Shattered Souls (Guardians of the Maiden Book 3)

Cassiel tore through the sky with only one intention in his mind. He circled around the castle for the grand hall and crashed through the windows. Glass rained and screams rang out as hundreds of startled faces gaped up at him. Cassiel’s vision flooded blue, his firelight bathing the room in the same color. Celestials scattered out of the way. He found Malakel standing below him. Cassiel dove for his brother and slammed into him, flying backwards onto the dining table. Momentum slid them down the length, dishes crashing, food flying.

They came to stop halfway with Cassiel’s opal knife at Malakel’s throat.

“Cassiel!” his uncle shouted. “Stop! What are you doing?”

He shook with the restraint it took not to drive the edge into his brother’s neck. All eyes were on them. Hilos guards swarmed the table and yanked out their divine swords. Valkyrie stormed forward and crouched with their weapons to defend their Lord. The room was deathly still, waiting for his next move.

Someone called his name, but it was muffled beneath the crackle of his flames licking along his arms. They inched for his brother.

“Go on, Cassiel,” Malakel muttered low enough for only him to hear. “Show them who you are.”

Rage seared through his very being. He should. He should feed him to the flames and watch him turn to ash. His fire flared at his back and people cried out. The guards took several steps backwards, no one daring to touch him. The air warped and wood crackled, the smell of food burning rushed up his nose.

The force of his contained power felt like it may demolish him, as though he was trapped under the pressure of its weight.

“You will not murder your brother in cold blood,” Jophiel bellowed from a few feet away. “Release him!”

His chest heaved, and fire ravaged down the table. No one would command him anymore. After everything Malakel had done, he deserved to bleed out on this table.

Someone neared.

He snarled at the intruder, but it wavered when he saw her.

“Cassiel.” The sound of her soft voice hummed in his chest.

Dyna walked toward him, and others shouted at her to stop. She came anyway, each step even and purposeful. Dyna stepped into his cloak of the roaring flame, and horror rocked through him. But his mate only smiled as she cupped his cheek. It was cool and striking against the heat scorching the rest of him.

“It’s all right, you can let go,” she said in soothing tones. “Ata hakohav sheli. Your light is only for me.”

The bond vibrated and softly glowed in his chest.

He couldn’t quite breathe at seeing her touch his fire. The cerulean flames licked around her skin, as though to caress her dotingly. Everyone stood frozen still, their wide eyes fixed on them. A low exhale slipped from his lips as everything in him calmed like a still sea. The fire died away, leaving behind tendrils of smoke. Cassiel let her slowly take the knife from him.

“Come with me,” Dyna said.

He moved with her inviting tug on his sleeve and slid off the table. The fury that had burned through his chest dimmed to an ember, until Malakel opened his mouth.

“The witch truly has you by the—”

Dyna moved so fast Cassiel didn’t see when she threw her fist until it connected with his brother’s face. The blow pitched Malakel back into the glass littered table. It gave him a sick satisfaction to see his split lip. That strike was a thing of beauty. She had amazing form.

“I am not a witch,” his mate hissed.

Malakel snarled leaped up to go after her.

Cassiel stepped in his way, grabbing the front of his robes. “I have endured the blows of your disdain daily,” he growled low. “But she will never suffer the same. Touch her again, and I will burn you alive.”

Malakel gritted his teeth, his fists shaking as if he wanted to test the threat. His eyes flashed blue and that was enough to make him flinch.

Releasing him, Cassiel faced his court. They cowed against the walls, gaping at him as if he were a monster. Perhaps he was. If he wouldn’t have their support, then it was all the better that they feared him.

His gaze swept over each of them as his voice carried through the room. “And if anyone else has something to say about my mate, you can say it to me.”

Cassiel couldn’t be around anyone. He commanded Sowmya and their friends not to leave Dyna out of their sight, then he flew through the broken windows again. He needed air. His heart was pounding, and his blood boiled. It felt as if his fire would make his body implode. Was this how it would be? Setting everything on fire with every spark of his anger?

He didn’t want that.

Cassiel cursed at himself for putting Dyna in danger. She could have been killed because he was too lost in his anger. He would have lost her all over again and it would have been his fault.

The thought created an unbearable pressure in his body. He felt his fire expand inside him, pushing against his being with the need to burn. Holding it in felt like it was tearing him apart.

He didn’t know how much more he could take.

“My lord.”

Cassiel spun around and scowled at Yelrakel. She couldn’t be following him right now when he may explode at any second. “Leave me.”

“I cannot,” she said firmly. “You will come with me.”

He scowled. “Are you giving me a command?”

“My lord, you destroyed the grand hall and set it on fire. Someone could have been gravely injured. Including my lady.”

Cassiel’s scowl dropped. “I…”

“You did not intend it, I know, but next time you lose your temper, someone may end up dead. I wish to prevent this from happening again,” she said firmly. “And I can see you are ready to implode under the might of this power you do not understand. If you wish to learn how to wield your flame correctly, then please come with me.”

It’s what he desperately needed, someone to show him what to do because he couldn’t go on like this anymore.

He followed the captain through the sky to the back of the castle. They came to a landing of the barracks where the Valkyrie roomed. Several females walked about in various activities. Some were in the open courtyard going through rounds of sparring, combat training or polishing armor.

They bowed as Cassiel approached.

“Valkyrie,” Yelrakel called. “Line up.”

The females quickly moved to put on their golden armor. In minutes they were gathered in the courtyard with shields and helmets, standing in perfect formation.

“Elyōn deemed me worthy enough to bless my sword.” The captain rested a hand on her hilt. “The weapon serves as a proper conduit to direct the flame. However, that is not the same at the hands of a being that can will the Seraph fire with every thought and chaotic feeling. Like you, King Kāhssiel had trouble controlling his power. He would incinerate everything around him with the switch of his mood, which as you have seen, is quite dangerous. He also learned his power needed to be expelled, or it would tear at his being. The first Valkyrie served him long ago, and their armor was made with sacred metal that could withstand his flame, so he would not harm them in battle. Otherwise, anyone who got too close was annihilated.”

Cassiel thought of Dyna. By some miracle, she had touched him with her bare hands. Was that a one-time thing, or was she somehow immune?

“My lady is special, it would seem,” Yelrakel said, sensing his thoughts. “But others are not. For the good of this Realm, you must learn how to focus your power with more finesse and direction. I will train you, as the first king was trained.”

The sound of metal grated as the females crouched in formation and drew their divine swords. They were looking right at him.

Cassiel widened his eyes. “And how was he trained?”

Yelrakel bowed deeply. “With brute force.”

She stepped backward and thrust her boot into his back, sending him stumbling into the courtyard.

And the Valkyrie attacked.

Cassiel was tired, beaten, clothes torn and filthy, but he hadn’t felt this great since before Dyna had been taken. His mind felt at ease, his fire a small cinder in his chest. He spent hours training with the Valkyrie. If that could be what it was called. After seeing they wouldn’t hold back, and his fire couldn’t harm them, he unleashed all he had. They trounced him for the most part.

Yelrakel barked orders at him until he figured out how to coordinate and strategize his attacks. The flame came easier than he thought it would. Once he stopped second guessing himself, it moved around him with an odd familiarity, as if by some unexpected instinct.

Cassiel circled the castle in the blue hour of the evening, soaring over the canopy of treetops. The bond brought him to the balcony outside of Dyna’s rooms. He spotted her through the glass doors, sitting in one of the chairs by the hearth with Lucenna as they drank tea.

He landed and entered the room.

“Make it a short visit,” Lucenna said with a small smirk as she rose to stand. “The stewardess will be back soon for your rite of the flesh. She may faint if she catches you two unescorted.”

Pink colored Dyna’s face, and Cassiel gave her a look. With a quiet snicker, Lucenna slipped out the door. The woman found enjoyment in making him squirm.

He nodded to Sowmya, and the lieutenant bowed to them before leaving through the balcony. Her wine-red wings carried her away where she joined Yelrakel waiting in the sky. The two Valkyrie shared a kiss and flew away together.

“I didn’t know they were love-mates,” Dyna said curiously.

He leaned against the wall by the large window facing the kingdom. “They have been lovers longer than I have been alive. Yelrakel is not one to display her affections publicly, and Sowmya holds regard as her subordinate while they are on duty, so it may not be obvious to others.”

“I see.” She went to him. “Are you all right? You silenced the bond.”

Cassiel chuckled sheepishly. “I didn’t want you to feel me being felled by a group of females. Yelrakel had me train my fire until all I could produce was smoke.” The light mood faded a little at the mention of his new abilities. He took her cold hands and cupped them in his. The heat now constantly living inside of him immediately sent out a soft warmth. He brushed his fingers over her battered knuckles. “Forgive me. When I saw what he did to you…” He closed his eyes as his stomach pitched at how close he almost lost everything. “I could have hurt you.”

“You didn’t.”

“How?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. Perhaps because we’re True Bonded or because I’m part Sun Guild sorceress. Your Seraph fire is hot enough to disintegrate everything it touches, but to me, it feels warm and gentle. I think even in your madness, it would never hurt me, Cassiel.”

He looked down at their joined hands and allowed a small petal of flame to dance over the back of his. It cast a blue glow against her face. She ran her fingers through it, and his breath hitched. The sensation it created was like feeling her caress the most sensitive parts of his body.

You truly were made for me, weren’t you?

She smiled shily. “Well, after today, I doubt anyone will argue against us now. All of Hermon Ridge has newfound respect and a healthy dose of fear for their Lord.”

“Good.” It was about time they took him seriously. He bit his finger and brushed the drop of his blood over her torn skin, and they watched her skin heal. “You have not lit the candles,” he commented.

She glanced at the Hyalus candelabra resting on her windowsill. “I should light them?”

“Of course. It’s an important ritual part of the festival. The candles are to be displayed on the windowsill to brighten up the night, the way Elyōn’s light aided us in banishing the darkness from the earth.”

A sad smile rose to her lips as she gazed at it. “My bedroom in North Star is full of candles. On the floor, my desk, nearly every flat surface. Every night, I would light them out of fear, but one day I wish to light them as a symbol of banishing my darkness.”

He really wanted that for her. To leave behind the shadows that had plagued her past and step into the light as she had helped him do. “Now would be the perfect time to start.”

Taking the center candle, Dyna lit it with the fire from the hearth, and they took turns lighting the wicks until all seven candles illuminated the room.

“Watch,” he said, nodding to the window.

They waited for a moment, and then one tiny window in the distance glowed. Then another on the right within the trees. And another in a castle tower. Soon, windows all throughout the kingdom lit up with candlelight. It flickered like hundreds of fireflies in reverence to the God of Urn. The happiness that settled on her features made the bond vibrate in his chest.

Cassiel reached into his jacket pocket. “I meant to give you your light gift earlier, before everything happened.” He drew out a delicate silver chain and from it dangled an iridescent gemstone. As the last of the twilight faded, it glowed as bright as pure starlight. “It’s infused with the magic of the Hyalus tree, so it may always light your way.”

That night at the tavern, he had sworn to never leave her in the dark. And now, wherever she was, he would keep that promise.

“Cassiel.” Emotion crossed her face. “It’s beautiful, thank you.”

“May I?”

Dyna turned around and he gently swept her hair over her shoulder. The soft curve of her exposed neck in the firelight sent a current through him. Carefully, he brought the chain around. She seemed to tense slightly at how close he stood. Her honeysuckle scent drifted to him, and he couldn’t resist inhaling it. To imprint it in his memory. Goosebumps prickled where his low exhale stroked her. He gently laid the clasped necklace at her nape and the back of his fingers grazed her silky skin, shooting electric tingles down his arm.

They were still, trapped in this breath of a moment, and he wondered if she could feel what she did to him. The want and yearnings, the desire to bind himself further to the one who already had his heart and soul. Their bond thrummed between them.

“This is one of three gifts,” he said faintly. “The other two I will give to you in time.”

“To say I have not had a chance to prepare a light gift for you sounds like a poor excuse now,” came her soft reply.

He never needed one when she stood right here before him.

Not able to resist any further, Cassiel brushed his mouth on the curve of her neck. Dyna’s breath caught. He pressed a kiss over her fluttering pulse and slowly continued up her neck to the lobe of her ear. You are my gift.

Dyna turned to face him, her eyes shy but equally burning. A renewed heat worked its way through him, but it was due to another flame. He glided his hand down her arm, reveling in the feel of her skin. His fingers traced the edge of her hand to her pinky, each stroke sending a current of energy through his body. That was all he would dare to touch, no matter how much he longed to bring her to his bed and make their bond complete. His heart pounded and so did hers, as they became increasingly aware of how alone they were with nothing but the quiet crackle of the hearth. Craving scorched in his being to feel every soft curve of her, but there were steps to take, and he would always honor her first.

“I must go,” he whispered.

Dyna didn’t move until he walked back out onto the balcony and rose into the air with a flap of his wings. The wind wove through her red hair as she followed him to the banister, tugging at the ends of her sky-blue dress.

Cassiel took her hand and kissed it. “Good night, lev sheli. By this time tomorrow, we will be wed.”

Then no one could ever dispute their relationship. She would be his by law and by right.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

She smiled softly. “Good night.”

But he couldn’t make himself go quite yet. “Can you say it again?” he asked. “What you said to me in the hall?”

She smiled. “Ata hakohav sheli.”

A quiver rolled through him. Like the first time, those words did something to his being. “Where did you learn that?”

“My lady’s maid has been teaching me your language. Did I say it correctly?”

“Yes.” He gazed at her, some part of him still not sure if this was his reality. “You did.”

He trailed his fingers across her cheek. Needing to touch her one more time before soaring into the sky.

I mean it. Her voice wove through his mind. You’re my starlight.

And you are my dawn.

A smile remained on his face as he flew all the way up the castle to his balcony and strolled through his dark bedroom. It dropped when Cassiel sensed he wasn’t alone. He whipped around, but the intruder was already coming at him. They grabbed his wrist, and the ember in his chest vanished. He gaped at his uncle standing partially in the shadows, the other half of his grim face lit by moonlight.

“I’m sorry,” he said solemnly.

Cassiel glanced down at the brass cuff he now wore. He felt his flame trapped behind an invisible barrier with no way to escape. “What is this? What have you done?”

“Seraph fire is dangerous, Cassiel. In the wrong hands, it becomes a destructive power. And you have proven you are not ready for it.”

He stared at him, shaking his head with disbelief. No. His uncle couldn’t be the one planning against them.

“Not you…” Cassiel said. “Don’t tell me it’s you.”

Lord Jophiel lowered his head. “I wish I did not have to be the one,” he said, regret in his voice. “But you have left us no choice. For the good of the Realms, you must wear this bangle…by order of the High King.”