Thunder rumbled as a storm moved closer. I knew this place…I’d been here before. Voices drifted on the wind and Killian immediately turned towards them. It was nearly midnight. We rushed around the church to find Sean standing on top of a stone pedestal. He was rigid with fear, his eyes huge in his white face. Tearing away from Killian, I ran to him and threw myself between the witnesses that were crowded around the stone. “Wait! Sean!”
He stared down at me with horror in his eyes. Hands pulled at me trying to drag me away. I struggled and dug in my heels. Killian took my hand and gently moved me to the side. I craned my neck to see Sean but I couldn’t see him over the crowd that formed around us. Tearing loose again, I screamed, “Michael! I want to see Michael!”
Complete silence.
Stunned silence.
The crowd backed away from me.
Sinking to my knees, I lowered my head and cried, “Michael! Please.”
I felt the change immediately. The air pressure shifted and I couldn’t draw a breath. Killian dropped to his knees. The light was blinding in the darkness of midnight.
A heavy hand lingered on my head, outlined in pure light. His power hit me like a lightning bolt. My back arched with the force. Still, I knelt and lowered my eyes before him.
“Please, Michael, I just want to say goodbye while he’s still Sean. I’ll be dead in 100 years. I’ll never see him again. Please! He’s had so little love. Can’t I comfort him for one moment?”
“Rise to your feet, little warrior.”
Killian’s hand squeezed mine refusing to release it. His fear was palpable and I stumbled as I stood. Michael’s face was beautiful and terrifying, like a living statue; hard as marble, beautiful as a painting. His was the face of justice; there was no mercy in his eyes. I understood Killian’s fear. I shook from head to toe but I stood there and hoped for mercy.
He lifted his hand and I rose to his height and levitated at his eye level. He held me in front of him and peered into my eyes.
He read my soul and set me down gently.
“You have five minutes.” He stepped away and vanished.
Killian nudged me. “Go now, hurry!”
I couldn’t seem to move so he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the stone pedestal where Sean knelt in prayer. I ran the last few steps and scrambled up to him, not caring who watched from below.
“Oh God, Sean! What have you done?” I clung to him and tried to still the raw panic racing through me. I wanted to grab him and run away.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he groaned, but his arms crushed me against him. He trembled with fear and I felt Raphael’s words come true. My heart froze in my chest as Sean’s strength dissolved into panic.
Killian wrapped his arm around us and said, “We have one minute.” He laid his hand on the back of Sean’s head and touched his forehead to his. “I swear I’ll find Aisling. Be strong, brother.”
, I struggled to turn back around. He refused to go back. He
refused to let me turn around. When I wouldn’t stop struggling, he threw me over
his shoulder and took me
He stared down at me with horror in his eyes. Hands pulled at me trying to drag me away. I struggled and dug in my heels. Killian took my hand and gently moved me to the side. I craned my neck to see Sean but I couldn’t see him over the crowd that formed around us. Tearing loose again, I screamed, “Michael! I want to see Michael!”
Complete silence.
Stunned silence.
The crowd backed away from me.
Sinking to my knees, I lowered my head and cried, “Michael! Please.”
I felt the change immediately. The air pressure shifted and I couldn’t draw a breath. Killian dropped to his knees. The light was blinding in the darkness of midnight.
A heavy hand lingered on my head, outlined in pure light. His power hit me like a lightning bolt. My back arched with the force. Still, I knelt and lowered my eyes before him.
“Please, Michael, I just want to say goodbye while he’s still Sean. I’ll be dead in 100 years. I’ll never see him again. Please! He’s had so little love. Can’t I comfort him for one moment?”
“Rise to your feet, little warrior.”
Killian’s hand squeezed mine refusing to release it. His fear was palpable and I stumbled as I stood. Michael’s face was beautiful and terrifying, like a living statue; hard as marble, beautiful as a painting. His was the face of justice; there was no mercy in his eyes. I understood Killian’s fear. I shook from head to toe but I stood there and hoped for mercy.
He lifted his hand and I rose to his height and levitated at his eye level. He held me in front of him and peered into my eyes.
He read my soul and set me down gently.
“You have five minutes.” He stepped away and vanished.
Killian nudged me. “Go now, hurry!”
I couldn’t seem to move so he grabbed my hand and dragged me to the stone pedestal where Sean knelt in prayer. I ran the last few steps and scrambled up to him, not caring who watched from below.
“Oh God, Sean! What have you done?” I clung to him and tried to still the raw panic racing through me. I wanted to grab him and run away.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he groaned, but his arms crushed me against him. He trembled with fear and I felt Raphael’s words come true. My heart froze in my chest as Sean’s strength dissolved into panic.
Killian wrapped his arm around us and said, “We have one minute.” He laid his hand on the back of Sean’s head and touched his forehead to his. “I swear I’ll find Aisling. Be strong, brother.”
, I struggled to turn back around. He refused to go back. He
refused to let me turn around. When I wouldn’t stop struggling, he threw me over
his shoulder and took me