Rise of the Fallen 1 - My Soul to Keep Read Free Page B

you just let me go? If you can’t grant my wish, no harm, no foul.
I don’t mind,” I said proudly. I smiled like I just won a game show.
    The wings and eyes came back in a burst of movement as Darius grabbed
my shoulders from the front and lifted me up to his face. “No, tiny human. It doesn’t
work like that. You signed a contract and your soul is ours, no matter what. In
thousands of years we have never failed to deliver our end of the contract as the
laws command. I admit, I am perplexed, but a solution will be found.”
    He dropped me and stepped back. I only fell about a foot and a half
but I hadn’t been expecting it. The impact jarred my ankle and pain shot up my leg.
I barely managed not to cry out.
    He stood there staring at me for a moment before spreading his arms
and wings out wide. I heard Clarisse walk past me before I saw her. She moved closer
to the other Fallen and turned to face me as she opened her arms and wings, matching
Darius perfectly. They both turned their heads skyward and closed their eyes.
    I debated running. The thought of the two of them kept me rooted to
my spot. I doubted I could have gotten away from one of them, never mind two, so
I stood there and watched as they cocked their heads from side to side. After what
seemed to be an hour or two, they finally opened their eyes and stared at me like
I had crapped my pants. That might be a possibility.
    “It is done. Boy, come here,” Darius said. I could hear the defeat
in his voice and hope filled me. “Stand in front of me.”
    I followed his command as Clarisse closed in behind me. I felt very
puny as the two of them held out their hands and touched them together above me.
A chill ran down my spine and I thought about running anyway, again. My nose itched
and I tried to lift my hand to scratch it, but it wouldn't move. My arms and legs
felt like they'd been filled with lead. So much for running . I could still
move my head so I looked up at Darius’ chin. The sky above still smoldered with
the green blackness. That seemed a lot more interesting so I looked above his head
and focused on that instead.
    Energy vibrated all around us. I could feel it in my bones. Darius
and Clarisse began humming, matching the power around us. The sound started to drown
out the rest of the world. It filled my ears and echoed in my head becoming all
I could think of. I could see the sound. I could even taste the sound.
    Green light pierced the clouds, completely bathing us in its glow.
It replaced the air around us and I fought not to breathe it in. I started to black
out after only a few moments and let out the air I'd been fighting to hold on to.
I breathed in the light. It burned my lungs and I couldn’t even scream through its
thick, watery power. As a kid, I choked on seawater on a trip to the beach. The
light was ten times worse.
    With a burst of pain the light faded. Darius and Clarisse stepped back
to give me space. I collapsed and landed on my knees. Oddly I didn't feel any pain
other than the lingering burning in my lungs. I coughed and sputtered, and I swear
I saw specks of green light fly from my mouth with every cough. After what felt
like an eternity, the pain faded and I stood. I looked over at Clarisse and Darius,
standing there with what looked like pity in their eyes.
    “What?” My voice shocked me. I sounded like I had been gargling with
broken glass.
    “Welcome, brother,” Darius said with a wan smile. “Very cunning. You
are the first mortal ever to figure out an answer and to keep your soul. Guard it
well.” He turned to Clarisse. “Take him home. Let him rest and on the morrow, introduce
him to what he has become, what he will be, and how the world around him will now
be. Goodbye, brother.” He jumped into the air. With a powerful down-stroke of his
wings he shot into the clouds and disappeared in a flash of light. The clouds slowed,
stopped, and finally started spinning in the opposite direction as the coil pulled
in on