The Unknown // Colby Brock

~~ Chapter Twenty-One ~~

          I wasn't sure how long I had sat with Colby, but I didn't care. All people - even devils - needed comfort sometimes. After finding out their mother could die, it was a pretty good time for some cuddles and gentle-spoken words. I had no intention of moving until Colby wanted me to move, which I was guessing wasn't going to be any time soon.

Of course, in such a time of crisis - even if the crisis was only in heaven - something had to come along to ruin Colby's peace.

"Um, Colby?" Elton spoke lightly. Colby only hummed in response. "There's a visitor... one you might want to see."

I slightly turned my head to Elton to frown at him when I got assaulted by the colour of gold and white... mixed with blood and dirty marks. There, standing in the middle of the room, was Fate - Colby's mother. She stood tall like before but had a slight hunch to her posture. Her elegant blonde hair was messy. Her skin was pale. Everything from her clothes to a little bit of her face and wings had blood splatters.

The fight had been a brutal one, that was for certain.

"Fate," I breathed out in surprise. Colby lifted his head almost instantly. He looked both hurt and confused at the same time as he just stared at his mother.

"Hello, Arianna. Colby," she greeted, holding onto her stomach with just one hand. "I... I know God came down here and I want to apologise for his foolishness. The attack killed a lot of good angels; a lot of good people. He's just stressed out and of course, it didn't help that I was... out."

I figured Colby wasn't exactly in the mood for talking, so I chose to do it for him. "What happened to you?"

"I was sitting on my throne alone when they came storming in. Unfortunately, I didn't have my weapon with me and they had many." She gave everyone a sad smile as she took a step forward. "But I do have to say, it's nice to see a woman on the throne with you, Colby."

My mouth opened and closed again before I automatically stood up, clearing my throat.

Fate slowly smiled. "As I have assured you all of my health, I'd actually like to speak with you, Arianna."

"Me?"

"Anyone else called Arianna here?"

"I mean there's Aryia..." I mumbled in embarrassment.

Fate shook her head and motioned me toward the living room, which felt miles away when everybody was looking at me. Nevertheless, I gulped and followed her. Only once we were alone sitting on the couch did she let out a small sigh. "I have been waiting for Colby to find a queen for much longer than my husband," she explained slowly. "I used to imagine that she would be beautiful and elegant and good. Of course, I can't exactly expect her to be good anymore, however you" — she reached out to take my hand — "you're good in your own way."

"What do you mean?"

"Your soul is black yet I just walked into a house to find you and my son... cuddling, would you call it? I believe you were comforting him about me. Anybody who really didn't care wouldn't have done something like that, so that makes you good. You're a perfect balance between the two."

I was almost speechless. Her speech had made me temporarily forget that I wasn't even Colby's girl, let alone his queen.

"I'm sorry, but you're... you're talking to the wrong girl. I'm not Colby's."

"Ah but you were." Fate smiled, squeezing my hand. "I can see it between you. And your entry to heaven shattered that trust between you, but it hasn't shattered your love."

"Love?!"

"Wait, dear. Considering you were just now cuddling with him in his time of need, I can tell that you still care for him. Feelings when you're a devil, or a demon, or a god, or an angel are never temporary. Trust me when I tell you that once you fall in love in heaven or hell, you never move on. You never get over it. You never fall out of love in the first place."