“Born again through the shade of heart,
the Angelcurse claims its start.
Seek the seven of ancient promise.
Blood of fate, spilled in sacrifice.
Strive, yield, unite,
Or follow the last’s lost fight.”
The proclamation crawled down my throat, taking root in my blood. Became one with my flesh…strive, yield, unite…until those words were all I knew, all I heard.
They pounded, consumed, became every facet of me. A shrieking command shuddered down my bones, its roar excruciating, my body seizing. Vaguely, I was aware of gripping my head. Of falling to the floor. Heat barreled through my body.
And as suddenly as Damien had transformed before me, it was over. I was left shuddering and sweating on the rug of my office. Angellight pierced my eyelids, dried the moisture beading on my skin.
“What thefuckwas that?”
“I’m sorry.” There was a faint hint of genuine emotion in that apology, but not enough. “Unite them.”
“What?” I choked out, vision blurred.
“Only you can know—” His words were strained. “Fate will fight back?—”
A command. There were legends about these things. Back when the Angels roamed Gallantia, before they’d even officially beenAngels, an explicit command—threat—from a being with their level of power was lethal. If it was broken…it killed its target.
There was a pained intake of breath, one that said so much more than his words ever could—and the light faded.
Damien vanished, voice echoing in my ears. As I stumbled to my feet, another night came back to me: the last time I’d visited my clearing and found the spear waiting for me.
“Fucking Damien,” I breathed, staggering to the side table to pour a glass of water. Fingers curling around the wood, my shoulders rounded, the weight of Gallantia weighing on me.Follow the last’s lost fight.
Annellius. It had to be about him. There was lore that he’d been given a task; my father said it himself. Whatever it was—whatever he failed—was left to me.
Seek the seven. Unite them.
Only you can know?—
Fucking Spirits, I was done with the secrets. I’d promised no more lies after the Undertaking. Forgiveness and trust, those were the pillarsof who I was trying to be moving forward, and for the most part, I’d stuck to them.
But those were regarding secrets about myself. If I went against a command from an Angel and shared this prophecy, the repercussions could take the lives ofothers.
Fate will fight back. My stomach clenched.
I couldn’t let anyone else suffer fate’s wrath. And that meant that no matter how much I wanted to tell them, I couldn’t.
One lingering pulse of heat flared through me—familiar. The same as that broken piece of Angelborn, burning like the prophecy’s power. Was it connected?
“Spirits of all hells,” I cursed, wandering to the window.
Damien’s last words haunted me.I’m sorry.
Whatever this Angelcurse was, it was dangerous. The shaking tenor of the ancient prime’s voice grating against my bones confirmed as much.
And it was intended for me.
“Why didyou ask me to leave?” Malakai’s voice was heavy—with accusation or hurt, I couldn’t tell. My head still swam.
