Page 95 of The Secret of Pain

“You can’t do this!” Creek shouts, and I turn to find him struggling against three Hunters who have him pinned to the back wall. A Hunter steps up beside me, Easton, my grandfather’s right-hand man, and draws his bastard sword from the scabbard at his waist. I kneel on the ground and send up a prayer to any gods who might listen, to the Fates themselves, for the ones I love. To keep them safe when I no longer can.

“You choose not to fight?” the Elder asks, and I look up at him from where I kneel on the sandy floor.

“I am shackled and weaponless. It would be no real fight. I will accept the fate I have been dealt, but know that in every life, my feelings have remained true. I know your secrets; they will not stay secret for long. The world will know the truth, and when that happens, you’ll wish you had made a different decision.” I hold my head high as I say the words.

“Very well.” The Elder says, waving his hand at the Hunter beside me who raises his sword, not looking even remotely fazed by my words. Thinking himself, all of them, to be untouchable. I look to my family and a tear rolls down my face.

“I love you,” I whisper to Creek and take a deep breath before bowing my head. The sound of metal slices through the air as I close my eyes, but suddenly the ceiling explodes and chunks of rubble and dust rain down around me.

The Hunter beside me turns his sword to the man kneeling in front of me, his black wings stretched out so far that they almost touch either side of the room. His head rises and shakes, the dust flying from his dark hair. Whispers ring around the room between the Elders and the Hunters. A real-life fucking Angel just exploded into the room and I can’t think of one thing to say.

“You will not harm her!” His voice echoes across the space. “She is bound to me, and I to her. Any harm against her is harm against me.

I gasp at his words, because I have no fucking idea who this is or what the hell his words mean.

He stands and turns to me, his gray eyes capturing mine, and my breath catches. I recognize him from a dream. I blush as I remember, and he steps closer, lifting my chin with a soft finger.

“Remy.” He sighs. “Always causing so much chaos. Stand, please.”

I stand up and it’s as if the room is holding its breath. “Will someone fucking unchain her?” he growls.

“What is the meaning of this?” the Elder who sentenced me to death asks when he finds his voice. The Hunter who was going to kill me sheaths his sword and unlocks my shackles. My wrists are raw from the rub of the metal.

“You dare question me?” the Angel’s voice booms, and the room shakes, more dust falling around us. I look to my family who are all kneeling, as are the other Hunters around the room. Only Creek remains standing, looking unsure as to if he can approach me.

“I am Leviathan, General of the Death Dealers, Archangel of War, and the creator of your faction. My word is your law and you will do my bidding unless you wish to meet the fate you so casually dealt to her.” The Elder shrinks back at the Angel’s words.

“This girl is the balance, the Nisi Vita, and should be treated with the utmost respect, not chained like some animal.”

“She betrayed us!” another Elder speaks up.

“She did nothing more than she was meant to do,” Leviathan answers, and confusion clouds me.

He turns to me and tucks a fallen piece of my hair behind my ear.

“Hello again, sweetheart.” He hugs me tightly. “Don’t worry, you will remember.” He winks and lifts me into his arms before shooting into the sky, leaving the shouts below us.

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