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Zeph strode farther into the room and stood directly in front of Nick. He couldn t look inside the
cage he couldn t show any weakness, and if he saw Nick in any pain, he would lose his control
there and then.
 Zeph. Nick s voice was anguished and Zeph s heart broke a little.
 With respect, I was told the Court convened at midnight, he said to the five judges who sat on
high, and to an angel they frowned down at him.
Raziel, the leader of the court, banged a gavel to stop the level of chatter in the forum space.
 Zephariel, Angel of Vengeance, you will take your place on the stand.
Zeph knew better than to argue, or to beg for Nick to be released. Resolutely he stalked to the
stand and climbed the steps that put him almost level with the five judges. He was friends with three
of them, knew a fourth through a mishap involving a Roman soldier. Raziel was the unknown here.
 Zephariel, you are brought here to this place to account for the crime of taking a human lover.
How do you answer this assertion?
 He is my fated mate, Zeph said clearly. A collective gasp went through the throng of angels
around the room. Clearly Zeph being on trial was enough to warrant one hell of an audience.
 Angels do not have fated mates. Scratch that from the book, Raziel demanded. The scribe took
his quill and drew a line through the statement that had magically appeared on the paper. A single
burst of flame and the words and line were gone.  Now begin again.
Zeph was utterly determined that the words confirming he and Nick were fated mates would
remain in the book for perpetuity.  Nicholas Klauson is my fated mate, he said clearly. Again the
noise in the auditorium grew. The words appeared in the book and the scribe looked up at Raziel for
guidance.
 Scratch the words, he ordered. The scribe immediately did what he was told.  Zephariel, I
give you one last chance to tell me the absolute truth before I cast this human back to earth and lock
you down for a millennium.
Zeph s breath caught in his chest. To be apart from Nick just these short hours had been suffering
enough, but to be released from incarceration knowing his lover was long since dead would kill him
as sure as any arrow. If the words were enough to have this happen then actions needed to show
more. Very carefully, he stepped down from the stand.
Raziel peered over the judges bench and his thick eyebrows drew together in consternation.
 What are you doing? he asked with disbelief in his voice.
 I choose to be mortal.
The words immediately appeared in the book and the room was deadly silent. The horror of
what Zeph had chosen to do was not something an angel gasped at. It was the end of things. A mortal
life was so short.
 No! Nick shouted from the cage.  I won t let you.
Zeph extended his wings to their full extent, aware that as one of the warrior angels he was
impressive and dominated the room.
 Nick may be half human, but he is wholly mine. I wish to be mortal and to return to the home of
Sam Enderson with Nick. He knew he had to be specific, otherwise the Angels would likely take
Nick and place him in Siberia, with Zeph lost in the middle of a wide ocean.
 You realise the implications of what you are saying? This man-elf is your undoing if you throw
everything away for&  Raziel stopped. He clearly didn t have the words. Over the centuries, a few
angels had chosen this path just a few& of thousands.
 For love, Zeph answered simply. He tucked his wings back in and bowed his head.
 You can t, Zeph think about what you re doing! Nick shouted. The words spun in Zeph s
head. He knelt on the floor on the other side of the cage bars and looked in at Nick. He d clearly
fought being here. If the red and green stripes weren t enough indication then surely the bruises and
cuts on his body were.
 You re hurt, Zeph said softly.  I am so sorry.
A single tear rolled down Nick s face.  It s not your fault we fell in love. I wish I was better for
you, a full elf, not with human blood. Then it wouldn t matter.
Zeph s heart ripped open. Nick thought he wasn t good enough? He wished he was better for
Zeph? That wasn t right.
 You make me whole, Zeph said firmly. Around him voices rose in astonishment at something
in the court, but Zeph didn t move. If they sent Nick away and tried to imprison him, then he would
fight with every breath he had to make his way back to Nick s side.
 I love you, Zeph! Nick shouted over the noise.  I always will.
 You need to stand up, Zephariel, a soft, feminine voice said. Zeph looked up and into the
beautiful, ethereal face of Ariel. She remained in ghost form. She smiled at him as he clambered to
stand.
 You re home, he said to her.
 Thanks to you and your companions. Thank you, Zeph. I wish I could help you now.
Zeph bowed his head a little then watched in amazement as she touched the golden cage and her
hand went straight through it. With a small movement she created a space into which Zeph could
climb and within seconds Zeph was inside and holding Nick close.
 Are you okay? he asked a little desperately. Nick was in a bad way, his face covered in
blood, his neck marked with gashes. Temper rose in Zeph that Nick had been treated so badly.
  M fine, Nick mumbled.
Zeph didn t call him on the lie, just held him firm and close.
 Ariel, you will leave the chamber, Raziel ordered loudly.
Ariel looked at Nick and smirked a little. She always was a firebrand, hence her job as
supernatural liaison the same job that had inevitably put her in the way of the gnome and his damn
desires for power.
 Shut up, you windbag, she called up to Raziel.
 Ariel 
 I ve known you for a millennium, Raziel, and you ll never change. Remember the times you ve
fallen in love and tell me these two are not in love. Fated mates or not, you cannot deny them
happiness.
 Your words mean nothing here, ghost. Raziel added the last word with a hint of derision. The
crowd hissed disapproval and Raziel seemed to realise what he d done. Ariel was popular. When
she d disappeared, a lot of people had tried to track her, rewards had been offered, angels in all
walks of life had wanted to help. Raziel, on the other hand, was the big, bad guy with power that he
seemed to enjoy throwing about far too much.
 I think you re the odd one out here, Ariel said. She floated towards the judges bench and
hovered right in Raziel s face.  Do you wish me to tell them all what I have seen? she asked
innocently.
Raziel went bright red.  Enough, he said and smacked the gavel on the desk.  Mortality is
granted.
 No, Ariel said firmly.
 What do you mean no? It s what he wanted.
 What he wants is to be with the one he loves, his fated mate. If you separate them then
Zephariel will lose his mind. You will allow him to remain as he is and you will let the two of them
leave.
 That is unheard of, Raziel blustered.
Nick moved in Zeph s arm, struggling to stand.  What is she doing? he asked. Zeph helped his
lover to his feet and together they stood to face whatever was thrown at them.
 She s helping us, Zeph said with conviction. There was no way he was going to let Nick see [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]