The Fallen Ones (The Fallen Angels Series Book 1) by Katelyn Campbell

don’t even know who you are so how could I have
abandoned you here? Maybe whoever it is that left you had the right idea!” then
I allow myself to fall to the ground and I find myself muttering under my
breath “What if this really is it? What if my abilities are broken? That would
explain it all, the hum, hurting Ephraim, not being able to reach my powers…” I
begin to cry and punch myself as my thoughts trail off.
    When I
look back up, the man is staring at me with concern. I really look at him this
time, I notice his dirty skin and hair that is folded neatly into a long, dark
braid. His eyes are the darkest shade of brown I have ever seen and his thick
black eyelashes frame them perfectly. In spite of his too-long nails and hair
and his dirty skin and clothing – which looks like something out of a history
book, he is beautiful. There is something regal and strong about his
appearance. Whether he is real, or a figment of my imagination I am unsure. But
I do know that he is important – or at least he was important at some point. He
reaches towards the invisible barrier as if to comfort me. “I am sorry, girl. I
should have been more kind. It’s just, I haven’t seen a Nephilim that did not
wish me harm in at least several thousand years. I did not mean to make you
cry.”
    I take
in all that he just said and recognize the irony of this dirty, sad apparition
comforting me, but then I think back on the woman whose hair he was just a
moment ago lovingly stroking. I look over to her and see the same blank
expression as before, she has quit murmuring for the time being though. Still,
it doesn’t take much to see that something is very wrong with her. Her face
doesn’t look old, but her skin is covered in dust. I look across the vast space
into the faces of all the other Nephilim and realize that all of them are covered
in dust. All of them except for the man standing before me. I look to him and
allow myself to continue the conversation “Who are you and why are you all
here?” he straightens his shoulders and bows his head slightly “I am Kailand, I
am the son of Antony, everyone else here is either extended family of mine or
extended family of other original Counsel members. We were left here by the
rebels when we would not hand over the fortress and Nephilim for them to train
as weapons and sacrifice at their every whim.”
    I try
to process what he is saying “The rebels? Do you mean the demon creatures?” he
looks annoyed now and begins to talk to himself “thousands of years waiting and
holding out hope and this is what I get! A petulant fool that doesn’t know who
I am or who the rebels…” I cut him off and am shocked to find myself yelling at
him “This petulant fools name is Ilyana, and while I hate to disappoint you, I
haven’t even met with the counsel yet, or trained, or done anything! I don’t
even know how to access my own powers. Now all this pressure is on me to learn
how to keep from making everyone around me sick with my buzzing abilities and I
am stuck living in the woods until I figure it out. So, I haven’t exactly
gotten around to Nephilim 101 yet!” he looks confused for a moment and then
leans for and speaks barely above a whisper “You’re a new Nephilim?” His voice
is hesitant and the anger that was on his face before is replaced with
curiosity – and his voice holds a reverent tone.
    “Yes,
I am a new Nephilim, or something like that. But you wouldn’t guess that I was
Nephilim at all if you could see how completely hopeless I am.” He lets out a
frustrated sigh and turns away from me for a moment and bows his head as if to
gather his thoughts. “I don’t know how you will help me, but you are my first
shot at freedom in thousands of years and I would be a fool not to try.”
I want to say something smart, but instead I shut up and listen. He describes
to me in detail who the rebels are, he describes old Nephilim at the enclave
and talks about their hierarchy and