The Queen's Mate

SIX

"Eons ago, Gabrielle Lightbourne created this universe; she is the Goddess of all creation, the Angel Supreme. At the beginning of time, she carved four magnanimous souls to take care of the world—Marcus and his wife Lilian, and Carlos and his wife Lyanna."

Eleanor listened to Adonis' voice with concentration. Even though her mind was running on overdrive and a whirlwind of thoughts was begging her to interrupt him, she knew that wasn't going to get them anywhere. And so she stayed quiet and listened.

"While Marcus and Lilian went on to create life and new realms into the universe created by Gabrielle, Carlos and Lyanna stayed by their sides, always advising them and protecting them, just as it was expected. And then one day, when the Angel Realm was created and Lilian carved all of the angels with her own blood, the Lightbourne couple rightfully ascended the throne whereas Carlos and Lyanna, the Morgensterns, became their loyal advisors."

"Wait, the Morgensterns?" Eleanor interrupted, unable to stop herself. Somehow she knew that there was a connection between the blond man in front of her and the Morgensterns he was talking about. Her whole evening had been exceedingly bizarre for anything to happen for no reason anymore.

Adonis smiled, "you're perceptive, I'll give you that." He remarked but did not say further on the subject as he continued on with his story. "Now, about ten thousand years ago, when the Mortal Realm was created or as you call it—the Eart; Marcus, and Lilian decided that it was time to bring an heir into the Angel Realm and so Lilian gave birth to twins.

"However, when everyone thought that things were going well and joyous, Lilian and Marcus had a bit of a falling-out."

Eleanor shook her head. "What kind of a falling out?" She enquired.

Adonis pursed his lips and gave her a grim look. "Marcus cheated on her."

Eleanor's eyes widened before she scoffed. "I thought angels were supposed to be above all of the vile thoughts, are they not?" She chided making him chuckle.

"Only in the legends, love. The truth is much more terrifying." He whispered right before he raised his hand to her face and pushed away a hair strand from her forehead before tucking it behind her ear. "I have missed you so much, Ellie." He whispered in a dazed voice.

Eleanor sucked in a breath, lost in his ocean blue eyes as she tilted her head to the side before blinking. "Ellie? No one has ever called me that before." She said with a light chuckle.

Adonis raised his eyebrow questioningly. "No? Why? It's beautiful."

The brunette felt heat rushing up to her cheeks as she looked down at her hands to avoid his gaze.

Adonis was a complex man but she had never felt so familiar with anyone before. Even his touch felt like something she was once used to feeling.

Adonis cleared his throat and shook his head, retracting his hand from her face as he fidgeted with his fingers awkwardly. Eleanor noticed that and bit her lip to refrain herself from chuckling at his nervous habits.

"Alright, so as I was saying, Marcus cheated on Lilian and hence, Lilian, in her rage, left the Angel Realm and created the darkest place in all of the nine realms: the Demonworld."

"Wait—do you mean Hell?" Eleanor sputtered instantly with her eyes widened and her mouth hanging open.

To Adonis, she looked adorable.

He nodded, "yes, exactly that. However, it is much more complicated than what the religious texts have told the humans." He added.

Eleanor was speechless as she hummed and nodded, going back to stare at her hands while she fidgeted with a ruby ring that sat on the middle finger of her right hand.

"That's a beautiful piece of jewelry," Adonis noted making her glance up and she found his gaze fixed on the ring she was playing with.

She smiled but it did not quite reach her eyes. "Yes, my best friend gave it to me." She whispered heavily before taking a deep breath and shaking her head. "I'm sorry, you should continue."

Adonis nodded. "Yeah, so from that point on the Angel Realm and the Demonworld were always at war. Especially since Lilian took her son with her, leaving his twin sister alone with Marcus." He explained.

"That's harsh."

Her comment made him snicker knowingly. "Yes, and then the war continued until one day the Demonworld attacked on such a large magnitude that Marcus' daughter almost died. So, the king of all angels worried that if the princess stayed in the Angel Realm for long, she would eventually suffer a difficult fate."

"Well, obviously, the children suffer the most in a fight between the parents," Eleanor mumbled rolling her brown eyes.

"Precisely," Adonis complimented right before his voice turned intense, "Marcus then made the decision of sending his only daughter to the Mortal Realm—the Earth. And so, twenty-five years ago, Mary Sparks gave birth to a stillborn child in whom the soul of Marcus' real daughter, Eleanor Lightbourne was then transferred. You, Ellie, are Marcus' daughter." He concluded.

Eleanor stared at him blankly for an instant before her expressions turned into something that made Adonis certain that she was questioning his sanity. Then her expressions turned funny as she tried to stifle a laugh right before she snorted and chuckled.

"Boy, was I invested in this story." She snarked shaking her head. "You're one of those fantasy booksellers, aren't you? Can't believe I just wasted my time when I could be solving Anderson's disappearance." She muttered shaking her head.

Adonis rolled his torrential eyes. "Ellie, you aren't understanding. I just told you the truth." He exclaimed.

Eleanor shook her head. "Oh, no, Mr. Morgenstern, you listen to me. I am done with your fantasy stories and your mind games so if you don't have anything to say then I suggest you—"

She was cut off by Adonis placing his index and middle finger on her forehead right before he muttered something under his breath and visions flooded into her mind.

She saw visions of herself with Adonis, with people she did not know but felt familiar, and then there were moments when she felt a gut-wrenching pain arising inside her chest making her wish that she was dead.

Eleanor had never felt anything so real in her whole life. Her own existence felt fabricated at the moment. Just like Adonis explained.

That was when the blond angel retracted his hands for the second time that night as the two panted for breath.

Eleanor continued to stare at him with a heated glare right before she scrunched her eyes shut for an instant and took a few deep breaths.

Her day was turning out to be awfully long.

"Okay, I see that you weren't lying." She mumbled sheepishly knowing that it was wrong of her to lash out on him like that.

Adonis waved his hand dismissively. "It's not that big a deal."

Eleanor nodded and right before things turned awkward again, she looked at him again. "Is there anything else I should know?" She asked.

Adonis gave her a bittersweet grin. "Just that you created everything supernatural aside from the angels and demons of this world. And that there is a two frontal war that will begin in the Angel Realm if we do not get that weapon back from Anderson." He ranted, "oh, and that weapon is something that can kill an angel and summon the demon queen into this world."

Eleanor truly had no words left after that.