Morning light filtered through the curtains, casting golden streaks across my bedroom floor. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, feeling the weight of the previous night still pressing on my chest. Demons in my house, a mysterious angel on my bed, and powers I didn't know I had? None of it seemed real, but the faint ache in my arms from Zarach's unintended flight into the wall said otherwise.

As I sat up, the smell of coffee wafted up from the kitchen. My brothers were early risers, unlike me. With a groan, I swung my legs over the side of the bed, threw on a sweatshirt, and trudged downstairs.

The sight of Austin at the kitchen counter made me pause. He was rarely quiet, but today he sat nursing his coffee, staring at a small wooden box. His jaw was tight, and his usual carefree demeanor was absent.

"Morning," I said cautiously, pouring myself a cup of coffee.

Austin looked up and gave me a tight smile. "Morning, Rae. Sleep okay?"

"Define okay." I slid into the chair across from him, eyeing the box. "What's that?"

He hesitated, running a hand through his messy hair. "It's, uh... for you. From Mom and Dad."

The words hit like a punch to the gut. My breath caught as I stared at him, unsure if I'd heard him right.

"From Mom and Dad?" My voice cracked.

"Yeah." Austin pushed the box across the table. "I was going through some of their things last night. Found this with a note. They had it made for you, and... well, it was supposed to be a gift for your sixteenth birthday. Guess it got lost in everything after the accident."

My hands trembled as I reached for the box. The memory of the car crash that took them five years ago was still fresh in my mind, even if I tried to bury it. I hadn't known there was anything left for me from them, let alone something they'd planned so carefully.

I opened the box, and inside was a necklace. A delicate silver chain held a small pendant, shaped like a shield with intricate carvings that seemed to shimmer faintly in the light. It was beautiful but also felt... significant, like it held more weight than its size suggested.

"Austin..." My voice was barely a whisper.

"There's a note." He slid a folded piece of paper toward me.

I unfolded it carefully, my parents' familiar handwriting staring back at me.

"To our dearest Athena,

This necklace was made just for you, to protect you from harm. You're stronger than you know, Rae. We are so sorry we couldnt tell you this in person, we never wanted you to be apart of this supernatural world. We tried for so long to protect you from this prophecy and we just hope you survive whatever war is coming our darling. Never forget how much we love you."

Tears stung my eyes as I clutched the paper, their words wrapping around me like a hug I desperately needed.

"What does it mean, protect me from harm or a supernatural war?" I asked, my voice shaky.

Austin shrugged. "Probably just something parents say, you know? I do't really understand but I thought you'd want it, especially now."

I nodded, not trusting my voice to respond.

"Go on, try it on," he said, gesturing to the necklace.

I lifted it out of the box, the silver warm in my palm despite being untouched for so long. As I clasped it around my neck, a strange sensation washed over me—like a cool breeze had swept through my body. For a brief moment, the weight of the world seemed to lift.

"Looks good on you," Austin said with a faint smile, standing to rinse his mug. "Anyway, I've got work, but... I thought you should have it. See you later, kid."

I nodded as he left, my fingers brushing the pendant absentmindedly.

Later that morning, as I got ready for the day, the house felt eerily quiet. The demons hadn't reappeared yet, but I doubted they were gone for good. The necklace felt reassuring against my skin, even if I didn't fully understand why.

I was in the middle of brushing my hair when the air shifted. A familiar heaviness settled in the room, and I froze.

"Zarach?" I called, my voice steadier than I felt.

"Close."

I spun around to see Marax leaning against the doorframe, his usual cocky smirk in place.

"Seriously?" I sighed, glaring at him. "Do you guys not knock?"

"We don't really do... mundane formalities," he said, waving a hand. "Besides, we're not the only ones who can show up unannounced."

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"What's that supposed to mean?"

Before he could answer, Zarach appeared beside him, his dark eyes narrowing as they landed on me.

"That necklace," he said sharply, stepping closer.

"What about it?" I asked, instinctively clutching the pendant.

"It's enchanted," he said, his tone curt. "A protective charm. No wonder the air around you feels... different."

"Protective against what?" I asked.

"Demons," Zarach said bluntly, his gaze meeting mine.

My stomach dropped. "Wait. Are you saying my parents... knew about all of this? About demons?"

"It's possible," Marax said, folding his arms. "Though it doesn't explain why they'd go to the trouble of having something like that made. It's not common."

I sank onto the edge of my bed, my mind racing. "This doesn't make any sense. They were just normal people."

"Normal or not, they cared enough to protect you," Zarach said.

Before I could respond, another presence filled the room, and I turned to see Nathanial standing in the corner, his expression grim.

"Oh, great," Marax muttered. "Feathers is back."

Nathanial ignored him, his piercing blue eyes focused on me. "You're wearing the necklace," he said softly.

"You know about this?" I asked, standing.

"Yes," Nathanial said. "It was crafted by angelic hands. Your parents sought divine protection for you."

"And why exactly would they do that?" Zarach cut in, his voice sharp.

Nathanial's gaze flicked to him, his expression hardening. "Because she's important. And because they feared the darkness would find her."

A chill ran down my spine as his words echoed in my mind. I absently touched the pendant again, its cool surface grounding me.

Marax smirked, though there was little humor in it. "Well, they weren't wrong. Darkness has definitely found her."

"And so have you," Nathanial snapped, his wings flaring slightly.

"Alright, enough," I said, my voice rising. "I don't need all of you crowding my room and throwing cryptic nonsense at me. Just tell me what's going on!"

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of their stares pressing down on me.

Finally, Zarach spoke, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Athena... you're at the center of something bigger than you can imagine. And whether you like it or not, you need to be ready."

"For what?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"For him," Nathanial said, his voice heavy. "For Satan. He wants you."

The room seemed to spin as the memory of the text message flashed through my mind: "I'm closer than you think."

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "This can't be real."

"It's real," Zarach said firmly. "And whether you believe it or not, you have power. Power you'll need to survive what's coming."

The tension in the room felt like it could snap at any second. I clutched the necklace around my neck, its cool surface grounding me as the reality of their words churned in my mind.

Satan. Wants me.

I glanced between the three of them, trying to process it all. "So, what's the plan here? I just sit around and wait for Satan to knock on my door?"

Marax, leaning lazily against the wall, let out a low chuckle. "Not unless you've got snacks for him. Demons love snacks."

Nathanial frowned, visibly struggling with the humor. "This isn't appropriate, Marax. The gravity of the situation—"

"Relax, Feathers," Zarach interrupted with a smirk. "Humans joke when they're stressed. It's how they cope."

Nathanial blinked, his golden brows furrowing. "Cope? By making light of imminent danger?" He turned to me, his expression both confused and concerned. "Athena, are you unwell? Your heart rate is elevated. Your breathing... shallow. Should I... administer aid?"

I stared at him, momentarily thrown by the question. "Aid? What? No. I'm fine, just... overwhelmed."

Nathanial didn't look convinced. "Overwhelmed. Right. That's a normal... response, yes? Humans get overwhelmed."

"Oh, for the love of—" Zarach groaned, running a hand through his dark hair. "Yes, humans get overwhelmed, you overly literal idiot."

Nathanial stiffened, his wings twitching with irritation. "I am not an idiot. My expertise simply doesn't involve... sarcasm and deflection."

"Clearly," Zarach shot back, smirking.

"Guys," I said, holding up a hand, "can we not do this right now? I'm trying to figure out how to survive, and you two are about to start a slap fight."

Marax barked out a laugh, the sound rich and unapologetic. "I'd pay to see that. Angel versus demon, bare-knuckle brawl. My money's on the angel—he looks scrappy."

Nathanial turned his glare on Marax, who simply shrugged, still grinning.

I sighed heavily, rubbing my temples. "This is my life now, isn't it? Babysitting an angel who doesn't understand basic human emotions and two demons who think everything is a joke."

Zarach smirked. "Hey, I don't think everything is a joke. Just angels."

Nathanial's wings shifted, the faint glow around him intensifying. "This is not a joke, Zarach. And if you're so insistent on staying here, perhaps you could start being useful."

Zarach's smirk faded into something sharper. "Oh, I'm plenty useful, Feathers. I've been keeping Athena alive while you've been busy playing celestial voyeur."

Nathanial stepped closer, his posture stiff and indignant. "I've been monitoring her safety—"

"From a distance," Zarach cut in, his tone low and cutting. "You didn't even show up until things got messy. Some guardian angel."

"I was ensuring her environment remained stable!" Nathanial snapped, his golden eyes flaring with light.

"Stable? Stable?! She's got Satan sending her text messages, and you're talking about stability?" Zarach's wings flared slightly, his irritation palpable.

"Wait, what?" Nathanial's attention snapped to me, his expression darkening. "Satan contacted you directly?"

I hesitated, suddenly wishing I'd kept my mouth shut. "Uh, yeah. Last night. Something about him being closer than I think."

The room went deathly quiet. Even Marax straightened, his casual demeanor slipping for a moment.

Nathanial's gaze sharpened. "That's... concerning. If he's already reaching out, it means he's confident he can get to you."

"Not on our watch," Zarach growled, his wings folding back tightly.

Nathanial stepped forward, the glow around him pulsing faintly. "This is precisely why you need to start training. Your power is awakening, Athena, and if you don't learn to control it—"

"Control it?" I interrupted, my voice rising. "I don't even know what 'it' is! How am I supposed to train something I didnt know I had till yesterday or even actually believe it, It could have been you that made the idiot fly into the wall just to trick me?"

Nathanial's lips parted, searching for the right words, but Zarach beat him to it. "That's the problem, Athena. Whether you believe it or not, it's real. And if you don't learn to control it, someone else will."

"Like Satan," Nathanial added grimly.

I laughed, the sound sharp and bitter. "Great. So I've got two demons and an angel telling me I'm some... magical powerhouse or something. Do you guys hear how ridiculous this sounds?"

"Ridiculous or not," Zarach said, stepping closer, "it's the truth. You need to stop being so stubborn and start—"

"I'm not stubborn!" I snapped, cutting him off.

Zarach raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Right. Of course you're not."

The air around me crackled suddenly, sharp and hot. Before I could process what was happening, a surge of energy burst out of me, striking Zarach square in the chest and sending him flying into the wall with a thunderous crash.

I froze, my heart pounding as I stared at him. He groaned, peeling himself out of the dented wall, plaster dust clinging to his jacket.

"Okay," Zarach said, brushing himself off, his smirk returning despite the damage. "Lesson one: maybe don't piss off Athena."

Marax doubled over laughing, while Nathanial looked at me with a mixture of shock and reluctant approval.

"What the hell was that?" I whispered, staring at my hands.

"That," Zarach said, rolling his shoulder like he wasn't just slammed into a wall, "was your power saying hello again"

Nathanial stepped forward, his golden eyes soft but serious. "Athena, this is what I've been trying to explain. Your power is real. And it's already responding to your emotions. Without proper training..."

"...you'll keep throwing people into walls," Marax finished, his grin wide.

The room fell silent again, the gravity of his words settling over me. My fingers tightened around the necklace, its intricate design biting into my palm. It was supposed to protect me, but I couldn't shake the feeling that it wouldn't be enough. Not against whatever was coming.

"So," I said finally, forcing the shakiness out of my voice, "what's step one?"

Zarach's lips quirked in the faintest hint of a smirk, but his tone remained serious. "Step one is figuring out what triggers your power. Clearly, anger does the trick." He glanced at the dented wall. "But we need to know more than that."

"And we'll need to train your focus," Nathanial added, his tone soothing again. "Power without focus can be as destructive as it is useful."

"Great," I muttered. "Anger issues and magic lessons. Just what I always wanted."

Marax chuckled. "Welcome to the supernatural, sweetheart. It's a real blast."

Zarach stepped closer, his gaze locking onto mine. "You've got a lot to learn, Athena. And not a lot of time to do it. If Satan's already reaching out, we're on borrowed time."

"And you have both of us to help," Nathanial said, his golden eyes so

ftening. "Even if we... disagree on certain things."

I sighed, glancing between them. One angel, two demons, and a power I didn't understand. This was my life now. Ready or not, it was time to figure out how to survive it.