The Taking (11 page)

 
“I am positive Zacharias is also wondering when we are coming back,” Ben says. He looks at Cindy and I. “And we have training to do.”

Cindy groans. “He’s going to be so happy to see me.” She shakes her head.

- Chapter Nine -

Silence follows us while we walk back to our training room. The stone corridors that lead deeper into the earth seems colder — the dull grey depressing. The windowless walls are disheartening. The only sounds that fill the space are the sounds of our shoes on the hard floor.
 

“Everything seems different now, don’t you think?” I gaze at Cindy and Ben.
 

Cindy sighs deeply. “No wonder why he is such a grouch. I don’t think that I would be that cheerful either.”

Ben looks at us while we walk. “You know why he decided to train us, don’t you?”

I nod. “And why he hates that Separus wants to get me for some reason. He is certainly not training us because he likes us.” I can’t help a chortle.
 

“But we should still make him proud.” Ben's eyes are serious as they study me.
 

“Definitely,” I say. “Besides, it is not like I want Separus to do the same to me.”

Cindy hooks her arm around mine and says, “Of course not, sweetie.” She looks at Ben. “Look at your face. You look so worried.” She shakes her head. “We’re going to be there for her. She will not be fighting him alone.”

I watch him as he forces a smile. “Naturally. I just don’t want to lose her.” He tucks his arm in under my wings and hugs me around the waist from my other side.
 

“What, and you could lose me?” She pouts her lips.

I study him amused as I see a quick flash across his face as he struggles with what to say. “No. But it is not you he is after,” he says a little too quickly.
 

“Ah, ha,” she says not looking convinced. “I know you and Aurora have been spending more time together. You like her more than me.”

Ben shoves me aside gently and places himself in the middle of us. “Come here you,” he says to Cindy as he grabs her sideways around the waist. “You are both my good friends and I care for both of you.” He pulls her close to him with his other arm wrapped around me on the opposite side.
 

“Yeah, but you care for her more,” she says.

“Oh, seriously.” He bumps her hip playfully with his. “You’re being ridiculous.”

She giggles and leans her head against his shoulder. “I know. I just wanted a hug. Life hasn’t exactly been fun the last couple of weeks.”

He laughs with Cindy and I watch. Inside my head I hear,
Are you jealous?

I laugh internally.
No.

Would you like me to try harder?

Not funny!

He looks at me, his eyes amused.
 

The laughing stops as we reach the door to the training room. I open the door, and we hear a slight shuffle of soft shoes from inside the room. Ben steps through the doorway and I follow with Cindy tentatively behind.
 

Zacharias stands facing the far wall and does not look at us. I cannot take my eyes off his stunted wings. Now I know the reasoning behind it, they seem more horrifying. His voice rumbles across the room. “So, the lost humans have finally returned.” There is no emotion in his voice. “I was beginning to think that you were never coming back.”
 

Cindy steps in front of us. “It was my fault, Sir. I—”

He flicks his hand. “What is this Sir rubbish? It is not necessary for you to speak to me as you would Michael. And it sounds like you are butt kissing.” He spins around and looks directly at Cindy his eyes scrutinising. His words are snappy but lack the complete harshness they carried before. “It does not become you.”

I can see Cindy’s jaw clench from behind.
 

“Now let’s get back to training.” He indicates to the wooden mannequins. Cindy’s is replaced with a new one with arms and a head.
 

Cindy tilts her head slightly. “Yes, sir.”

His eyes dash to look at her, a strange look lay in them.

I see her cheeks push out to the side as a smile fills her tone. “I think you deserve it, sir.”

“What is wrong with you?” Zacharias snaps. “You storm off after one argument and come back trying to kiss my butt.” He shakes his head and the silver of his hair flickers in the torchlight. “Just go practice, would you?” He points to her target.
 

“Yes, sir.” She pulls off one of her Chakram, hooks it over her pointer finger and begins to spin it.

Panic crosses Zacharias’ face. “No, you stupid girl. Over there.” He points to her side of the room. “Go practice over there.”

“Yes, sir,” she says then lets the Chakram fly across the other side of the room, hitting the heart area impeccably from fifty metres away. “Is that good, sir?” She spoke the sir in a playful way mixed with a hint of respect every time, and each time Zacharias would pull a strangled face, neither pleased nor displeased.
 

He let out his breath and gazed over at her target and grumbled, “Probably a lucky shot again.” He turns away from the target. “Keep it up.”

Cindy looks at us and winks. “See, he may like us yet.”

I shake my head and try to hide my smile from Zacharias.
 

Our trainer spins around to look at Ben and me. “Snap to it.” His eyes constrict as they fall on my smiling face. He points to me. “You and I will be practicing some hand to hand combat."
 

The smile wipes instantly from my face and I bow my head slightly. Ben and Cindy move over to their targets and we stay in the left-hand corner. Under the scowl, his eyes have turned to an emerald green. I already feel my shoulders seizing. I have not fought him since the first day, and that didn’t end so well. I should know better than to tense up in a fight. I breathe hard and focus on relaxing so my limbs will move swiftly. After facing each other, we take the bow of respect then focus. I raise my hands ready.
 

“You need to draw your dagger.” He indicates to the dagger sitting nicely below my hip.
 

I feel the colour run from my face. “What?” My muscles tense again.

“Are you deaf?” He shuffles forward slightly, his breathing loud from frustration. “We are fighting and you are training to use your weapon up close. You need to draw your dagger.”

“But it is charmed by angelic power and I might hurt you.”

He snorts.

“Doesn’t the angelic power make it more lethal?” I ask.

His face screws up on one side as he rolls his eyes. “Fledgling, despite what you may think of me, I am still an angel.”

Now I have done it.
I think.
He thinks that I don’t class him as an angel.
“That’s not what I meant. I was not saying you are not, I thought that the angelic powers make the dagger more dangerous to everyone.”

“It will hurt you, yes, but they are designed to kill the demons and evil forces. It is not lethal for us.”

“Oh.”
I feel positively stupid
. “What about punctures to the heart?”

A weird look fills his eyes. Is that sadistic pleasure I see? One side of his mouth rises. “Well, that one is really going to hurt.”

Great!
I am not entirely convinced, and I can’t help wonder if his theory has been tested before. A horrified look must be on my face.

He says, “Pain is the fastest way to learn. You learn to toughen up and correct your mistakes quicker. I also know that I have a healer in the room who can also heal herself.”

Like that is some comfort.
Pulling out my dagger, I notice that my palms are already sweaty.
 

We stand ready to fight. As I look into his determined eyes, I wonder if I am going to be able to purposely injure my trainer, even though he has taunted us from day one.
 

We pace around in the circle, assessing each other, each one waiting for the other to move.
 

A few circuits have been completed when he jeers, “Come on. Make your move. The one with the knife has the upper hand. You should feel confident and attack first.”

While I remain silent, my eyes do not leave him. He begins to stroke his fingers through his shoulder-length hair. I know he is taunting me, mocking my ability, but I still don’t want to hurt him.
 

“Come on!” he jeers. “I have given you ample opportunities to attack. You would be making Michael embarrassed by now. I’m sure he would have taught you better. Just remember to think that I am Separus.”
 

My face crinkles and I dash forward with the dagger aiming for his ribs. He deflects it, but I see the slash in his monks clothing from where it slid. He grabs my arm and from his movements I know he is going to try to break it. I quickly adjust my position, narrowly avoiding a painful moment. I spin around and slam the knife toward his leg. I feel the jolt as it connects with his skin and stops hard against his bone. An agonised exhale passes my ear, and I feel weak from the guilt of inflicting pain. I pause trying to gather the strength mentally. It is too late when I realise that his arms are grasping me from behind, one of them strapped around my neck. Before he pulls tight in the grasp, I drop my chin blocking it from tightening against my neck and oesophagus. After jamming an elbow into his ribs, I spin to grab for the dagger from his leg. It is gone. I reach some more thinking I must have missed the spot, but my search halts as a sharp pain enters my ribs and slices up into my chest. Involuntarily, I gasp as my body seizes, numb from pain. My heart struggles to beat.
Has it pierced my heart too?
His arms let me go as my knees give way, and I fall to the floor.
 

My vision tunnels and I am not sure if it is from the shock of the pain or I am actually dying. I hope this is just pain that is causing me to buckle — not because it has punctured me in the heart and Zacharias was wrong about it not killing us. As my body hits the stone ground and the cold presses up through my clothes, I hear a screech.
 

“Zacharias!”

The voice sounds familiar, but it is not Cindy’s or Ben’s. I am in too much pain to search for the owner. My eyes barely remain open as I study the back stone wall, watching the flames dance merrily on the torches.

“What have you done?” the voice sounds again. Hurried footsteps approach me. I feel too weak to reach for the dagger. Other steps approach from Cindy and Ben’s direction but the owner of the familiar voice reaches me first. A swish of blue, slightly darker than the sky, surrounds me. It crumples in a heap and my eyes connect with the refreshing colour of crystal clear springs. Kindness and love envelope me as I gaze at the pale skin of Archangel Gabriel.
 

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear,” the archangel mutters while reaching for the dagger and yanking it out. “I don’t have your healing power sweetie, so you are going to have to muster your strength.” Reaching for my hand, Archangel Gabriel places it over the wound and strokes my cheek. “Come on darling, you can do it.”

I feel so weak; I am not sure I can.
 

- Chapter Ten -

I close my eyes and take deep breaths. Gentle strokes from smooth, firm hands caress my face giving me comfort.

“Come on darling, you can do it,” Archangel Gabriel encourages me.

Aurora
. The pitch-perfect baritone voice sounds in my head. I try to open my eyes, but all that I manage to do is flutter my eyelids.
Aurora
. The voice sings again.
 

Adrenaline stirs through my veins. I have to heal myself. Attempting it again, I manage to force my eyes open. Two sets of blue eyes of different shades greet me, both clouded with concern.
 

“That’s my girl. Now you just need to heal yourself.” The archangel encourages me. My hand is still held over my wound for me. I just want to focus on Ben’s pale, olive-skinned face, but I am aware that Archangel Gabriel is watching me closely. Instead, I focus on the power welling internally that I let loose as soon as I feel it is the right strength to heal. The surge of light that penetrates my wound feels so good and I breathe deeply in relief. I can feel the flesh mending back together. After a moment I sit, aided by Archangel Gabriel and Ben while I wait for my strength to return.