Splendor and Darkness Read online

  “I could see her, Daniel. Even as she peeked out from behind her mother’s skirts, I could see that little girl.”

  “Your wings nearly unfurled. Heaven’s Light must have—”

  “After a hundred years in this darkness, do you think I don’t know the difference? Were my eyes glowing?”

  He crossed the room, lowering his voice. “Your back was on fire. Just lie down for—”

  “I don’t need to lie down! I need to talk to Anna. There is something different—something special—about that child.”

  “You frightened her.” He gathered her hands between his. “You frightened everyone. Judith is not going to let you near her daughter until you calm down.”

  Snatching her hands from his, she brushed a stray wisp of hair off her forehead. “I am calm.”

  “No, you’re not.”

  “She was a lovely child with long auburn hair and wide green eyes. I couldn’t see what upset her, but there were tears on her face.”

  Folding his arms over his chest, Daniel studied Lailah’s features. “I have no doubt you saw her. You are only blind in human form. Didn’t Gabriel try to teach you to channel your angelic sight into your human eyes?”

  “Yes, but I was unable to master the skill.”

  “Until now.”

  Lailah shook her head, but she ceased her arguing. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  He smiled. That was more like the Lailah he knew and loved. “Shall I fetch you a tray? We were interrupted before food was served.”

  “I’m not hungry. I have much on which to meditate.”

  He hesitated at the door. “Promise me you’ll stay in this room.”

  “Contrary to what you believe, it is only the little girl I’m able to see. I have no intention of wandering about a strange castle alone.”

  Daniel wasn’t convinced, but his only option was to spend the night on the floor outside her door and that would only safeguard her so long as she remained in human form.

  “Go.” She climbed onto the bed. “Our mission can wait until morning.”

  He chuckled as he left the room. She’d put specific emphasis on the word mission. They were here to assess all the Monthamn occupants. Was it possible angelic powers were germinating in one so young? Wouldn’t Gadrayel have sensed Anna’s potential? His strength was second only to Prince Sariel’s.

  What if the child’s powers weren’t angelic? He jolted to a stop, his hand on the latch to his door. A powerful Fallen angel had contributed to Monthamn physiology. Releasing a ragged sigh, he slipped inside his room.

  “Who are you? Why are you really here?”

  It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior of the bedchamber. Wooden shutters blocked out what remained of the sunlight. Judith stood near the shuttered window, her hands balled into fists.

  “You know who I am and why I’ve come.” He tried to sound casual.

  “I know the lies you told Nathaniel.”

  Ambling across the room, he allowed a hint of insolence to show. Her warm brown eyes widened. He lowered his gaze to her kissable lips. She was a beautiful woman, lush with passion’s promise. He’d been teasing Alyssa when he’d mentioned seduction, but kissing Judith into submission suddenly seemed like a viable plan.

  If nothing else, it would send her scurrying for the door.

  “Why are you in my bedchamber? What do you really want?” He waited for a gasp that never came.

  “If I wanted your body, I’d be naked in your bed.” She sauntered toward him, her hips swaying provocatively. “You can’t intimidate me. I’m not frightened by passion.”

  He caught her wrist and drew her nearer. “You’re a woman in the prime of her life who has been without her husband for over a year.”

  She rose to the balls of her feet, brushing her breasts against his chest. “There are many virile men at Monthamn Castle.” Her warm breath teased his lips then she shoved him backward.

  Daniel collided with the edge of the mattress, buckling his knees. He sat on the bed, grinning as she scrambled out of reach.

  “Now tell me why your blind cousin can see my daughter?”

  Desire surged through Daniel. He loved spirited women and this one had ferocity to spare. “Lailah was not born blind. Sometimes her mind plays tricks on her.”

  “What was the one thing that most frightened my husband?”

  Daniel shuffled through the memories Sariel had implanted within his brain. “William never spoke of any significant fear. He was commanding and brave. It’s unwise to reveal any weakness in the face of battle.”

  She crossed her arms under her breasts and shook her head. “No one who knew William would refer to him as commanding. He was a mouse.”

  He didn’t argue. She would believe what she wanted to. “Have you always been attracted to mice?”

  She marched toward the door. “I intend to speak with Nate. Be prepared to leave with the dawn.”

  * * * * *

  “We must get inside that castle. There is no other way.” Makatiel paced the breadth of his dismal chamber, revealing his agitation with each angry stride.

  “Getting inside is not the problem.” Enos sat on the edge of a filthy chair, legs crossed at the ankle, doing his best not to touch anything. “Gadrayel’s men won’t let us near any of the Monthamn descendants.”

  Makatiel paused, his head turning sharply toward Enos. “You’ve been inside the castle?”

  “I’ve explored every musty corridor. It’s only when I ventured too near one of Gadrayel’s pets that his men objected.”

  “I thought the Order of Grigori were all but extinct? Where did Gadrayel get these Guardians?”

  “I would imagine he is being assisted by another angelic order.” He tried not to sound condescending, but his patience with the master demon was just about exhausted. The only true disadvantage of being an outcast from the Netherworld was his lack of resources. Makatiel could provide him with certain things Enos was unable to obtain on his own.

  Makatiel stomped to Enos and glared down at him, arms folded across his chest. “I suppose you have a plan.”

  “Don’t I always?”

  “Let me guess. It involves a sexual ritual and my giving you something I’m not eager to part with.”

  “You know me so well.”

  Makatiel turned back to his pacing, missing Enos’ smug smile. “Speak.”

  “I’ve been dallying with an adorable little nursemaid named Tess.”

  “What use is a nursemaid to us?”

  Enos closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Satan save me from imbeciles. “Tess lives in the village beyond the river, but her responsibilities take her daily to Monthamn Castle.”

  “You can really fornicate with humans and they have no idea what you are?”

  Pleased by the tinge of awe in Makatiel’s tone, Enos smiled. “The Grigori were created specifically to interact with humans. If I suppress my demonic power, I’m able to move among them with none the wiser.”

  “You are the ideal spy. Why were you not recruited in such a capacity?”

  Enos laughed. “It’s not for lack of trying. I prefer to remain independent.”

  “Back to the nursemaid. Has she absorbed enough of your essence to allow you to control her?”

  “To some extent. She’s wonderfully susceptible to suggestions, but she will not harm the children. I’ve been unable to overcome her basic nature.”

  “This woman cares for the Monthamn whelps?” Makatiel sounded incredulous.

  Enos sagged back in the chair, torn between laughter and fury. How had Makatiel ever achieved the level of master? It boggled the mind. “Aye, she is nursemaid to Anna and young William.”

  “Then possess the chit and have done with it. What is the problem here?”

  “My demonic energy is too strong. The Guardians would sense my intent and intervene. I can hide my nature from humans, but angels are another matter.” He paused for effect. “Now if a
fledgling were to possess the nursemaid, their demonic energy would be so insignificant, Tess could slip right past the angels.”

  “No fledgling is strong enough to possess a human.”

  Enos licked his lips, anticipation tingling through him. “There is a way.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “If I absorb the fledgling’s essence into myself, I can…implant her within Tess the next time I’m inside the human.”

  Makatiel scowled. “You’re talking about Byleth. You’ve had your eye on her ever since she was assigned to me.”

  Staring directly into Makatiel’s hostile gaze, Enos let him draw his own conclusions.

  “I’ve already made her body available to you. What more do you need?”

  “Release her into my keeping. I cannot absorb her essence while she is linked to you.”

  * * * * *

  After utilizing her angelic sight to memorize the arrangement of the room, Lailah stripped to her chemise and crawled beneath the covers, determined to solve the mystery of the child. She’d barely begun to meditate when she heard the door open and ease closed. Daniel would have announced himself. She inhaled deep, wrapping Nate’s familiar scent around her like a warm blanket.

  “I’d convinced myself you were a dream.” Even his hushed tone seemed loud in the silence.

  She heard the scrape of flint against stone. Why could she see the girl and not her…beloved? Her mind tripped over the word. It was far too soon for such a conclusion. She felt affection for Nate, desired him, but love? Love was a frivolity counterproductive to her quest. The assignment that brought her to Monthamn Castle must take precedence over her feelings.

  Scooting to the far side of the bed, she lowered her legs to the floor and reached for her dressing gown, which lay at the foot of the bed.

  “I told you I was flesh and blood.” She chuckled, slipping into the dressing gown. “I would think, after all we shared that night, there would be no doubt in your mind.”

  “You told me you were not an angel.” Myriad emotions complicated his tone. Without visual clues, she struggled to decipher his mood. “How could you have let me believe you were not—”

  “I am not an angel.”

  “I saw you, Lailah. You spread your wings and disappeared into the night. I thought you were a lovely dream, an extremely inappropriate fantasy, but you are real. You are… What are you?”

  “I was once an angel. I’m something different now.”

  With surprisingly light footfalls, he rounded the bed and stood before her. His fingers traced the curve of her cheek, the line of her jaw. “What happened to you? Why do you no longer consider yourself an angel?”

  She shook her head, dislodging his hand. She couldn’t concentrate when he touched her, could only think of him. Forces buffeting the castle were far more powerful and important than their budding romance. “It’s more complicated than my perception of myself.”

  “Explain it to me. If you are no longer an angel, what are you?” His knees brushed her dressing gown. He didn’t try to touch her again, but he hadn’t backed away.

  “Lucifer’s uprising left pockets of discontent among the angels.” Lailah braced herself for the emotional tumult that always accompanied the tale. Her heartbeat raced and she licked her lips, amazed at how dry her mouth had become. “One third of Heaven Fell. They were our friends, our families, and they were banished, transformed into creatures so vile we shuddered at the sight.”

  “I’ve heard priests speak of such things, but I never thought about the events from this perspective.” His hands cupped her shoulders, his touch light and supportive. She didn’t shrug them aside. She needed his touch, his understanding. “To be honest, I never gave it much thought at all. It was a fanciful tale. I never thought of it as real.”

  “It was certainly real to me.” The events had changed the lives of so many. Waves of consequence rippled still.

  “You were not part of the original uprising?”

  “Nay, I remained obedient, but my heart was torn. Nothing was the same after the Fall. Satan launched his war against mankind and our roles changed to compensate for the depravity.”

  A long pause followed. She listened to his steady breathing, wishing she could sense emotions or hear his thoughts. “I can’t see you, Nate. You have to tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “You didn’t become an Angel of Death until after the Fall?”

  “Guiding spirits into the afterlife was always one of my responsibilities, but before the Fall, it was one of many. As humans multiplied upon the earth and evil became more prevalent, it became my only responsibility. Each day, every day, I dealt with death.”

  He moved one of his hands to her face, caressing her cheek, following the arch of her eyebrow with his thumb. “Couldn’t you…ask for a different assignment?”

  As much as she enjoyed his touch, she forced herself to step away. Her story had barely begun. “Angels are created to obey without question, yet I had so many questions, so much resentment.”

  “Did they punish you?” He moved up behind her, his hands returning to her shoulders.

  “Seven of us gathered on a hillside.” She shivered as images of that fateful afternoon flashed through her mind.

  “What happened?”

  She swallowed beyond the lump forming in her throat and paused to gather her thoughts. “We each voiced our resentment in a different way. Michael used our own words to define our quest then he scattered us across the mortal realm.”

  “How do you know when your quest is completed? What happens if you fail?” His voice grew terse and brittle. She found comfort in the sound. He wasn’t angry with her—he was angry for her.

  “The nature of the quest is different for each of us, but the outcome is the same. Either we learn from our mistakes and find peace or we Fall.”

  He draped her thick braid over her shoulder and kissed the nape of her neck. “What did you say? How was your quest defined?” His warm breath wafted against her sensitive skin as he spoke, sending shivers down her spine.

  “I told Michael that life had lost its splendor.”

  “How could he fault you for that?” His voice snapped with protest and he turned her around. “You were surrounded by death.”

  She shook her head. “I was surrounded by Heaven.”

  “So he blinded you and banished you to earth. How will this help you rediscover life’s splendor?”

  He sounded so disgusted, Lailah smiled. “The quests were not designed to meet our needs, but to test our merits and focus our priorities. My quest was well under way when I lost my sight and the Council of Ancients has made allowances for the loss.” She sighed. “Let me explain the events in order or you’ll never understand and there is much you need to comprehend.”

  “I won’t say a word until you give me leave.”

  She smiled, resting her hands on his chest. “If you’re a man of your word, I could keep you silent for the rest of your life.” She paused, waiting for his reply. Nate said nothing. “This could be fun.” He reached down and cupped her bottom with both hands, dragging her flush against his body. “I think I’d better speak quickly.” There was an undeniable catch in her tone.

  Nate remained silent, but his hands continued their sensuous dance.

  “At the heart of each of our complaints there was a common thread. Humanity.” Silence closed in around her, amplifying the darkness. She had to see his face, judge his reactions to her tale. Besides, her body’s eager response to his touch was threatening to end the conversation.

  Careful to keep her wings furled, she released her angelic nature. Her human body disintegrated and his arms closed on empty air. His gasp echoed as she waited for her angelic sight to activate. “I want to touch you and I need you to touch me, but right now I need to see you more.” His rugged features came into focus and the tension within her uncoiled.

  He opened his mouth and then closed it, his brow arching in silent question.

&
nbsp; “Please, speak to me.”

  “You are not blind in this form, yet I can see through you.” His voice was husky and reverent, his gaze wide with fascination.

  “It grows harder for me to hold this form each time I release my angelic nature. Ordinary angels can solidify or remain unseen as their missions dictate. My quest is nearing its end. This is likely my final assignment.”

  He shook his head, fear gleaming in his gaze. Lailah had forgotten how much angelic sight differed from human. She had seen Anna in full color and definition. The room around her glowed with Heaven’s Light and everything within it appeared black, like detailed charcoal sketches drawn on a field of gold.

  Was his hair as dark and silky as it appeared? It had been trimmed since she last saw him, but a stubborn lock draped his forehead. His high cheekbones slashed unrelentingly and his wide, thick-lashed eyes reflected the candlelight. They appeared lighter than his hair. Were they green, blue or gray?

  “Your quest makes no sense to me.” He dragged her attention away from his handsome face. “They set you up to fail.”

  His anger pleased her more than she cared to admit. He obviously felt more for her than physical desire. “Michael didn’t create anything within us. The resentment was already there, festering and consuming what was good and pure within us. All he did was redefine our boundaries so we could experience the things we thought important at the time.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Angels don’t feel the same range of emotions present in humans. Freewill is foreign to them and the power of creation was only granted to the Grigori. These are all invaluable gifts and humans take them for granted. We are God’s first creation, yet we were reduced to messengers, guardians and guides by the coming of humankind.”

  He nodded, accepting the information, if not agreeing with what she’d said. “The seven who gathered on the hillside all harbored this resentment?”

  “Aye. We are known as Rebel Angels. That was the last time all seven of us were together.” She paused, clearing her throat. “When Michael scattered us, the emotional barriers within us dissolved. We were free to feel, question and participate in life as we had never done before.”