Kahssiel choked on a dry chuckle. He rolled onto his back and his body shivered as he bled out. Yet he laughed and laughed, the crazed sound filling the stunned silence.
“What is so amusing?” Raziel demanded.
“You never defeated me,” he murmured, looking up at the gray skies. “You merely assured that I would return to finish what I started.”
They all stared at him in stunned silence. Dyna’s heart pounded wildly.
“My soul is now mortal, but not truly human and no longer a Seraph. It will belong nowhere. I will go toGehenom, but you forgot one thing.” Kahssiel met his eyes and smiled. “Lost souls are always reincarnated.”
All the color drained from Raziel’s face, his eyes growing wide as he realized what he had done. “You wanted this…”
“You have my gratitude. As my thanks, I curse you with a long life. You will live to see my return, Raziel. Perhaps you shall sire your own demise.”
Raziel’s roar of fury filled the field. Kahssiel’s laughter mocked him, because they both knew only one of them had truly won.
Tears filled Kahssiel’s eyes as he continued laughing. The sun rose on the horizon and fell over theHyalustree. The translucent leaves rattled gently, gleaming like stars of gold.
Enraged, Raziel shoved off the guards and wrenched out his sword.
Dyna covered her mouth, her vision blurring as the burning blade lifted above Kahssiel’s neck. She reached out to him desperately, wishing she could stop it.
His dried lips parted with a soft exhale as he gazed at the beautiful sunrise. Tears rolled down his temples. He whispered his last words into the wind, as a soft wish for only her.
“I will find my way to you … in every lifetime.”
The sword came down, and Dyna fell backwards off the chair with a shriek. She was back in Greenwood. Cassiel was still there, sleeping soundly in the bed.
Dyna stifled her sobs.
They had been killed for loving each other. For bearing a child that was different. Yet they called him the monster?
Taking Cassiel’s hand in her shaking palms, Dyna finally noticed the bracelet wrapped around his wrist. Braided out of crimson hair.
When the Vanguard had come for her, he must have seen the past repeating itself again. The fear had strangled him. He saw no other choice but to cut out his heart and shatter their souls to erase himself from her life. There was nothing left to do but once again go to his death for her.
Because her life was more precious to him than his own.
Dyna’s tears landed on the bed beside his fingers, soaking through the cloth. She had been so angry with him. So furious and spiteful without ever stopping to consider that he had been suffering, too. She never felt more wretched than at that moment.
Her shaking hand pressed on her stomach where his lips had once kissed. The vow he had written there had burned when he left.
Everything I do, no matter how painful, will always be to protect you.
Laying her head over Cassiel’s heart, Dyna wept.
When night fell,she stepped out into the hall. Yelrakel and Sowmya straightened.
“Watch over him,” Dyna told the General.
Yelrakel clanked a fist over her heart.
Then she faced her other Valkyrie. “Lieutenant, I have another task for you. A mission for the crown.”
Sowmya lowered to one knee and bowed her head. “My Queen, I am yours to command.”
CHAPTER 79
Lucenna
