steps forward, walking out of the room, and I look back to Aala. Everything in my soul tells me I need to save this girl.
I’m not leaving without her. I hope she understands from the look in my eye alone, and I wish I could comfort her as we step out into the clearing. The second we do, five guards immediately grab us both, dragging me away from Ren, who tries to fight them as much as I do. After kneeing one of my guards between his legs, I elbow the other one before something hard slams into the back of my head, and my knees go weak as they grab me.
“Bastards! I will fucking kill you all for touching her!” Ren roars, but like I’m in a haze, I hardly hear him as my feet leave the ground. I must blackout for a little bit, because when I’m opening my eyes, another familiar voice is talking.
“Why did you have to hurt her? You dragged the poor lass away from her mate; that was hard enough,” Gabriel angrily shouts as I blink my eyes open to see a roaring fireplace in front of me. I’m sat on a couch made with fabric that looks like spun gold and is incredibly soft. Sinking my hands into the couch, I turn around to see Gabriel shutting a large wooden door as I touch the back of my head, feeling a big lump and sticky blood coating my hair.
“Gabriel?” I question, wondering if I’m imagining that he is here. His eyes, filled with sympathy, lock onto mine, and he walks over to the couch, taking a seat next to me.
“I never should have asked you to return to the academy. I should have sent you to Neamh,” Gabriel says around a sigh. “I feared the judgment you would find for your half-vampire side...much like Henry Ravaric. Even his parents’ use of vampire blood was heavily frowned upon, and to this day, I’m not sure why the Great Light allowed it.”
I curl my hands into fists. “The light is not so great, Gabriel. He is a false god, and every angel will suffer because they follow him.”
“I understand you are angry, but you must see he protects us all. He made the angels,” Gabriel counters.
“And lied to them. No vampire killed an angel to start the war, it was all lies. The Great Light just wanted the vampires gone, so he killed an angel and made it so the war would start. He is a monster!” I protest, and Gabriel shakes his head at me. “You have to see it.”
“You’re wrong,” Gabriel firmly states. “The Great Light is good and pure. It cannot die because it’s a god, and we are born from him. Either way, this is not why I had them bring you to me today.”
“Then why?” I demand.
“Erendriel is going to trial today and will be found guilty of many vampire crimes—”
“And when will the angels be found guilty for murdering an entire race?” I question, but he ignores me as he carries on speaking like I didn’t interrupt him at all.
“And then he will spend time with the light above, which will not be pretty,” Gabriel says, then gulps, and for a second, I swear I see guilt in his eyes, but it is gone too quickly. “When Ren is finished, all the vampires will be killed in a public event in the middle of the city. I have made it so you can die with your mate...as it should be, but I am truly sorry for this.”
“You’re sorry?” I question. “You’re just fucking sorry?”
“Language,” he warns me and goes to place his hand on my shoulder, but I move away. “I also wanted you to know Vesnia has been found not guilty and given her choice. She became a dark angel last night, as did Thallon. Your friends will be safe...isn’t that something?”
“I hope my face haunts you as much as Ren’s did,” I spit out and rush to the door. “You’re a coward, Gabriel, and I once thought you were a good person. I saved your life, and now you are condemning mine!”
“I am sad you see it this way. Knock the door and leave, Kaitlyn Lightson. I’m afraid I will not remember you in years to come like you wish,” he coldly replies, and it cracks something in my heart as I knock the door and step out into the corridor where two guards wait at my