated, chewing her lip in thought before continuing, “Do you really think you’ll be well enough in three weeks to see Amber? Maybe you just tell her you’re sick.”
“I don’t want her to worry, Dani. If she thinks it’s serious, she’ll want to know where I am so she can fly out to see me.” Thea shook her head. “I’ll speak to Simiel and see what he says, but I don’t want her to know I’m ill. Please just send the messages I give you word for word?”
“Okay,” Dani breathed. Dani hadn’t questioned her too much about her attack. As far as she knew, Thea had been attacked by demons and that was as far as anyone knew. Dani rose from her chair and hugged Thea gingerly. “See you tomorrow.”
Thea spent the rest of the day reading. In the last few days, Simiel picked up books for her from the training center common room to help pass the time. She memorized all of the Angel orders and their functions. She read about angelic energy and demon energy and all the different ways in which they were used and the effects of them. She’d even gotten a better understanding of the Stream and its purpose.
Over the next few days, she read a book about treating demon blood wounds and began to understand the depths of what had happened to her and what Zak went through to prevent the blood from reaching her heart. It was quite fascinating, and Thea realized she should have researched the potential risks of her new life when she’d first arrived. Interestingly, the book stated that Power angels were not affected by demon blood at all, which explained why Cam was never concerned about getting blood on any of his open wounds. It probably never occurred to him to warn her properly of the full dangers of it because it wasn’t a concern for him.
Her heart constricted at the thought of Cam. She couldn’t fight the hurt and disappointment that rocked her to her core. How could he not come to see her? Maybe he felt guilty, or maybe he was giving her more time or… No. She couldn’t keep trying to think up excuses for him. She knew Cam, and if he wanted to be by her side, nothing would have stopped him.
Lately, she had been wondering if she would have been better off without him. He had made her so happy most of the time they were together, but if she took away the sexual attraction and the hot sex, what was left? Was the fact that they were natural mates the only thing they had going for them? They couldn’t communicate well, they disagreed on how to deal with his rage, and he hadn’t felt it important to tell her about his previously arranged mate. Annoyingly, though, she also kept thinking back to when she was looking for her mother. He had been so supportive and caring—she didn’t think she would’ve gotten through it without him. Similarly, he was always very keen to encourage her warrior abilities, and it was clear they were compatible in their fighting style. But was that all they had? Was that enough for a relationship to last a lifetime or an eternity?
Thea sighed as she closed the book, resting her head on her pillow and allowing her mind to wander. However, whenever her mind relaxed, it drifted back to the attack: the darkness in Cam’s gaze, the hatred in his expression, his savage actions—
A knock on the door drew her from her thoughts.
“Come in.”
Asteroth entered, stepping slowly into the room. He paused, his dark brown eyes trained on her. “Hello, Thea. How are you doing?” He smiled but there was something strange about it—vulnerability. She had never seen Asteroth look vulnerable before, and it spiked her moderate worry to acute fear.
“What’s going on, Asteroth?” No point in wasting time beating around the bush.
Asteroth stood before her, holding her eyes for a moment. He closed the door and moved to the chair next to her bed. “You look well, Thea.”
“I don’t care about how I look.” Thea fought her frustration and annoyance, trying not to let it affect her tone. “I want to know what’s going on with Cam. And Zak. Why haven’t I seen anyone?”
Asteroth leaned back in his chair, glancing around the room. “What do you think has happened?”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking you!”
“Then you need to think about it,” Asteroth said pointedly, his eyes boring into hers.
Thea struggled to understand what he meant. The echo of another headache bounced in her head. She took in a breath to calm her nerves. Being angry wasn’t going to help her. She spoke calmly. “I know you are aware of my relationship with Cam. Has he left me?”
“I cannot discuss anything with you.”
Thea’s eyes flashed. “You can’t do me the kindness of telling me if I’ve been abandoned?”
“You honestly think that would happen?”
“Do you see anyone else here?” Thea snapped, gesturing to the room around her. “This is how it’s been for four months!”
Asteroth didn’t answer, though there was a pain in his eyes that she couldn’t read. He wasn’t telling her something, and she couldn’t figure out what he was holding back, nor could she guess why he would be feeling emotional about it.
An uncomfortable silence crept around them, and as it lengthened, Thea realized he was not going to speak. Her heart dropped. She thought she could trust Asteroth and the Dominion League. Clearly, she couldn’t if they couldn’t give her information when she needed it.
“I only asked you here to find out why I haven’t seen Cam,” Thea said finally, her voice almost breaking. “If you won’t tell me, there’s nothing for us to talk about.”
Asteroth stilled in his chair, looking at her. He cleared his throat. “Did you know angels could have children?”
Thea made a face, surprised at the change in subject. She opened her mouth to say that Cam did mention it to her once, but quickly closed it again. What was the point? Cam told her angels don’t naturally have it in them to want children. Since the Thrones said otherwise, he was clearly talking about himself.
“I had two with my mate,” Asteroth began. “It seems like another lifetime ago now.”
Thea relaxed back in her bed and stared at the ceiling. She was fine to let him talk about something else if he wanted. His voice was soothing, and at least his presence broke the boredom of being alone.
“We had a girl and a boy, and we were happy to give up our duties to have them,” Asteroth continued. “We lived far from the Stream, right over the far side of the Empire where there are numerous gardens, lakes, and mini-forests.”
Thea remembered Cam telling her something about an area of the Realm where angel children lived. It felt like ages ago now. The echo of the headache was now becoming a dull pain warning her of its impending approach.
“The Angel Realm was much bigger then,” Asteroth said, his voice wistful. “All the children played and trained together and discovered all the wonderful things around them. My boy was loyal and dedicated. He dearly loved his mother, sister, and me with a passion that seemed more intense than the other angel children. He was adventurous and loved stories about adventurers. He always told us that he would protect us no matter what, even though he was young.” Asteroth smiled. “He learned faster than most of the other Cherubim his age and was stronger. He figured things out quicker and became more accomplished than most of them too. He began to explore his surroundings, to learn that there was an entire Empire just waiting to be discovered. He frequently separated from the groups of Cherubim when he became bored and went off exploring in the Realm, even though he knew he shouldn’t.”
Asteroth’s jaw hardened and his brown eyes filled with such raw anguish, Thea couldn’t look away.
“He was on the outskirts of the Realm, one day,” Asteroth said, “when the Realm shrunk. A mass area of the human world was in turmoil, instigated by demons, of course, and my boy was destroyed by the forest as it thundered in toward the Empire, shrinking the Realm.” Asteroth paused, his gaze low and distant, his body tense, his fingers twitching as he seemingly fought an inner struggle. He got a hold of himself and raised his head to meet Thea’s eyes. “I was never the same after that, and neither was my mate. Within a year she ran into the forest herself, unable to bear the loss of our boy. My daughter became a beautiful, brilliant Cherubim, but I was a shade of the father I had once been to her. I waited until she no longer needed me before I left that life behind to become a working Dominion once more.”
Tears stung Thea’s eyes. So, tragedy happened in the Angel Realm too. Her voice was hoarse when she spoke, “Why are you telling me this?”
“Are you aware that when angels die we go to Heaven?”
“Yes.”
“While we are there, we exist in a very basic form, scattered as energy—free, unbound, and blissful, mingling and blending with the energy of others—until we make an agreement with the Creator to become form again. Sometimes, if the right components realign in a similar way as before, a being that once existed is recreated. Slightly different, but familiar.” He stood up, his eyes gripping Thea. “My son had chocolate brown hair and gray eyes. His name was Cassiel.”
Thea’s eyes widened, wonder and surprise blooming. Brown hair and gray eyes… like Cam. Cassiel... Camael.
“He learned faster than most others his age and he was stronger,” Asteroth repeated, slowly. “He was adventurous and loyal and dedicated. He figured things out quicker and became more accomplished. He felt love more passionately and intensely than the others, and he always vowed to protect those he loved, no matter what.”
Oh shit. Was he saying… Had Camael once been Asteroth’s son?
Asteroth paused, his eyes flicking away and then returning to Thea’s. “But he didn’t stick to the rules. He went his own way and did not fear danger or death or consequence.”
Thea’s eyes locked onto his and time seemed to fade away as they stared at each other. Asteroth broke their connection, turning slowly to the door.
“So, if you think carefully,” he said firmly, “you will be able to answer your questions on your own.”
He headed to the door and left, as the thudding in Thea’s head became louder.