Page 211 of Crimson Promises
When Haziel had opened the window previously to show us a hint of the Vision Relic, there were wisps of black in the background.
Haziel stood near the veil of shadows, a figure of quiet authority, his eyes holding a spark of approval.
"You have ventured where few dare to tread," Haziel's voice resonated, neither too loud nor too soft. "You have completed the trials set before you, and for that, you have earned the right to wield the Vision Relic.”
“What happens next?” Aurora spoke up. Theilliciumdagger was still clutched in her fist.
Haziel reached through his arm, disappearing into the veil. When he pulled it back suspended in mid-air above his palm was the sleek, obsidian pendulum. The pendulum swung in a precise rhythm, resonating with a silent melody.
I curled my hands into my fist to keep myself from reaching out and touching it.
“It’s…” Aurora's voice trailed off.
Magnificent, alluring, magnetic. Nothing like themagicumrelic that Azrael had entrusted to the Fidus family. I supposed it was due to the amount ofaurumChamuel infused into the Vision Relic. The moreaurum, the stronger the object. Or the deadlier the weapon, depending on whose hands the relic fell into.
“Something to behold,” Haziel filled in for us. “You have both passed the tests to enter the Threshold of Whispers and the trials set by the relic. It has permitted you both to borrow the relic for the journey ahead. When you finish your task, the relic will return itself here until it is needed again.”
The thread of the pendulum seemed to collapse in on itself, folding neatly until there was only the circle at the end. It floated itself into Haziel’s hands.
Haziel extended his hand towards Aurora, palm outstretched.
She gave me a sidelong glance. Aurora slipped the relic into a hidden pocket inside the chest of her fighting leathers.
"Haziel," I began, my voice steady but laced with concern. "We understand the significance of this relic. To guarantee Aurora’s safety, it must be returned to Lucifer to fulfill the first task he set before us. But we can't ignore the weight of its power.”
Aurora nodded in agreement, her expression a blend of determination and unease. "We fear Lucifer's intentions may not align with the greater good. There are sparks of kindness and remorse in him. I’ve seen it. But I would be ignorant to not acknowledge that a greater part of him seeks power and dominion, and this relic could grant him both in abundance."
A burning sensation started in my stomach and spread up my chest. I didn’t understand Aurora's soft spot for him. He had done terrible things to her: kidnapped her, held her against her will, used her. He forced me to lie to her. To betray her. Everything about him was calculated and conniving. He was the arrogant Prince of Hell. He used innocent Ordinaries like me, who wanted nothing more to believe that someone in power cared about us. We were a means to his power struggle.
In time, she would see who he was. He always crossed those who trusted him. She would be no different. I didn’t want to see her suffer, but it was better for her to witness the type of person Lucifer was now than later.
Her confession during the trials crept into my mind. I blinked my eyes against the memory. The burning in my stomach intensified.
Lucifer was poison. Rage and this maddening inexplicable desire to rip him apart shook me.
Aurora would not be a tool he would get to use at his disposal. She wasmine. Nothis.
First Angelfucker and nowhim.
Haziel regarded us with his inscrutable gaze, his eyes locking onto mine. There was a sense that he knew more than he revealed. I would stop at nothing to protect Aurora, even if that meant protecting her from herself.
My rage toward Lucifer wound tightly around my myself. The bond Aurora and I shared rolled from one side to another, sensing my increasing agitation. I let out a long, low sigh.
I was being stupid. She would choose me—we would choose each other. I had just proven how important she was to me. I needed to quit being an idiot.
"We also believe," I continued, "that with the right intentions, the relic could be used to bridge the chasm between Heaven and those who have fallen. It could be a beacon of understanding and reconciliation, rather than a catalyst for discord. While I am no stranger to the horrors of Heaven, a war would only hurt the people the Originals saw as expendable.”
Aurora's eyes shone with hope as she added, "We've seen the transformative power of this place, Haziel. It has challenged us to rise above our darker impulses. Perhaps the relic can serve as a force for healing and unity. It has to be worth a chance.”
“Bennett, Aurora," Haziel said in his measured tone, "you are not the only ones with choices to make in your future. The paths you walk are intertwined with fate, and the relic's destiny is but one thread within it. All I can offer you further on the matter is the journey will choose to test you both in ways you could never anticipate. The world is on the precipice of change. To which way it will tilt, I cannot predict, but you both play a huge part in the events that will determine its future.”
I exchanged another glance with Aurora, uncertain of what lay ahead.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Aurora
My body felt like it had been pushed through a narrow straw. I was sick and tired of being transported to other places without my knowledge or consent.
