Finding Heathcliff

Forty

"There is something... different about you... Azrael... " the girl whispered, her smile morphing into a frown as she tried to comprehend the change.

Perfectly invisible as it would be outside, the faint halo emanating from the fallen angel was easily perceptible within the gloom of the pit, highlighted by the magical, bluish light hovering around the group.

He opened his mouth to say something to make her calm down, anything but the whole truth, but there was no need; her eyes fluttered closed again before he could collect his thoughts.

"I'll carry her, Eva," he said, taking the girl from the woman, lifting her into his arms effortlessly. "Thank you."

"So... this is her? Arcturus' little queenie is the human you love? But she is just a girl, and a part demon..." Evangeline said, standing in front of Azrael, blocking his path.

"Evangeline, this is not the right moment. Let us go. We need water," Ramiel complained from behind Azrael, his anxious eyes flickering to Rigel, who didn't seem entirely steady on his feet.

Azrael sighed. "It's better to speak now, Ramiel, we won't take long. But I don't want to talk about this ever again, Eva," he warned. "What I feel for her has nothing to do with you. Yes, she is Arcturus' niece, at least that's what she thinks, but I'm sure you already noticed that her angel side is much stronger than her human or demon heritage. She wants to meet Michael, and I don't think it's simply because of the treaty... In any case, I'll deliver her to him as I promised."

"And then?" Evangeline prompted. "You'll collect your wings and leave her here alone." She shook her head, the frustration filling her eyes morphing into pity. "I'm so sorry for you, Azrael. I guess we will have to keep an eye on her for you until we get our wings back, too."

"I don't want your pity, Eva, but I'll accept your honest friendship if you offer it."

"It's yours, Azrael, you know that. That's the only thing you ever asked of me even though you know... Never mind." She let her eyes slip to Astrid sleeping in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder so naturally as if it belonged there. Shaking her head, she met Azrael's eyes again, expecting the instructions she knew were due.

"We'll stop for the night as soon as we reach the stream, then continue on our way tomorrow. We need a few more days to reach Oblivis, even if we carry them. You heard what's happening above?" Azrael asked, inclining his head towards the doves perched on his shoulder.

"Yes," Evangeline said.

"Would you please go ahead of us and warn everyone? I suppose Michael will come to Oblivis the moment the news reaches him, and he will be furious. Should you see him before we arrive, prepare him for our arrival, explain everything. Arcturus won't let this occasion slip. There will be war, we have no time to waste..."

"I will," the fallen angel said seriously.

"Thank you." Azrael smiled at her, letting her embrace him as well as she could without touching Astrid and kiss him on the cheek.

Adjusting her cloak and the bow and quiver slung across her back, she jumped into the black void, her cloak and her long blonde hair billowing around her like wings, vanishing from their sight in an instant.

"I wish we could do the same," Ramiel said, watching the spot in the blackness where Evangeline disappeared.

"You know that we can't jump, carrying them, not in this pit. We're still too high. We need at least two more days before we can fly them down," Azrael said, starting to walk down the rocky path quickly, letting the light disappear. He didn't need it.

"We need more light!" Ramiel complained from far behind him.

You don't, Azrael thought. Just... carry the boy. He won't mind, I saw his thoughts about you, Ramiel.

Without looking around to see if Ramiel followed his advice, he ran with the girl until they reached the stream.

Astrid woke up when a cup filled with fresh and very cold water touched her lips. She drank thirstily before she opened her eyes, finding Azrael looking at her intently.

"Hi," she said, voice hoarse from long disuse. She stared back at him silently, trying to pull the loose strings of her memories together. Something... important had happened. Azrael had looked different before, but now, surrounded by weak daylight, he seemed normal again. She had been feeling ill before, but now only her head spun slightly when she pulled herself up on her elbows, noticing with a blush that her head had been resting in Azrael's lap.

Astrid looked around in search of the woman who had accompanied them from the Land's End caves.
But she was gone, Astrid could only see Azrael, and Ramiel and Rigel, who were busy repacking their bags nearby.

"Where's Orion?" she asked, filled with anticipation of... she didn't know what.

The faintest memory of her precipitating into the pit filled her mind, and she knew Azrael read it before he replied, pushing her gently back down.

"You nearly died, Lady. You must rest."

She let him hold her close, her heart fluttering with myriads of emotions she could not name at feeling his touch, but she could not help asking again, "Orion?"

"He is dead, Lady. I killed him."

The unexpected answer cut through her like a knife, causing pain she had never felt before, making her jump to her feet and run from Azrael only to collapse a few steps away, her head spinning too fast to allow her to walk.

"Astrid, you're awake!" Rigel's voice reached her, followed by its owner a few moments later. "You slept for two days, we're close to Oblivis now, Ramiel says they can fly us the rest of the way..."

"Unless you want to go back, Lady," Azrael interrupted.

Ignoring him, Astrid spoke to Rigel, "Where's Orion?"

She watched his eyes flicker to Azrael before he replied, "He is dead. He tried to poison you, pushed me into the pit, shot Ramiel... Azrael killed him, he saved us all."

No sound left her lips but she could feel hot tears running down her cheeks as she pulled her knees up, wrapped her arms around them and hid her face, wanting to delete the world around her, herself, her memories of Orion who had not always been the man he had become since they had left the castle. They had been happy once, they had cared about each other...

She didn't know how long she sat there, shedding silent tears alone, surrounded by dark void beyond her closed eyelids, but she was thankful to the three men for leaving her to deal with her grief on her own, giving her as much time as she needed to return to them.

When she finally walked towards them, where they were gathered around a small fire burning in front of two tents, it was perfectly dark again, and a faint aura which seemed to be spun of moonlight emanated from Azrael.

"Lady," Azrael, noticing her first, greeted her carefully.

Astrid nodded to him, then sat by the fire between him and Rigel, shivering at feeling its sudden heat. She  could perceive Azrael's surprise at her closeness, knew she should hate him for killing Orion... But whether it was right or wrong, she couldn't.

"You need to eat, you are weak," Azrael said, his voice filling with relief even as he read her thoughts.

"I want to wash and change first, I can hear water... Please?"

Azrael nodded. "One of us will take you to the stream. You can't go alone. It's dark, the current is dangerous and gelid."

"You come with me, please, Azrael," Astrid agreed without hesitation, feeling, despite everything, that he... belonged to her in some incomprehensible way. She needed to talk to him, to hear from his lips what had passed, to understand and try to accept it all.

He nodded, standing up and offering her a hand to pull her to her feet.

She accepted it, staggering slightly as her head spun from the sudden motion.

"It would be better if you had something to eat first, Lady."

"No. I'm fine. Where are my bags?" she asked, walking slowly towards the two tents, entering the one Azrael pointed out to her.