"They're tools," he corrected as he finally released her wrist. She was giddy when he kept his other arm around herwaist. "Left by your ancestors to help their descendants remember the old ways."
The box chose that moment to click open. Inside lay a medallion that seemed to be made of frozen twilight. The metal was neither gold nor silver. It was something that existed between states of matter.
"The Twilight Key," Camael breathed, recognition flaring in his ancient eyes. "I thought it was lost during the First War."
"Let me guess. This is another family heirloom that could reshape reality?" Amelia reached for the medallion but stopped just short of touching it. The power radiating from it made her magical core hum like a tuning fork.
"It's mentioned in the oldest texts. It was a tool forged by the First Weavers to help maintain the balance between realms." He shifted restlessly, stirring dust motes in the afternoon light. "It was supposedly destroyed when Lucifer fell."
"Looks pretty intact to me." She finally gathered her courage and picked up the medallion. Power surged through her the instant her fingers touched its surface. It was different from the crystal's awakening energy. This was pure potential, waiting to be shaped by her will.
Images flashed through her mind of Lucifer gathering ancient artifacts and preparing rituals that would tear holes in the veil. She saw creatures stirring in the depths between worlds. They were drawn by the corruption he was spreading. And she saw how her newfound powers could stop him.
"In addition to waking the Oldest Ones," she gasped as the vision faded. "Lucifer is trying to corrupt the original power itself. He wants to turn it dark before light and shadow can find balance again."
“That’s not surprising. We all should have assumed that,” Camael replied before saying something in Enochian. "Show me."
Without hesitation, Amelia reached up and pressed the medallion to his chest, right over his heart. The contact sent power surging between them like a live wire. His wings flared as wide as they could in the cramped attic. The artifact showed him what it had allowed her to see. His ice-blue eyes began glowing with celestial fire.
"Son of a bitch," he growled. The words carried enough raw fury to make the windows rattle. He looked ready to go nuclear. Given what they'd just seen, Amelia couldn't blame him. "That arrogant piece of shit is playing with forces that could unmake everything. Not just Earth or Heaven - everything."
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Amelia turned back to the trunk and reached for the ancient book. Its cover was warm under her fingers. "Time to see what other surprises my ancestors left behind."
"We should get these back to the mansion," Camael interjected as he started gathering the artifacts. "My wards will help protect them while you learn to use them."
"Your wards plus mine." Amelia gathered the crystal, which hummed in her grip like a happy cat. The thing practically purred as she wrapped it in layers of protective magic. "Something tells me we're going to need all the protection we can get."
"We take them straight back," Camael ordered as he moved with that lethal grace of his. "No stops."
Amelia hurried to catch up. He was out the front door by the time she got downstairs. Securing the attic was just as important as getting out of there. She had no idea what else was up there.
The drive back was a special kind of torture. Being trapped in that muscle car with an archangel was not exactly a relaxing Sunday cruise. Every intersection had Amelia's heart in her throat. She expected demon attacks or worse.The artifacts were broadcasting their presence on all magical frequencies. It was like having a supernatural neon sign saying ‘come and get it’.
Camael handled the Challenger like he'd been born behind its wheel. He took corners fast enough to make her grateful for the seat belt. His massive hands gripped the steering wheel tight enough to leave impressions. All the while, those ice-blue eyes of his didn't stop scanning for threats. The male was in full warrior mode, ready to unleash violence on anything that looked at them wrong.
The mansion's gates opened automatically as they approached. Rami met them at the door. He took one look at their cargo and cursed. "I'll alert the others," he said as he reached for his phone. "Get those things behind our strongest wards before every supernatural nasty in the city comes knocking."
Once they were safely behind the mansion's reinforced walls, the real work began. The next few hours were a crash course in powers that would have made Harvard's magical theory department weep with envy. Camael guided her through exercises in control while she explored her expanding abilities. The archangel was a surprisingly patient teacher. Even when her attempts at channeling pure energy nearly set the curtains on fire.
"Again," he instructed after she failed to properly merge light and shadow for the tenth time. "You're still treating them as separate forces. They're two halves of the same whole."
"Easy for you to say." Sweat beaded on her forehead as she gathered power once more. The artifacts arrayed on the massive dining room table pulsed in time with her efforts. "You've had millennia to figure this stuff out."
His hands settled on her shoulders from behind while the other angels stood around watching. They were there to helpCamael keep a lid on her practice. No one wanted the mansion to blow up.
"Stop thinking so much," Camael suggested. “Feel the connection. Find the balance point where twilight exists."
Amelia leaned back against that massive chest of his, letting his power flow into her like divine lightning. The instant she stopped fighting it, everything clicked. Light and shadow wrapped around her hands. They danced together like they'd never been apart.
"That's it," Camael growled. His voice vibrated through her body like a bass line. The male's power was everywhere. It steadied her as she worked magic that shouldn't exist.
The dagger called to her from the table. Its quicksilver runes practically begged to be used. When she wrapped her fingers around the hilt, a curse flew from her lips. It turned out this wasn't just some pretty letter opener. The weapon could cut windows in any veil. That would be bad in Lucifer's hands.
Taking a deep breath that did nothing to steady her nerves. She channeled both energies through the blade. Reality split open like wet paper and showed them exactly what they didn't want to see. Lucifer's corruption was spreading through the city faster than gossip at a church social.
"You're getting better at this," Camael observed as she let the window close. His ice-blue eyes were fixed on where the tear had been. He looked ready to go to war.
Doubt hit her harder than a demon's sucker punch as she looked at the artifacts scattered across the table. "What if-" she started. Camael was there before she could finish that sentence and spiral out of control.
