Page 39 of Her Fallen Angel

I found a way. Just give me time. I'm coming. -G

I press the paper to my chest, heart pounding against my ribs. Gabriel's determination bleeds through every carefully chosen word - I can almost see him hunched over the message, his blonde hair falling forward as he planned every detail.

But something inside me has shifted, like sand resettling after a storm. The thought of leaving makes my stomach twist. I sink into one of the heavy dining chairs, the scroll crumpling in my grip.

I need to end this now, before Gabriel risks everything. Before he throws his life away trying to save someone who no longer wants saving. The realization burns worse than any of Kai's early cruelties.

Taking a deep breath, I pen my response to Gabriel on a fresh piece of parchment.

I cannot leave. I'm choosing to stay. Do not risk your life for someone who no longer needs saving. -A

I fold the note carefully, seal it with wax, and slip out into the morning air. The streets of New Solas stretch before me, no guards blocking my path. My steps whisper against the cobblestones as I make my way to the markets where I know I can get this note to Gabriel.

The city pulses with life around me - winged warriors soaring overhead, merchants calling their wares, the scent of spiced meats and fresh bread drifting from market stalls.

I could disappear into any of these crowded streets. Could blend in with the other human servants going about their duties. Could find my way to the city gates and beyond.

I spot the delivery man that brought me my first note near the market stalls, his face half-hidden beneath a hood as he drops off boxes of fruit for the merchants. His fingers pause on a blood-red apple when I approach.

"Aren." His voice barely carries over the market's bustle. "What are you doing here?"

I press the sealed note into his calloused palm. "For Gabriel. Please."

His dark eyes search mine, looking for signs of coercion or fear. I understand the uncertainty, but still, I won't back down. I know that leaving Kai is not what I need - and not just because I want to care for him. But because Iwanthim.

"Are you certain?" His fingers close around the message. "We could-"

"I'm where I need to be." The words come out stronger than intended. A nearby merchant's wings flare in warning at my tone, and I lower my voice. "Just make sure he gets it."

"As you wish." He tucks the note into his sleeve. His shoulders straighten with purpose, and I hope that Gabriel will understand.

The walk home feels endless as I try to get back before Kai. I never really know when he'll be done. It makes me feel anxious, hoping he doesn't get back and assume the worst.

I pause in the townhouse's courtyard, my hand pressed against the wall where Kai's protective wards pulse beneath my fingers. The magic recognizes me now, warming against my skin instead of warning me away.

My chest tightens as I think of Gabriel reading my words. His faith in me has always been absolute - the orphaned boy who became my protector, my brother in all but blood. But Kai...

Kai sees me differently. Not as something to shelter, but as something to possess, to worship in his own dark way. And I am surprised by how much I've come to care for that.

I slip inside, the wards embracing me like a lover's touch. The morning's tasks await - weapons to polish, rooms to order, a thousand small rituals that stopped being about servitude long ago. Each one is a prayer now, offered not in submission but in choice.

21

KAI’RIN

Blood drips from my split lip as I slam the door to my room. The metallic taste lingers, familiar yet infuriating. My wings ache from being twisted during the match - a deliberate move by Raxus that went beyond our usual sparring protocols.

I strip off my torn training leathers, each movement sending fresh jolts of pain through my ribs. The bastards got their hits in today, more than usual. My reflection in the polished metal surface shows fresh bruises blooming across my torso, stark against my skin.

"The mighty Kai'rin, brought low by a human whore." Raxus's mocking words echo in my head. The mirror cracks under my fist, splitting my reflection into jagged shards.

My wings flex involuntarily, sending a shower of loose feathers to the floor. They're dulled from their usual ash-gray to an almost muddy color from being ground into the dirt of the training yard. Another deliberate slight - targeting a xaphan's wings is considered the height of disrespect.

"Can't even focus on a simple drill anymore." Merith's sneering voice had cut deeper than his blade. "Too busy thinking about your little pet."

I'm glad Vhex and Mykael weren't there today to witness it.

But they're wrong. This obsession doesn't make me weak. The prayers, her devotion - they feed something in me I didn't know was starving. Let them mock. Let them attack. They don't understand the power in owning something so completely, in having absolute control over another's spirit.

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