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palaceofimperium · 2 years ago

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As Delilah watched the others get matched up, she became more nervous. While she knew that these weren’t supposed to be romantic matchings, there was something about them that also kind of felt that way. That was one area where she had always sucked. She was the one that guys never gave a second glance to. The computer nerd, the too tall one at almost six feet tall, the weapons expert who was a better shot than they were, it seemed she was always firmly in the friend zone. Being an extreme introvert after her parents’ death and dealing with the PTSD from that didn’t help.

Dreya had understood. Dreya, everyone loved her. She’d had her pick of men, and women if she’d wanted them. They’d been like sisters and it had been Dreya that had helped her start her tech and armaments company. Then as they were doing work for Dreya’s mercenary company, someone took out Dreya, right in front of her. Some nights she could still see the bullet impact Dreya’s skull in slow motion, feel the warm spray of blood before the impact of her friend’s brains on her face. She couldn’t forget. Would never forget.

Back then, she hadn’t know what Abriella and her friends were. She’d known they had bought tech and weapons from her company, a LOT of tech and weapons, but not what they did with them or why they needed so many. Many of the organizations and governments that she had worked with were black ops, and she learned not to ask questions early on. She had become friends with Abriella though, and it was she that Delilah called from the hospital as she sat in shock after being taken there for evaluation by the ambulance that responded to the scene of Dreya’s murder.

She should have known something was up when it was less than a half hour till the beautiful brunette strutted into the hospital with her brother and obviously held command of the entire ER. Delilah was still in such a state of shock that it wouldn’t occur to her til days later that it was off. By then, she’d met Arch and knew about magic, a plantation house in the Louisiana bayou that made the T.A.R.D.I.S. seem a little dilapidated, and that there were beings amongst humans that weren’t. More surprises came later, including being granted her own immortality.

That was one thing that her guide that Abriella was going to give her was supposed to help with. Unlike everyone else sitting at the table, she had only been immortal less than two months. Annabella had been a complete doll, understanding what being a new immortal was like. She’d introduced her to her good friend Jean Pierre and his husband Armaund who had helped her through her initial transition. They were amazing too. However she was still grappling with everything. So, as Abriella drew close, Delilah grew nervous, very nervous.

For Abriella’s part, she was feeling pretty confident after three successes under her belt in pairing up her friends with other friends that could help them. Now she was coming up on another one that she felt might be the best match of all. When it came to the statuesque redhead that she adored and wanted to help heal from deep wounds and pain, there was only one person who came to mind. “Delilah, you were worried about coming and sticking out being so new to immortality and your life having been so different than everyone here. As you can see, even those who were born immortal have their share of issues and problems that they’re needing help with. You’ve had your own battles, not unlike the others, and not unlike those who have lived in Imperium for some time. After all, that is how we met, we needed something you had and that you did better than what some of us could do.” Abriella gave her a warm and affectionate smile. How she wished she could take the pain and worry from her friend, but that would not solve things. Some things had to be worked through, not just erased.

“Now you too are immortal and I can think of no one better to guide you through not only your introduction to Imperium but immortality than a dear friend of mine, Talon. A demi-god who has learned in the last few years that his life wasn’t exactly what he thought it was. So, starting over and discovering who he truly is, well that’s something he is very experienced in.” Dez chuckled and so did Deacon, then nodded in agreement. Talon had proven himself over the preceding months of navigating discovering that Thinius was his father, to handling all of the fallout from Talia’s insanity and ensuing drama when she had betrayed them all. Having to deal with learning that the first half of his life had been one big lie from his mother without ending up like his sister was something a few still were impressed by.

Tech nerd and weapons guru, how could Talon have asked for anyone better? It was like Abriella had given him the ultimate gift for not absolutely losing his shit since they’d been reunited. He’d have to make sure to get her a bomb gift later if he got along with Delilah. It seemed his life had been one twist or turn after another, but he’d somehow kept his footing with the help of his friends who were more like family. He was a mix between how his dad was dressed and Deacon, which fit him. He WAS like a mix of the two. Jeans and a button down shirt, sans tie. Ties were nooses you willingly put on. He wasn’t too formal, not too relaxed. All swagger as he crossed the room, fuck yeah…he was a demi-god after all.

He had to hand it to Abriella, her friend was HOT. No complaints from him in that department at all. Talon stopped in on the opposite side of the table from Delilah and gave her a wink. Then came a couple introductions. “He’s my dad,” he pointed to Thinius, who looked more like he could have been his brother, and who also gave her a short wave. “And he”, he pointed to Deacon, “is my best friend.” Deacon chuckled and gave a short mock salute. “So you’ve been warned. I can be a little crazy around those two especially, but I tend to be kinda down to earth round the rest of these assholes. And I slay at Gears of War, so you better be able to keep up, gamer girl.” He saw Del’s eyes light up and he knew he’d already scored a brownie point. Hot gamer girls were his thing and now he got one that was on this side of the screen, not a bad deal if he had to say so. He might have overhard she was single. Single for now? Possibly. He was a demi-god, who could resist?

She had to be dreaming. Had. To. Be. THIS was who Abriella was going to have working with her, and he was FLIRTING with her? Talon was drop dead fucking gorgeous and a gamer? She’d think Abriella was playing a joke on her, but had it been anyone else she would not have believed any of this was real. Del almost wanted to cry, she was so happy. Hopefully he had some kinda hot immortal friend who needed a girlfriend too. She was sure Talon already had one. Men like him didn’t walk around without one, not in her experience anyway. And that was fine. She could look, appreciate, and not touch. She’d just like one of her own eventually. Hell, it wasn’t like any of the men sitting at the table were bad looking. Of course Abriella had all the luck.

“That’s fine…I think you’ll be the one keeping up with me, few can.” She smirked up at him and winked. “I’ll be the judge of how good you are, pretty boy.” She had no idea where that self confidence came from, since she wasn’t sitting on another side of the screen with a headset on. There were laughs around the table, and Talon just grinned. No awkwardness at all as he came around and plopped down next to her and threw his arm on the back of her chair and gave the back of her hair a light tousle.

Abriella tried not to just stare at the newest pairing. They were getting along better that she could have even hoped. Delilah tended to be on the shy side. Talon could be as well, but he HAD been excited to meet her. He’d never even asked what she looked like. Tech, weapons, and a gaming setup was all he had to hear to be on board and excited. Those were the things he asked about, along with her personality. Maybe that’s why they were hitting it off, they were peas in a pod.

It did seem that things were going well and the arrangements were getting better with each one, and Yael was even smiling now, her hand more wrapped around Leandre’s than Deacon’s. Not that Brie was surprised. She knew that Yael needed a guardian, and Lee was definitely that. A Knight of Imperium and a member of her Royal Guard, his duty was just that, to guard and protect first and foremost. She had no doubt, he would do likewise for Yael.

Two more friends to go and she was trying to decide which one to do next. She decided to leave the most surprising for last. It was the one that she was most sure of, and the one that Div was as well, which still surprised her. However, it was also the one that they had told no one else about. Since everyone other than Cruz, Div, and Arch had been gathered in the same room, no one knew who would get called and she doubted anyone had been brave enough to ask. She looked forward to seeing the looks on everyone’s faces.

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raspiberi · 1 year ago

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What is wrong with me (that's the question you will be asking yourself because idk either).

I recently finished reading "These Twisted Bonds" and I thought the book was good overall, but it left a sour taste in my mouth towards the end. SPOILERS AHEAD

Look, I like Brie and Finn, and Finn really proved himself in this book. He showed kindness, he was honest, mysterious, selfless, represented all aspects of a wonderful leader ready to do anything for his people. He was handsome, patient and loving with Abriella. Not to mention he carries with himself a sense of poise and dignity. He's selfish with the ones he loves, and he made it clear where his feelings stood without being too pushy with Abriella. He gave her the choice to love him, and she chose him in the end. And I think that she was fine to choose him. I really wanted to be completely immersed in their love story, but why, tell me why I was still so set on her being with Sebastian? Idk, both men are just >>>>>>, but it was Sebastian that actually reeled me in. Even after all the questionable things he did, and even though his betrayal felt like it personally cut me, I STILL wanted to see the good in him. I so desperately LOVED the angst going on between Abriella and Sebastian, and thought that was going to be explored more so that they would end up together. Because who ever said love was easy? And in retrospect, I know Sebastian acted at times like a child, practically begging Abriella to stay and give them a chance, because despite all that happened, he really did still love her. That was never a lie. And I guess it just makes my heart a little sad that she never gave him a chance after that. I know, I know, you might tell me it's realistic that people change their feelings, but idk, I had such a soft spot for Sebastian throughout the book, and I just felt sad that he was feeling sad over Abriella and Finn's new romantic development. He really did love Abriella despite his flaws. And at the end, when he chose to give up everything after already losing so much, idk, my heart pined and ached for him even more. I might be the only one who thinks this, but I just feel like he got so easily pushed to the side. Why did it take Abriella so long to forgive Sebastian over Finn who practically did the same thing? It's like she was using all excuses to break the bond with Sebastian at all costs, never really properly sitting down and allowing for a deep and proper exploration of their feelings. I know, time and place and a whole fae political war going on. But I just wanted closure. And honestly, I still felt sad for Bash. He lost his mother, his bestfriend, the girl he loved, and he got reduced to nothing in the end in Abriella's story. Look, he does have a role to play with how it all went out, but as he said, he had no choice. Abriella would have turned fae anyway with her blood, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that Sebastian deserved better. Especially with his sacrifice to become mortal so he could let Abriella be happy. And it wasn't with him. I just think Sebastian deserved to be given a chance, and not just forgiven when he decided to lose everything in the end. I really think that was so selfless of him. Idk, the first book had me so enamoured by Sebastian and Abriella's relationship. Even before starting the book, I just knew there would be more focus on Finn and Abriella's relationship. But idk, justice for my man Sebastian who deserved to be happy in the end too. Honestly, I was thinking that Brie could have learned to love both the men in her life and not choose one over the other. I would have been okay with that. After all, it's the fae world, and anything goes, right? But still, as weird as I find it, even after finishing "These Twisted Bonds" and developing a soft spot for Finn because he really proved himself this book to be worthy of Abriella's love, a part of me still hurts for Sebastian, and I would have loved to have seen them get together. But I guess it simply wasn't meant to be. This really feeds into my angst heart brilliantly, but it still hurts. I know, I know, I'll probably be the only one who thinks this way, and that's okay. I've come to terms with that. If you read my blabbering this far, you're a trooper. XD

#TheseTwistedBonds #Sebastian #didmyguydirty #Abriella #Finn

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theimperiumchronicles · 2 years ago

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WRITING CHALLENGE FROM 11/2017

**Since I'm still dealing with some persnickety muses, I thought I'd share a piece from the past to give you a glimpse of what came before. This was a picture challenge from when I was RP'ing Abriella on Facebook as well as writing a solo story for her. I hope you enjoy.**

As Brie moved through the woods her footfalls were nie on silent. The soft leather soles of her boots conformed to the terrain below her feet as they also cushioned the impact of her strides. Her brother had returned that morning from his trip to the Conclave for a meeting on the current state of affairs with the worldwide demon uprising that they had all been facing. While he hadn’t said it, she could tell that something was weighing heavily upon his mind and that troubled her.

Since the Demonic Pixie incident in Chicago, Cruz had been more open with her regarding his concerns, thoughts, and plans. For him now to be silent was troublesome and made her worry that there was more going on that she would like to believe. What is it that could trouble him so that he would not share his ruminations with her? Even if she did not know, she was sure that whatever it was that did so occupy his thoughts, it could not be good.

The longer she lived within the confines of Sanctuary, the more she learned of her elder brother. She, like many who first encountered him, had thought him cold and distant when first they met. Now, she had discovered that through the years of loss, betrayal, and struggle he had learned to keep much to himself since the enemy took every opportunity to exploit even the slightest weakness that one would give indication of. As they had grown to know one another, then learned of their shared destiny, she had learned there was much more behind his hard set eyes and abrasive demeanor than one could ever guess.

As she neared a placid lake, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up and a vibration of raw Divine power rolled over her skin. Divine as it may be, Brie was immediately on her guard. There was no reason that any Angel should be visiting her at this time, let alone while she was in the woods without accompaniment. Her hand on the hilt of the dagger that was sheathed at her hip, she tensed as she turned a slow circle. All of her senses were on high alert for detection of from which direction the angel would approach and if it were alone. As a normal course of action, Angels other than Deacon’s father did not often visit them.

From the woods stepped Nuriel, the flame-keeper of the Eternal Flame in Heaven and Olly’s father. Brie’s motion stilled as she watched the tall, powerful Angel walk towards her. Her head tilted and a look of slight confusion and wariness overtook the fine features of her face. “To what do I owe the honor of your presence Nuriel? My cousin is back with the rest of the Clave at Sanctuary, this is one of my rare moments alone.” Her tone held the reservation she felt as the male drew nearer, her hand still resting on the hilt of her dagger. She would not back down, nor would she bow to the Angel, she did not fear him as others did. Was it bravery or stupidity? Sometimes she could not say herself.

“I did not come to see my son, Gabrielle. I came to talk to she who has the confidence of War. For there are none others he will listen to, nor that he would confide in.” At the mention of her brother Brie tensed more, her fingers actually curling around the dagger’s hilt. It was known by all that the Angels did not trust her brother; but as to why, no one was sure. There had been rumors and stories, but she had never asked her brother the veracity of such.

“Fear not my child; I do not come to do you or him harm. Walk with me and I shall tell you what it is that weighs so heavily on your brother and why it is that you must keep him true.” Nuriel motioned along the path towards a stone bridge that lay at the other end of the lake and the path to it as he drew even nearer to the Nephilim. “I swear unto you that you shall not need that dagger that you now grip. For if harm were to befall you, I would face a fate far worse than being attacked by you.” His head inclined towards the path now and Brie turned to regard it further.

“As you wish, Nuriel. I will listen to what it is you have to say, but I cannot guarantee there is a thing I can do about anything to do with my brother. As you have known him longer than I, I am sure that you are aware that he is of his own mind and changing it even in the slightest is a monumental task. Not even his sister holds that kind of sway over him.” Her posture relaxed, however her hand remained on the dagger even as he came alongside her and they began to walk together along the dirt path that had been worn down over years of Nephilim feet treading over it.

As they walked, Nuriel began to recount the incident that had happened at the Conclave House while Cruz was there. While he did not know it, the Angelic parents of all the Horsemen had been watching. Forbidden from interfering they had only been allowed to observe what had transpired and bear witness to it into the future for others who doubted the events. As she listened, Brie still did not grasp the implications of the visitation since many times they had been relentlessly taunted by demons since they had been made Riders.

Finally Nuriel pulled her to a stop as they neared the bridge. He could sense she did not realize the peril that her brother’s soul and mind was in. “He has not spoken of his past, has he?” The Angel asked looking down at Brie. A slight shake of the head and a once again perplexed look were his only answer. “I see, I was hoping that one day he would confide in another so the burden could be lifted from him carrying it alone. Many centuries ago, your brother stumbled. He was aware of the darkness that flowed within his veins and had resisted it for almost 1,000 years by that time. The death of another that he felt responsible for him caused him to act out in rage and wrath. He called upon your Grandfather, the demons who served him, and the very Source of all Darkness to bring about retribution on his soul. It put a stain on his soul, on his aura, that no amount of servitude to the light can ever erase. Brie, he killed innocents in his quest for vengeance and the magic he used to do it damned their souls to Hell for all eternity, even if they were just and righteous people. He was lost in his pain, in his rage, and in his quest for ultimate retribution. He did accomplish it, but it changed him profoundly. Now evil has a greater chance of being able to take hold and pull him once again into the darkness of his mine and bloodline. The call of your Grandfather is no longer just a whisper in the background, but a loud and booming voice that often masquerades as his own. While he was able to reject the call of evil and the taunts of demons this time, it is the fear of those that serve the Divine that if continues to feel isolated from all his brethren that he shall eventually fall to the darkness.”

Nuriel gestured towards the bridge, “Do you see how the bridge reflects in the water to form a perfect circle? It is simply a reflection, not an actual circle. It is much how your brother is seeing things presently. The actual bridge is the past, but your brother is seeing the present and future like you see the reflection. It is his fear that he shall continue through similar happenings to what brought him to the darkness before and he shall again fall. It would be a complete circle, a complete failure, if he were to return again to calling upon the darkness for power and revenge. He does not see your current battle as different than that which he has always done and must be made to see reality instead of a reflection. His vision must be made right lest he fall into the trap that your Grandfather has set for him.”

Brie remained silent as she studied the bridge and listened to the Angel’s words. They were deep and profound. Now that she knew what her brother had done, what had happened to him to lead him down that path, she worried for his very soul. She now understood why he closed himself off, fearing rebuke, condemnation, and further alienation from his brethren whom she knew he would die to protect and save. It now weighed upon her own heart that he had been carrying the guilt and burden of what had happened for so long. Regardless of their partial divinity, they were no more perfect than any other being. She could not believe it was anything other than extreme pain that would have led him down the path to calling upon the Source of Darkness for help.

Turning to face Nuriel with a somber face she nodded slowly. “I shall speak to him; I will not allow him to fall into the darkness, Nuriel. He is who saved me, even when I tried to run from what I am. No matter what I have put him through, he has never given up on me, and I refuse to even consider giving up on him. While you may all be worried and concerned, I am not. For while he may have done that in the past, he is no longer that Nephilim and I will ensure that he never again will be.” Her voice and her face spoke of her resolution to ensure that Cruz would not fall. She’d face down her Grandfather himself, go into the very bowels of Hell, do whatever it took to ensure that he never felt alone with his burden again and to keep him safe from the evil she now knew stalked him. That’s what family does.

Tag list - @writingpotato07 @ceph-the-ghost-writer @saltysupercomputer @careful-pyromancer @kjscottwrites

let me know if you would like to be added or removed

#the imperium chronicles #the past #my writing #my ocs #writeblr #abriella #nuriel #writing challenge #past writing #fiction #writing #fantasy #original story #female writer #new chapter #writers on tumblr #women writers #original world #family

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slytherin-system · 11 months ago

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#charlotte #abriella #brie

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hazeldragonblossoms · 1 year ago

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stuff frm the sys notepad

#hazel speaking #scrapbook #art time #emilie #abriella #fictblr

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booklovers-pleasure · 1 year ago

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Current read: These hollow vows - Commentary

Spoilers!

Beginning Chapter 7 - thoughts so far:

Like the writing style, sometimes dislike the pacing. Her sister got sold during the short time she talked to Sebastian???

Theories: either Sebastian is Prince Finnean (Rightful heir to the unseelie court) or Prince Ronan (heir seelie) is. Cause he could be the son of the SunQueen and King Oberon? So heir to both?

.... Some pages in...

Fuck?! Is Sebastian actually Prince Ronan?!

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck I KNEW IT!

Finn... God girl you are so slow.

Is the necklace a bond? Uhuhuh

Chapter I-dont-know but she met Lark...

So Brie possibly died in that fire as a child and a fae gave up their whole magic to revive her? Hence the power?

So...the human woman King Oberon fell in love with was Bries Mom?

Ha! I knew it. Oberon saved Brie!

Damn girl don't bond him 😭

Oh Bash...

"with nothing but my darkness and the betrayal that has wrapped itself around my immortal heart."

#these hollow vows #abriella #Lexi ryan #spoilers #why was I so stupid and decided yesterday at the bookstore to NOT buy part two?#damn

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purinkiss · 3 months ago

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this is the cow of love , send it to blogs you love the most ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

AWHHHH omw to send one rnnnn !!!!!

#ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ໒꒰ྀི´ ˘ ` ꒱ྀིა 𖹭 𝓕𝗿𝗼𝗺 : abriella .

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jessread-s · 2 years ago

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✩🌓🖤Duology Review:

⋆ Morally grey characters

⋆ Love triangle

⋆ Royal romance

Complex magic, warring kingdoms, backstabbing, revenge, brooding princes, Ryan’s duology has it all!

I do not normally read books with love triangles because oftentimes one love interest is the “right” choice for the protagonist while the other is the “wrong” one, yet the main character’s decision is drawn out longer than necessary. The “These Hollow Vows” duology does not suffer from this same issue because both love interests, Prince Finnian and Prince Ronan, betray the main character, Brie, at one point or another in the name of power. I enjoyed following along Brie’s journey of self-discovery across the span “These Hollow Vows” and “These Twisted Bonds” as she sorted through her feelings towards both of the fae princes and uncovered the truth about her past.

I said it before and I’ll say it again, I hope that Ryan considers writing more novels that exist in the fae realm!

➤ These Hollow Vows: 4.25 stars ➤ These Twisted Bonds: 4.25 stars

➤ Overall Series Rating: 4.25 stars

Cross-posted to: Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads | StoryGraph

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cljordan-imperium · 2 years ago

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INTRODUCE YOUR CHARACTER

I got tagged on my writing page and this one by @pluttskutt, so I am going to give you a double dose of my beloved OC's.

This one for Abriella and another one shortly following for Cruz, her brother and Co-Regent of Imperium.

Introduce your character with 3 images. The images can be related to appearance, personality, what they do, or whatever you want. Go wild!

Tagging - @writingpotato07, @saltysupercomputer, @ceph-the-ghost-writer, @careful-pyromancer @arionawrites and @athena-anna-rose

Her backstory is going to be revaled soon...

#introduce our ocs #abriella #the imperium chronicles #writeblr #writeblr tag game

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palaceofimperium · 2 years ago

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“Abriella!” Arch’s voice echoed in the stone entry to the Sanctuary building in the bayou outside of New Orleans. His joy at seeing his old friend was clear in the tone of his voice, as was his surprise at her unannounced visit. The Nephilim that defended the residents, both mortal and immortal, of New Orleans from the evils that preyed upon those unwitting enough to be caught unaware in the night, were all out on patrol or in the tech labs monitoring the city for any unusual activity. There had been some reports of dark beings preying on the fae that resided in Jackson Square, but so far no one had been able to ascertain what kind or where they were coming from/escaping to. Arch had been in his lab working on a spell when he’d sensed her arrival and had been surprised she was alone. Something rare for the Queen of Imperium and Horseman of Death.

“Arch!” A bright smile lit up Abriella’s face as she crossed the foyer to envelop her old friend in a tight and warm hug. Besides her brother, Arch was the only other being in existence that she truly trusted implicitly. “I am sorry I did not let you know of my coming sooner, but things are always in flux with the way the Princes are waging wars. At least I can say that my life is never boring.” She sighed softly and gave him an imploring look begging for forgiveness. Forgiveness she knew would come because of the deep connection they had, and his understand of the life she lived now.

“I’m still not sure why you don’t allow your ex to just wipe them from existence.” Arch chuckled, truly knowing the reason and what it could do to the threads of existence, but still wishing in a way that it could happen. “So, what brings the mighty Queen of Hell to our humble abode.” He draped an arm around her shoulders and gestured with the other arm to the grand foyer of the building. From the outside of the building it looked like any other old plantation house on River Road, but much like the TARDIS, it was much bigger on the inside and looked much older. It was.

“It seems that you have taken in several of my friends and I came to visit. I know that there have been many troubles lately for them and I’m glad that they’ve had a place to turn for safety and to let them regroup from some of the issues that the warring Princes have caused. I wanted to come visit, I have been worried and concerned about them. I hate that I’ve been so busy.” She gave him a soft smile, but her eyes spoke even louder than her words. There had been much loss and heartache amongst some of her friends and she was considering giving them respite in Imperium. While it was filled with warriors and they were often off to battle with the Princes, it was the calm within the storm. Imperium was warded by not only the Four Horsemen, but by many powerful beings who called it home and did not wish their home to become a battleground. Banding together, their wards were impenetrable by any army, so far.

“Yes, I was wondering if you might. Especially with the current situation with Gabriel.” Arch gave her a knowing look. “There has still been no word on his whereabouts or if he has been able to manipulate a Prince into giving him asylum.”

It had been discovered that the treatment that the angel Gabriel had been bestowing upon her friend Yael had been tantamount to torture. Upon interrogation by Michael and Abriella’s father Adriel, Gabriel had raged and revealed his reasoning, which did not help his case any with Div and the other angels. He had been cast from Heaven and a bounty put on his head. If any angel or other holy being were to encounter him, his life was forfeit. It was known he was wanting to get Yael back, which was why she had sought shelter within the Sanctuary of New Orleans. As Abriella’s “home Sanctuary” it had been reinforced with greater wards than the others, which made her safer there than elsewhere.

“I’m sure that we will find out soon enough. The ranks of the Princes have not yet closed enough so that information does not leak from them as if through a sieve. Until then, we will keep both Yael and her sister Phaedra safe within the walls here. Or I’ve even had the idea to have all of my friends come where it’s even safer to Imperium.” Abriella floated the idea past Arch to get his reaction. She knew that he had been an advisor to her friends just as he had been to her when she came to the Sanctuary in Chicago.

“That might not be a bad idea, however I think with Yael it might be a good idea if I accompanied her. She trusts me and I’m not sure taking that away right now in her state would be a good thing. She is a scared mouse, Brie, and you know how it is to be like that. Think back to when you were new to the Sanctuary. If someone had taken Cruz or me, how it would have affected you.” Arch looked at her seriously with brows raised. They had known each other long enough that he knew he could speak to her without having to couch words or be anything less than direct.

“Of course you can come. You know you’re always welcome.” She bumped her hip into his as they walked now towards his lab. “It would probably be better for all of them. I know you’ve been helping Delilah with her new immortality, which has got to be a shock. Not to mention losing her best friend and the only person she really felt understood her. Even if she doesn’t realize many of us do. But she will.” A warm smile crossed her face. She knew what it was like to feel alone and wanted to make sure none of her friends felt that way. She knew that they wouldn’t in Imperium, and that it would be harder to accomplish with them at the Sanctuary when she had duties to attend to in Imperium.

“Wait till she meets Talon.” Arch chuckled and he saw a spark of something in Abriella’s eyes that he couldn’t quite put a finger on, but he had a feeling it was something similar to the thoughts that had run through his own mind more than once. “I think they will get along perfectly with a love of weapons and hours in front of a screen playing games that mimic what we do in real life.” He dropped a wink in her direction. “You might have to watch Cassandra though with all of those demons and Fallen that are wandering around in your realm. She does lean towards the darker arts, my dear.” There was some concern there for Arch, but he had a feeling Abriella had an idea.

“Dark is what my realm was created on, Arch, it is not as if I could not handle a sorceress who went a bit too far. Now come, do you really think she would go so dark as to cause trouble. At the moment she is a woman scorned, and she has her right to be upset about it. She was led on by one man who wanted to use her power to get to the woman he really wanted, and then another who wanted to kill her. I’d say she has a right to be a bit…pissed.” Her eyebrows went up as she looked over at him with a slightly amused smirk. In truth she was just glad that Cassandra hadn’t decided to unleash her displeasure on any mortals who had been near her. Her perchance for torture and pain were known well amongst the immortal community of Boston where she had resided. There had been many who had worried when the sorceress had come to New Orleans. “And you know that she and Annabella have made close friends since she came to the Crescent City. That surprised me more than the fact that there hasn’t been any bloodshed or strangely dismembered bodies in her wake. A supernatural enforcer and a sorceress with a perchance for the dark arts, not normally the best of friends. Wouldn’t you agree?” This earned her a chuckle from Arch who nodded his head.

“I cannot disagree with you there. The normally sassy and sarcastic Anna is not one that I would have seen taking to Cass, but then maybe that is why they get along. Neither is a woman to wilt in the face of anything, or anyone. They earned one another’s respect, and the respect of many within the city. Cass behaving herself helped as well.” Arch added with a devilish smirk that Abriella knew meant that Cass hadn’t completely behaved herself and there had been some cleanup that had to be done, but nothing that had gotten her in trouble. Most likely that meant that she had used her powers on those who had run afoul of the rules and laws that the immortals within the city were governed under and had been since its inception.

“Which brings me to a question, have the three of you been able to make any progress on Gail?” The more lighthearted air of their conversation evaporated like the moisture off the French Quarter streets as the days heated. The mystery that was Gail was not one that was easy to solve. Her grandfather, The Divine (Div), said he was forebode from telling them her nature or anything regarding her destiny, as it would further ensnare the threads the fates wove. All of the entanglements that Clotho had woven were still being worked out and creating more was not something that could be done.

“Unfortunately no, my dear. We are in the same place as we were before, which is why I am hoping that your dear friends Thenasus and Talon will be able to help her with their gifts. One of them has to be able to glean something from before, whatever that being was, became a symbiote to her. There has to be something buried that we can uncover.” Arch was frustrated by the lack of progress. They knew that Gail had somehow moved back and forth through time, she spoke of a male name Karlen that she could remember from dreams that she believed was real, but she had no memories of before she came to New Orleans less than a decade prior. Pictures found in a chest in her home had shown her through many different eras, but it was clear she had not traveled through them linearly. The pictures had been finally placed in linear order and many of the Nephilim had been tasked with trying to figure out the significance of the times she was in each place, but so far nothing had come of it. More research was needed.

“Thankfully she’s had Anna to ease her through this, along with Jean Pierre and his husband Armaund. Even before she came here to Sanctuary, having those who had seen the strange and unexplained for centuries had to be of some comfort.” Abriella smiled, although it was clear from her countenance that she was still troubled by the situation. Part of her remembered what it was like to not understand her past or know her true nature. She wanted to resolve that for Gail and hoped that somehow in Imperium that would be a being with the powers to assist in that.

“I would say that unless you have enlisted some more help, we are going to have our hands full getting your friends settled in Imperium.” If Arch knew anything, he knew that the stunning brunette next to him was never without a plan. Cruz, her brother, was brute force and violence, but Abriella was the tactician who was always looking at the angles and planning. It was the combination of the two of them that had led to many victories over their adversaries. When they teamed up, they were virtually unstoppable.

“Do you really think that I wouldn’t have made it all hands on deck for this? I’m taking them to a whole new realm, not just to a new Sanctuary where everything is like normal. Of course I’ve called in reinforcements.” Letting some of the solemness fall off, Abriella rolled her eyes and playfully nudged him again. They had thankfully reached the door to his inner sanctum, his lab where his potions, powders, spells, and incantations were all prepared and often invoked. She waited until he opened the door and they were safely inside and away from any ears that might listen before she continued.

While Abriella was not afraid that her plans would be thwarted, that was near impossible, she did not want certain surprises for the coming days to be ruined by things getting out. It also meant those things couldn’t be twisted and rumors started or spread. Nephilim were half angelic, but that meant they were also half something else…and that other half was rarely pure.

Once they were secure in his lab, Abriella laid out all of the plans that she had for who would be helping her friends, and also for the first few days that the women would be there. A few tweaks were made based on Arch’s recommendations based on his appraisals of the conditions mentally that the women were in after having come to the Sanctuary. She trusted him so there was no question that whatever he thought was most prudent would be done. This was, after all, to help them and give them some peace and joy that had been lacking for some time in all of their lives. In Yael’s case, no one was quite sure if she’d ever experienced either of those due to the ordeals that Gabriel had put her through, something that weighted heavily not only on Abriella as a friend, but her own sister Phaedra.

One thing that Arch agreed should go forward was a grand ball had been planned to welcome them. Like the balls of the Nephilim, it would not be an overly serious and stuffy affair, but rather a fun time where they could relax and have some fun with the most trusted residents of their new realm. Abriella had also arranged for multiple tours of the best parts of the new realm; which of course were going to include not only the beaches but the mountains and picturesque forests of the land as well. She was arranging for leave for all of those who would be assisting her friends, since they were all members of her inner sanctum of friends and guards. Unfortunately no one in Imperium was without a duty to serve in its army in some form at the current time, something that she hoped would be alleviated as the Princes were brought to heel. Having Arch there as one more support member would be a relief and help immensely with making sure that things went smoothly.

The longer their conversation went on, the more relaxed the both became. Sanctuary had certainly earned its name as her friends had sought refuge there from the various emotional and physical incidents that had caused them to need relief from their previous lives. Abriella was glad that her friends at the New Orleans Sanctuary had been all too willing to open their doors to them. Chicago had as well; being her original home, she had many friends that were still there.

After a couple of hours, and a bottle or three of wine, the twosome decided to go and bring the women in question into the discussion. It was, after all, their lives that were being discussed and their futures that would be decided by whatever paths were taken. This could be a grand adventure for all of them, or a colossal failure. The only ones who knew that for sure were the Fates themselves on Olympus and after the mess that Clotho had created due to Abbadon, none of them were speaking a word to anyone regarding the Horsemen or anyone connected to them. From now on, they were all flying blind in a universe where that was exactly what none of them wanted to be.

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