6. Reawakening My Ability

Lilith's POV

"I am sure Michael has briefed you on the latest." Mother said while elegantly sitting on her mat with her legs crossed. Her crown was not on her head but the crystalline necklace she wore on her neck complimented her - soon enough it would be sitting beautifully on mine too. She was wearing her silk gold robe which she only threw on when she was in a haste and I tried not to think about what was going on before I and Michael were summoned to her chambers.

It did not help that her mate, Tydus, sat beside her. Mother tried as much as she could to keep him away from matters of the crown, she said it was not who he was. It was a wonder he was present at this meeting.

"Yes, mother...what do you intend to do about it?"

"First of, I intend to call a council meeting so all the royal angels can know. For now, it is only I, Azar, and a few Elders that are aware of the incident." Mother answered.

I nodded in response, my eyes glanced at Tydus. Mother noticed my inquisitive look and chuckled.

"Tydus is going to be your new mage." She said with a smirk.

I looked at her in confusion, "Why? My current mage is doing fine."

"It is important he is." She said and lets the conversation die on that note.

I was speechless at the sudden development. My eyes tried to avoid Tydus's but I could feel his piercing gaze on my face. Tydus was my mother's mate but the two of us did not have anything called a relationship. He liked to keep away from things concerning me and I had no idea why. Why did mother want to make him my new mage?

Tydus, before he was chosen as the Queen's mate, was just a very talented and powerful mage. He taught Celestial magic to even the most mediocre of angels and turned them into the best. My mother chose him as her mate to the surprise of the whole realm and when asked why, all she said was that she was guided by the Everlight. While it was not strange for angels to mate so randomly, it was rare and highly frowned upon.

Angels mated based on bloodline. A royal was commonly marked by another royal, and the people considered as royals in the realm apart from the Celestes who were the crown angels, were the Sages and Elders. A royal moving out of their bloodline to be mated with a mage or other lower angels was something that seldomly happened. Most royals loved to preserve the pureness of the royal blood.

The only other Celeste who partook in such a randomized mating was Cecil, the third Celeste. She mated with a royal guard - it caused an uproar in the realm but Cecil was stubborn and determined to mate her beloved which against all odds, she did at the end.

My mother was castigated for wanting to mate Tydus but she fought against it and won just like Cecil, but not without some conditions.

I ignored the shocking news and focused on why we were called here, "So, what was so urgent?"

"Security reinforcements." Mother replied. "Michael, I know you have talked to the Templars but I need you to hammer to them about how serious the situation is. You know a lot of them have not battled something as powerful as a wraith before." She continued.

"The Templars are always vigilant my queen, put your mind at rest." Michael assured her.

She nodded in confidence at his words. "Come in, keeper." She commanded and a brooding, tall angel on a black robe entered her chamber. His long, dark hair flowed softly on his shoulders and his face exuded a lot of seriousness.

"This is the keeper of the Halo and I need you to use your ability to assist him in protecting it, Lilith."

The Halo was a sacred place where powerful and dangerous items were kept; orbs that could destroy worlds, books that could summon the evilest of demons, weapons that could cause deadly rips and absolute chaos in worlds...and the most important of them all, the orb of doom that was used to imprison the most powerful being after Ovah - Satan himself.

I looked at mother, trying to read her expression, "Why the Halo?"

"Wraiths are attracted to things of power and the Halo is one place that exudes a lot of energy." Michael answered in her stead.

"I have not been able to sense energies in a long time, mother. How can I suddenly be of help?"

"Which is why Tydus is going to help you reawaken it privately. If the wraith comes anywhere near the Halo, you will be able to sense its energy and alert the Templars."

I deserved more answers to my questions so I did not hesitate to ask them, "The other mages should be able to do it. Why can't they?"

"Sorry to break it to you, princess", Tydus started a scowl on his face, "But just few mages can sense Satan's minions."

I didn't expect him to answer so he caught me off guard, "Then why do you think I can?"

"Because you can." He said.

That was not the answer I wanted but I decided to stick with it for now.

Mother sighed tiredly, "I am afraid that if we are not vigilant enough, this wraith might be able to carry out its mission."

"Its mission?" I asked curiously.

"The Everlight keeps warning me of a danger and I know it is connected to this wraith. The last time a wraith was seen was before Satan was imprisoned, and one thing about wraiths is that, they are always on a mission...I know there is a connection."

"So you want me to keep watch of the Halo?"

"Yes. It is the most important place we need to protect right now but you are not doing it alone, the keeper is with you."

"All I ask is that you try, Lilith." She adds with a soft plea in her eyes. I have no choice but to nod quietly to her plea.

I had an ability that Celestes did not possess - the ability to sense energies which only powerful mages like Tydus can do. Mother had kept it a secret for years because the condition for mating Tydus was that the child to be born would be pure Celeste. My mother swore on Ovah that she would give birth to a pureblood but unfortunately for her, I came out with a mage's ability and no wings.

If it was ever known that I was half mage, I would be ripped entirely of my right to be queen and Penelope would be next. So, I kept my gift a secret till it ended up becoming dormant.

Now, mother wanted to reawaken it.

"Can the keeper be trusted?" I asked while looking at the said keeper in suspicion.

"He swore an oath of silence." Mother assured me and when no further question was asked, she nodded.

"It is good that we all understand our important roles to play so as to defend and protect not just this realm, but other realms across the universe. I will call the council meeting soon. But for now, this meeting is dismissed."

We all stood up in harmony and I was about to speak to Michael when Tydus interrupted.

"Walk with me." He said and walked ahead.

I sighed tiredly and followed, leaving Michael and mother behind.