122

Amelie

I feel the moment my dear Galina awakens, her considerable power unfurling from her and reaching across the many oceans and realms between us to reassure me. I had worried that counting on Seraphiel to protect her from Therian was a mistake, and while I still can't be certain that he ensured her ultimate safety and sanity, the very fact that she was able to awaken to her full potential goes a long way to assuaging my fears.

Soon, I will be able to see my precious girl again, but until then, I have work to do. I flip my hair over my shoulder and march out of my room, adding a seductive sway to my hips and a bland smile to my face.

"Amelie, dear, there you are. The Master sent me to fetch you."

"You're being sent on errands now, Lucille?"

"Sometimes even one as amazing as myself falls from favor."

"Of course. And is the Master in a... favorable... mood?"

"Well, he was, but with that wave of power I just felt, I can't say what his mood will be when you arrive."

"Naturally. And should I find you when I'm finished, or will you be otherwise occupied tonight?"

"I've been assigned to check on the humans. Master believes that my previous affiliation with them will behoove us."

"Then I wish you luck, sister."

She dips her head and glides down the hall as I move in the opposite direction, navigating the labyrinthine maze that is Solomon's Keep. Of course, Solomon himself doesn't reside here, but one of his top generals does. In the time I've been here, I've managed to discover that Solomon isn't really behind everything, though he's close to the top. They want everyone to believe that he's behind this, that he's the ultimate evil being faced, but there's someone, or something, older and stronger pulling even his strings.

Lucille and I have been working together for close to twenty years now, her having joined me after 'betraying' the rebellion in a brilliant plot hatched by herself and her husband, Anthony McKnight. It took some time for her to maneuver her way into Solomon and Ezekiel's good graces, but once she made it there, she became indispensable to them, trickling information out in an untraceable manner to help better position those seeking to foil the destructive plots.

I've been here longer, of course, having 'defected' from Seraphiel when it seemed that he was getting too soft, at least that's the story we came up with. It hurt me to leave without warning Bilgames of what I was doing, but there wasn't time to wait for my illusive, time-challenged husband to come around when the opportunity to join Ezekiel's army presented itself.

While many within our ranks believe Bilgames to be the leader of the movement against the darkness, that's not strictly true. He's one of many who saw the issue and chose to stand against it. Not the leader, but the catalyst that gained traction within the divine to convince deities that leaving Solomon and others to their toiling was a poor decision for everyone.

Everything would work better if he was actually leading us, but he's always been a fickle man, flitting in and out of contact with people as his whims change. He has the best of intentions, but Bilgames is, as is the case with many of the longer lived immortals and deities, an easily distractible man. Andreas has taken over much of the organizing and tracking, assembling a guard of sorts to handle things when he can't.

Many of our ranks have spent much of their time deep undercover, playing both sides of the aisle. The deception is so severe, that I can't help but wonder how many have ultimately defected, no longer using their place to gain information but actually succumbing to the insidious darkness that seeks to destroy us all.

I stop before the door to Ezekiel's chamber, shaking the morbid thoughts from my head and pasting that vapid smile back on my face before knocking.

"My Lord. Lucille said you requested my presence."

He glances up from his desk and grunts at me, waving towards the chair across from him. I obediently take the seat, inspecting my nails as I wait for him to address me. I don't have to wait long.

"Solomon needs you to return to life."

"Please elaborate."

"Your daughter has joined the chain, and we can't be certain that Therian's efforts paid off. We need you to return and ensure that the infection takes."

"How would I do such a thing? You know how suspicious that pesky prince is."

"You will escape from the hoard, and make your way, desperate and broken, to the prince's estate, where you will be joined by some of our allies on the inside to plant the seed needed to drain them."

"And you believe that my miraculous survival will not draw suspicion?"

"I'm certain it will, but just play the victim. You were captured, when your daughter's power merged with her circle, it created a distraction that allowed you to escape. You followed the trail of power, some of my minions hot on your heels, to her doorstep. You'll be broken and bruised, just like she was when they found her, and they'll be so worried about you that they won't even question it."

"I find it difficult to believe that they would fall for such a simple plan."

"Simple women lead the chain, they're bleeding hearts, you'll be fine."

"If you insist. Who is my contact on the inside?"

"There are a few, but Talon will be your main point of interest, he's one of Alistair's younger siblings."

"The madman who can't keep his proclivities hidden long enough to complete a simple mission?"

Ezekiel winces and rubs his eyebrow, clearly exhausted with all of the preparations necessary for whatever grand plot his master has going.

"He's the only one I can risk, Amelie. The others are too precariously placed to risk."

"Do we have a contingency plan, if I'm unable to complete the mission?"

"Just stay close if you can't plant the seed, play the concerned mother. I know you never wanted to have spawn, but it was necessary, Amelie, please."

I stand from my seat and cross to lean against the desk before him, bending my head until our lips are just a breath apart.

"I know, Ezekiel. You're doing your best, and I appreciate all that you do for me. I'll go play mommy for the little Demi, and when we win this war, you'll give me all that I am owed."

His breath comes in gasps as I crash our lips together, channeling my younger self, the Amelie who was helplessly in love with the ancient angel. Ezekiel was my first love, and while the darkness in him has since turned my affections, the fact that he remains infatuated with me was too good of an opportunity to not use.

I pull back and smirk, kissing his rough cheek and gently placing his hands down while I make my way from the room. He groans and runs another hand down his face, watching me with haunted eyes as I make my way from the room to do as I'm bid.