Phantom Pain (trilogy)

Lost Family

Chapter 37: Lost Family

The first thing I did was deliver the bad news to Kera, an altogether unpleasant experience. Didn't she know not to kill the messenger?

The second thing I did served no purpose, though I could not stop myself. I returned to St. Micheal's or, at least, to the building across the flooded street.

The storm was dissipating. I could feel it. If I did not leave soon, I doubted I would be able to travel through the shadows in the sun. If I missed the window I would have to return through the fissure. Which, with perfect strategic placement, had opened across the floor of the great lake Erie. Winged angels stood no chance against tons of dark water.

As I sat, watching, I drew my light within myself, in case Ambriel was searching. I could feel Gavyn inside. He was more distinct to me than the others. Light rain fell on my face, and I payed it no attention. Refugees left in streams. There were government boats, and officials. The whole thing was much more official than it had been in the first storm. Humans were intelligent, they learned, they adapted.

I did not know how long I sat there, but it was still raining when I saw them. Dez and Lucas walked around the side of the building, hoods pulled up against what remained of the storm. I knew it was them, both of their essences unique. They were leaving, alone, without Gavyn. I watched in shock as they hopped into one of the departing boats. Soon after the specialists began to appear, waiting near the doors with a few of the Guardians. They were definitely waiting for something.

I could feel my brothers—Ambriel. And was that...? The doors flew open and three figures stepped out into my field of view. Gavyn was one of them, and even at this distance I could feel his sadness. He looked smaller than I remembered him, especially beside the two beings that accompanied him. Ambriel stood tall, and guilt clawed at me as I looked at her. At her side was a warrior angel, wings all blood and coal. It was Camael. I shrunk back, skittering back from the edge of the building. She must have been masking her light as well.

What did this mean? I knew I had to leave. I knew how much danger I was in just being here, but I could not force myself to abandon this mystery. They were speaking though I could not make out what they were saying.

Ambriel embraced Gavyn, and I could not help the mixture of sadness and joy that I began to feel. They were all together, all of them but me. The two angels took to the air, shooting off into the storm, and I heaved a sigh of relief. They would not have expected to find me here, and my light must have been muted slightly, after travelling through the shadows.

Gavyn was with the specialists now. He did not know them, and I wondered what he intended to do. Watching them then, I wanted nothing more than to join them, then to beg Gavyn and Dez to forgive me once more. They had last time, despite how little I'd deserved it. But I believed in what I was doing. I wouldn't have betrayed them in the first place if I hadn't.

As the group moved towards a boat, I could feel it slipping away: my human family. I'd lost the one I had in heaven, and now the one on earth as well. It felt as if the light inside me was shrinking, being compressed into a ball in the centre, leaving the rest of me cold.

I missed them. I missed Gavyn in the same way that I had been missing my winged brothers, and I began to shake a little.

He looked up. Gavyn looked directly at me. It was like he'd known I was there. He stared at me, though we were so far away I knew his human eyes would be unable to make out features on my face. He was saying something—he knew it was me—never turning away as he spoke. I didn't have a choice. As painful as it was, I tore myself away from the scene below.

A thick bank of cloud still hung over me, and the roof was in deep shadow. There were yells, from below. Looking back at Gavyn one more time, I dove through the shadows. I dove into Hell.

To be continued in book three...