I waited in absolute dread and torture.
For my sake, they didn’t often mention my father’s name. And for years he’d been the sole leader. Again, not good information, considering he’d worked solo for as long as I could remember.
Raphael finally spoke. “The catch is that we know nothing of his origin or his name. We only know that he is unlike anything we have fought before, and, Athena, forgive me, but I hear your mind working. It’s remarkably fast.” He flashed me a warm smile “So to answer your question, what we do know about him is this. He’s a Dreamwalker, a siren of sorts. He can get into your psyche and make you believe things that aren’t real. The biggest problem we have seen is that he will play to your human emotions. He will make you believe the lie your forefathers so easily fell into. That you can be a god.”
The room buzzed with the new information. How many of us have been compared to gods? Yet you don’t see us walking around demanding people worship us. No, because in our hearts we know the truth. We are the spawn of the Fall. We are the living product of what happened when perfect beings were given the choice between pride and service. It was easy to laugh when humans worshiped us, because we seemed so pitiful next to how incredible even the angels are. Why would they worship us next to them?
Yet it made sense. For the biggest battle has never been physical, but spiritual. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is who has ownership over your heart and soul.
“We shall meet later.” Michael nodded at all of us and motioned for me and Adonis to follow him.
Awkwardly, because I was still a bit sore from the fight, I fell into step behind the three archangels as they led us across the training rooms and into the conservatory. I didn’t visit the area often, because to be honest, it kind of creeped me out. Trees and flowers lined the walls. It had the appearance of a greenhouse — if it were possible to have a greenhouse this far below sea level at the bottom of the ocean — which it’s not, by the way.
The vegetation was kept alive by, well, I guess humans would call it magic. But really it’s just one of the great many mysteries of El. He thought it would be nice for us to have, so… poof! We have it, and it doesn’t really make sense to us how we have it or how it works. It just… does. Kind of like all of his creations.
I grasped Adonis’s large hand as we walked to the closest bench and sat. He gave me one of his serious looks. The kind that immediately made me want to crack a joke to ease the tension.
Probably not good timing, since I have three menacing archangels staring at me as if I’ve committed some sort of crime.
“The dream? Why did you say nothing until now?” Raphael demanded.
Easy, killer.
“It happened less than a few hours ago. I wasn’t sure if I was just…”
“Did he say his name?” Gabriel wanted to know. All of the angels paced as Adonis squeezed my hand in encouragement.
“Yes, I remember, I…”
“What?” Adonis asked. “Tell them his name.”
“I can’t,” I said as a tear escaped down my cheek.
“Why?” Michael ‘s face furrowed with concern.
“Because I don’t remember. All I remember is… the song.”
Adonis released my hand and grabbed my shoulders to face him. “He sang to you?”
I nodded. “It was a short song. I — I remembered it earlier today when we were fighting, but seeing all of you seemed to nudge it out of my memory. I know I sound crazy but—”
“Not crazy, Athena.” Michael sat on the other side of me. “He’s a Siren. You’ll only remember when you’re not in our presence. Promise me you’ll tell Adonis everything you know as soon as you can?”
“I don’t understand…”
“We are perfect,” Gabriel said, though his voice held no conceit, just pure honesty. “Evil cannot get close. His powers are not strong enough to break through the hold we three have on you. In our presence, his evil is not strong enough to cause you to remember.”
Simple answer, I guess.
I suddenly felt like I’d been battling all day. My head drooped then snapped up. “Where did Adonis learn to fight? I thought he was only my partner for…” I knew it wasn’t important, but I couldn’t help but be curious.
“For enticement?” Michael offered lamely. And I would have said he was lame to his face if I hadn’t been so worried of being obliterated.
I licked my lips and nodded as Adonis grinned next to me.
“I was wondering when you would discover his abilities.”
“His abilities?” I echoed.
Michael smiled the first smile I’d seen since his arrival. “He’s been training with me since the Beginning.”
“Of?” I prompted.
“The Beginning,” he repeated, and then I knew. Well, crap. I’ve been giving Adonis a hard time for our entire partnership, and here he’s an angel-trained fighter. Wonders never cease.