Chapter 21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

" H ow many?" Kyle asks.

The guards' grim expressions don't help the unease growing inside me.

"We don't know for certain. Thousands."

I cover my mouth as I gasp, and Kyle reaches back and gives my arm a reassuring squeeze.

"Thank you for sending word. Tell my father I am coming."

The guards dip their heads at us before leaving, and Kyle looks at me with worry-filled eyes.

"This is bad," I say.

"We better hurry. Get dressed."

It's difficult pulling my leathers back on over wet skin, but I somehow manage, and then we then leave the cave. Kyle grips my hand the entire way until we're back out in the forest where he lets me go to release his black wings and then waits while I do the same. I follow him back to the castle to find total chaos.

Guards rush about in every direction, and I've never seen so many of them. Kyle's father appears through the crowd and hurries over to us.

"I take it you received my message about the breach?" Apollon's focus darts between the two of us. "You have sealed your mating bond. I can scent it."

Kyle smiles at his father. "We have."

He pulls Kyle in for a hug and slaps him on the back. "Congratulations, son. And to you, too, Zarla."

He hugs me next, leaving me a little stunned.

Heat rises in my cheeks. "Oh, thank you, Apollon."

"I wish we had more time to celebrate the news of your mating, and we will later once the dust settles. However, we don't have a moment to spare. Get to the armory and weapon up. Understood?"

Kyle nods, grabs my hand, and tugs me back out the castle doors and around the side of the grand building toward the armory. Angels rush past us, strapped with weapons, and I can only hope they have enough for us all.

When we reach the armory, I can see that won't be an issue. The ridiculously big stone building is positioned near the back of the castle. Weapons are stacked on shelves all the way to the top of the high ceilings, and along every stone wall, and hooks are spaced out along the other wall, where weapons of various shapes and sizes hang.

"Take whatever you can carry. Nothing too heavy," he instructs before he runs across the room, darting between other angels who are trying to do the same.

I have my mother's daggers strapped to my thighs already, but I grab some more straps for my back and slip them on before attaching two large swords. They are weighty, but I know I'm strong enough to manage them. I then grab several more blades and strap them into my thigh straps alongside my daggers. I glance over at Kyle, who's absolutely covered in weapons already.

Even with my powers, I worry that it won't be enough.

"Ready?" Kyle asks as he walks over to me and straps yet another sword onto his back.

He looks ruthless, my deadly fated mate.

I let out a long breath, my mind wandering to thoughts of my last encounter with lost ones. "I think so."

He grasps my hand, and I spot Em across the room dressed head to toe in black leathers, watching us as she straps various weapons to herself. Can she sense our mating bond, too?

She narrows her eyes at me, and Kyle leads me outside and back into the chaos.

We head around to the front of the castle, and my breath catches at the sight. Hundreds of guards, all in uniform, stand prepared for battle.

"That's the Zarquon army," Kyle explains. "A small portion of it, anyway."

Kyle heads over to his parents, who are in a deep discussion with whom I guess is the commander of the army.

As we draw closer, the commander continues to explain the situation. "We have set up a perimeter near the southern border, but they aren't attacking. They have formed a line and are just hovering there, as if waiting for a command of some sort."

Zeta eyes Apollon. "We need to go now. We mustn't wait and risk them getting into the city."

"It would be a bloodbath," agrees the commander. "Our focus must remain on ensuring the lowest possible casualty count we can. We all know the ramifications of death at the hands of one of those vile creatures."

Apollon scratches his chin. "Okay. We will follow your lead, Commander. Let's move."

The commander heads over to his army to debrief them on the plan, and everyone else prepares to fly out.

Kyle grabs my face between his hands, stealing my focus. "You ready for this?"

I search his face, sensing his strength and power, and I know he's ready. But am I? I've fought lost ones before, but this is different. This is a war.

"I won't let any harm come to you," he assures me. "Ever."

I pull him against me, embracing him one last time before we have to go. "Just worry about yourself. I'll be fine."

The sight of flapping wings catches my eye as the Zarquon army takes flight and heads toward the southern border. Kyle's parents then follow suit, along with many other archangels.

I release my white wings, and Kyle kisses me before he takes to the skies. With one deep breath, I follow along, my white wings a stark contrast to the sea of black wings surrounding me.

There must be thousands of angels in the skies. I've never seen anything quite like it.

We fly for about ten minutes, and then the Zarquon army descends.

And then I see them.

A sea of white, lined up, waiting. But for what? For us to land so they can attack? Gods above, there are thousands and thousands of them.

The army forms a line to create a barrier between the lost ones and the city, covering the lush fields of rolling hills and grass in a blanket of black. Many of them remain in the skies, though, prepared for whatever the lost ones have planned.

Kyle swoops down and lands near the back by his parents, and I land next to him. Several archangels eye me, curious to see an angel from Silanthia amongst them, I'm sure. They can most likely sense our new bond.

Kyle links his fingers through mine as we wait for a signal.

A deathly screeching sound echoes over the hills.

Hundreds of lost ones come barreling over the hills, many of them in the skies, and they join the thousands of other lost ones already waiting. They charge toward us, crashing into the front row of our army, who attack with brute force, though it's hard to see much from back here.

Kyle grabs my arm to get my attention. "Be ready!" he yells, giving me a stern look. "And stay near me, okay?"

I dart my focus around the battle raging before me, and Kyle gives my arm a shake.

"Zarla?"

I nod. "Yeah, okay. I will."

He yanks a sword from the straps on my back and thrusts it against my chest, and I grab hold of it, gripping the handle firmly. Kyle runs into the carnage, and I follow him.

Lost ones are everywhere, attacking with their long claws, but these archangels are impressive. They can fight. They can seriously fight.

Kyle swings his sword and takes the head off a lost one while I stare with wide eyes.

Damn, that was good.

I hold my sword up higher as a lost one heads for me, and I swing hard, slicing it across its side. It lets out a screech, and the stench coming off it makes me gag. It smells like rotting flesh, and it fills the air, making it damn hard to breathe.

I stab my sword into its stomach, and it falls to its knees and settles on the ground. I barely have time to catch my breath before two more head my way. Kyle comes into view nearby, and he's handling himself well, thank the gods. I refocus on the two lost ones and swing my sword again, slicing the neck open on one of them. It makes an awful gurgling sound as black blood oozes from the wound.

The other one screeches and bares its claws at me. I raise my sword, and it bats it out of my hand, narrowly missing me with its claws. I back up a bit then blast it with my powers. It violently shakes before exploding in a burst of white light.

Okay, good. I can still do that, whatever that is.

"Zarla, look out!"

I spin around just as a lost one charges at me and tackles me to the ground. When I land hard on my side, a distinct crack in my ribs sounds.

"Fuck." I grit my teeth and wince through the pain as the lost one snaps its rotten teeth at my neck.

Shit, this creature is strong. Using one hand to hold it back, I try to reach for my daggers, but the weight of it is preventing me. It squirms around on top of me in a desperate attempt to tear into my flesh. I reach down, straining my muscles until I feel the cool metal tip of my dagger. I yank it from my holster and stab it into the lost one's neck. It screeches, spitting black blood across my face.

I turn my head to avoid getting any in my mouth. The stench is unbearable. Pressing my hands against its chest, I scream as I blast my powers into it, blowing it into pieces that scatter all around me. The scent of burnt, rotting flesh fills the air, and I gag as I stumble to my feet.

More lost ones attack, and I fight them off, using my daggers or my powers. But it's as though there's a never-ending swarm of them. Just as soon as I take one down, another one, or more, attacks. My body aches and my legs quiver beneath the weight of my daggers..

"You okay?" Kyle calls out to me, and I glance over to find him battling a lost one not far from me.

I stab another through the heart.

"I think so," I reply, panting hard.

Em spins around, her long red hair waving in the air, and takes down two lost ones in one swing of her sword. She looks like a real fighter, and I can see why she's so cocky. Her blue eyes meet mine for a moment, and jealousy flashes in her gaze.

But there's something else too. Hurt.

The battle rages on, and I take down every lost one who attacks me until my muscles burn, and then I carry on still. Fewer lost ones swarm the skies now, which helps settle my nerves somewhat.

As the numbers on the field diminish, that's when the true aftermath is revealed. Gods above, many archangels have been slashed. Other archangels are helping to remove them from the battlefield and get them back to the city to be attended to by the healers.

I take a moment to catch my breath and spot a lost one taking down Em. I immediately jump into action and sprint toward her. Leaping into the air, I land a kick to the lost one and send it flying off her back, then I bring my sword down on its neck, cutting its head clean off.

I hold my hand out to Em, and she stares at it as though it's some kind of trap. She instead gets up on her own. I roll my eyes.

Em shoves me. "I know about the two of you. I can scent it."

I ignore her as several lost ones surround us. One charges me, and I spin out of the way, swinging my sword and slicing it down its back. It lets out a pained screech as I pierce my sword into the back of its neck, killing it instantly.

Em takes down two more lost ones then points her blade at me, her jaw tense. "You are the worst thing that's ever happened to him."

"Em, we are fated mates. This was always going to happen, eventually."

She leans her head back and snorts. "What a joke. He deserves so much more than you."

More lost ones close in, and I ignore Em as they surround us. We don't have time for this bullshit.

Several lost ones home in on me, and just as I'm about to attack, a kick lands on my back from behind. I lose my footing and fall down to my knees. Assuming it's another lost one, I look back to find Em smirking, and she then jogs away, leaving me to fend for myself.

Five lost ones circle me.

I jump to my feet, ignoring the ache in my knee, and raise my hands in front of me. And then something strange happens. An energy deep inside me I've never felt before surfaces, and although I can't see it, I know it's seeping out of my hands toward the lost ones. They stop moving and appear to be in some sort of trance, standing completely motionless, their focus seemingly locked on me.. I frown in confusion, lowering my hands while they stand frozen, and then I reach for my sword.

What in the gods…

With no time to figure out what the hell's happening, I swing my sword, cutting through two of them at once. I then throw my sword down, reach for my daggers from my thigh straps, and charge at another one, stabbing it in the chest and neck. It lets out a screech that pierces my ears and then falls hard, bleeding out on the grass. I build my powers between my hands and blast the two remaining lost ones across the field.

I glance over to spot Em watching me, her mouth gaping open. She then turns and runs off into the battle.

What the hell have I just done? The battle rages on all around me, so I shove that thought down for the time being, promising myself I'll revisit it later once we get through this shit storm.

We continue to battle the lost ones until all but one are slaughtered. Apollon ties the last remaining lost one up and instructs several guards to transport it into the cells.

"We're not going to kill it?" I question.

Kyle rushes over to me and pulls me into his arms. "Thank the gods you're okay."

Blood seeps through his leathers on his chest, and I immediately use my healing powers to seal the wound.

He stares down at me with disapproval. "Conserve your energy. You need it yourself."

I brush my hand over his cheek. "I will always have enough for you, my mate."

The lost one screeches, stealing my attention as it's dragged away up into the skies by several guards.

"Why won't they kill it?" I ask.

Kyle slips his arms around me from behind, holding me against him. "Father has a plan."

We watch as they fly back toward the castle grounds, the lost one's screeches echoing over the Kingdom. They slowly fade into the distance, leaving the eerie silence of the battle's aftermath. I scan the fields, taken aback at the carnage left behind. Dead lost ones lie scattered about the fields in every direction, as well as many archangels.

My lip quivers as I try to hold myself together, and Kyle hugs me tighter.

"What can be done about the angels? If they turn…"

"The army will stay behind and deal with any who turn," he says.

I spin around in his arms to face him. "When I visited the Spirit Realm, I spoke to my mother. She told me I have a special ability, just as she did."

His brows pinch as he looks down at me. "What ability?"

I glance to the side to ensure no one else is listening and lower my voice. "She said I can open portals to and from the realms. That I can control them. That's how I have been able to get into the Spirit Realm."

His lips part in surprise, and I can sense his amazement and concern all at once. "That sounds dangerous, Zarla. Have you tried to do it?"

A loud screech sounds in the distance, and I whip my head in the direction to see a guard kill an archangel who had turned.

I shiver, and Kyle gives my hand a squeeze.

"Come on. Let's get back to the castle. They may need some help back there."

I nod, and in all honesty, I can't think of anything I'd rather do. I'm beyond exhausted, and I'm a little concerned about whether I'll even be able to fly at this point.

Kyle releases his wings, and I do the same and then fly alongside him back to his castle. The sunset is as beautiful as it is deadly looking this evening, with gorgeous hues of gold mixed with streaks of red that resemble blood. It's quite fitting, given the battle that's just taken place.

I pray to the gods we haven't lost many angels. It seems we were well prepared though, considering how abrupt their invasion into the Kingdom was. I'm amazed at how fast the Zarquon army was ready for battle. It gives me hope knowing they are so well organized, if ever Amaros steps foot here again.

We arrive back to absolute chaos. Archangels are being carried through the castle to the healers' chambers, and we have to duck out of the way to avoid bumping into anyone. Kyle takes my hand and leads me to the side of the entranceway.

He brushes his fingers across my cheek. "I want to go to the healers' chambers and see if they need my help. I can tell how exhausted you are, so I don't expect you to come with me. Why don't you get some rest?"

I rear back from him. "Like hell I'm going to rest. I'm coming with you."

He tilts his head to the side and studies me. "You're stubborn, but okay. Come on, then."

I follow him through the castle, and we keep to the left as angels rush past us carrying other injured angels. I've lost count at how many there are. Kyle leads me down three flights of stairs, and I realise the healers' chambers are located beneath the castle. It's cooler down here, and it scents of dirt and blood. I swallow hard, preparing myself for what we are about to witness as we stop outside.

"You sure you wanna go in?" he asks.

"I'm sure. If they need our help, I want to help, however I can."

He presses his lips together and pushes the doors open. Several of the healers, all females, look up as we enter, their eyes widening at the sight of Kyle. One of them hurries over to us with blood on her hands.

"Kyle, it's an honor." She bows her head low in greeting.

He touches her arm. "You don't have to do that," he tells her. "We're here to help, if you need it."

There are probably about fifty injured archangels in here, their injuries varying in severity, while healers tend to their wounds. Some of them lie in milky-white baths, as I remember doing myself back in Silanthia, and some lie on tables with healers bustling around them.

"We need help to hold them down. We don't have enough hands," she explains, leading us over to the tables.

A male guard lies on one, his face scrunched up in pain from the deep gash across his middle. I cover my mouth as blood oozes from the wound, and Kyle looks at me.

"If it's too much for you, you can say," he gently whispers in my ear.

Shaking my hands out, I step up to the table. "What can I do?"

The female healer takes my hands and puts them on the male's arm. "Hold him down. We have to tend to the wound, or he'll bleed out."

Without thinking, I place my hands over his wound instead and allow my healing power to seep into him. My hands glow a bright white, and Kyle and the healer both watch in amazement as his wound knits back together. The male guard stares at me with wide eyes.

"You healed me…" he says in shock.

I take a step back, suddenly worried about revealing my power, but the healer gets down on her knees and clasps her hands together before me.

"You are our savior!" she cries.

I look at Kyle, who is staring at me with total adoration.

"I'm sorry. I should've asked, but I knew I could help."

She gets to her feet and leads me to another table. "Please, if you can, heal as many as you are able."

I can sense Kyle's worry, but I brush it aside. It doesn't matter how tired I am, or how much healing others is going to take out of me. I will do it.

Placing my hands over the next male guard, I heal a deep wound in his chest before I move around the room to heal as many as I can. I heal about fifteen angels before my legs give out, and I stumble.

Kyle catches me. I blink, trying to clear the haze from my vision.

"I'm… I'm fine," I assure him, but he doesn't buy it.

"No, you're not. We need to get you some rest." Concern laces his voice, and although I want to fight him on this, I know he's right.

We're just leaving the healing chambers when an ear-piercing screech echoes through the stone corridor. Kyle and I look at one another.

"I thought they locked that one up in the cells?" I ask.

"So did I," he says, and I know we're both thinking the same thing.

There's a lost one loose in the castle.