Imperial (Insight #8)(66)

“He fulfilled that dream,” I swore to him.

A bashful smile came to his lips as his gaze fell deeper into mine.

“That He did,” he said under his breath. “Once our talk was over, He asked me to follow Him. We descended into a horrid dimension. The air was so toxic that I had no idea how life was still present. We walked the streets, cloaked from the others, seeing their hell all around them. I knew looking into the eyes of those souls that they did not need me to relieve anger from them; they needed something to hope for. Their emotions needed to be elevated, not suppressed.

“Something caught my heart. I felt a rapid pulse for no reason. I began to lead the Creator to that point. I finally stopped just before this filthy shack. He asked me what was on my mind. I told Him exactly what was on my mind, that somewhere in that rubble was what I wanted each of those souls I’d passed that day to feel: bliss, love.”

Vade smirked. “He asked me if I would lay down my reign for the likes of any soul in that rubble.” His fingertips outlined my lips. “I didn’t even hesitate. I all but begged Him for that trade. Do you want to know what was in that shack?”

“Me,” I said as tears glassed over my eyes. “I don’t understand…you are still a king.”

“And you are a queen. He was not asking for a trade, for me to buy a soul to love me. He was testing my devotion, my sight unseen devotion to you. I passed. Without fail, I passed—and the moment I saw you, I knew that it was the best choice I could have ever made, that if the Creator told me the only way that I could have you would be to lay in than filth at your side than I would gladly do so.”

“I was made for you,” I whispered, running my fingers through his hair.

“We are one soul, as all soul mates are. We were made for each other.”

“That was so long ago…are you sure that He has not long since forgotten your request to save our race?”

“He has not forgotten.”

“Then why did He let these horrible things happen?”

“He let nothing happen; we’ve done this to ourselves, but He is a graceful and merciful Creator. Even though we have followed another path, He is still weaving us together. He is still protecting all that is precious.”

“So He does not want to end our race? Use my line to become like Silas?” I was so confused.

“Not that I am aware of,” Vade said with a slight grin. “Say it again.”

I blushed. “I love you.” My soul pulsed violently as the words left my lips.

“Love you,” he said with a smile. “The kings that have crossed us will perish one way or another. The two of us, right now, right here, have made our lines invincible. All those under our watch can now hear the call of this emotion. They can feel it if they so wish, and those that do will be the fiercest Escorts that have ever existed, for they will fight for the right to never lose this.”

“Like our Fated.”

“Like our Fated,” he said with a proud grin.

“I still have to untangle Silas. Maybe now that he can feel this, he will rise with us.”

“Perhaps.”

“I have to do something. I can’t have him hurting our lines.”

“For all we know, there has already been a chain reaction that he has felt, that they have all felt.”

“Turn the springs on so I can see.”

“Not yet,” he said as his breath caught in his throat.

“Why not?”

“Because I feel words coming to me.”

“Seriously? Don’t tell me that there is another doom waiting. What did the kings want anyway?”

He seemed bothered that I turned the conversation back to them, but he answered anyway. I guess his words were not quite free.

“They wanted to restore Donalt.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he said with a clench of his jaw. “You see, Donalt and Xavier are idiots.”

I laughed aloud for no reason, threw my head back, feeling bliss—even though a second ago I was ready to hear of doom. Is this what love does? Makes all the darkness seem pointless in the grand scheme of things?

When I looked at him again and suppressed my laugh, he grinned. “Say it again.”

“I’m in love with the stoic King of Anger. Vade is my eternal soul mate, we are the first, handpicked to love one another.”

His lips found mine, and hungrily I grasped his, tasting that sweet sensation of mint. I almost lost myself, but I pulled away. “Idiots. Beyond the obvious, why or how could they ask such a thing?”

He leaned in and pulled my bottom lip to him, biting it slightly before kissing it. “I really don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“If you talk about it now, if we resolve it, then we can lock ourselves away for moons to come.”

“Tempting,” he breathed as his hands moved up my thighs before grasping my waist and pulling me further onto his lap. “All right, both Donalt and Xavier have engaged in human wars. They have thought it best to shield themselves with spells, words with great intent. Immortality in one form was not good enough for them, so they sought it in many.”

“Why?” That kinda seemed like a waste of time to me.

“I think they did it for show at first, that they thought if they used those spells the people would not question their immortality in that form. But now, there are souls that are unraveling said spells. Donalt wanted us to give him power to regain strength—full form.”