Chapter 16 — Fates be Damned
Lucifer:
Michael, Lana and I do not waste a moment getting to Santorini. It’s deep into the night when we reach the city center. I look around the starless sky before taking my mate’s hand and leading her toward a nearby street. Santorini is a beautiful city. With its ancient visage and cobblestone streets, you can get lost in its historical vibe. We look around the dimly lit streets and search the shadows.
“Do you know where we are supposed to meet the fate?” Michael asks.
I shake my head, “No, we were only able to guess on her proximity.”
He arches a sardonic brow, “She can be anywhere, frère.”
I’m about to reply when suddenly all of the hair in my arms rises, and the air becomes electrified.
Lana stiffens beside me and tightens her hand around mine. “Do you feel that?”
Michael and I stand alertly as the air continues to crackle until a hazy form appears in front of us. Within a minute, we’re staring into a child’s ebony veneer. The child has long dark hair, a small frame and eyes the color of the ocean. She looks like she’s about a decade old, but the intensity of her eyes and the power radiating off her tells me that she’s not what she seems.
Her eyes traverse across us until they stop in front of Lana. “Abaddon, destroyer of all,” she looks at me, “Lucifer, king of hell,” then moves her gaze to Michael, “Michael, Archangel and protector of heaven. I am Clotho the Moirai, the Weaver of fates.”
Lana vows her head in deference, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Clotho. If my history serves me right, there are three of you.”
Clotho nods, “You speak of my sisters, Lachesis and Atropos. Unfortunately, my sisters have no desire to involve themselves in The Creator’s ventures. They are rightfully wary of The Creator’s punitive measures if he were to discover our interaction with you.”
My brow furrows, “But you’re not wary. Why is that?”
Clotho shrugs, “My fate is my own. Unlike my sisters, I have no illusions that The Creator’s benevolence will continue. Unlike my sisters, I refuse to sit back and let The Creator destroy us as he did our pantheon with impunity.”
I give her a conceding nod. “I understand your plight, Clotho. The Creator has been unfair to all of us in many ways.”
Her eerie gaze meets Lana's. “Your power is growing strong. Soon your sisters will awaken and reap the ultimate destruction.”
Lana flinches back, “What do you mean, my sisters? I only have one sister, and Bree would never try to destroy the world.”
Clotho arches a knowing brow as she approaches Lana. It’s a bit disconcerting to see such an adult look on a child’s face.
“I do not speak of your human sister. I speak of the three archangel females who were created with you.”
Everyone reels back with shock.
“There were no other archangel females,” Michael retorts. “Apolliana was the only female archangel.”
My heart pounds wildly in my chest, and my ears thrum as Clotho continues. “Oh, but there were three others, Michael, guardian of heaven. I was there when they were created. One with Apolliana and two others preceded her creation.”
Michael’s shocked expression turns to horror as he gazes back at me. I can tell that his thoughts are similar to mine. What are the odds that The Creator made four archangel females when there were four archangel generals who The Creator favored? Can it be possible?”
Lana shakes her head, “But I don’t remember other females.”
She looks at Michael then back at Lana, “The Creator soon realized his mistake. By creating you and the others, he created beings that could surpass his strength. He also realized that his generals’ loyalties would be divided if they had to choose between him and their mates, putting his heavenly rule in a precarious state. That’s why he sent the female souls to earth. Unfortunately, fate cannot be denied, and the souls of the separated mates were restored once Abaddon arose. Each sister holds a place in the destruction of all. You are the catharsis for the purification of the world,” she points to Lana. “…and your sisters will ride under your command. Once the seal was broken, the three rose: Death, War, and Pestilence.”
Lana’s brow furrows, “You speak of the four horsemen of the apocalypse? Are you saying my sisters are the horsemen? But they’re…men. Aren't they?”
Clotho nods, “You’re thinking of the human’s biblical terms. Of course, the humans would make them all males. Zeus forbid that females be just as vicious as males.” she rolls her eyes, which would be so amusing if the situation wasn’t so dire. “However, the basic concept of the horsemen is the same. You are Abaddon, the destroyer, the antichrist. Whatever religious moniker you are labeled leads to you being the ender of worlds. Once the balance was restored, your true identity and your sisters’ souls would be mobilized.”
“Are you saying that I have a mate out there, and The Creator kept her from me?” Michael falters at Clotho’s nod.
“He created a mate for each of you.”
“Then why did he let me stay in heaven?” Lana asks.
“Lucifer inadvertently thwarted The Creator’s plans when he fell and unbalanced the scales. This, in turn, weakened your angel and made you useless in The Creator’s schemes. Seeing that you were too weak, The Creator approached Atropos and asked what was needed to fulfill the apocalypse. Atropos told him the only way to do that would be to place you inside a human shell and send you to earth. My sister prophesied that once the scales Lucifer tipped, balanced, you’d come into your full powers, and the seals would be broken.”
Lana clings tightly to my arm, her eyes glistening with tears, “So The Creator planned to make me human and send me to earth all along?”
“Yes, he did. You are the pivotal figure to the end of all. Once Apolliana comes into full power, your sisters will serve by your side.”
Lana searches around the quiet night wildly. “Where are my sisters now?”
Clotho shakes her head, “Their souls are in human bodies for now. However, like you, they are experiencing their angelic souls awakening. But their roles will not come to pass until you become Apolliana.”
Lana looks confused. “Did my sisters also go mad as Apolliana did?”
Clotho angles her head thoughtfully, “No, your sisters have all lived, died and reincarnated as humans. They do not know who or what they are.”
“But what if we circumvent the prophecy?” I ask.
Clotho’s eyes become distant. “You cannot circumvent the prophecy. Only humanity shall be a sacrifice, if it were not in the blood of humanity, to turn the tide. However, if somehow you find a way, they will simply be confused about what they are until they meet their mates,” she waves a hand toward Michael. “You and your brothers will need to find your mates then.”
“What does that mean?” Michael asks.
Clotho takes a fortifying breath and glares at him as if he’s a simple child asking an idiotic question. “It means that you and your brothers have some very confused mates waiting for you to find them.” She states carefully.
Everyone’s shoulders slump.
“Where do I find my mate?” Michael asks.
“I cannot say,” she tells Michael. “The Creator made sure to hide them beyond our visions, and the future is no longer clear.”
Michael growls stiffly. I can see that he’s at the edge of his sanity. I can empathize, considering that The Creator kept Lana from me. It must be killing him to know that The Creator also betrayed him and the others.
“We have to tell Gabriel and Rafael,” I mutter. “If their mates are out there, they deserve to know.”
Michael gives me a wry nod. “Yes, we need to speak to them.”
Clotho nods carefully, “Though the future is unclear, I feel that by having your brothers by your side, you will be stronger.”
Lana gives her a grateful smile, “Thank you, Clotho. We really do appreciate the help.”
Clotho vows her head and disappears a moment later.
Once she disappears, I take her hand and flash us back to my throne room. Michael flashes beside us; his expression is still shellshocked.
“I have sisters,” Lana mutters.
Michael nods his head. “Je suis à perte.” I’m at a loss. “Le Créateur kept my mate from me. After what happened to Lana, I knew he could be cruel. But I never expected he would do this to me!” He thumps his fist against his chest and weaves his fingers through his hair. “I was loyal to him! I did everything he asked, and he took…” his voice falters and grows hoarse as he gazes into my eyes. “…he took you from me, and he took my mate!”
Lana stops next to him and wraps her arms around his waist comfortingly. Still seething with anger, Michael embraces her back. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Michael look so lost. The way he clings to Lana is like a child clinging to a parent.
“I don’t know how we’re going to tell Gabriel and Rafael. Are they still in heaven?”
Michael shakes his head. “Non, Gabriel and Rafael are on earth. I believe Gabriel is still one of The Creator’s enforcers. The last time that I saw him was in 1939; he was in Germany fighting Nazis. Rafael fell soon after I did. He came to me after he fell. He looked…haunted.” Michael frowns. “He was not the same joyeux jeune ange that we knew,” Joyous young angel. “He was angry and withdrawn but refused to tell me why he fell. He simply asked me to help him find an isolated place for him to live. I found him in a secluded cabin in Kinross, Scotland. I believe he still lives there.”
“Do you think he knew about The Creator’s deception?” I ask.
Michael shrugs. “I do not think so. He would have told me if that was the case. However, we can only speculate until we speak to him.”
Lana strides toward me and wraps her arms around my waist. “What do we do now?”
I hold her close and glance down at her weary frame. She looks exhausted. “Right now, we’re going to get some sleep. It has been a long evening, and you need to get some rest. We can reach out to our brothers tomorrow.”
Michael rubs the back of his head and nods, “I will see if I can find Gabriel’s location and call you once I find him.”
Once Michael leaves, I turn back to Lana. “Let’s go to bed, luv.”
Lana nods and follows me to the bedroom. By the distant expression on her face, I can tell that she’s still thinking about what we just learned.
As I’ve done since we came together, I strip her of her clothing and slide her into one of my shirts. Lana rests her head on my shoulder, still staring dazedly ahead. “You have to stop thinking about this, luv.”
She releases a heavy sigh, “I’m just…it’s all so crazy. I can’t believe that I have angelic sisters, and we’re the horsemen of the apocalypse. To be honest, I feel like I’m in a really bad horror movie, and I don’t know what to do about it.”
Leaning close, I kiss her temple and carefully reply, “Believe it or not, my life was surprisingly boring before I met you. I spent most of my days taking care of squabbles between factions and watching over the seven circles of hell.”
Lana quirks an amused brow and rises to rest her chin on my chest, “Wow, that’s so not what I expected the king of hell to say.”
I smirk, “Are you disappointed?”
She shakes her head, “Nope. I don’t think you can ever disappoint me, Lucifer.”
Our lips meld into a slow, passionate kiss. It’s a slow tasting as we come together. Our bodies unite, stroking and rocking until we find our release. Once we’ve both settled down, Lana falls asleep in my arms.