Origin (Eternal Sacrifice Saga Book 2) (37 page)

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Get off me.” Sam’s voice grunted from behind the curtain.

Zoe rose to her feet, and I followed her around the corner.

Dr. Lucci stood behind Sam, holding a dagger at his throat.

Sam’s eyes grew wide, staring at me and Zoe, imploring for help.

“Lucci. What are you doing?” Zoe held her dagger steady.

Dr. Lucci’s eyes were watering. She shook her head, hand trembling at Sam’s throat.

“Let him go.” Zoe’s voice trembled. She relaxed her arm, dagger dangling by her side. “Please. Don’t do this.”

I stepped up to intervene.

“Stand down, Cade.” Zoe held out her hand and growled then returned her attention to Dr. Lucci. “Please.” Zoe implored. “Let Sam go.”

“You did this,” Dr. Lucci said, voice shaky. “You and your,
let love lead
shit.” She shook her head. “I can’t, Zoe. This was never part of our deal.” She closed her eyes and inhaled a sharp breath. “I won’t.”

“Lilith, please. Don’t do this.”

“Lilith?”

Zoe’s stance relaxed, and she placed her dagger back in its holster.

“We need him,” Zoe said quietly. “You need him.”

The woman relaxed her hold and twisted Sam around to face her.

“Forgive me, my dark Angel.” She kissed Sam’s lips and buried her dagger deep into his chest, briefly resting her forehead to his. “I’ll always love you.”

“Sam!” Zoe screamed.

Lucci released her grip on Sam’s body, and he crumbled to the floor.

“No.” Zoe pushed past me and fell to her knees beside Sam, pulling him into her arms.

Lucci. Lilith, or whoever she was opened a bridge wind and disappeared.

Zoe held her hand over Sam’s chest to slow the bleeding.

“Cade, get Raz. Quick.” She stared up, make-up smeared across her face. “He can’t die.”

“Chayah,” Sam whispered.

Zoe stared down on Sam as his eyes opened, and he peered up at her. “Why did Lilith do this? I thought she loved me.”

“Sam.” Zoe ran her hand over his cheek. “Samael. Do you remember me?”

“Yes, Chayah.” He whispered quietly, his body trembling. “I remember everything.”

The door to the dressing room flew open, and Raz, Remie, Julian, and Rainah stormed in.

“Where’s Phoebe?” Remie hovered above Zoe.

I set my hand on his shoulder.

“No. We have to get her back.”

“Raz?” Zoe stared up, her face streaked with dark tears.

Raz bent down beside them, hands over Sam’s chest, allowing his healing to penetrate the wound. Instantly, a dark light filled the air, like when Zoe had been stabbed by the Fallen dagger.

After a minute, the wound began to heal, but Raz shook his head. “There’s nothing more I can do, Chayah.”

“He can’t die.” Zoe never took her eyes from Sam. “We need him to Converge with Lilith. To save the Trees.”

Raz moved beside Remie, pulling him into a hug. “It’s out of my hands. We need to focus on Phoebe now.”

Crying, Zoe rocked back and forth, holding Sam close to her chest.

Sam’s eyes drifted closed, his heartbeat slowed, and his light faded to nothing.

Cade

“How could you let this happen?”

Remie was livid, and none of us could blame him.

“How could you even let her go? You were supposed to be protecting her.” He paced the room, hands behind his neck, face red with rage.

“It all happened so fast.” Zoe sat on a chair in the Elder Hall, leaning on her knees, hands covering her face.

An emergency Council meeting had been called after Phoebe’s abduction and Samael’s death.

The prophecy had been realized.

Genesis was truly collapsing around us.

“I trusted you.” Remie’s fists were clenched. “I’ve done as you’ve asked, but I won’t stand behind a leader who doesn’t know how to lead.”

I took a step toward Remie, preparing to intervene, but Zoe beat me to it. She could hold her own now with her Firstborns, and I seldom intervened with her and her children.

Zoe stood tall, shoulders back, almost eye to eye with him. “Check your attitude, Remliel.”

Remie glared, then lowered his eyes. Taking short breaths, he tried to maintain his patience.

“I told you, I couldn’t stop Azriel. He held a dagger to your Gemini. A Fallen Dagger. It would have killed her. At least now, she’s alive.”

“Alive.” He shook his head. “And trapped in the dark realm with Azriel and Lilith. Is that any better?”

“She’s alive,” Zoe growled. “This day could have turned out much differently had I intervened. I know Azriel, he would have killed her, if just to hurt me.”

“You never should have taken her in the first place,” he said low. “This is your fault too, Cade. And you.” Remie pointed at Raz. “When did you leave her in charge?”

“Remliel,” Raz approached him, setting his hand on Remie’s shoulder to calm him. “I understand you’re upset, but you cannot disrespect Chayah that way.”

“We’ll get her back, Remie.” Zoe sighed. “I swear it.”

“You better get a plan together soon, or I’ll go by myself.” Remie grumbled. “I need some air.” He put his hands behind his head and left the Elder Hall.

Rainah stood and left as well, Julian in tow, leaving me with Zoe and the Elders.

“What’s the plan now?” I asked. “Samael’s death changes things. And Phoebe. How do we get her back?”

“You don’t.” Zoe stared at the floor, hands on her hips.

Everybody glared.

“What?” Sophie and Raz stood.

She peered up. “I do.”

Raz moved toward her. “Chayah. I think there’s been enough secrets. This isn’t just about you any longer. It involves one of our own now.”

She straightened her shoulders and glared.

“It’s always involved one of your own. When has this ever only been about me?” She folded her arms across her chest. “This is about me doing what’s right for you. For Genesis. For our family. I warned you going into this there’d be things I’d have to do you weren’t going to like. Today was one of many.”

“I understand that,” he said. “We all do, but we need to know what’s going on.”

“Sam’s dead. That’s what’s going on. Do you know what that means? It means Lilith is on my shit list, and there’ll be no Convergence between the last two unmatched Genesis. What it really means is my Tree is going to die. And I don’t even know what that foretells.” Zoe circled the room, letting out a breath. “The only way to save humanity now is…you know what?” She threw her hands up in the air. “I don’t know if there is a way.” She ran her hands through her hair. “The Eternal war is coming. There’s no stopping it now.”

“So tell us what this means for us. What’s the plan?”

“Damn it, Raz. Your mind’s not safe.” Zoe’s voice rang loud through the hall, bounding off the walls. “Sam death hasn’t changed that. They’re breaching all your minds every second. Only an Eternal whose mind can’t be breached is safe. Do you know what this is doing to me? Do any of you? I’ve been in a human stupor for twenty-one years. I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances, which I realize you know nothing about, but you can’t.”

Zoe ran her hands through her hair and stomped throughout the room.

“Do you really think I enjoy doing all this on my own? No, I don’t, but its something I have to do. This step in the war is mine to fight. And you all think this is easy, keeping secrets, taking on the whole of the burden, alone. Travelling, taking solo missions. I hate it.” She stopped in front of them. “I hate every damn bit of it, but I don’t have a fucking choice.”

Everyone’s eyes went wide.

Zoe set her hands on her hips and exhaled loudly, staring at the floor.

I stepped behind her, setting my hands on her shoulders. “Chayah. Take a breath.”

She closed her eyes, breathing slow to relax.

I turned her around and laid her head on my chest. “I’m behind you, love.” I ran my hands through her ebony curls. “We all are.”

“I just—I need a break.” She raised her head. “I need you all behind me. I realize I’m asking a lot, to trust me without knowing what’s going on. And I promise, this is all about to change. Just give me some slack.”

Michael came in then. “How is everyone holding up?”

“Not well. Genesis is being torn apart.” Raz glared.

“The great must fall before they rise,” Michael said.

“What?” Raz narrowed his eyes.

“It is written. Zoe is honoring her duty to Genesis. Stand behind her. She needs your support now, not your obstinacy.”

“Such blind faith is not an easy task,” Raz said. “This has become personal, now. We deserve to know what’s going on. We had nothing to do with creating this plan—”

“No. I did,” Michael said.

The room went silent.

“It’s Origin business. Arch business. This goes beyond simple Elder Council meanderings, and if Chayah says you cannot know now, then you cannot know. Chayah is the leader of Genesis. Your leader. And I will not tolerate a mutiny. Give her your support, your respect as you always have. If you don’t, you’ll never defeat the darkness. It’s coming. You must all be prepared for what lies ahead. This hasn't been simple on Chayah or anybody else, and you must stand behind her. Or risk losing everything and everyone you love. Do you understand?”

Everyone nodded.

There was never any arguing with the Archangel, Michael.

“Good. Now I don’t want to hear any more of this. The great must fall if they are to rise, it’s true. But not every house must fall. Genesis must remain vigilant, stand strong and united, or the war against the darkness will be lost before it’s even begun.”

Michael bowed and left the room.

Zoe wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her head into my chest, and began to cry.

“I’m so sorry, Cade. Please. Forgive me.”

“I’m with you, love. Always.”

After a minute, she pulled back and leaned in, leaving a long, slow kiss to my lips, her tears dampening my face.

“I love you, blue eyes.”

Her eyes closed then, and her body went limp in my arms, dragging us both the floor.

“Zoe?”

The Eternals circled us.

“Chayah?” I nudged her shoulders, trying to wake her, but it was no use.

Raz crouched down beside us. Hand over her forehead, he closed his eyes and spoke an incantation beneath his breath.

“Her mind is free.” Raz looked up. “I know her plan.”

“Zoe?” I brushed her hair from her face.

“You won’t reach her, brother. This rescue is in Chayah’s hands now.”

Zoe

It had been days, maybe weeks since I first slipped into my projection coma and began wandering the Sixth plane of the dark realm, searching for Phoebe.

I would occasionally and covertly slide back into my body to maintain its strength and rest a moment before diving back down into subconsciousness, but my reprieves could never last long.

In order to even breach the Sixth, I had to project in and open a portal. I then had a choice: Remain in Origin form, wandering the realm, or materialize into my physical form

Given all the downsides to materializing, I had to project.

For one, if I materialized, both my body and soul could risk being trapped with no way to return. And for another, I would be too far from my Gemini.

Cade’s physical power fueled mine. As did his love.

If I projected, Cade would never leave my body unprotected. Not only would his mere presence help maintain my strength as my Twin Soul, but simply having his Origin near mine would comfort both my soul and his.

Besides, Cade would never withstand both my body and soul missing, wandering within the dark realm without him. His protective, loving nature was the embodiment of our power as Gemini, as leaders of Genesis and partners in this immortal life protecting humanity.

Cade’s heart would not withstand my absence for long.

No, the only choice was to project.

Random conversations going on in my room were always in the back of my mind, even if I wasn’t there spiritually, so it took every ounce of energy to tune them out.

I was on a mission, one only I had the strength to take, and it was my responsibility to rescue Phoebe.

The demons and Fallen had gone to new heights with her abduction.

There were many levels to the dark realm and the deeper one descended, the further their mind could slip into madness.

An Empath like Phoebe couldn’t withstand the horrors for long.

Why they chose to take Phoebe below the Fifth, was anyone’s guess. How they knew the effect it would have on her in particular was even more unexplainable.

Even in their darkest moments, Fallen and demon wouldn’t typically descend below the Fifth plane of hell. Not for any extended period of time.

Tales of fire and brimstone all descended from everything below the Fifth.

I could only imagine what Phoebe was going through.

I had to save her, especially if she was going to save us all.

“I’m here, Zoe. You hanging in there?”

“I’m okay, Eli. Which direction am I going?”

“Take two steps past the next corridor. There’s an entrance to a secret passage to the left. It’s about five feet above the floor.”

Eli was the only other Eternal who had the same gifts as me, who could project undetected. He insisted I accept his help, even after he projected in to find me, and I sent him up to the Fifth. I wouldn’t let him come down this far. Instead, he remained in the Fifth, talking me through the Sixth, using the spies we’d procured for this very mission.

Before and even during this incarnation, I’d made my own deals with the devil.

It was the only way to save my family.

When I learned of the prophecies, particularly the one that would tear our family apart, starting with my Gemini, I did my own research, tracking its origin, finding the root of it.

One piece of information at a time, it all became clear—the prophecies were being realized. Increase in chaos in the world, pure souls turning evil, making deals with demons and Fallen. Eternals unable to save souls.

Less light. More darkness.