The Age of Aquarius

Chapter twenty five

A buzz like static had started spreading between Bonnie's shoulder blades. She did not know if it was because Kimaris' voice was filled with a gentle caress that she had never heard before, or if it was the air between them that had brought the feeling. But it made her chin rise, and her back straighten.

"You must have loved her a lot."

She waited for him to scoff or clam up at her words, but he didn't. The tender smile only grew as he shook his head and stood to his feet, surveying their work.

"I did," he confessed after a moment of silence before squatting back down beside the pyre and bringing a match to it. He whispered something under his breath, words that she knew were not english, and it lit up in a blink, the roaring flames as tall as she was. "I loved her but so did everyone, it was just she that could not love. That was the downfall of Sofia."

Suddenly the smoke was making her choke and the heavy air became ten times stronger, telling her to collapse to the ground in a panic. It took everything she had to make her legs lock and remain standing.

"That's perfect, great job guys" Gremory complimented as he walked over to the pair, eyes following the huge tower of fire in front of them. "Not that we're going to need it."

"What's it for?" Bonnie asked, clearing her throat when her voice cracked on each syllable. Kimaris' eyes darted to her from their corner and she tried to make her lips relax into a curious expression instead of panic.

"It's just a precaution incase it's not Amdusias that comes out of the Abyss."

Bonnie's face must have turned into a mask of horror, but by which part she didn't know. All she knew was that Gremory had quickly turned around and stopped speaking while Kimaris placed a gentle hand onto her shoulder.

"Don't let that worry you," he said, brows flattened with purpose. "The chances of that happening are beyond miniscule, I'm just preparing for the worst."

"And what's the worst?" Bonnie replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Well," Kimaris began, his eyes following the landscape across to the large mound at the other end of the field. "I suppose the worst would be if we open a connection and instead of Amdusias, someones legions come through, or another daemon that has been waiting for an opportunity for this specific sight to be opened."

She didn't need to ask what the legions would be, she ahd the haunted memories, the chill that fell across her skin when that first demon appeared.

"But if that happens we have this." His smooth voice turns her from the daunting view and back to the tower of flames beside them. "If legions are coming the sky will tell us, that darkness that I'm sure you remember will grow and that's why we made this. Even if that happens these flames won't go out, so you look for them, you run here, and you go into the haven. Nothing can get you in there. We'll make sure you're safe."

There was a calmness in her chest, a safety in his words. And as his hand squeezed hers, she only felt it grow. He had made this for her.

In the warm glow of the fire his eyes were not the flat grey, but that dazzling silver that made her feel as though she could look into the sky full of stars. Her heart pounded.

She should tell him. Even if it meant nothing she should tell him.

"Kimaris I–"

"It's okay," he interrupted, "We'll be fine, there's nothing us daemons can't handle."

The words died, and she didn't try to bring them back. There was no need. It wasn't important right now, she'd tell them later. Once they had done this.