Ethereal

Chapter 27

I was surprised that Claire was trusting me to get back to Caelum on my own, I wasn't supposed to be on Earth without an angel to watch over me. Regardless of her reasoning, I was glad. I wanted a moment to myself to think.

Walking along the stream to get to the lake was peaceful, I closed my eyes and focused on the sound of the running water to show me the way. Ever since learning what I was, none of it had ever felt like too much until this moment. I had always had friends to help me, to guide me. I could always trust that I wouldn't make a mistake too big, because they were more powerful and able to stop me.

But I had lost those friends now – and the only person in Caelum that could help me now was locked away in a cell. I felt almost burdened by what had just happened at my house. Somehow, I had overpowered a true angel.

A shiver went down my spine at the thought. I was almost hoping it was some kind of a fluke. I didn't want to be as strong as an angel, let alone stronger than one. Despite what Claire said, I didn't think that the angels would take kindly to the knowledge that I was growing stronger than them. But there would be no way of hiding that knowledge, Claire was a Reader, as well as the Reed for my trial – there was no way she was going to lie about it to anyone.

I sighed and sunk down so that I was sat cross-legged at the side of the stream, watching the water flow past. After a while it started to remind me of the river in Caelum, the one Noah had thrown a stone into, and we watched as it fell off one end and popped out of the rocks on the other.

That thought made me close my eyes, not wanting to watch anymore. Noah's betrayal was difficult for me to deal with – I'd never really had to cope with anything like this before. I had never had friends growing up, no one aside from my mother that I had trusted completely.

I allowed myself to trust Noah, so maybe it was my fault. Maybe because I was a Nephilim, I'd never be able to maintain a friendship with someone. Humans had avoided me my entire life, was it such a stretch for angels to do the same?

Noah had an unexplainable interest in me from the start, but was it only because I was in danger? Was his interest in me the manifestation of his skill? Finding things that are in danger?

And now, I wasn't in danger anymore. Did that mean he didn't care anymore, was that why he lied?

But of course, Jasmine and Travis didn't tell me about my mother either. Somehow it hurt more from Noah. I had somehow deluded myself into thinking that he liked me back. He had allowed us to kiss on a few occasions, something that was forbidden. That had meant so much to me, that he was willing to break the rules for me.

But Noah was an angel, and angels just don't break the rules. So maybe he was regretting that now.

"Emilia?" I heard a voice behind me.

I didn't open my eyes, I didn't want to acknowledge his presence. I just wanted him to leave me alone.

"What's wrong?" Travis asked.

Just focus on the sounds of the stream... he can't hurt you more if you just ignore him. At least, that's what I was trying to tell myself.

"Emilia, listen. I spoke to Noah." He paused, waiting for a reply. He continued when he didn't get one. "You should talk to him. He's going crazy, he doesn't know what he did wrong. None of us do."

"How can you say that?" I stood up quickly, turning to face him. "You don't know what's wrong? You have no idea what I could possibly be upset about?"

He seemed bewildered. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's a misunderstanding- "

"No, it's not." I shook my head. "I thought angels weren't supposed to lie?"