The Chronicles of Fire and Ice (The Legend of the Archangel Book 1) by L.L Hunter

no dream or fantasy. This was acting. Scarlett needed answers. She took off his shirt, ripping the buttons apart.
    Afterwards , they lay wrapped together in his wings on the floor.
    “ You know, that was my first time, right?” she told him, running her fingers through his hair.
    “ I’m surprised I beat my brother to it,” he chuckled.
    “ He was too much of a gentleman. I prefer bad boys,” she told him, kissing his chest, which made him laugh. He stroked her hair, and she snuggled closer. Then she asked the question she had been dying to ask.
    “ Can you tell me about the Realm of Light?”
    “ Why do you want to know?”
    “ I’ve always wanted to go there. I can’t wait.”
    “ Well, you have to be a full-fledged angel to enter the Realm, or be called there. Didn’t you know that?”
    “ No. And be called there? For what?”
    “ For tests or punishment. They run exams to see how far along angels are with their Task and to see if they’re in danger of straying.”
    “ Task? Like how Dyston was tasked with protecting me?”
    “ That’s correct.”
    “ Do all angels receive a Task?”
    “ Yes. We all have a mission on this earth.”
    “ And if angels stray from their task, what happens then?”
    “ Their wings will be ripped out, and added to the Bridge of Wings as a reminder of what they have done,” he told her. Scarlett felt sick. If that’s why Dyston had been taken to The Realm of Light, then she didn’t have much time left, if any. And if it had already happened, if they had already torn his wings out, then she had failed him.
    “ What happens to an angel after their wings have been ripped out?” she asked.
    “ They are shunned and stripped of their Trait, and, therefore, become human.”
    Human —any angel’s worst nightmare. For that was the reason for the war in The Realm of Fire in the Beginning. Angels rebelled against God because they felt jealous of his new creation. So it was ironic that if they rebelled again, they would have their wings ripped out and be turned into the thing they loathed the most.
    “ How do you enter The Realm of Light? Is there like a magic gateway, or key, or something?” Scarlett asked.
    “ There are both. Now, why all the questions about the Realm?”
    “ As I said, I’m curious. I really want to go there,” she said, kissing his chest.
    “ Well, just for you, I might be able to pull some strings.”
    “ Really? Thank you so much.” She kissed him again before sitting up, and pulling together what was left of her clothes after Lakyn had torn them.
    “ It’s no problem. I have a bone to pick with someone there anyway,” Lakyn said, as he sat up, pulling on his briefs. “You had better go and get changed,” he told her. “I’ll meet you in the library by the tree.”
    “ Okay.” She crossed to the door while holding the strips of fabric around her as much as she could, and prayed to God that no one saw her.
    “ And Scarlett?” he asked, stopping her
    “ Yes?”
    “ Thank you,” he told her with a genuine smile. Was he falling for her? Scarlett didn’t know what to say. She just smiled back and exited the office. As she snuck through the corridors and up the stairs to her room, she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty, and a little pleased at the same time. Guilty for what she had just done, when she was sure she had feelings for Dyston and pleased that her plan just might have worked. She was going to the Realm of Light.

Chapter Ten

    Voice
     
    “Breathe in and out, in and out,” said Professor Harpe as she ran her students through breathing exercises. “An angel’s voice is probably the most important weapon they have,” she continued. “It is even more important than an Archangel sword or bow,” she said as she paced before the semi-circle of students in front of her.
    “ To achieve your voice, you have to learn how to use your diaphragm. Now breathe!” Stopping in front of Kat and Emer, she placed a hand on each of