Chapter Four
CAM
Cam clenched his fists and paced in his cell as he waited for someone to come.
Whatever the fuck they were doing to Thea, he felt it. Her anger, despair, and disgust pierced his connection to the Stream and yanked him out. The rawness of her emotions forced him to shift into his angel-form, which caused the energy that was supposed to prevent him from using his Power ability to disperse and linger around the outer edges of the cell. Soon the jagged potency of her emotions faded into a mellow discontent, but it didn’t make him feel any better. After a while, she quietened and her feelings changed. Her attention was… on him. In a good way—a pleasurable way. His angel-form preened, and he tried to stay focused. He kept feeling for her, trying to determine what was going on but her feelings soon faded out of reach. He exhaled harshly. She needed him. Her angel-form was calling for him, he was sure of it.
He continued pacing, his mind on Thea, wondering what happened. Surely they didn’t have her back out on assignments? But then, he had no idea how much time had passed since he saw Zak. Time seemed to stand still while in the cell, even while connected to the Stream. He desperately hoped she wasn’t hurt. He roared, releasing his pent-up frustration. It was his own fault he wasn’t with her.
Eventually, the door to his cell opened and Zak stepped in, watching him closely.
“What’s happened to her?” Cam growled, every muscle in his body tense. “Tell me she’s okay.”
“She’s okay,” Zak said.
Cam relaxed a tiny amount. “What happened?”
“The Dominion League told her that her mother is a demon living in the Demon Realm. They wanted Thea to lure her out.”
“Are they crazy?” Cam asked, incredulous. “They thought that wouldn’t affect her? She’s not a Power!”
“They tried to—”
“Don’t defend them, Zak!” Cam bellowed. “You’re always defending them and their shit choices. How could they think it was a good idea to—”
“I’m not defending them, Cam,” Zak interrupted, his hazel eyes blazing. “I agree with you. They’ve treated her poorly—I told them as much.”
Cam turned in thought and continued to pace slowly, somewhat calmer. “What’s happening now?”
“She’s been in her quarters for the past two weeks since that meeting. She’s only left every two days to call her friend but that’s all.” Zak paused. “Her mood is low, Cam. She barely talks, hardly eats, and I don’t think she’s sleeping well.”
Cam nodded. “That’s how she was before when we were searching for her mother.”
“No. This is different. Her mood is… different. I can’t explain it.”
Cam exhaled in annoyance. “What is her healer doing about it?”
“It’s not a physical issue, it’s an emotional or psychological one. He’s trained to heal angels, not Nephilim—there’s only so much he can help her.”
“Fuck!” Cam exclaimed. “You need to do something.”
“I am,” Zak replied. “I’m trying to get you out of here.”
Cam slowed to a stop, realizing Zak had come to see him in his cell instead of in an interview room. And he hadn’t moved from the door.
“How are you here, Zak?” he asked, suspicion coiling in him.
“The Thrones asked me to come in to see you,” Zak said, shifting on his feet. “They’re concerned that you have somehow disabled the Power-proof energy that should be keeping you restrained.”
“So they sent you in here in case I was in a murderous mood?” Cam said, laughing bitterly.
“They thought I could calm you.”
Cam didn’t respond. They weren’t wrong; he did feel calmer.
“How have you done it?” Zak asked.
“Thea. Her distress…” Cam took a moment to organize his thoughts. “I felt her distress while I was connected to the Stream. She was calling for me and the feeling of it pulled me out and made me shift. I didn’t do it on purpose.”
To his surprise, Zak grinned.
“Is that… good?” Cam asked confused.
“Yes,” Zak said. He glanced to one of the walls in the cell; they were all mirrors. “It means your connection with Thea is more powerful than the Thrones expected. Your Fall would be detrimental to her. If they decided to inflict that sentence, it would affect her as if you were mated. It is also further proof that she is your natural mate. I have already been petitioning them to release you on these grounds and this helps your case.”
“I don’t care about all that,” Cam said, irritably. “I just want Thea to be okay. I need her to be okay.”
“She’s only going to be okay with you, Cam,” Zak said.
“But how long will it take before I get out of here, Zak? She’ll be alone all that time.”
Zak watched him. “Actually, the Dominion League wanted to pair her with Elyon for the assignment.”
“What?” A hot anger burst within him and his angel-form bristled. “You better be fucking joking.”
A ghost of a smile played on Zak’s lips.
“You think this is fucking funny?” Cam snarled. “I don’t want him anywhere near her!”
Zak turned to the same mirrored wall, an eyebrow raised.
Before Cam could say anything, the door opened again, and Adonai stepped in, looking annoyed.
“You are antagonizing him,” he said to Zak, disapprovingly.
“I’m making a point,” Zak responded curtly.
“Your point is moot,” the Throne snapped. “His fate is already decided.”
“The Dominion League are petitioning you,” Zak thundered back.
Adonai scowled. “It is a minor inconvenience.”
“I will go to the Seraphim if I have to,” Zak said, hotly. “You cannot ignore all of the raw evidence in front of you. You could be accused of Envy.”
Adonai’s face twisted with fury. He glanced at Cam, his mouth tightening. “Get him out of his angel-form,” he growled at Zak, “or I will be forced to keep him in an unconscious state.” Without another word, he left.
Cam crossed his arms, a morbid amusement bubbling up in him. Whether or not Zak’s plan to get him out worked or not, at least he was pissing off Adonai. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“The Thrones have decided that your sentence is to Fall, however the Dominion League are petitioning for you to be released in order to assist Thea with the assignment of luring her mother out of the Demon Realm.”
Cam’s eyes widened. “They can do that?”
“If they can provide enough evidence, yes. The fact you are still possessive over Thea, even though you’ve lost your rage and are connecting to the Stream, absolves you from some of the behavior you displayed before.”
Cam grunted. “But helping Thea would only be temporary?”
Zak shrugged. “Yes, but by now everyone can see that your Fall will negatively affect Thea. We can make that case while you’re on the assignment—my original petition still stands.”
Cam lowered his head in thought. “Why is Thea’s mother so important to the League? They seem to be fascinated with her. They’re going through a lot of trouble to get access to her.”
“I know,” Zak said, tightly. “I don’t know the reason, and in all honesty, it’s not the most important thing right now.”
Cam nodded, breathing out slowly. He felt oddly relieved. “Thank you, Zak.”
“Don’t thank me yet,” Zak said darkly. “Thea is still suffering. The sooner you’re released the better.”
“Does she know any of this?”
“I’ve told her, but I’m not sure what she hears,” Zak admitted. “She’s so dejected; I don’t feel like she’s listening sometimes.”
Cam’s mood descended as he thought about Thea all alone, upset, and miserable.
“Cam,” Zak said, quietly. “I need you to shift.”
Cam growled and turned away.
“I know you feel more connected to her in your angel-form, Cam,” Zak said. “But you need to stay restrained. Any trouble you cause won’t help us and she can’t feel you anyway.”
Cam exhaled harshly. “She used to be able to,” he muttered.
Zak didn’t bother to answer.
With an annoyed groan, he shifted back into his normal form. The energy in the cell scooped him back up into position and held him firm.
“Be patient, Cam,” Zak said softly, before making his way out.