protect my girlfriend become part of my daily routine?
Sela gave a sharp command, and the angels in the sky divided into two halves. I wondered what Daligo said when Sela came for the war angels, or if he even knew.
I flew up to command my assigned party of angels. As soon as they saw me, they put space between us.
Below me, half of the war angels hovered together with Sela.
“Is there really going to be a war? Is Tristan going to be all right?” I heard Abigail ask Valoel.
“Yes, dear,” she answered. “Yes, there is.” Then she focused on the war legions. “Remember, nothing you see in the Underworld is truly real,” Valoel shouted into the air, and her voice was as powerful as any true leader.
Sela led the way, and half of the war angels flew after her.
“Gideon! Be careful!” Abigail called. One of her hands clenched the medallion I gave her. Valoel flew in a wide arc and zoomed after Sela. My eyes met Abigail’s for a brief second before she put on a brave face and sped off after Valoel and Sela.
“Anyone who finds Tristan should let me know,” I commanded the frightened angels. “I’ll kill him myself if he’s still alive.”
INFERNO
*Abigail*
“Politicians start wars.
Men fight wars.
Governments win wars.
But the innocents loses war
For it is them who hurts the most.”
Melody Manful
Abigail, breathe in!
You can do this. You are doing this for Tristan!
My father once said, “The greatest dangers you can get into are the ones you see coming. The ones that just happen are merely roads waiting to be crossed.”
Well, Dad, I literally just walked into a very great danger—how was that for a lesson?
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.
I almost hurt Gideon. I didn’t mean for him to look at me as if I were dangerous. I just wanted Tristan back, and he wouldn’t quit talking about how weak he thought I was!
How did I even get here? I had been a good girl. Okay, maybe not perfect, but did almost kissing my boyfriend’s nemesis merit this? I was on a flying horse, in the middle of oblivion, and I was afraid of heights.
When Gideon asked to take me home, I almost jumped at the opportunity, but I remembered what my father once said: “Cowardice isn’t a dereliction of duty but rather a part of our humanity. However, only the brave ones are known for their humanity.”
Gideon thought I was weak. That I would see lost souls in the Underworld and feel bad for them. What he didn’t understand was that no one was innocent once you were in a war—you were there to either kill or die.
The warriors speeding in front of me were all dressed in black. Back at the palace when I first saw them, none of them wore a smile. They looked menacing. I didn’t want to turn around to see what was going on behind me. Frankly, I didn’t want to see Gideon. At the moment, he scared me more than the idea of actually heading into the Underworld.
I didn’t know what lay ahead of us, but I knew from the look in Gideon’s eyes earlier that the trip was going to be dangerous. I knew if I wanted to help Tristan, I would have to stay and fight. But would I survive? A part of me wished I wouldn’t, not after I took part in the deaths of my father and Felix, and then there was Tristan. I was positive that if we hadn’t almost kissed, he wouldn’t have left.
“Your father and Felix’s deaths weren’t your fault.”
I had no idea how Valoel ended up beside me, but she startled me when she spoke.
“And Tristan going to the Underworld wasn’t your fault, either.”
“I almost kissed him, and—” I held tighter unto the horse.
“It’s not your fault,” she said once more.
I didn’t know what came over me. “I love him,” I whispered and then bit my tongue.
“Who, Gideon or Tristan?”
My heart skipped a beat. “I love—” Without waiting for an answer, she flew away. I tried to continue my speech to myself, but I wasn’t sure which name was supposed to come out.
“I’m a murderer. A liar. And a soon-to-be heart breaker,” I said to no one.
Pain gripped my heart, but I didn’t know if I was upset because of how I felt or if I was mourning for what I was about to lose.
“We’re here!” Valoel shouted, and I looked down at a labyrinth. Underneath us, in front of an