Ariella had refused to go back to live in her sister’s household. Her guilt prevented her from doing so. She was delighted to meet her grandson however. She was deprived of her motherhood by Raphael’s twisted sense of justice and now the true Judge of all had redeemed her of her sins and had provided her the means to shower her love on a child she could call her own, her own grand-child.
She received Michael’s ring which she valued more than anything else. It was a ring similar to the one worn by her sister and with it on her hand there was little to make them apart save for their eyes. That was not true. Her sister was destined to rule a man’s heart and she was destined to serve the men in her life. Maybe the difference lay in her attitude towards life but it wasn’t entirely her fault. She remembered the day when she had gone to visit her betrothed, Raphael. Only the man that greeted her was Samael and in her ignorance she had let him corrupt her mind with his darkness. Once touched by darkness it always remains. Nothing could redeem her completely, not even the love of her son. But she had faith that one day all would be right for the Lord is righteous and good and of light.
It was a difficult sight to see Ray ponder upon himself. He was so withdrawn within his own shell that nothing penetrated save for his need to respond to his responsibilities, towards his mother, his son, his friends and his world.
Day after day went by and Ray went on performing his duty. Finally the day came when it was time for the son of Michael to be faced with his greatest challenge. Generally fortune knocks at the door once. But the persistent knock had to belong to something far different. It was Raphael and behind him stood Cassandra.
“What new plague you bring upon my world again?” Ray asked facing Cassandra. Raphael stood awestruck at the face he had often bowed down to. How could that face belong to a mortal? Still he had to speak on behalf of the woman he had given shelter to.
“This creature no longer wishes to remain your mate. I as the Angel of Redemption have come to ensure she receives back her carrier powers along with her freedom. As a mortal you have no right to keep her powers or her freedom from her.”
“Is this the lecture that you are used to giving when you trick the women betrothed to you to sacrifice their love and their child before turning them into your personal servants?” Ray asked sarcastically as Raphael looked on in honour.
Ray’s quick eyes caught on the flush of anger in Cassandra’s eyes as Ariella’s topic became apparent. Ray changed his demeanour and invited in his guest within his home. Cassandra had changed much since he had last seen her. She had become fuller; the blush on her cheeks, the blush of rage had the rosiness of fresh marigolds. Looking into her beautiful face Ray’s heart started beating loudly. Raphael on the other hand looked away unable to meet his gaze. As they took a seat on the drawing room couch Ray called for his Ariella. Both guests were awed by her presence there. They had all suspected her of stealing the mortal child but her presence here meant she had returned the child to its true home. Ray requested Ariella to bring some wine for the guests and a coffee for him. Ariella left smiling. Somehow through her smile she managed to tell Ray ‘Be strong son, be righteous’.
Neither of the guests asked Ray what Ariella had being doing at his place. Ray spoke to Cassandra. “I know why you have come here. You want to fulfil your parent’s dying wish of mating with Raphael.” Cassandra had been looking down at the palm of her hand placed on her lap. On hearing Ray speak to her she looked up.
“You know a lot it seems! So what will it take for you to agree to free me from the bond?” she asked.
“You are ignoring one small fact Cassandra. I am not an angel. I have chosen to be human. On earth your power means little or none to me. Neither do I have much use of it. I can return it to you anytime I want. But I have given you a promise of a lifetime in the presence of God. I cannot take from you the promise. You have said that you live for eternity and I for only a short while. However once I die you shall be turned to dust. I cannot let that happen either. I cannot be the cause of your early death or let you live in the fear of death every single day. I will undo the mating, I will return your powers but I cannot undo our marriage. If you choose another man, creature it is you who is living in sin. However I shall be waiting to forgive you and take you back. A union is from the soul and not from the body which you need to realize Cassandra. Are you ready for your powers to be returned?”
Cassandra nodded and Raphael looked on with distaste as tears of shame clouded her vision and spilled over to stain her pale cheeks. Angels did not cry. The human had infected Cassandra with emotions that did not befit an Angel of the sixth heaven. Ray continued to speak. “I took your powers in private and I would like to return them in private as well. Will you accompany me to the library Cassandra?”
Raphael tried to object. He was the Angel of redemption. How could some other creature redeem in his absence. “You cannot return her powers in my absence.” He said.
Ray looked at him and smirked. “Is it so? Watch me.”
Ray asked Cassandra for her hand. She took out her hand from her glove and placed it on his palm. With her healing touch his broken heart joined. The hopelessness and the despair at losing his loved one left him. His eyes gleamed with light as he led her to the library.
Inside the room Ray closed the doors. Cassandra had never been to the library and was awed to find it mostly empty. No books covered the glass walls. It was blank space and light everywhere. It was the kind of space where one could really breathe. A huge computer stood in the corner of the room. That comprised Ray’s entire library. Ray turned Cassandra around to face him.
“Do you love me Cassandra?” he asked.
Cassandra looked at Ray trying to find answer to Ray’s question as if it were written on him. In her eyes Ray saw her desire for him. So Ray continued. “No responsibility is greater than upholding love Cassie. Your parents never knew you could find your love and if they knew how you are sacrificing your love for their last wish they would be hurting. Don’t do this unless your heart tells you to.”
Suddenly a flame burned within Cassie. “I want power, Ray. Raphael can give me the place that an Angel of my lineage should have. I cannot live a life of anonymity with you here on earth.”
Ray’s face suddenly lost all emotions. He pulled Cassandra’s hand and stretched it between them. Cassandra suddenly remembered that all the while they were still holding hands. Ray made Cassandra kneel down and he did the same. Then he started to speak. “As a son of the Holy Father, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I declare you redeemed. Be at peace. I request the Holy Father to undo the bond that was joined through his will and with the authority of being his devoted son I Ray Michael Sutherland declare you are no longer my mate.”
As soon as Ray said these words peace poured into Cassandra’s heart along with power. Cassandra’s eyes were closed so she could not see the power that flowed from Ray to her. When she opened her eyes she summoned her wings. They were no longer the white wings of a healer but the light blue wings of the House of the sky. She looked up at Ray who looked sombre. Somehow she couldn’t face him any longer. A part of her feared, hoped that Ray would refuse to return her powers.
Suddenly Ray pulled her back towards him. He saw the fear in her eyes; fear that her emotions would overcome her. Ray could see the darkness in her heart and knew that the only way to get her back was to remove the darkness from within her heart. He pulled her in closer till their lips met. Cassandra could feel the sparks all over again but this time Ray was under control. This kiss was not about mating or love. Through his kiss he probed Cassandra’s heart and mind for darkness and destroyed it with the light of his life. When he was finished Cassandra was swooning in his arms but Ray let her go. “Raphael is waiting for you outside. You must leave.” He said curtly. In his words there was not an ounce of emotion. Cassandra was awestruck. Her mind was clouded with the kiss but Ray did not touch her anywhere other than her hand and her lips. Her eyes widened in realization as she realized that the kiss that made her swoon was not a kiss of passion but a kiss of redemption.
Cassandra walked in a daze led by Ray who handed her over to Raphael, her betrothed. Then he said in a tone of confidence. “I will wait for you Cassandra but you must leave now to realize what you yourself want.” Just then Ariella stepped in with the child in her arms. On seeing her own son Cassandra’s tears overwhelmed her but Raphael did not let her touch him. Cassandra looked in despair as her despair moved her away from her family. Soon they disappeared into thin air as they teleported back to their own dimension. Ray slumped into the nearby chair. Ariella went over and sat beside her son trying to console him for his loss.