How Deep The Roots Go ( Book One)

Chapter 49

He felt them there stalking in the shadows, just as he had the demons. Now that he was disengaged from her, his sense was on spot.

But the Nine Choirs were not observing in that moment then. It was the Powers, Hazel, Luke, Augustus and Harrison. They all stood watching the two chosen ones fight with an inner battle within themselves. They could hear the war waged within their human hearts. They knew the two could not be with each other, because the Guardian would lose her sight entirely if she pledged it to the Skin Walker. Her mission is to find the coal, and the Protector is to guard her, and that is all.

"We have trouble brewing, gentlemen," Hazel said, feeling the pain of Temperance.

"She will get over it. All humans do. She cannot face the demons if her mind is focused elsewhere," Harrison rebutted swiftly, with zero sympathy.

"I'm not so sure, Harrison. Have you seen the way they look at each other?" Augustus chimed in, his heart aching for them.

"What is the big deal anyway? Why can't they love one another?" Luke asked, enjoying the scene. "The brevity of human life is so precious, they should be able to love."

Harrison turned to him so swiftly that the breeze picked up around the four.

"They cannot and will not...If they go against the wishes of the Higher Realm, the alignment of all that is destined will be in disorder. The demons will know her heart is tied and distract her even more. A heart bound to a Skin Walker is only a recipe for disaster. They will snuff everything out of her where she will be nothing but a shell. Then, what will happen?" It was a rhetorical question. They all knew the answer.

"The war on earth will unfold, and Satan will be encompassed with more Power," Hazel whispered softly. "Temperance will forfeit her gift, and the coal will remain with the Archfiend."

"Precisely," Harrison said with disgust.

"No... They cannot love one another," Hazel conveyed with a heavy heart. She shook her head, her woman instinct still present in her angel form.

"But it looks as if they already do," she whispered faintly, as she watched Roman leave Temperance, walking away from her broken heart.

The moment Roman's boots hit the pavement, he couldn't do it. His feet were rooted as if he were being bewitched by a powerful spell, his mind changing instantly by the call of his heart.

His head bowed a moment, the line of right and wrong, choice and chance, right before him.

He looked to her, and then glanced over his shoulder, noting the angels had departed, then when he saw Temperance bathed in the light of the moon and her heart still on her sleeve, he crossed over that line with an intention.

"No," Temperance objected, placing her hand up as she saw him take the three steps up the porch to her again.

She pointed toward the path. "Leave, Roman."

His expression was one of exasperation and defeat, but he was heedless of her demand to leave.

She looked away, trying to gain composure, her train of thought like a lightening storm.

"Is there a spade of doubt that you have inside of you?"

"Stop your games!" Her eyes flashed with hot anger.

He didn't back off, but moved nearer, close enough to where he could lift his hand and bring her to him. "Please, just answer me that," he said softly.

She struggled to give him the damn answer. She was about to fall down into a pile of pure bawling. "About what? My faith? I told you I'm fine with that! You can be the all high and mighty one protecting me, Roman, knowing I'm good with my faith, okay." She crossed her arms then.