The Mark of Love & War [HOLD]

Chapter 17 - Fire Burns

The beautiful man wasn't dressed in his robes like I'd seen before; now he was only wearing a pair of light grey pants. His mark curled over his shoulder in an intricate way. His bronze hair was still pulled back and still in a bun. 

"I thought you said two days?" I said as I approached him.

"I stayed an extra day at The Stronghold, Lonsa. It has been three days in the other world. You need to remember time passes slower here but faster in the other worlds."

The reality of time only worried me more. Three days in the other world? That must be a good week on earth...

I extracted my wings into my back and sighed. "I forgot about time."

"I know," His arm rested on my shoulders. "Shall we walk?"

"Are you going to lecture me again?"

"Only because I feel you need it."

"Why do I need it?"

"It seems a certain friend has been playing on your mind."

The smile slowly disappeared from my face. I leaned more into Cassiel as we walked and frowned. "I hate that you know everything."

"You never liked that." He laughed. "Now, it seems Cameron has... Confused you?"

"Do you really want to know about my long winded love life?"

"It has been many centuries since I've heard of it and I would love to be caught up."

I explained briefly what happened with Cameron last night and what he'd shown me of my first ever reincarnated life. Cassiel was shocked Cameron had remembered that life when The Elders had erased it from our minds long ago. But after explaining that after I saved his life his memory had returned he understood.

"Well," Cassiel started after I'd finished explaining. "How do you feel?"

I stared at him in disbelief and stopped walking. "Is that all you've got?!"

"My darling, I cannot force you not to fall in love with Cameron and I cannot force you to fall out of love with Gabriel."

"I don't love Cameron."

His brow rose.

"I don't!" I stressed moving from his hold. "I don't love him."

"The only thing I can say in this situation is that you've known Cameron a lot longer than Gabriel. You fell for Gabriel almost as soon as you met him and you cannot deny it. Cameron however, you've grown to love him over time. Gabriel loves you unconditionally. Cameron loves you eternally. I could go on but it is up to you. Test the waters."

My eyes widened and I shook my head briskly. "You want me to test the waters? With Cam?"

Cassiel held his hands above his head in surrender. "It is all I can suggest. Gabriel is a good friend of mine and so is Cameron. I cannot vouch for either. There is a war out there and there is a war here. There is fire in your soul and there is fire in both Cameron and Gabriel. You," His hands cupped my cheeks just as they did at his Ball. "You need to decide who that fire burns for."

And there it was. The truth and reality laid out right in front of me. 

"Don't be afraid. Embrace your feelings for them both, it's the only way for you to decide who you want."

"I can't hurt them. I've hurt Gabriel enough. I've come here to free him and here I am, ready to 'test the waters'."

Cassiel sent me a heart warming smile before pecking my forehead. "You're hurting one or the other either way."