“Maybe my ancestors also experienced thosesparks, but never fully developed the ability,” Riversuggested.
“I don’t think that’s likely. The power inthem may have only been slight compared to you, but there wouldstill be some record of it somewhere over six thousand years.”Magnus’s silver eyes burned into mine as he spoke. “I didn’trealize how much some of our ancestors watched over and observedthe humans and the offspring the angels left behind, until Istarted digging deeper into the scrolls, but I learned a lot whileI was going through them. Thereismore to her.”
River’s fingers curled into my chest. “Whatthough?”
“I believe some of your vast power with lifeis because you have found each other and claimed the other as yourChosen. The discovery of a Chosen makes a demon stronger, even amortal demon such as yourself,” Magnus replied.
“What do you believe the rest of it is?” Idemanded.
Magnus shook his head. “I don’t know. What Ido know is that she is unlike any who have walked before her, and Ibelieve she will be the end of Lucifer.”
“No pressure,” River murmured, and Isqueezed her closer. “Why are you bringing this up?”
“Because I felt Kobal should know exactlywhat he is dealing with here.”
“And what is that?” Hawk demanded.
“The firsttrueWorld Walker,” Magnussaid with a reverence I’d never heard from the often glibdemon.
CHAPTER 28
Kobal
The silence following Magnus’s statement wasso profound it reminded me of what it was like to stand outside ofthe seals. Traversing the walkway beside the seals, I had peeredinto each cell to watch those who had been locked away. Though theyscreamed and carried on, nothing of what they said or did could beheard outside of those cells.
“I don’t understand,” River finallysaid.
“Throughout all the years, it was believedthe children of the angels could walk in all three worlds. Earth,Heaven, and Hell,” Magnus said.
“Yes, I’ve heard it before,” River repliedwith an impatient wave of her hand.
“However,noneof them would havesurvived Hell in their mortal form.”
“You can’t possibly know that,” Riversaid.
“Yes, he can,” I replied as understandingdawned on me. “Your ancestors drew enough life from the earth tolet them live longer lives. However, they weren’t drawing itstrongly enough to be able to walk amongst these caverns, not asyou are.”
“You can’tknowthat,” Riverinsisted.
Grasping her chin, I turned her head to me.“I’ve been so focused on the mission, keeping you safe, andteaching you to draw on your ability to wield life that I missedsomething.”
Her forehead furrowed as confusion swam inher eyes. “What?”
“Out of all the many miracles and atrocitiesyour ancestors committed throughout the years, none of them wieldedfireandlife.”
“So I don’t possess telekinesis, and God andI have never sat down to chat before,” she said. “I can’t do anyillusions, and my visions aren’t exactly earth-shattering.”
“I told you once that your ability to drawon life was a purely angelic ability—”
“Yes, I remember,” she interjected.
“And fire is a purely demonic ability,” Icontinued. “Youare the only descendant who has exhibitedthe ability to wield and control abilities solely attributed to onespecies or the other.Noneof the others have. In fact, mostof them possessed traits that are shared between demons and angelssuch as telekinesis, illusions, and visions. The closest one wouldhave been Moses with his long life and the burning bush, but hecould not wield life as you do.”
“You are standing here with us now, and yetyou are drawing on your angel ability,” Magnus said. “If you wereto enter Heaven, I believe you would be able to wield firestill.”
River continued to stare at me as she triedto process what Magnus had revealed. “But why me?” she finallyasked.
“I don’t know,” Magnus answered. “It mayhave been set into motion thousands of years ago that one day thepowers would coalesce so strongly within you. Finding Kobal mostcertainly fueled it, but I believe there is more to it than that.What it is, we may never know, but youarethe first trueWorld Walker to be born. Us demons may be able to enter Heaven asLucifer and the angels entered Hell, but we would most likely losesomething, or transform into something different as the angels didwhen they came into our world. You will not.”
