Page 54 of Light

“Three thousand years ago, there were many Nephilim. One family, the one descended from my line, was more numerous than most. My mate’s family name was Gavras. As I had Mary, she, too, had children who were born Nephilim, and so the line continued, and nearly all the children of my line were Nephilim for two centuries.

“Sanura came into her power at the same time my great-granddaughter Helena did.

“But where Helena used her gifts for good, protecting the people of her city, Sanura used her dark gifts to wage war in the name of her analogous umbra.

“When it was discovered who her mate was, I, along with Raphael and several others, entreated with our Nephilim offspring to put an end to her.

“Several members of my line drew on their gifts to end her and send her to Primoria, where she should have remained for eternity with her soulmate, but she was not content to remain below. She wanted revenge.

“Using her gift of necromancy and the Fallen’s own gift to create a reash, she was restored to her human form. Her sole mission was to exact revenge on those who had slain her.

“Over countless decades, they fought, but each time she was killed, she resurrected once more.

“The Gavras family devised a new plan. She was captured, her finger severed, and the amulet was created. With the bone of her finger encased in a mixture of gold and the blood of my line, the Gavras family placed a spell upon the amulet that would prohibit her from resurrecting when they ended her one final time.

“Sensing her imminent end, she escaped them and built an army of nasdaqu-ush, more determined than ever to end the only line who could use the amulet to ensure she was killed once and for all.

“Though they have dwindled in number over the centuries, my line has made keeping the amulet safe their one mission until such time as we can finally end her.”

Adalaide considered her words, tasting their truth. Something rancid followed as an aftertaste.

“What have you left out?”

Jophiel laced her fingers in her lap, looking down. “I cannot tell you all of it.”

“Why?”

“Gabriel wouldn’t want me to.”

Adalaide scoffed. “Gabriel isn’t here. He rarely is. What has he to do with it?”

Jophiel’s hands tightened in her lap. “I shouldn’t say.”

Adalaide blew out a breath. “Jophi, he may return in another year. I could be dead by then, and who would look after my children? Tell me what you're keeping from me that I might keep them safe.”

Jophiel’s wings gave a little twitch, and she sucked in a deep breath. “To end her and ensure she remains dead requires a sacrifice from the blood of my line.”

Chapter 36

Gabiel

Gabriel landed in Alaxia and stalked down the long, gilded hall of chambers. He reached her room, not bothering to stop in the doorway. Marching to her silhouette framed in the window, he grabbed her shoulder, spinning her around.

“What have you done?”

Dina turned, eyes glistening. “I had to.”

“What. Did. You. Do?” He bit out each word even as he longed to take his spear and run it through something, anything.

“It will ensure she can never harm them,” she pleaded with him. “Your sons will be safe. The rest of the humans will be safe.”

“You had no right!”

“She will be here with you. You were set on that fate. What has changed, brother?”

Gabriel released her shoulder, letting his hands fall to his side as he clenched his fists hard enough that gold slid between his fingers and dripped to the floor.

He had never dreamed of inflicting pain on one of his own, but in this moment, he could think of nothing that would bring him greater satisfaction than to watch the light drain from his sister’s eyes.

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