Imperial (Insight #8)(25)
Vade’s fingertips caressed my arm as he spoke. “I fear that the one that I am struggling with now will throw down his own life if he is made aware of his true heritage…” He wrapped his hand around my arm tightly, ensuring his hum was present before he continued. “He was claimed by no line, but as a Witness…at least that is how he has lived out his recent existence.”
A Witness. I was spellbound. I could not comprehend that one of mine could be claimed in such a manner.
The admiration that I saw in Vade’s eyes was terrifying right now. Did he see this as a promise that one day my energy could create the metallic energy he was searching for?
Witnesses were in a sense archangels. They lived like warriors for eons at a time. At their human death, they were offered a charge to protect darkness from invading pure light. And honestly right now, souls of pure light were the only ones that could lead us back to balance. The only ones that could open The Fall naturally.
The only issue was that Witnesses were established to fight the course that Donalt and Xavier were on. So, my dear mist, the one that was chosen to become a Witness, would surely despise what he sincerely was…in his mind, I was the same as Donalt and Xavier. I was sure of it.
“Why are you struggling with him?” I asked in a whisper, hoping against all hope that this mist of mine’s actions were not ones that couldn’t be forgiven.
“Well,” Vade breathed, “he is plotting to kill one of my Fated Escorts, actually more than one.”
“His reason?”
“Beyond that he thinks he is a Witness?”
“Your Fated Escorts would not be evil. They would be fighting the same as he.”
“Glory…life has changed in the corporeal realm.”
I swallowed nervously. “How so?”
His jaw clenched before he answered. “Donalt and Xavier have succeeded in not only extending their lines to a massive level, but in invoking harmful emotions…their mist are found early, given a taste of power, and told to seek out potential lights. The pair of them, Xavier and Donalt, are fools, though. Their lines have grown so massive that only half the mist even know what they truly are. Some even have a foolish idea that if they gain enough power, find a blinding light to subdue, that they can rule The Realm.”
“You’re not serious.” Had those kings lost their minds? The idea of all those lost mists, blind to the splendor of what they were meant to be, sickened my soul.
“Sadly, I am.”
“The war—the humans I sensed in The Realm—they are fighting us, assuming that we are all the same.”
He narrowed his eyes. “They are fighting against our fellow kings.” Clearly, he took ‘us’ out of my summary.
“Then we shall fight with them.”
That brought a ghost of a smile to his face. My fearlessness often left him breathless. “When Xavier and Donalt assumed Earthly vessels, they assumed the consequences of such actions. Pure lights have fought the obvious misery they produce, in turn the kings retaliated. A web of intent, and blind deals were cast. And unfortunately, our lines are at the center of this battle.”
“I still do not understand how.”
“If they belong to us, you know their intentions were born pure, so pure that wholesome lights were attracted to them, claimed them. And in that claim there lies an unrest.”
“My head is spinning. Our Fated Escorts have coupled with human lights? Is that what you are saying? How could they?” I knew how dangerous it was for an Escort to have a fever for anyone beyond our kind.
“Our mist was in the wind. Donalt was the first to pull one of yours into his grasp. He could not openly claim her because he was in human form. Instead, he plotted to destroy her in corporeal form. But in that lifetime she was adored, and has been for each lifetime since then.”
Fear. That was Donalt’s reign. I could only imagine what she would have endured. Flames from the candles exploded, reaching the endless ceiling, mocking my rage.
Within a pulse of my soul, Vade was lying on top of me, pinning my arms above my head. The hum of his body, along with the scent of roses, caused the raging flames to fall to their subtle light. “She is fiercely protected,” he swore.
His mind played out what he knew of this Fated of mine for me at a slow, calculated pace.
Chapter Eight
Vade wanted me to know the story of all the Fated that belonged to us, their journey so far, but he needed me to focus on the one that was causing so much trouble presently. He knew I would not do that without knowing the others were somewhat safe now.
Before, when I sensed my line in the entry hall, I’d sensed one of my Fated and had no idea that I had. Vade had spoken to her, came to her aid when her back was against the wall, when both Donalt and Xavier chose to charge her in unison. Vade helped her save one of his Fated, and so much more.
Vade took her thoughts of him away so that she would be protected, so the other kings would not know that Vade was now aware and preparing to wage war against them along with our Fated.
I witnessed an admirable fight in those that bore our essence. No doubt there. They had been twisted against each other in the cruelest ways, but somehow they found their way to overcome.
I kept staring at the image of those that belonged to us; because they were Fated Escorts, they did not carry the same outward appearance as the current lines. Nature planned it that way, a weapon you could not see coming, but once they were upon you no doubt you would sense their sovereign within.