The Ascended (The Saving Angels 3)

The door slammed closed behind them, leaving me alone with Mark for the first time in months.

I slowly turned around, cautiously eyeing him. Unanswered questions burned through me. If Harmony had been blocking our emotions for all these months, did that mean Mark regretted his decision to leave me? And if he did, how did he feel about our Link being broken?

Without meeting his eyes, I slowly walked toward him. I knew that I should be using my time to reach Haniel and figure out where my friends were, but for the moment I shut all of that out. I was just an ordinary girl seeing her ex-boyfriend for the first time since a terrible break-up. I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans as I stood a foot from him. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally worked up the nerve to lift my gaze to meet his. My heart constricted as his chocolate brown eyes drank in my appearance. I was dying to know what he was thinking and knew that I could have picked his thoughts from his head effortlessly, but I did not feel right invading his privacy that way. Our Link was completely gone and yet, I found myself drawn to him like never before. I smiled at how wrong Victor had it. He had always assumed that as a Guide and Protector, you lost all your freewill, but here I stood, no longer a Guide, and I was still taken with the boy that stood before me.

"Krista," he said, lifting a hand as if to touch my cheek, but jerked back as an electric shock raced through him.

I stepped forward to help him, but was knocked backward on my butt as my hand encountered an electric current.

"What the heck is that?" I said, standing up to rub my sore bottom.

"It's an electric cage," Mark said, pointing to the voltage boxes lining the perimeter. "As long as this is turned on," he said, indicating his ankle bracelet, "I can't leave and no one can enter."

I moved closer to his space, eyeing the voltage boxes warily. He sat down on the floor as close as he could get without getting shocked. I did the same sitting directly in front of him.

"You've Ascended," he said, after a few minutes of silence.

I nodded my head, not wanting to admit that we had all assumed he had Descended.

"It suits you well. You've never looked more beautiful."

I grimaced at his words, since I was sure I pretty much looked like pond scum. I had dried Daemon blood on my pants and who knew what else.

"You left." I said, no longer able to contain myself.

He studied me for moment before finally answering. "He told me you believed I left you on my own freewill, but I didn't believe him. I could have never left you. How could you believe that? Didn’t I show you countless times how I felt about you? I didn't break our Link Krista. You did by buying into his lies."

I jumped to my feet indignantly. "I didn't break our Link, you left me." I said, louder than I intended. "You told me you were doing what was right, that we all should have our own freewill."

"Krista, I never said any of those things," he said quietly.

"Yes you did, everyone heard you," I said, choking on a half-sob.

"Krista, I didn't say those things because I was no longer there."

"What?" I asked, sinking down on the floor as an awful truth began to creep over me. "Tell me you’re not saying what I think you are." I pleaded in a whisper.

He nodded his head.

The room began to spin. How had I let this happen? Mark never said those things because he was not in possession of his body. Victor had used the time I was unconscious to use Mark's body as a human host. The lies that left his mouth had been orchestrated by Victor. He was right, he didn't break our Link, nor did Harmony. By believing Victor, I alone had broken our Link.

I bowed my head as sobs racked though me. I had done this.

"Krista, look at me," he pleaded.

I lifted my tear streaked face. "Krista, I think it was all meant to be. Haniel had spoken many times about how special you are. How you would do great things. I believe The Light always planned for you to be an Ascended."

"But, what about you?" I asked, sickened by what I had done.

"I don't know," he said, sounding defeated for the first time. "Harmony hasn't allowed me a moment alone with my emotions for the last two months. By keeping me contained though, it’s only served to make her stronger. I'm surprised they're allowing even this, but I'm sure my father has some hidden motive."

"I need to contact Haniel and see what’s happening with the others, but I think Victor is able to block me somehow," I said, remembering my duties.

"You can do that?" Mark asked, clearly impressed.

"I can do all kinds of cool things," I said, falling into the easy banter we had always shared.

His mouth pulled into a smile that was always guaranteed to turn my insides to melted butter. I mourned the loss of our Link, but I relished in the way we still seemed drawn to each other. It seemed like an impossible situation, but for the moment I enjoyed the presence of the boy I had loved my entire life.