I'm extremely thankful to my editor, Jason Moore for his invaluable input –without which I wouldn't be a better writer. And thank you to my readers, for those who've commented and sent me feedback. I really appreciate them.
***
Aria had successfully made her way down to the main lobby and was already out of the building when she felt a pat on her shoulder.
Impossible! She was under Illusion; invisible!
She was about to turn around when she was suddenly plunged into complete darkness as though a blanket had been thrown over her eyes.
Aria might not be able to see but she could still hear and vaguely feel strong hands around her waist, carrying her –first on foot, and then on...
Wings!
The flapping of strong powerful wings –not Metal –but something softer; wisps of silk in the air. Someone was carrying her and since her experience with flying had not always been pleasant; she kept completely still, afraid that her captor would dump her from a height if she so much as sneezed.
They flew in silence; the only sounds their slow breathing and her pounding heartbeat. She was pressed closed to his chest and yet all she could hear or feel was an endless void beneath the cool and smooth skin of her captor.
At least she knew it was a male angel –or she hoped it was. Not that she had anything against female angels but being pressed to another female's chest was not her desired mode of flight –especially one that seemed to take hours with no actual destination in sight.
It made matters worst that she couldn't tell which direction they were flying in for the Angel was straddling layers of atmosphere that was constantly cold and devoid of much oxygen. That much she could tell because she was having difficulty breathing –as though the Angel hovered between life and death –any higher, and she would suffocate.
It was official. Aria hated Angel flight.
All she wanted was to return home and that thought alone made her want to scream and jump off her captor's arms.
Not a good idea.
He seemed to sense her intentions for he gripped her even tighter, cloaking her in an even darker cloak of blindness –if that was even possible.
Aria was about to lose track of time when she finally felt him begin to descend... at a very controlled speed until he landed on a firm, flat surface.
"Where are we?" she asked, now that they were on land. Struggling against his grip she tried to escape but her captor's hands held her firmly for a few more seconds before he threw her down on the ground. Aria could smell the earth around her and feel the grainy soil beneath her palm. Where the hell was she?
"You will stay here until the Cardinal arrives." So he speaks! But the question begging to be answered...which Cardinal was he referring to?
Aria faintly heard him leaving but the Darkness was still obscuring her vision. Aria crawled to what she sensed was the corner of her... room? Cell? Torture chamber? Curling her knees up to her chest, she began to rock herself back and forth, hoping to calm herself down –for what it was worth.
***
"What's this?" asked Iluna when her Ordinal walked in carrying a roll of parchment.
"It's a letter Cardinal. A messenger Angel sent it not too long ago from Archangel Yuki."
Iluna did not say anything; her eyes wandering over the ghostly shape of her second in command. Andhera, a Dark Angel of pre-Cardinal level, had always been an excellent substitute for Iluna whenever she wished to have a body double.
Though Andhera's wings were stripes of black and white; her body and facial structure bore striking resemblance to Iluna herself; such that many have mistaken one for the other.
"Read it to me," said Iluna. That was what a body double was for right? Yuki was known to send poison in her letters, turning her enemies' blood into ice and essentially killing them from within. If anyone had to die, it shouldn't be Iluna.
"Yes Cardinal." Andhera began to read out the words on the parchment.
Iluna listened as she thought about how old-fashioned Yuki was; sending scrolls like this. What? Has Japan no internet?
"The Snow-Water Archangel of Asia extends her greetings to the lovely and fair Queen of Darkness, in hopes that she is willing to accept this offer of friendship and alliance. Terrible times are approaching –your northern threat should be annihilated as soon as possible. Let the world shudder once more at the might and strength of history's most fearsome Ice and Dark ages." Andhera paused to look up at her Cardinal.
Iluna was laughing and clapping her hands in glee. "Oh! What has brought that bitch to such desperation? Did Zilarrezko turn her down as well? Surely
she
didn't think she was ever good enough for him?"
"Shall I continue Cardinal?"
"Yes, yes please do. Ice and Dark ages? Please!"
Andhera nodded and continued to read, "It has come to my attention that the Archangel of North America is harboring a Cardinal leveled Water-Angel. My suspicions are that he plans to use her to annihilate both our clans and take our lands. We must not let this happen!"
Iluna raised her hand to stop Andhera from reading. "Did... did she say
her
? Who is this Water Angel?!" Iluna was on her feet; pacing about as she muttered curses. "Water Angels... Water Angels! There are no more Water Angels in this world! No... that Yuki is up to something... She's lying. She's lying isn't she Andhera?!"
Andhera raised her eyes humbly to meet Iluna's own gaze but did not say anything. It was not her place to tell her Cardinal what is true and what is not.
"Read on!" Iluna was hysterical now as she continued her pacing.
"If you accept this alliance, I urge you to prepare your troops and attack at the next full moon when your strength is doubled. I will send reinforcements south from Antarctica into Chile and Argentina to be at your disposal. My own troops will invade from Alaska and move south to the heart of Zilarrezko's territory. Do not take my warning lightly Iluna. If you are not with me, you are against me."
Andhera folded the parchment gently and looked up to her Cardinal.
"What! Is that it?" screamed Iluna. "Does she think me her toy?"
Andhera lowered herself to her knees. "If I may so speak Cardinal."
Iluna grunted in response.
"Asia is too big a land for us to go against successfully, Cardinal. After Archangel Cyrus, our territory is the smallest. If Archangel Yuki promises us a share of the North American territories, I advise you to accept her offer."
"But I hate her!"
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend Cardinal."
"She is no friend of mine Andhera and don't mistaken her gentleness for weakness. I'm telling you that she has more up her sleeve than she's willing to say right now. I have no doubt that she wouldn't hesitate to cut off my wings the instant I turn my back to her. Is that what you want?"
Andhera bowed low. "Then I shall take your place during this war."
This time Iluna laughed; hysteria echoing through her halls. "You may be enough to fool the Humans... but Yuki is a Cardinal. She can scent your deception from far and you won't last a second in her presence."
Turning to her other Ordinals, Iluna demanded, "What do the rest of you have to say?"
The other two Dark Ordinals got to their knees before speaking. "There are no more Water Angels in this world Cardinal. She may be using this as a trick to lure us into battle."
The other Ordinal concurred, "She might be planning to weaken us before turning against us when our defenses are down."
