Apparently it is ‘question Heyel’ day today, Malina seeming to have taken it upon herself to dance about the loopholes of my existence as she seemed once more to find indiscretion between the roles of Secret Keeper and Keeper. I suppose it was a poor choice of title in one way or another, then again I can hardly be blamed for naming confrontation within our Art, I did not design it, it’s called that- just because it is. The girl spoke plainly, almost blankly, some kind of confusion evident within her features. Truly I be no means regret choosing to train Micteca as I have, Malina clearly displaying an actual talent for sorting through difficult concepts or broad information. Then again, whose fault was such a thing, clearly I did not work on allowing her mind to see the bigger picture entirely as much as I should have. I sighed once more, smoothly, not entirely unkindly before facing her levelly again.

“This is true darling, it is always and forever true. Friends will get you killed if you trust them to much, the secrets of our Art should never be shared, but these are not the only kind of secrets in the world are they? That which I shared with Devil, another, Artist, let us say, tended to be of a more personal nature, in fact, we never spoke of the Art. I trusted him because in some things, I had to, it does not mean he never betrayed me, nor ever will, but that is a risk I took. Even so, as I said, Devil and I shared other things, the Art remained closed.”

She would surely have no appreciation for such an understanding, at least not yet, she has many years left of service to the way of life we both chose, her ability to understand the ‘personal nature’ of many of the things I had shared with Devil perhaps imperceptible to a girl who is yet to take a mate, lead a pack, mother children or any of the things she will do when the time is right, if she survives long enough to deserve them as I have every intention that she will, my next words easily implying as much. I rarely speak of emotional things or….important things or the meaning behind them in this manner and yet for many years I have been watching her, raising her, training her to be….well….the next me. She has proven herself worthy in my eyes time and again. Perhaps things would be different were Eris still alive, were Ava or Azrael experienced enough of Kahleesi older and yet such is life, it is what it is and yet the girl seemed almost shocked by such a thing, her blackened form sliding backwards as she shook her head, her voice holding perhaps the only traces of fear or uncertainty I had ever heard within it, my own features frowning slightly and yet not unkindly, having expected such a reaction. She pulled herself straight, tall, as if attempting to gether herself, her attempts earning a small, momentary grin that passed smoothly from my features as she spoke. I reached for her, as I have not done since she was small, muzzle streaching to touch against her own in a brief moment of rarely seen or given affection, allowing her to see, to feel that indeed, despite all that I am, all that I am capable of there is a part within me that is capable of such things, a part that does love her, feel for her and believes entirely that I have no made a mistake in my choice.

“It was always you Malina. It should have been Eris, but her death robbed her that chance. You have a different strength to Ava, you have a mind capable of more than Azrael, you have the experience Kahleesi does not. You are my eldest apprentice and Paulo Vafer, you are the best of them.”

I spoke the last part softly, quietly, just for her ears alone as I met the green of her gaze with the violet of my own, letting her see the truth of this, no mock or jest or humour, an honesty I rarely offer. She may not want this, she may run from it…..but the decision is already made.

“There are few in this world as you Malina, you do not have to believe it, you do not even have to accept you. I have told you since the day you came to me that you were destined for greatness, perhaps to surpass even myself, for that is what all Masters desire in the end, to raise even one who surpasses him. I chose you Malina because it is a title I cannot keep, not forever darling. I hardly have any plans to leave this world any time soon yet the truth is sometimes a harsh thing. Look at me Malina, truly look and you will see what I hide so, so well. I am nearly seventeen years old. In all Moladion there is only one older male. I am getting tired, Malina and I have chosen you to finish what I started. There will always be question you cannot answer, Micteca will help you, your Art siblings I’ll help you- when I can’t anymore.”

I had spent a lifetime creating a shield as it were, an aura I suppose, a sense of immortality about myself and truly I would hardly be surprised if more then one wolf believed I was immortal. Good. I wanted them to think that and yet, no matter how Malina may desire otherwise, I will not live forever. The day will come when I simply do not wake from sleep, else I manage to find some significantly more dramatic way to die and all will pass to her. I paused, allowing her to think on these things, consider them and absorb them before I moved matters sneakily back to those I preferred to talk about, nodding as she spoke of the boys. Good. She would decide their fate, as she would decide Tobias’- in time. As her mention of the blood mouth I merely chuckled once more.

“The only thing that says is that she either has a red mouth, or a ridiculous sense of humour and it is white or some other colour. Not a creative lot are they? Then again, I was called the Jester King for many years and that hardly took skill to come up with. Then again Lucian was never very bright.”

I offered a passing smirk, eyes gleaming with easy humour, once more back on familiar ground as the girl joined in as once she had, many years ago. Truly I would have to find time to sit with her again, when she was not being agitating she was….good company. Her laughter ended abruptly however, ears flicking, pausing for the oncoming storm as to my winter spent in the company of my imprint. I was prepared for such a thing, after all, none of my children had been entirely happy about it and yet in truth I had broken no law. Zeivah was dead three years before I took another and indeed, that other was my imprint, my soul- hardly a great crime and I did not expect her apparent level of offense to be so great, my features forming a scowl, heckles pulling up and rising dangerously along my spine in clear warning, my own growl hissing forward as I pulled to my feet once more, something within myself, some instinct, some remaining drops of Alpha blood flaring at her disrespect. Careful Malina.

Fire, scars? What the hell was she shouting about?! She’d lost her damn mind! Who was she talking about? She charged forward, bristling and hissing like a damn fool and something within simply snapped, teeth flashing like the blade of a knife as I lunged forward suddenly and without warning, jaws slicing towards her face aiming to sink my teeth into her muzzle or cheek, snarling vivacious as I swung violently to one side aiming to take a part of her with me, ears flattening and teeth bared. Some part knew, some tiny part of myself knew who she meant and yet my mind simply refused to acknowledge it, reacting to her as she had come at me, with aggression and disrespect I will not stand for, words slicing between my fangs as muscle braced, form taught and hard, prepared fully to attack her again.

“Have you lost your mind?! Think very carefully about what you’re going to say Malina and damn well lower yourself or so help me I will throw you into the dirt. Who the hell are you talking about?!”

h e y e l
The Original Angel