The Forsaken(27)

“I tried to show you the other night. I thought it best you know. We are not of this Earth, Gareth. We are angels. Well…we used to be angels. Now we’re all exiled. Isabella got in a fight and Nathanael’s doing his best to save her. He’s her only help.”

Gareth attempted to laugh her off. Meredith turned, sliding her body toward him, feeling the heat of his thigh press against hers.

“I tried to show you the other night, but you ran. I wanted you to understand. You deserve to know after everything you’ve gone through. Would you like to see my wings, again? Or will you once again run away?”

Meredith was careful. She’d stated who she really was but also said it like a challenge, knowing he’d try to laugh it away. But Meredith was dead serious. The other night, she suspected Gareth had boiled down what she’d shown him as a hallucination thanks to his withdrawal symptoms. Tonight, he searched for an excuse, but she needed him to accept the truth.

“You’re not kidding, are you?”

She blinked. “I would be honored to show you my true self.”

“Fine. Show me.” He bit the words out, daring her on.

Meredith slipped out of the bed, moving with the feminine grace of a ballerina, just like her heavenly teacher’s had taught her. Before Gareth could protest, she made her wings appear. Their weight felt delightful on her body, and she sighed with pleasure.

“Meredith, nice parlor trick. Why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“Look at me, Gareth. This is no trick of the light or figment of your imagination. I am…well, I was, a Cherub angel. We got kicked out of the heavens for our disobedience.”

Gareth moved his legs, stretching them out to gain composure, but his hands did not budge.

“This can’t be real,” he said, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

“I am real.” She made her wings move and Gareth jumped up off her bed.

“Holy f*ck!”

“Now do you believe me?”

He nodded, his eyes wide open. She let him move behind her, even though she felt a little uncomfortable knowing she only wore her simple nightgown. When he lightly touched her wings, he swore a full sentence, causing Meredith to laugh.

“They are real,” he said, more to himself. “They’re so soft. I thought they’d be stiff, like feathers, but they’re not.”

“I’m not a bird, Gareth.”

He laughed and it warmed her heart.

“Yeah, well that’s sort of how angels are drawn here, with bird feathers.”

“Again, not related. I was once an angel, just like Izzy and my fellow sisters.”

Gareth moved back to her bed to sit down. “Shit, this is so not what I expected.”

“Gareth, you understand you can’t tell anyone.”

He barked a dry chuckle. “Yeah, like they’d believe me anyway. But if you’re angels, why is Izzy sick?”

“She came into contact with demons.”

He shot up from her bed and raced to the door.

“Gareth, stop. They’re not here.”

Gareth ran an agitated hand through his short hair. “You don’t understand, Meredith. I’ve—”

“Seen demons before. I know. But we must pray for Izzy to heal.”

“You said you couldn’t save Izzy. Surely your God will?” asked Gareth.

“The Almighty and the Mistress work miracles every day. We are only tiny specks of dust in the grand scheme of things. We as Cherubs would never think to plead for one of our own. To do so, well…it would be sacrilegious.”

Meredith moved more toward Gareth but he backed up. She halted her approach, willing him to understand. She shivered as the cool night air seeped into her.

His hard look softened as he came toward her. “I don’t understand half of the things you’re telling me, Meredith, but I believe you. Now, since I’m here, and since I’m planning to stay until I totally understand everything that has happened to you and the rest of your sisters, let’s get you back under the covers.”

“Will you stay with me for a few minutes?” asked Meredith, her voice sounding shaky.

He nodded. Meredith smiled and looked into his eyes as he tucked her under the blankets. He was like an old soul in a young body; he’d seen so much evil already in the world that even if a miracle happened to him, he’d remain skeptical.

Stiffly, he sat against the bed’s hard headboard. “Why would your God—”

“And your God,” she chastised him.

“Yeah, okay…why would any God kick you out of your home? Seems like a big punishment.”

“We did something we aren’t allowed to.”

“Like what?”

“Fight,” said Meredith, turning her head, wishing her room had a window so she could see the stars. However her room was modest but it was also the only room on the first floor and while it might not have a window, it suited her purposes.

“Are you kidding me? You got kicked out because you fought.”

She turned and looked at him “It’s much more complicated than that. We are Cherubs, and we’re not supposed to take up arms. I don’t expect you to understand but trust me we all knew we’d get punished but none of us thought this. I’m sure in the grand scheme of things we will all be okay.” I certainly hope so.