“Then that is what I must do,” Gabriel said. “Thank you, I will take my leave now.”
“Be safe,” Lizzie said. “Thanks again for saving me.”
“Thank you, Miss Elizabeth,” he said, taking her hand and kissing her fingers. “I am sure we will see each other again. Take care.”
Chapter Seventeen
Miles
Once he had returned all the Balancers to Headquarters, Miles wanted to get back to the city immediately, but John Patrick took his arm and shook his head.
“Do not be a fool, Miles; what you are feeling now is confusion because you are undercover as an Angel. Take your true form as a Balancer and disregard these foolish feelings,” his former mentor said.
Miles looked at John Patrick and frowned. “It’s not the feelings I’m worried about, it’s the difference between right and wrong. She is in trouble because I involved her; I would be remiss to leave her there to die.”
“It was her own choice; it is not ours to decide what is right or wrong. We need to go see the Elders,” John Patrick said. “Help me to the medical ward so that I can seek help, and then we will go see them. Leave this fool’s errand.”
Miles had never wanted to lose his temper so badly, but it would have been unheard of, especially in Headquarters. Instead, he helped his old mentor by taking him under the arm and assisting him to the medical ward that was mostly used by apprentices who had accidents perfecting their new magic. All the injured Balancers were brought here, and the nurses and doctors rushed to see to them. Miles waited as patiently as he could manage as John Patrick was attended to, all the while, he thought about what Adrial was possibly doing to Lizzie.
“We’ll be about an hour,” John Patrick said. “Go change back to a Balancer and come back for me.”
Miles nodded and went off to seek out Tommy. He was buried under some junk near the door as Miles entered. Miles waited patiently for him to finish.
“Hey, Miles,” Tommy said. “Back so soon? Was the mission a success?”
“Yes, Tommy,” Miles said. “I need to change back now.”
Tommy huffed and led him back to the same pod device. “Well, climb on in, and we’ll get you sorted.”
A part of Miles hoped this was the answer and that with this change, he would stop having feelings for Lizzie because the sense of loss and guilt that he was experiencing was too overwhelming. As he stepped into the pod, he remembered the look on her face when they had come back from the warehouse, when he had thought he’d lost her the first time. He remembered how she had tasted when he’d kissed her so passionately. As the device started to hum, he thought about how they had made love, how she had felt with her skin pressed against his skin. The pain he felt changing back to a Balancer was nothing compared to the tears he shed as he remembered seeing her lying bound in that cage at Adrial’s feet, the look on her face when Miles didn’t choose her.
When the machine stopped, he took a deep breath, quickly wiped his eyes, and pushed the pod open before stepping out. He felt like himself again, and he flexed his fingers in front of his face.
“There may be some residual side effects, but they’ll be gone within twenty-four hours,” Tommy said.
Miles nodded his thanks and left to fetch John Patrick. While he walked, he started to pack away every part of Lizzie that he loved, and he buried her deep within himself so that it wouldn’t hurt. He was a Balancer, and Balancers were not allowed to love. He buried her beauty, and her laugh, her hair, her kindness, her love for animals...every little thing he had come to know about her in the few short days he had spent with her, he put in small compartments in his mind, and he filed them away, tucking them into a dark corner, never to be revisited.
By the time he reached the medical wing of Headquarters, Miles was once again the Balancer he was meant to be, and he strode in with the air of confidence he always commanded.
John Patrick looked in his direction and smiled. “I’m done here, we can go to the Elders.”
“Jolly good,” Miles said, offering him a hand up.
The magic had done its job, and John Patrick looked much better than when he had initially arrived. Together with the others, they found the Elders in the main hall and stood before them.
“We are pleased to see you, John Patrick, Howard Jones, Jeremy Smith, and Miles Kraft. Kraft, you have done well to return the Balancers to Headquarters,” Elder Gillespie said.
Miles inclined his head to the praise but stepped forward. “Although we were successful in retrieving our Balancers, I’m afraid we were not successful in correcting the balance of the city. A group of Angels seeks to destroy the balance, and are doing a good job of it, and they would capture any Balancers who try to interfere and kill any Demons who try assist.”
The elders murmured amongst themselves.
John Patrick stepped forward. “It’s true, they tortured us for days to try and find out how we summon Demons. They wanted us to summon them so that they could kill them and keep them in Hell so that the balance would remain in favor of Good. They no longer care for the rules set forth. They detained any Balancer who dared to try to strike a deal and any Balancer who had questions like myself.”
Elder Hosp leaned forward. “The Angels have sent one of their own to dismantle this group; it is not ours to solve the problem between Angels and Demons.”
Miles shook his head. “Is it not ours to bring balance to the world? To do that, we are equally responsible for dismantling this group.”
John Patrick looked at Miles curiously and then nodded. “I agree with Miles, we need to take action. We need someone to go undercover and dismantle this group from the inside.”
“Would you go, John Patrick?” Elder Hosp asked.
“I would,” John Patrick said.
Miles took another step forward. “I think I am better suited; I know better how they think and act and what they want,” he looked around the room, “I’ve interacted with their kind these last few days on Earth and have a feel for their mindset.”
John Patrick shook his head. “You were outed, my student, and nearly captured.”
“By an oversight that won’t happen again, I have precious intel...”
John Patrick cut him off, “That can easily be shared with anyone in the room,” he held his arms out, “I think a more senior person is required on this.”
“I may have nearly been captured, but I do believe it is I who rescued you, my dear mentor,” Miles said, raising an eyebrow.
The room erupted in whispers as the Elders consulted each other with the latest news. Miles and John Patrick stared at each other, and although they were to remain neutral at all times, Miles could have sworn that he sensed that John Patrick was angry with him.
“It has been decided,” Elder Hopkins finally announced, “that no one will return to Earth until we have heard the accounts of all the Balancers that were taken hostage. Only then will we decide on whether or not we, as Balancers, should get involved.”
Miles bowed slightly to the Elders and turned to leave. “Kraft,” Elder Gillespie called, and Miles paused, turning to look at her. “Is that all you need to report to us?”
Miles looked at John Patrick and then up at the Elders. “I did what I had to do to get the Balancers back safely,” he said. “That is all I have to report.”