Shackled (The Lord Series) by Amy T

141. Tyson

When part of the blood-brothers present begin to ask for more information, Elder Calum says, “l am going to tell you, but first.” he

looks at a man who sits with Rin and his blood-brothers and has the hood of his sweatshirt pulled over his face, “Yan, you may

reveal your identity.”

If | remember correctly, Yan is Rin’s cousin, but he went missing years ago, and everyone thought he was dead.

Yan pulls back his hood. The number 514 is tattooed on his left cheek. Strange.

“The last t| was here was a day before | turned thirteen. A few days after my birthday, | was kidnapped and taken to a medical

facility.” He stops for a few seconds before continuing. “The years spent there have been hard, with all kinds of experiments

performed on me.”

“What was the purpose of the experiments?” Elder Janoah asks.

Yan traces the tattoo on his face with the tip of his finger. “Ever since | was captured, | have been wondering the sthing. Of

course, nothing was revealed toor the other experiments, but after | escaped, | spent stspying and trying to find out

what Azael’s real intentions were.” Whispers rise in the Inferno Room. Yan keeps talking. “I am certain he is making an army to

later attack the Garden of Eden.”

Is he referring to Azael, who was once Lucifer’s right hand?

More blood-brothers start to speak, and the Elders have to raise their voices before silence returns.

From next to me, Rueben asks, “Azael?”

“The Betrayer,” Yan confirms my suspicion.

After betraying Lucifer, Azael was hated by both angels and demons and was shunned even by the Outcasts. For a long time, he

lived on Earth in hiding, never revealing his true nature or name. Apparently, the angels accepted him among themselves, but with

what purpose? If Yan is right, then...Go d knows what Azael is plotting, especially since he is using his real name.

“What happens now?” Alekos asks.

Elder Calum looks around the Inferno Room. “We must stop Azael before he sets his plan in motion.”

“How?” Stefan asks.

“The leader of the Sisterhood, Wasp, contacted me. She is willing to help us,” Elder Calum informs us.

The news about the Sisterhood is slowly spreading among the Lords, while trying to keep the rest of the world in the dark about

their return. It is ananization established by hellstars centuries ago to protect them from any harm; in time, when no more

hellstar were born, normal women took hold of it, right now, its sole purpose is to make h o e s think they don’t need men, which is

total bullshi t because them bi t ¢ h e s need us to protect them from the Dukes.

“And what does this Wasp person want in exchange for her help?” Rueben asks.

141 Tyson

Elder Uzziah takes out his laptop from his leather bag and puts it on the table in front of him. He is quiet as he works on the laptop

for a few minutes. When he establishes a video call with someone, he turns the laptop to face everyone else. A woman wearing a

black mask and a cloak with a hood covering her head is on the screen.

“Wasp, everyone is wondering what your real intentions are,” Elder Callum lets her know,

If she wants to help us, why does she hide her true identity?

Her voice is distorted by a microphone she wears on her cloak. “My intention for now is to stop Azael from destroying Raphael and

Eden's creation-the garden where angels and demons are allowed to love each other freely.”

| lean back in my chair. “Why do you care so much what happens to the Garden of Eden? After all, you are not at hellstar nor are

you bonded to anyone.”

Wasp looks at me, her eyes hidden by shadows. “Would you like the angels to destroy the only place your demon and you will find

peace in the next life?”

| exhale softly but don’t reply to her stupi d question. Go d won't let anything happen to the Garden of Eden.

What Wasp says next surprises me. “If any of you expects Go d to intervene, you are wasting your time. It's not that Go d has

abandoned us, but the actions of the Outcasts have hurt him deeply, and since the day he closed the gates of Heaven, he has

been spending his entire tin his palace, not wanting to see anyone. Go d is grieving, and that is why things are happening here

and in other worlds as well, things that might affect Earth if we don’t take action.”

“What things?” someone asks.

“While | can’t reveal everything right now, what | can say is that this world is not the only one that has demons and angels, Wasp

says.

“The story about how humans cto be tells us otherwise,” someone points out.

“It is true, to sextent. The demons and angels from this Universe have power over the worlds and plants here, but

in other Universes, others tak

care of Go d’ s creation,” Wasp explains next.

*You mean there are more Universes out there?” | chuckle. | have heard the theory before, but | always thought it was

a bunch of cra p.

“Many,” says Wasp.

So, how do these multiple Universes fit into the story, and what do they have to do with us?” Mose asks,

“There is a...blight...spreading across tand space and Universes. A blight that destroys everything in its path. A group of

female angels and demons managed to escape from those worlds that were destroyed and make their way here,” Wasp replies.

“How do you know this?” Elder Calum questions her.

Wasp straightens her back. “The Archangel who guards the portal between the Universes has agreed to let them in, but with the

condition they be hellstars for the Outcasts who are still waiting to find their way into the Garden of Eden. Many of them have

been reborn as women and are waiting to be found.”

141 Tyson

“So are you telling us that not only are there hellstars on Earth, but they areing from other Universes created by Go d?” | ask

in disbeliel. “Who told you this bullshi t

Wasp signs. “I can’t reveal my source, not yet, but | ask you to trust my word. | will reveal more things soon, but until then, those

who will find hellstars, please treat them with kindness. They might be the key to stopping the blight.”

“And how do we recognize the hellstats?”

“Their mark appears only when they accept Outcasts as their mates, but before that, their souls-their light shines brighter than

anything. And shave stars in their eyes. This is the only thing J ask in exchange for my help to bring down Azael-protect the

hellstars until they find the demons or angels they are mostpatible with.”

“What do you mean by “mostpatible?” Elder Janoah asks. “Hellstars are soulmates to demons or angels.”

“l am afraid | can’t reveal anything more. But there are many hellstars out there. Find them before Azael does and forces them to

be with Outcasts unworthy of them. Also, be careful when ites to him, he is... different.”

“Different, how?” Rueben asks.

Before she can reply, the connection is severed.

We return to the farm shortly after nightfall. | am still thinking about what Wasp told us, and | don’t notice Jasper entering the guest

house until it's too late.

“Fuck,” I curse under my breath and run after him, but by the t| catch up with him, he is already in the bitc h’s room. He

stands in the middle of the room, his back to me, looking at her. From the way she looks, it's impossible for him not to realize what

| have done. “Jasper,” | rasp.

“| trusted you with her safety.” He sounds... disappointed and hurt.

“Why do you care about this bitc h so much anyways? Rueben will kill her soon.”

“Because she has .. .s c a r s that need to be healed before she can glow again.”