Story of Kings

Chapter 19

Evelyn led the way through the underground sewers with Amelia silently following behind her, a dim light she had conjured in her upturned palm barely illuminating the corridor enough for them to see. Amelia could only barely tell where the wall was, the small light glistening off the damp walls of the underground enough but even so, Evelyn continued down the passages, turning down certain intersections and walking through others with confidence. The younger angel put her trust in the Valkyrie to know where she was going, she didn't have a choice anymore, but she wasn't bothered by it. She had been saved from the hell that was her life and Evelyn had borne an honesty in her bearing that had been undeniable to her.

As the two walked, Amelia couldn't help but to stare wide-eyed down the various dark passages, the paranoia and fear of her mind populating the darkness with the ancient monsters told to angelic children to glorify the god-kings. Was that what the red light had been for? The Valkyrie had said the lights were used to signal the presence of demons and despite the older angel's assurances, Amelia couldn't help but see their monstrous faces down the faded, dark passages. She also saw Archangel's Rahatiel's face, along with the faces of a few other angels. She quickly turned away and huddled closer to Evelyn as they walked.

Suddenly the smaller angel spoke up, catching Evelyn by surprise. "What's your name?"

Evelyn was dumbfounded for a moment before a hollow bubble of laughter escaped her, she couldn't believe that she had spirited away this girl and had never given the smaller angel her name. "My name is Evelyn," she said over her shoulder. "You really came with me without knowing my name?"

Evelyn saw the younger angel's face turn a bright shade of pink with the soft amount of light illuminating her. "I- I didn't realize. I was so excited to get out, and a lot was happening..." She said as she trailed off.

"Don't worry about it," Evelyn said, brushing it off as she let out another light laugh before faltering. She didn't really feel happy or that anything was funny, in truth the laughter was a forced way of trying to relieve the tension and stress that had been building over the past few days. "I'm sorry," Evelyn said suddenly, her tone reflecting her somber mood.

Amelia didn't respond right away, instead she followed along in silence. "What for?" She eventually said with an air of uncertainty.

Evelyn let out a sigh and shrugged. "I don't know. Your life's been hard and I feel like the wrong person to help you."

Before Evelyn could say anything more, Amelia brushed past her and came to block her path, a dead-set, stern expression on her normally innocent face. "No," she said with a tone that would brook no argument. "You are not the 'wrong person,' we were the only person. Ever since I got to the barracks with Archangel Rahatiel the only thing I ever prayed for was to be saved, to be taken away and to never return. To have a friend, to be cared about for something other than my healing, to be seen. Many of the other angels wouldn't look at me, even when I healed them, and no one cared for me the way you did, much less got me out. I don't care who you are or where we're going, or how long we've known each other, you're a good person and I don't care to be saved by someone else who never came."

Evelyn tugged the corners of her mouth into a small smile. "I know, I just-" she let out another sigh. "I know something of what you're going through, I'm a Valkyrie and I was treated with high expectations too, but when I compare myself to what little I know of you, I just don't see it, the gap between-"

Amelia cut her off. "I don't care," she said, putting her hands on the taller angel's shoulders with almost enough force to push her back. Her eyes drilled into Evelyn's. "You saved me, you did. I don't know what you're going through, whatever is happening with the person you're responsible for who was supposed to be at the barracks, but you don't have to do it alone. I'll be there for you as much as you're there for me, okay? I don't even care if you're using me, it's still better treatment than I've ever got."