Innocence and Ire

By Catherine Milos

They want to release a monster.

The day the fire came turned Morgana into a murderer.
That past far behind her, Morgana Lockwood is now a successful young woman, living another life as the owner of a small jewellery store chain that makes beautiful accessories blessed with magic.
But two of her sisters have returned, wings and all, unchanged since Avalon. With the lives of her employees threatened, she has no choice. Morgana will have to show them where Lucifer is locked away

• Language: English
• Publisher: Catherine Milos
• Release date: Mar 31, 2019
• ISBN: 9780994762993

Catherine Milos

Catherine Milos is a Canadian author who has been writing stories since she could hold a crayon. She has published numerous creative non-fiction articles in journals, essays, poetry and occasionally the odd business writing piece. She finds the most enjoyment in writing novel-length fiction.Aside from writing, Catherine’s passions include rescuing strays, creating and appreciating art, connecting with nature, and being amazed by the magic of life.

Book preview

Part 1

1

Crunch!

The branch beneath her boot snapped under her weight. Morgana stopped and looked around, listening as the noise echoed loudly in the silence. The sun, high in the sky, illuminated Morgana’s path between the trees.

She wasn’t exactly forbidden to come here. 

No one went out this way anymore, not since Uriel chased her mother through these trees and into the clearing in the distance. Her father, Gabriel, had often told her that he’d realized he loved her mother, Adamina, after Uriel’s crazed assault. The way Gabriel had described it—Uriel, standing in the clearing with his wings stretched out, holding Adamina in the air by her throat—it was no wonder her father had been afraid Uriel was going to kill her. Thankfully, Gabriel talked Uriel down and he left.

Morgana wasn’t sure Avalon would have survived a full-out battle between two Angels. Plus, if things hadn’t happened the way they did, Morgana wouldn’t have been born.

All families had their issues. Hers were just extra complicated.

Morgana frowned and pushed a branch out of the way. Her hand slipped off it too soon and it came swinging back, slapping her in the face.

Ouch.

Morgana rubbed her cheek and glared at the branch.

Cursed tree, she mumbled.

She moved around it and continued down the path. She didn’t want to waste time.

She ran her fingers through her ginger hair and pulled out a fallen leaf. She looked up and squinted at the way the light shone through the trees in soft glows and harsh beams.

She really had tried.

If her in-between age and in-between life wasn’t enough to drive her insane, she was also powerless. She had tried to find a place at the priestess house, but she wasn’t good at following rules. They had politely asked her not to return. She had tried to work down at the docks, but the men leering at her made her uncomfortable. When a man had wrapped his hand around her arm and insisted she accompany him to his room at the inn, she broke his wrist just like her father taught her. So, the merchants asked her not to return either.

Her siblings were either too old or too young to care or understand what she was going through. It didn’t help that she had a different father than they did. Nor did it help that they all had come into their powers while she hadn’t. Even the youngest twins, Sheehan and Shira, had developed powerful abilities already. Sheehan’s hands sparked with electricity, and Shira’s voice was Angelic, which created quite a handful for Tyrryal, Jophiel, and her parents. All Shira had to do was sing and she’d bend someone to her will or summon a beast or spirit.

Nerina—Morgana’s oldest sister and head of the priestess household now—could control water, make it rain, and make the sea dance. Artemesia was rumoured to be able to make plants grow unnaturally large, and she could make powerful tinctures and potions. Aera and Mora, the older twins, could control light and darkness, and they had wings. Even her adopted brother, Kamiel, had all sorts of strange abilities. He could move through shadows, travel realms, and visit dreams. He had wings, too.

Aera and Mora never passed up the opportunity to taunt Morgana with their powers. Once, they had locked her in a room and, from the other side of the door, Mora had filled it with pure darkness. Morgana shivered and rubbed her neck. She still remembered the inky black oozing in and engulfing the room, suffocating her. Just when Morgana thought she was going to die, Aera had sent slicing beams of light into the room. The experience had left her blind for hours. Other times, they would fly above her and taunt her, her red hair making her an easy target.

That’s it. Now come on. Strike. Her father’s voice carried through the trees. Come on now. Harder.

She heard the clang of metal on metal. Curious, Morgana stepped closer to the noise, moving as silently as possible.

Gabriel, her mother huffed. I need a break.

If he returns, Adamina, he won’t give you time to catch your breath.

Morgana found a small gap in the trees where she could see the clearing. Her parents were only a few meters away.

Remember how you lay there, helpless, tangled in your dress? Remember his hand around your throat? her father yelled, pointing his sword at a fallen tree.

Her mother swallowed and stepped back. She lowered her sword to her side. How could I forget, Gabriel? Her voice was low and quiet, a thin attempt to hide emotion.

Her father’s eyes were dark and stormy. When Adamina took another step back, eyeing him with fear, the storm gave way to his usual amber-gold.

I’m sorry. I can’t stand the thought of him returning and hurting you again, Adamina. I let myself get carried away. I didn’t mean to frighten you. He sheathed his sword and held his hand out, palm up.

It took a moment, but Adamina reached for his hand and let herself be pulled into his embrace. I know who you are, Gabriel. I asked you to teach me how to use my powers and fight for myself. You’re passionate, strong, and disciplined. I don’t expect anything less from a former General of an Angelic Army.

He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. Former being the key word. You’re not one of my soldiers, as you have reminded me in several of our sessions. Though, you’d put quite a number of Angels to shame.

Your judgement is biased.

He stepped back and shrugged, the grin on his face betraying him.

Adamina’s smile slid from her face. Do you really think he will return? He’s been gone a really long time. I thought you said he discards all his women?

He kills them, Adamina. He hasn’t killed you. He’s not done with you. He’ll never stop until he has what he wants, Gabriel said.

They stood there in tense silence. Morgana could see her mother slip away into her own mind, worrying about her children—because she always worried about them—and about Uriel’s possible return. Morgana didn’t blame her. She remembered the time he returned a few years ago. He had locked Adamina in the house while Morgana and her siblings hid at the priestesses’ house, Raphael and Michael taking shifts watching over them.

Her mother had been locked up for months with Uriel, subjected to who knows what. Gabriel and Tyrryal finally returned from rescuing Artemesia from a Fallen—an Angel who fed off darkness and worked with demons. Her father had found her mother locked inside a chest