Free Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton

“Cool.”
    I studied one of the blades closely. Etched in the silver, just above the helve, was a series of strange, whirling, beautiful markings. “What does this mean?”
    I looked up at him, and his gaze met mine.
    â€œIt’s Enochian,” he explained, his attention flickering to the sword. “The language of the divine, angelic magic. You once told me that it’s a prayer of power, but I can’t read it myself. We’ve tried re-creating the writings on other weapons in order to make them as powerful as your Khopeshswords, but so far they are the only weapons able to light with angelfire.”
    â€œThat’s pretty cool,” I said. “Who engraved the prayer onto my swords?”
    He sat down on the ground next to me, his back up against my car. “You did.”
    I blinked in surprise. My fingers brushed the strange words, the edges of the markings scraping my skin softly. I felt a sense of nostalgia, but it was distant, like the memory of a wonderful dream. The more I admired them, the more I remembered. “Just like the tattoos on your arm. I put them there a long time ago.”
    â€œYes.”
    I traced the spiraling symbols of the tattoo with my finger. His arm tensed under my touch and his breaths became slower and steadier. “It’s so strange,” I said. “I can’t believe that what I’m saying out loud isn’t something I made up. I remember tattooing this into your arm. I meant for it to protect you.”
    â€œIt’s an Enochian spell, like the one on your swords.”
    I noticed he was watching my fingers on his skin, and I pulled back shyly. “Well, you’re still here, so it must work. Why don’t I have one?”
    â€œThe spell is ineffective on human skin.”
    How inconvenient. “How did you find me? Do you always know where I am?”
    â€œYes. I can sense you above all others. I always knowwhere you are, and I try never to be far away. I found you again a few years ago, and the reapers found you more recently.”
    â€œAre they hunting me now?”
    â€œMost don’t. They’re too afraid. But yes, some will hunt you. Be glad it’s only a few. Most of them try to stay under the radar, and the weakest ones wouldn’t even know you until they saw those swords light up.”
    â€œWill, I’m so confused,” I began. “How can I be that old when I know exactly where and when I born? I have baby pictures. I’m only seventeen.”
    â€œWhen you die, you are reincarnated,” he explained. “Your body and soul are reborn over and over in the same human form. I find you again, usually when you’re just a small child, and guard you as you grow up. When you’re seventeen and ready to face your true identity, I wake you.”
    â€œWhen you find me as a little girl, how do you know it’s me?”
    I caught the slightest glimmer of a smile. “I’ve known you for a very long time. I can always tell when it’s you.”
    I let my head fall back against the car. “Then I’m not immortal.”
    â€œNot in the way that I am.”
    â€œDoes that mean you can’t die?”
    â€œI have never died, but I am not invincible. I just don’t age.”
    â€œYou’re so strong,” I noted. “You punched that reaper so hard and you picked her up just by her neck. She was as bigas my car. How can anyone be that strong?”
    Will’s expression turned very serious. “You’re stronger than I am, Ellie.”
    I shook my head tiredly. “I don’t understand how it’s possible—how any of this is possible. What are they? The reapers?”
    â€œThey are monsters in this world,” he said with an edge to his voice that forced shivers through my body. “They hunt humans for their flesh and their souls, which they harvest in order to restore the armies of Hell for the Second War between