The rest of the night had been a blur. Raden had rushed her out of the hall as chaos ensued. Merikh was ready to rip Raden's throat out as soon as his lips met Azrael's. However, Lorcán was ready to interfere and give them a few minutes head start. Raden couldn't have cared less as to what Merikh would say. At that moment all he wanted was Azrael.

A warm breeze blew in from the balcony. No one had closed it from the day before. Azrael turned over and slowly opened her eyes. The sun cast brilliant rays on the mountain as it rose on another day. She let out a deep breath before trying to orient again to the room. The memories of the night before came flooding back and she smiled to herself. She placed her hand on Raden's arm and decided that staying in bed was the better option.

A knock on the door started Azrael. She jumped out of bed as Raden groggily woke up. He rubbed his face and looked over at her. Azrael wrapped a robe around her that was hanging on a chair and walked to open the door. A servant handed her a letter without a word and left. She closed the door and looked the letter over. It was addressed to Raden.

"What's that?"

Azrael shook her head and handed the letter to Raden. "Not sure."

Raden broke the seal and opened the letter. Azrael stood in front of him nervously watching and waiting.

Dear Raden,

My apologies for the interruption. Your dear master, Merikh, is insisting on a meeting with you. Meet us in my private study.

-Lorcán

"Shit," Raden whispered under his breath. He groaned and tossed the blankets away to hurriedly dress. Azrael felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she averted her gaze elsewhere. Raden walked over and gently grabbed her chin. "I'll be back later."

"What was in the letter?"

Raden sighed, "Merikh wants a meeting." He saw Azrael's eyebrows knit together. Worry began to wash over her. Raden grabbed her shoulders. "Breathe Azrael. Just stay here for now until I get back and we'll figure out what to do next."

Azrael nodded and sat on the edge of the bed. Raden kissed the top of her head and silently left. The letter was left crumpled on the floor.

~~~*~~~

Raden marched down the halls. He knew what this would be about and he was preparing for the war he was entering into. Raden stopped at the door and took a deep breath. He opened the door and it moaned lowly. He peered up at the ascending start case.

"Here goes nothing."

He made his way up the stairs each step more challenging than the last. His feet felt like lead and his wings weighed him down. The closer he was to the office the more his body was fighting against him. One last step. One last deep breath. He entered the office.

Lorcán was sitting calmly behind his desk quietly talking. Merikh had his back to the door as he was deep in conversation. As Raden walked in, Lorcán's attention shifted to Raden and Merikh turned in his seat.

"Lorcán." Lorcán nodded and Raden glanced over at his master. "Merikh."

Merikh silently stood dusting off invisible specks of whatever. He casually strolled over to Raden as if there wasn't a care in the world and without warning his hand connected with Raden's cheek. Raden was thrown off balance and he instinctually grabbed his sticking cheek. Merikh harshly grabbed a fist full of Raden's hair and pulled so that Raden was forced to meet his harsh soulless eyes. "You're a pathetic disappointment," Merikh spat. So much hatred in four words.

"Then I'll stay a disappointment," Raden murmured. Raden peered up with a deadly stare. Merikh scoffed and shoved Raden into the wall before walking away. Raden stood and glared at his master's back. "I don't need your approval of what I do in my life." Emphasis on my life.

Merikh shook his head but stayed facing Lorcán. "I can so quickly take your life away," he turned to face Raden, "SO DON'T TELL ME WHAT YOU WILL DO WITH YOUR LIFE!"

Silence fell in the room. Raden and Merikh held each other's stares waiting for the other to make a move. The air was becoming heavy and tensions were running astronomically high.

"I think right now it would be best to separate..."

Merikh held a hand up. "Lorcán, if you know what's best for you and your city, then I suggest you sit down and keep your mouth shut."

"You going to threaten him the way you threaten everyone else when you don't get your way?" Raden challenged. He knew he was walking on dangerous grounds as he poked and prodded, but then again playing with death was a different level of stupidity.

Merikh's frown deepened. "This isn't about him. This is about you disregarding my orders, Raden."

Raden narrowed his eyes. His fist was clenched so tightly that he could feel his palms bleed. "Well, what can I say? I get it from my creator."

Merikh roared with anger and leaped forward grappling Raden as he moved away from the wall. Raden shoved Merikh off balance enough to pin him to the ground. With pure hatred for his creator at this moment, Raden only saw red. One swing and a loud nasty crack echoed through the room. Another swing and the popping of Merikh's jaw. Swing after swing until Merikh's face was a bloody mess. Raden sat straddling him panting as the blood pumped through blocking any sound. Raden soon felt a force like no other shove him to the floor. He tried to move but felt incredible pressure on his shoulders and wings. Merikh stood laughing and letting the blood drip onto Raden.

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Lorcán stood having enough of this abuse. "Merikh I would kindly advise you to stop this at once."

"Or what? The last time I checked you had no fighting abilities you good-for-nothing knowledge hoarder." Merikh was seething and had turned his anger to Lorcán. "I was there when Arjan decided to create you. She insisted we needed a God of Knowledge because Time was having difficulty."

"Javaid wanted a helper and there was nothing wrong with that Merikh," Lorcán lowly answered.

"Javaid was weak and helped to create a weak and pathetic God."

Lorcán took a step back and a deep breath. His hands shook but he couldn't show how those words affected him. "You will not treat me nor my guest with the disrespect you have shown just now. I will ask you to leave immediately."

"And if I don't?" Merikh pushed. "You can't afford war Lorcán."

Raden grunted as he tried to free himself. "Merikh leave Lorcán out of this." Merikh's head turned quickly as Raden spoke. "This is between us and us only."

Merikh bent down and held Raden's face roughly in one hand. "You have no fucking clue what's going on Raden. You were too busy trying to fuck that bitch," He paused for a brief moment letting the silence fall around them, "You let yourself become attached to the only thing that would win us the war." Merikh purposely stepped on Raden's wing causing him to yell out in pain. Merikh disappeared and Raden was free to move again.

Raden looked over at Lorcán. "What have I just done?"

Lorcán shook his head in disbelief. "I... I don't know Raden."

~~~*~~~

Raden rushed back to the room with Lorcán not far behind. His heartbeat pounded in his ears with each step he took. Those words rang loudly in his mind.

The only thing to win us is the war. The only thing to win us is the war. The only thing to win us is the war. Raden shook his head trying to stop the words from repeating, but to no avail.

He burst through the doors without warning. Azrael was nowhere to be seen. Lorcán followed shortly behind and froze in the doorframe.

"I'll call guards," Lorcán frantically said. Fear laced his face as he glanced over the room. Before he left, there was a loud thud in the bathroom causing both to pause.

Raden turned to glance at Lorcán and held a finger to signal to be quiet. He carefully and silently walked to the closed door placing an ear to the ornate wood. He could hear anything. He placed a hand on the cold handle. He looked back at Lorcán and mouthed, "One, Two, Three." The door handle clicked and Raden swung the door open.

Azrael gave a yelp of surprise causing a blast of sparks to fly toward Raden hitting him square in the chest and sending him to the floor. Azrael went running for him and knelt down beside a very dazed Raden. "Oh, my God! Are you all right?"

"Yep." He sat up with a groan and rubbed his chest where the sparks hit.

"Okay good." Azrael then proceeded to hit him. "Don't freaking barge in on me trying to take a bath like that again." Hit. Hit. Hit.

Raden blocked each hit the best he could. "Okay okay. Just stop hitting me." Azrael huffed and stopped her attack. She glanced down however and saw the blood that stained Raden's fist and looked up with wide eyes.

"Raden," she said in a warning tone. Her gaze moved to Lorcán who still stood in the doorway then back to Raden.

Raden sighed. It was heavy with dread of the future but also a relief. Azrael was here with him which meant he had time to get her to safety. "Azrael go take your bath…"

"No, I want you to tell me what's going on."

"I will." He looked into her eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes still somehow held light in them. "But I need you to do what you were doing and I'll be in there in a minute." His eyes silently pleaded with her. She held his stare for a moment before nodding and heading back to the bathroom. Raden watched her until she disappeared and then he turned his attention to Lorcán. "This place isn't safe for us anymore and the longer we stay the more we put you and everyone else in danger."

"But where will you go?"

Raden shook his head feeling defeated. "I don't know right now."

Lorcán gave a sympathetic stare. "I can protect you and her," he answered quietly. "You don't have to leave."

"We can't stay. You have no idea what Merikh is capable of."

Lorcán sighed and nodded. "I have some correspondence in the east kingdom right now. I can see if there's something they could potentially do to help."

"Thank you."

Lorcán simply smiled and left without another word.

Raden walked in to see Azrael's neck deep in the bath. He went and sat down resting an arm on the tub rim as he watched her. Azrael opened her eyes and silently stared at Raden. He couldn't read her mind as she was giving nothing away through her eyes.

"Where did the blood come from," she asked barely above a whisper.

"Merikh."

Azrael sat up pulling her knees to her chest. "He was here?"

"He was and he wasn't happy about last night." Raden let out a shaky breath. The dull throbbing of his ribs intensified with each breath. "You're in more danger than I previously thought and it's not just from Serkan."

"Who's the other danger?" Azrael laid her head on the side of the tub and lightly ran her fingers over the bruising knuckles. The blood swirled as it dripped into the bath.

"Merikh said that you were a chance to win the war." Raden sighed and felt the anger building. He was frustrated with himself for keeping this from Azrael but also the fact that soon enough there was a very real chance that he wasn't going to be able to protect her. For the first time in his life, he didn't feel like the mythical death angel that was only told in hushed stories. Believed by many to be folklore. Right here sitting on the cold floor looking at this girl in front of him. Raden felt like the helpless farmer whose wife was killed by that demon. Helpless and fearful.

Azrael saw the slide change in Raden's eyes. The flicker of red the inky black hanging just in the shadows. She reached up and place a hand on his face. "I have learned that whenever I feel stressed that a bath can help ease that feeling." Raden gave her a small smirk but whatever smart-ass remarks he kept to himself. "Come on."

Raden stood and undressed. The bruises were now a deep purple and still swollen from where Merikh had attacked him. Azrael tucked her knees in closer as Raden joined her in the tub sitting opposite her. Each movement made him wince from the pain.

"Was that because of me?"

"This is because Merikh is an asshole and recently I'm his favorite punching bag." Raden took in a deep breath trying to ignore the pain. He watched Azrael as she inspected every cut, bruise, and bloody knuckle. "Come here," Raden said lowly.

Azrael began to protest. She didn't want to cause him more pain than he clearly was already in.

"Let me hold you." It wasn't a demand. Raden's voice was a whisper and laced with need. Azrael slowly and carefully moved closer turning and leaning her back to his chest. Strong arms wrapped around her. She took this time to clean his hands. She could feel his breathing ease and she leaned into that. "I promise I'll tell you everything Azrael…"

"I know you will, but that can wait a little bit, okay?"

"Okay.