Page 54 of Wings of Destiny

My eyes darted to Seth again, and I caught him staring down at me. I sent him a small smile as well. His eyes darted away, settling on Libby. My smile fell, the corners of my lips turned downward. I returned my attention to Libby and where she stood between me and Seth.

“The articles we were reading through—” Libby started.

“Wait articles? There are articles on this stuff? Like just out there on the web for anyone to see?” I blurted.

“No, they’re articles from one of the larger libraries that specifically house hundreds of years of information on our kind, Angels and even Demons. The books and histories are housed in various libraries across the globe. These ones specifically, are from the Nephilim Library here in town. The Library of Cherin. It’s actually underneath the library you work at.”

“What?” I was racking my brain for any mention of a hidden library in the year I’ve worked there.

There’s entire fucking libraries on this stuff? How is it that we are not common knowledge if there’s all of this history and info out there? Am I just that out of the loop?

Irritation pricked my skin.

Seth jumped in, “You wouldn’t have known about it. It’s hidden from humans and Nephilim who haven’t gone through the change yet. And Cherin, specifically, is warded from the Demons too. By some ancient Angel barriers, put in place before Raphael fell.”

“Oh.”

Well isn’t that fucking convenient.

What else don’t I know about that’s going to be dropped in my lap like some damp towel?

I’m about at my limit of this crap.

Libby started again, “Yes. Anyway, the articles didn’t have much more to go on about the ‘Key’ and the specifics of it. But what they did mention were instructions, or rather warnings of sorts.” She gulped.

“The Key will bring the end.

Evanyia will rise once more.

Destruction will befall the kingdom.

The men and women, cower.

Hidden away.

Eight to bare, five to power.

The Key, the answer all seek.

The Key bares all.

The power, undiscovered.

Child of The One. Daliyis.

Child of The Queen.”

Libby’s eyes darted between the three of us, to see if we understood. I, for one, remained clueless and absolutely lost.

Uhm. So…we’re fucked?

Derik spoke first, “What the hell does that mean? I heard zero instructions in there, Lib.”

“What I’m gathering from this, ‘The Key’ is what will bring Hell upon the world, essentially. But we already knew that. So, the part further down,” Libby flipped the paper around, pointing to the bit she’d recited. “Eight to bare, five to power. Add those together and we have thirteen. There were thirteen individuals reported missing. Eight women and five men. And they’re now ‘hidden away’. And more, considering how they disappeared, they’re probably terrified. Hence the ‘cower’ portion.”

“What would ‘bare’ mean then? Or ‘power’?” Seth mumbled, his brows furrowing.

Libby met my stare, pity peaked out before turning back to Seth. “I have a feeling that means what the Demons seemto enjoy the most, when it comes to human women. Forcing themselves on them. And…potentially baring children.”

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