Sword's Blessing by Kaitlin R. Branch Page B

patient smile. “Keep warm, ok?”
    She nearly collapsed on the spot, and fought for her composure. “O…okay.”
    He waved and walked after Eli, leaving Giselle on the edge of tears, clinging to the jacket even as she shivered in cold.
    “That’s weird,” Samantha murmured as Armand finally exited the store. “What did he mean about the cold?”
    Giselle hung her head. “It has to do with our ascension.”
    Samantha sat up. “You really knew each other as children?” she asked. “Before you ascended?”
    “We’re a rare pair,” Giselle said softly. “Paired ascensions of the opposite sex don’t happen often any more due to the fear of a child.” She sighed. “They told us we were an…exception.”
    “How did you ascend, then?”
    She thought for a moment, trying to decide what to tell her. Technically, talking about it out of the ranks was forbidden. “I guess you already know the truth which applies,” Giselle shrugged. “We were born in 1905 in the Ottoman Empire, and grew up together.” She smiled softly, recalling those years. “It was a sweet time. Our families were good friends. We loved each other as siblings and closer. In the winter of our eleventh year, though, we were out, and there were gunshots. Soldiers had come to our province, and destroyed everything. We could see our houses burning, and see the people being rounded up. They were shot as they tried to escape. We turned around and we ran. We kept running until we had no idea where we were, until I could not walk and Armand was dragging me. And that is when the Damned came to us.”
    “Ascension through the trial of hell.” Giselle nodded. “He offered us warmth, homes, money, escape to America or England. He offered us revenge. He tortured us, one at a time, together, but with our faith in each other, in a greater power, he could not break us. He killed us purely by accident. We were just too weak. The angel Gabriel caught us in death and blessed our wings. He said such devotion should not go unrewarded.”
    “What happened to the Damned?” Samantha asked. “Did you kill him?”
    “Yes, but not immediately. Traditionally we would have,” Giselle shook her head. “It was a long time before I could gather my full strength, and Armand would not leave my side.”
    “Funny. The impression I’d gotten from your superiors was you were the stronger of the two.”
    Giselle shook her head. “Armand took to ascension easily. It was twenty-odd years before I could raise my sword against the Damned who tortured us. Armand was more than prepared in two.”
    Samantha pursed her lips. “Was there anything special about you as humans?” she asked. “Because I can tell you now, Armand has a fully human soul and no artifacts. Was he descended of Angels or Damned?”
    “Those records are sealed.” Giselle frowned. “I have no idea. Would that explain why he can see?”
    “It would go a long way toward it. As far as I know, reincarnation should strip him of all previous stations, just as it does for mortals. The blood has to be diluted by quite a lot before it stops showing signs, so it would make sense for his mortal form to be a descendant.”
    “I don’t know…but when we were young he was…well he certainly never saw any Damned but Karthier. And I saw him too.” Giselle half-turned to look through the window. Armand and Eli leaned against the car. “Will I get him back, Samantha?”
    Samantha was quiet for a long moment, and finally sighed. “I don’t know. It would take something big. Re-ascension, becoming a greater Damned, certain Inbetweeners have awoken because of past-lives and near-death experiences. But we can’t control any of that.”
    Giselle tried to nod, but she was fighting tears, and covered her mouth, trying to stay composed. She had to keep faith in Armand. She had to recall their life together, the love they’d shared…
    Samantha reached over to pat her shoulder. “Stranger things have happened. Don’t