Manmi had to fight against fallen angels because of Fallenspawn.
Manmi wasdeadbecause of the Fallenspawn.
I was shaking, unable to catch my breath.
“Safah.” Ellabeth held on to my arm, trying to soothe me.
It wasn’t working.
I glared at the pieces of filth who thought it okay to sacrifice a Farasee to their Fallen King. I would never hear her laugh again because of them. I would never feel her hands gently brush through my hair or hear her sing as she made our families favorite cakes. I would never see her eyes roll as we did something purposefully dumb just to irritate her.
Manmi was gone.
But these Fallenspawn still lived.
I seethed in the cloudchair. Starfire began bleeding into my palms without me thinking. Before I could stop myself, I was silhouetted in my power, ready to explode. They’d shed my Manmi’s blood. And this dawn, I had no problem being the one to shed theirs.
My neck prickled under the weight of someone watching me. Was it Granmanmi? Kaelthos? Esau?
“Ascendant Safah Anathelle, we will not be flaming our temple-mates this dawn.”
Every head in the Sanctuary turned to look at me. When the Mortents heard my surname, their jeweled eyes began to glow as profound hatred colored their faces with wrath. Everyone stared at me.
But I was looking athim.
It wasn’t the shock of perfectly groomed, pitch black hair that got me. Or even his emerald-green eyes that glittered like jewels.It was thescript. All over his hands. His neck. Down his chest where the button was undone. I wanted to positivelyscream.
Slowly I pushed out of my cloudchair glaring at him. I bared my teeth practically foaming at the mouth in anger. My nostrils flared as my vision started going black with stars. Starfire thrummed in my hands like whirlpools. I could see nothing past my rage. Onlyoneangel—Hallowed or Fallen—had a curse inscribed into them like that.
“Ascendants, listen closely for your pairings,” Esau continued when he realized we would no longer remain seated.
Especially me.
“Klubari Legion, noted by their emerald sigils, will be paired with Manna Order. Those with deep blue sigils are of the Saixari Legion and will be with Bond Order.”
Curses broke out in the Sanctuary, all consequences be damned. The Ascendants were furious. Esau couldn't care less. He carried on as if none the wiser.
“Those with red sigils are Hartari Legion and they will be paired with Scroll Order.”
No. Bleeding. Way.
That meant…
Ellabeth squeezed my arm, holding me steady. The Sanctuary started turning into starlight as my power began seeping into my vision. I was gasping for air, utterly vexed. I held the gaze of the demon with the jade eyes, and he held mine.
We were locked in a battle of will, andIwould be the one to win. Shadows began seeping into his hands. Pooling at his feet. Wrapping around his neck.
So he was a Shadow Bender.Great.
The more shadows he drew on, the more I pulled on starfire.
“And those in all black besides the exception,” Esau said. “Are indeed all Fallenspawn who have been conscripted toAzarath Academy, making up the entirety of the Xadari Legion. They will be paired with Incense Order.”
“No!” I screamed, slamming my palms into my desk so hard I was surprised it didn’t shatter. Starfire burst from my hands causing sparks to explode all around me. I saw red as I heaved, unable to breathe. The Sanctuary began to swim in my vision.
All around me, Incense Order was raging. The majority beganfyusing—the angelic ability of morphing entirely into the elemental power we were born with in our bloodstreams. Screams exploded from our Order as they demanded the Farasees fix this decision.
Presbitari Davithius only shrugged as he looked at Esau.
