Fall From Grace by Carrie F. Shepherd

Author:Carrie F. Shepherd [Shepherd, Carrie F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mythos Press/Ravenswood Publishing
Published: 2014-10-02T04:00:00+00:00

-31-

Haniel sat on the swing which hung from the porch roof of his cottage. Raystlyn, who had been visiting his cottage for the past ten or more sun cycles, sat beside him. He desperately clutched at Raystlyn’s hand. Haniel wanted more than anything in the world to ask him to stand down.

But he could not.

He, better than anyone, understood Raystlyn’s plight. He had been making stews and potions for as long as they had been friends in an effort for his healing to advance after having been beaten or prostituted by his Lord.

“Will I see you again?” Haniel asked. He couldn’t keep the pain that he was feeling out of his tone. Nor did he try.

“I shall always be around.” Raystlyn cleared his throat. “Theasis will take me into her care eventually.”

“Ta.” Haniel sighed. “If you are exiled. Even then, I will not be allowed to seek you out.” He shook his head. “And you will not be able to reach me here.”

“If I had another option, I would take it.”

“I know this.” Haniel barked, not wanting to hear this.

“I love you.” Raystlyn squeezed his hand tighter. “And I am sorrowful that I may have put you in a precarious position by taking care of me these past years.”

Haniel nodded, raised Raystlyn’s hand to his lips and kissed it.

“When is it supposed to happen?” He finally asked the question which had been preying upon him all day.

“Sunset.” Raystlyn muttered.

“When it’s most crowded.” Haniel shivered.

He knew he should do something to stop it, but he had promised Raystlyn that he would not. Given everything between them was at its end, he couldn’t break his promise to Raystlyn. No matter the consequences.

“Yes.” Raystlyn sighed. “If there were any other way . . .”

Haniel didn’t want to hear this either. He’d heard all of the speeches he had needed to hear about his father’s cause from Lucias himself. There was nothing Raystlyn could add that would make any difference.

“You could join us.” Raystlyn begged half heartedly.

“None of the Quorum can be part of this.” Haniel frowned. “More is demanded of us. We are held to a higher standard.”

“You are nothing more than higher priced slaves.” Raystlyn spat.

Haniel knew he was right. But what was he to do about it? He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. “Mayhap. But I cannot turn against my brothers. Even if my father is right in his cause.”

“Yet, all twelve of you would. If you could.”

Haniel shook his head. He didn’t think this was true.

“Not Michael. Never in life.” He frowned. “And definitely not Metatron.”

“Mayhap not.” Raystlyn conceded.

They fell into silence and waited. The sun arched through the sky, finally setting in the west. They exchanged a tired, fearful glance and then looked over the edge of patio and down into the bridging Courtyard of the Gods.

Bright red and orange light exploded upward and outward in a cloud which reminded Haniel of one of the healing mushrooms he used in his stews. He cried out, turned to Raystlyn and buried his face in the angel’s shoulder.

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