Blood Prophecy (Witch Fairy) (18 page)

“What do you mean?” I ask trying really hard to sound patient.

“We would become fallen Angels.  We would assume a human form, in a toned down version of ourselves, of course.”

“Why a toned down version?”

“Because to look at us in our natural state, as you are now, will cause blindness in humans, Witches and Fairies.”

I still don’t get it.  “But, why aren’t you making me blind?”

“I will get to that soon enough, impatient one.  When Angels fall, we become similar to Witches.  We retain some of our abilities, some of our magic.  In the past, we would become priests and priestesses, teaching humankind how to survive in peace.  We used our magic to protect them until they reached a point where they could defend themselves from magical beings.”

“So, you were born knowing you were an Angel?”

Urim shakes his head.  “No, when we fall, we are what you consider adults.  There are legends in your realm of the priests and priestesses who came fully grown from the mist.”

I crinkle my brow.  “Like the druids in King Arthur’s time?”

He smiles.  “Yes, we have often been referred to as druids, among other names.”

“Are there a lot of Angels who have fallen?”

“No.  Sadly, there was a point where humans simply stopped listening to us.  We may still fall, but most of us choose not to anymore.”

“Why?”

“When we are fallen, we age as humans do and live out a human life.  So, even though we start as adults, we still may live sixty or seventy years in our human form.  That time is a blink of the eye for us when we are here in our realm, but the time passes slowly for us on earth.  And that is a long time to live with no one listening to you.”

“Then why did the Angel that Voloel was talking about fall?”

Voloel answers and for the first time since I arrived here, she looks sad.  “Our Angel of Love wanted to experience human love for herself.  Alas, it has not turned out well for her.”

“Then can’t she just come back?”  It seems like that would be a perk of being an Angel.

“No,” Tabbris says and she looks sad, as well.  “Once our choice is made, we must live out that human life.  We must make choices as a human would.  And if we choose poorly, we do not return to our Angel form.  Lailah is dangerously close to that.”

“You keep saying human, but you said you have the powers of a Witch when you’re fallen.”

Voloel waves her hand in the air as if to say it doesn’t matter.  “Oh, that’s just semantics.  Witches, Fairies, humans.  You are all humanoid; you all start from the same pattern.  Some of you are simply more magical than others.”

That makes sense, I guess.  “Did she know who she wanted to fall in love with?”  I can’t help myself, I’m curious.

Tabbris is back to looking angry again.  “She did.  I warned her that his mind was weak, easily controlled by others, but she fell anyway.  If she had listened to me, she would not be in the mess she is in.”

I don’t know if I want to pursue that topic anymore.  Not if Tabbris is that upset about it.  I’d hate to be her scapegoat.  “I’m afraid I still don’t understand why I can be in your presence without being blinded.”

Voloel raises her eyes to mine.  “Because you have the blood of an Angel.”

Um, I don’t think so.  “I really think you have me confused with someone else.  Like I said, my biological father is a Fairy and my mom is a Witch.”

Urim says gently, as if I’m a child, “As I am the Angel of Fates, it is important I keep track of who is who.  Your Angel blood did not originate with your parents.”

Okay, he lost me again.  “Then who?”

“Your grandmother is a fallen Angel.  She is Lailah; but that is not the name she goes by in your realm.”

I’m pretty sure that my mouth has dropped so far open that they have a clear view of my tonsils.  Maybe even my esophagus.  “Grandma.  Grandma is an Angel.”

Urim inclines his head in confirmation.  “A fallen Angel, yes.”

So, that means it was
Grandpa
that she fell for?  Literally.  Wow, she did choose badly.  “My grandma is the Angel of Love.”

Urim nods.  “The Angel of Love and Conception.  It was her blood that allowed the conception to occur between your mother and your father.”

Great.  Thanks, Grandma.  “So, when you guys fall, you can have babies and all that?”  Not that I’m a prude, but I kinda thought Angels were virginal.

Urim laughs.  “We can enjoy the pleasures of the skin if we find ourselves in love, but no, Angels do not have children when they fall.  Your mother and you are unique.”

That’s a nice way of saying that we’re freaks of nature, I think.  “So, Grandma hasn’t had any other kids over the millennia?” 

Voloel shakes her head.  “This is the first time Lailah has fallen.”

“Ever?” I ask in shock.  “And she chose
Grandpa
?”

“Yes,” Tabbris says.  Her face is stony again.  “She could not be talked out of it.”  I have the impression that Tabbris did a lot of talking on the subject.

“In her defense, he was a lovely man when he was young.  They were happy for a number of years,” Voloel says.

Okay, I can’t think about that anymore.  “Why are you glad that the prophecy is coming true?  Do you want the world destroyed?”  I’ve read stories that said Angels hate humans.  Maybe they really do.

Voloel laughs that pretty laugh again.  “You are not going to destroy the world; you are going to save it.”

“I don’t think so.  The prophecy pretty clearly says that I’m going to destroy it.”

“Humans have been misinterpreting prophecies from the beginning. I believe something gets lost in translation.”

“Really?”

“Yes.  Why don’t you take us through line by line of the prophecy as it has been explained to you, and then we will clear up any misconceptions you may have.”

It would be great if I’m not supposed to destroy the world.  Maybe Grandpa and his awful friends will leave me alone.  “The first line is a Witch’s child of Fae is born when spirits of the realms are torn.”

Urim nods.  “Yes, that is true.  The realms have been torn for quite some time.  The Fairies, Witches and Humans have long been unable to live in harmony.”

“This next part is what I’ve been talking about.  Into the world, destruction she brings, while children cry and Angels sing.  Doesn’t that mean that I’m going to destroy the world and you guys are going to be happy about it?”

Voloel shakes her head.  “No, of course not,” she admonishes gently.  “We love your world.  The destruction you will bring will be to the way things are
now
.  You will bring about change, not true destruction.  As for the children crying, that is metaphorical, not actual children.  You are a tool to bring about the maturity of your people and they will cry tears of joy to be released from the bonds of their immaturity.  They will stop behaving as children and learn to live peaceably together. That will be the reason we will sing.”

Great.  That sounds impossible.  I still think they have the wrong person.  “I’m going to bring about world peace?”

“Alas, as much as I would like that, no.  As I said before, humans are much too volatile.  But you will usher in a new age between Witches and Fairies.  An age of peace and harmony.”

“Um, my dad’s pretty mad at Humans and Witches. I don’t see him being on board with this whole idea.”

A sly smile touches Urim’s lips.  “You will find a way to make the changes.” 

I’m glad he has that much confidence in me because I don’t.  This sounds impossible for one person.  Especially if that person is me.  Instead of arguing, I’m just going to skip ahead.  “The next part is none may survive the vengeance of she.  Doesn’t that mean I get pretty violent?  I hate to think that because I don’t think I could actually kill anybody.”

“Think of that as more of a warning to others,” Urim says.  “You are a powerful being, even if your control is slightly erratic at present.  But you are not one to be challenged, for your magic is great.”

Slightly erratic?  Apparently, he hasn’t been watching me very carefully.  “So, I’m not actually going to take vengeance on people?  It’s just warning them that if they cross me I
could
take vengeance on them?”

Tabbris answers this time.  “There will be times when you are faced with difficult choices and you will have to decide which path to follow.  But you are not
required
to take vengeance on anyone.”

Well, that’s a relief.  I’m really curious about the next part.  I’ve been kind of ignoring it because I don’t think it’s possible.  “What about when it says immortal her soul is to be, to remedy the world of its natural discord?”

“Ah, immortality, the quest of many, but found by a precious few,” Urim says and he sounds wistful. 

“So, I’m not going to be immortal?”

Voloel lifts her head as she brushes Zac’s hair from his forehead.  “That will be up to you.”

“What?”

Her smile becomes bright again.  “If you fulfill the prophecy, your soul will be immortal.  Immortality comes in different forms, though.”

Tabbris looks at Voloel as she says, “I’m afraid we mustn’t say anything else on the subject.”  Voloel gives her a slight nod in agreement.

“I really appreciate you telling me all this, but I still don’t know how I called you or what I’m supposed to do about this.”  I sweep my hand in the direction of the statue-like people in my driveway.

“When an Angel is in trouble, his or her wings call for help,” Voloel explains.

That’s kind of cool.  “Speaking of these wings, am I going to have them all the time now?”

“I suspect not,” Urim says but he doesn’t sound sure.  “Since you have not had them before, it would seem that they only come to you when you are dire straits.”

I’m okay with that.  I’d hate to have to try and sleep with these things on.  How do the Angels do it?  “And they’ll come to protect me if I need them?”

He nods.  “Yes, they are to serve you in such a manner.”

“Can I fly with them?”

He chuckles and his laugh is as beautiful as Voloel’s.  “Yes, you can fly.  But only when you have your wings.”

“Will you come every time my wings come to me?”

“No,” he says.  “Only if your wings send us a distress call.  That means that you are truly in need of assistance; but your wings will do their best to protect you without additional help.”

“So, I was in danger of being seriously hurt out here?” I gesture again towards the scene in the driveway.

His full lips purse for a second.  “I don’t believe so.  I think that your wings called to us so we could explain their purpose.”

Oh, that’s disappointing.  I was kind of hoping they’d be guiding me on this quest for peace I’m supposed to be on.  “But what do I do now?”

Tabbris gives me her first real smile.  “That is the beauty of free will.  You will choose how you handle this.”

I don’t think I like free will a whole lot at the moment.  “Will you guys be watching to make sure I do it right?”

“We will check in on you from time to time,” Urim says.  “But this is a battle you must face alone.”

“Will Zac be okay?”

“He is fine,” Voloel assures me.  “He will awaken as soon as you return.  I have kept him still while you’ve been here so as not to damage his eyes.”