His Angelic Keeper Fallen: His Angelic Keeper, #3

By Melinda Kucsera

Rejected by the other angels, she's betrayed by the one person who should be on her side, her guardian angel. Sovvan will take on the most powerful villain in the world alone for a chance to reunite with her twin and save her family. But she's got a secret.

When the devil challenges her to a game, she'll risk it all for one shot at defeating him. If Sovvan loses, everyone dies, and the devil will drag her to Hell. Meet epic fantasy's newest heroine. Get His Angelic Keeper Fallen today!

The His Angelic Keeper series is a humorous sword and sorcery series starring Sovvan from the Curse Breaker series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melinda Kucsera
• Release date: Dec 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201011987

Melinda Kucsera

I write fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories usually at sword point. Everyone should have such eager characters......Hello readers!Yes, this is a fictional character speaking to you. My fellow characters just locked our scribe (Melinda) in a tower. She needs to finish our latest adventure.Want to meet us? Hop on over to get our first adventure for FREE: http://www.mkucsera.com/enchantedWe’re eager to entertain you with our magical mayhem. So go download our book! We're waiting for you.

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Copyright

His Angelic Keeper Fallen © 2021 by Melinda Kucsera

All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Table of Contents

Copyright

Table of Contents

His Angelic Keeper Series

The Curse Breaker Series

Want Free Stuff?

Would You Leave A Review?

About His Angelic Keeper Fallen

This is Fantasy

Dedication

Strange Companions

The Search for Mom

An Argument of Angels

Metalara Versus Everyone

When the Queen Calls

The Angel of Death

If I Only Had Some Wings

Captured by Demons

Falling Mysteries

Window to the Past

They’re Not My Enemy

Shocking Escape

The Doppelganger

To the Seals!

He Never Plays Fair

You’re Not Wanted Here

No Help for You

They Came From Above

Why Did You Summon Me?

Interrogated by Family

Teasing Angels

Not Your Typical Damsel

Inside My Brother’s Mind

Back to the Gray Between

Angels in Flight

Heaven’s Dragon

I Lost My Magic

The Allies of My Allies  Are My Enemies?

Avoid The Dark Threads

The Queen Is Missing

Move the Trap

Searching For Demons

Don’t Play With Fire

The Devil’s in the Ballroom

Chased by Memory-Eaters

Chess with the Devil

Put Him in His Place

Light the World

Would You Leave a Review?

Want Free Stuff?

In Memoriam

About the Author

I’d Love to Hear from You!

His Angelic Keeper Series

The Curse Breaker Series

Curse Breaker’s Companion

Robin of Larkspur

Divergent Heroes

His Angelic Keeper Series

A high-fantasy action/adventure series full of magic and mayhem with a Christian bent that takes place in the same world as the Curse Breaker Series.

Other books in the His Angelic Keeper Series:

(Suggested Reading Order)

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER HIDDEN

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER FALLEN

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER TEMPTED

CHAOS RISES*

*Forthcoming

The Curse Breaker Series

A high-fantasy action/adventure series full of magic and mayhem with a Christian bent.

Other books in the Curse Breaker Series:

(Suggested Reading Order)

Prequels

RELIC HUNTER

Main Series

CURSE BREAKER ENCHANTED

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER

CURSE BREAKER DARKENS

CURSE BREAKER FALLS

CURSE BREAKER BOOKS 1-4

(Includes Curse Breaker Enchanted, Curse Breaker Darkens, Curse Breaker Faceted, and Curse Breaker Falls)

CURSE BREAKER SUNDERED

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER HIDDEN

CURSE BREAKER HIDDEN

SPELL OF SHADOW & LIGHT

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER FALLEN

HIS ANGELIC KEEPER TEMPTED*

CURSE BREAKER FALLOUT*

CURSE BREAKER TRAPPED*

CHAOS RISES*

*Forthcoming

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So do we! Who are we? We’re the stars of the Curse Breaker series. Subscribe to our newsletter to get advanced previews, and our weekly adventure series delivered safely to your inbox by our digital dragon. Go to  www.mkucsera.com/welcomecharacters now to sign up.

We’re also on Patreon, and we offer a lot of goodies to thank you for supporting us. Join our community of fantasy fans now on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=6244689 to get copies of our books before anyone else and exclusive content. 

--The cast of the Curse Breaker Series

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As fictional characters, we appreciate the feedback we receive. Reviews also help readers choose our book. Since we exist only when someone’s reading our stories, reviews are very important to us. So, if you’re enjoying the magical mayhem in this book, please consider letting everyone know by leaving a review. And tell everyone you meet about us.

Thank you for reading His Angelic Keeper Fallen!

About His Angelic Keeper Fallen

Sovvan’s dead, but her quest to save her family from the oldest evil in the world continues in this epic fantasy adventure.

Her twin lost his magic, and his soul might be next. Sovvan tries to help him, but every angel she meets sends her to the Gray Between, and the creatures there keep throwing her at their enemies before she can escape. How can Sovvan save anyone when her comings and goings still aren’t under her control?

By surrendering to a higher power. The farther her enemies fall into the devil’s thrall, the higher she rises. But that increase comes at a cost. When the devil challenges her to a game, she must win. More than her family’s lives hang in the balance. 

The war between good and evil is heating up and one ghost-turned-angel stands between humanity and the forces of Hell.

His Angelic Keeper Fallen is the third book in the His Angelic Keeper series which chronicles Sovvan’s rise as the angelic hero her world needs to combat demons. This series is part of the larger Curse Breaker series, and it includes some characters and places from its brother series.

This is Fantasy

This is just a gentle reminder that this book is a work of fiction. It’s not doctrinal in any sense, nor is it in line with any religious teaching.

This book speculates about how Christianity might express itself in our fantasy world. Our scribe has always been fascinated by that, and she’s spent long hours pondering how a traditional epic fantasy world with its own pantheons of pagan gods and magic might shift from polytheism to monotheism.

Characters within this work do not share their author’s beliefs or opinions. Again, this is a work of pure fantasy. Melinda just followed the logic train until the characters in this book hijacked it. (We’re not sorry about that.)

Dedication

Oh Lord, hear my prayer

overzealous angels

Have to go away

Send helpful angels, Lord

(if you’ve got any)

If not keep them away

I will brave life’s perils

and I’ll do it my way.

If you wish it, Lord,

just say. I’m on the way.

—Sovvan’s prayer

(Not a traditional Shayarin prayer)

Strange Companions

Cold water struck Sovvan hard, waking her. She only caught a glimpse of the pool before strong arms yanked her under. But she didn’t see the gateway tunnel, the Memory Grove, Fay in dragon form, or anything that should be there. What had happened to Fay and the gateway?

Sovvan vaguely recalled something hitting her back, then falling and nothing but blackness. A lot must have happened in between then and now, but she had no way to find out what until she met up with Fay again. I hope she’s all right.

Fortunately, she’d grabbed a breath first. The ghost part of her didn’t need to breathe, but another part of her craved air, and that part was in control now. One phrase repeated in her head as panic beat in her chest like a trapped bird. The same phrase she’d shouted when the Adversary had tricked her into helping him crossover to this world through a pool like this one. Miserere nobis!

Light blossomed above as time dilated. A white-glowing dove landed on shore, and the dove was so radiant, its light shined on her where she floated, frozen by forces beyond her ken.

Do you reject the Adversary, all his works, and empty promises? the dove asked.

How was he talking in her head? Birds didn’t do that, but this bird was special, and not just because he glowed. He radiated so much power; he must be a player in this game of good and evil that she’d somehow become tangled up in.

Well, do you reject him? The dove stared at her while he waited for an answer.

Of course I do. He’s the enemy of all that’s good. The Adversary was also after her twin. That made him her enemy too. Sovvan no longer felt like she’d burst if she didn’t get some air. She couldn’t move anyway, but neither could the water. Like her ex-guardian angel, it was frozen.

Only the dove moved as he spoke. Do you believe in the God you just asked for mercy, the creator of all that is, and was, and ever will be?

Why was he asking all these questions? His glowing eyes demanded an answer.

Yes. Sovvan didn’t know when she’d begun to believe in God, but she did. Misriah, her twin’s hidebound guardian angel, probably had something to do with it or Fay, the ex-goddess of Fate. The two women were quite devoted to Him.

Do you believe in His only son, our Lord, who died to secure the salvation of all? The dove stared at her as if he could see through her.

He has a son? For some reason, an image of J.C. holding a huge cross popped into Sovvan’s mind. Was he the son of God? Misriah had said something about that, but she couldn’t recall the details. I probably didn’t pay attention. That angel used to lecture me every chance she got.

Sovvan didn’t need the dove to confirm J.C.’s identity; her heart did. That traitorous organ had known the truth when she’d met him. Only now did it reveal that yes, J.C. was the son of the God who made her strange existence possible. Maybe her heart had listened to Misriah.

I believe in him, and I believe in you too. You’re part of them, the Father, the Son, and… Sovvan trailed off at a loss for words again. Who was this dove? He must be someone holy.

I’m the Holy Spirit. He bowed his head. Through the power of God, you are remade in water and spirit. May grace guide you and keep you free and faithful all the days you serve the Lord, your God, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

The Holy Spirit vanished as time resumed, and the current yanked her down. That strange interrogation hadn’t included a rescue. What happened to all that ‘may grace guide you and keep you free’ stuff? I’m not free. Nor could she struggle with Malachiah pulling her down. Her ex-guardian angel wasn’t frozen anymore. Neither was the water.

Where am I? voices called to Sovvan as she sank deeper into the dark water, but she couldn’t understand them. A calm filled her when she finally realized where she must be—the Drop of Eternity in the Gray Between. That’s what she had glimpsed in the moment before Malachiah had pulled her under. How did I get here? Malachiah must have dragged her to this pool. Why would he do that?

Sovvan was grateful she was here. This was far better than the abyss he’d threatened to send her to. What had changed his mind? Probably not her sparkling personality. He likely had a new plan since she’d destroyed his last one. But why did his plans have to involve her? Why couldn’t he just leave her alone, so she could figure out this whole afterlife thing without interference?

Water swirled around them, whipping up a whirlpool that pulled them down into that liminal space between the Gray Between and the Mortal World. Sovvan pictured her brother’s face. If she had to go somewhere, then she wanted to go to someone who needed her. The water vanished, and air replaced it. As had happened before, Sovvan slammed into a rainbow-hued shield, and it parted for her but not for Malachiah.

No! Malachiah pounded a green, scaly fist against the shield. What had her ex-guardian angel been doing?

Sovvan couldn’t see the rest of him, but she’d bet it was also becoming more insectoid than angelic. If that happened when an angel fell from grace, then she needed to avoid it. Becoming an insect wasn’t on her to-do list, but saving her family was.

Sovvan waved as she plummeted toward the ground. Well, that was convenient. Escape achieved. Now she just needed to stop falling. Thankfully, her soaked dress clung to her legs, keeping her modesty intact.

Sovvan had planned to come back to this world, just not so soon. At least the heat generated by her fall was drying her clothes. She might not be a dripping mess when she landed. What had happened to Fay and the others? Had they survived the gateway’s collapse? Did they know she had? Were they looking for her right now or mourning her destruction?

She needed to find out, but first, she’d check on her twin. Sarn had called her during the whole gateway takedown business, and he’d sounded like he’d needed her. What trouble had her twin gotten into now? Where was Mount Eredren?

Sovvan scanned the dark blurs below until a gold glow caught her eye. It was rectangular, and it was either floating, or it was partway up the side of a mountain. That glow must be the doors to Mount Eredren. After all, they were luminous, and she didn’t see anything else for miles around that glowed. A glowing chain appeared, and its other end disappeared into that mountain. Well, that answered that question. Sarn was in there, and that was where she needed to go.

Sovvan tried to angle her fall, so she headed for those glowing doors. But she had a rough landing ahead of her. Luckily, she was quite durable. Being dead had its advantages. But the ground rose at an alarming rate as the dark blurs became the enchanted forest that surrounded Mount Eredren.

A body slammed into her back. What the hell? Sovvan struggled as a scaly green arm wrapped around her waist. Damn, Malachiah had gotten through the shield.

You can’t escape me, girl! he shouted in her ear.

Let go of me, you creep! Sovvan pried at his hands, but she couldn’t break his grip. Her ex-guardian angel held tightly to her as he flew through the giant double-leaf doors of Mount Eredren.

How did you escape the Agents of Chaos? Malachiah searched for something as he flew around the stalactites and columns in the tunnel.

Wouldn’t you like to know. Sovvan wouldn’t tell him either. He’d never believe the truth, anyway. Let him wonder what trickery she was capable of.

Fine. Keep your secrets. Soon, I’ll know everything. His head kept turning as he scanned the ground thirty feet below, bringing his misshapen face into view. But there were only armed statues with glowing eyes and shadows down there.

Sovvan approved of the changes in his appearance. He looked as evil on the outside as he was on the inside now, and that evil was sloughing off its skin to reveal a more alien one underneath made of chitin, like the insect he was.

Where are you taking me? Sovvan slammed the heel of her hand into his arm, but it stayed cinched tight around her waist.

Malachiah didn’t answer. What was he searching for? Sovvan couldn’t see anything in the dark, and darkness covered everything except the luminous eyes of the creepy statues. They’re not staring at you. But it felt like they were. They’re just statues. Really creepy ones with swords and axes, and — Sovvan glanced away before those statues could put any more crazy ideas in her head.

She pressed against her neck and kept pressing on various spots, but she couldn’t find that one spot that had turned her incorporeal before. Damn. Why had it worked earlier and not now? Probably because even her hybrid nature had rules. If only someone would enlighten her about them.

Sovvan slammed the back of her head into her ex-guardian angel’s face until his grip loosened, and ichor matted her hair. Ew. Gross. But her freedom was worth any price, so she slammed her head into his face again. It was cathartic, especially when he moaned.

Not so fast. You can’t escape me like that. Malachiah tightened his hold on her.

Oh, but she could. Sovvan could go wherever she pleased. Pain hammered the back of her skull as she slammed her head into his nose again, and it triggered a change in her. Sovvan became transparent as all her mass went somewhere else, leaving just a ghost behind. She fell through his arms and probably the floor too, even though she couldn’t see it in the dark. Thank God, because she’d needed an escape.

No! Malachiah shouted, but he didn’t follow her.

Maybe he couldn’t shed all his mass like she could. Sovvan had never seen an angel become incorporeal. Invisible, yes, but they only did that to avoid answering her questions. At least she’d gotten away and good riddance to him. But she had another problem. She didn’t know how to become tangible again. At least she wasn’t wet anymore.

Sovvan tried willing herself to take on mass as she fell through the ceiling of a well-lit office. Thankfully, she was incorporeal at the time of her fall, so the ceiling remained as pristine as it was before she’d arrived.

Oof. Sovvan passed through the piles of papers on a large desk without disturbing them. But she couldn’t say the same for the short man sitting in the chair facing her. His bushy eyebrows climbed up his forehead as he stared, open-mouthed, at her. He looked quite disturbed by her unconventional entrance, and she didn’t blame him.

He had dark, frizzy hair that stood on end, hopefully not from shock. She didn’t want to give the poor guy a heart attack. The dark circles under his probing eyes gave his hard, angular face a vulpine cast. Maybe he should get some sleep instead of staying up late to do paperwork.

The man shoved his chair back as Sovvan’s head passed through his desk, giving her an eye full of its contents. Oh my. This guy had some interesting things in his drawers: glowing stones shaped like dragons, dragon-shaped daggers, spiky metal dragons for throwing, as well as other bits and bobs she couldn’t even begin to identify.

This fellow had a serious dragon fixation. Dragon statues surrounded his desk. They stared at her with glowing crystal eyes as Sovvan landed on a leather footrest and became corporeal again. Of course, the footrest was dragon-shaped and the throne this guy sat on too. Who was this man? The lord of the dragons? A pagan priest who worshipped a dragon god? Did dragons even have gods?

Sovvan put those questions aside as she swept her dark hair out of her eyes. She took a moment to braid it again. There wasn’t anything she could do about her borrowed robes. They were white before her trip to Hell, but now they were soot-stained in places, and there was a rent in the bodice. At least the violet trim at the hem and edges of the sleeves was still intact. She’d even managed to dry out during her fall.

But she doubted she could pass for an angel as tattered as she was. That was probably a good thing since she wasn’t an angel, just some kind of weird hybrid, and he was staring right at her. Holy smokes, she was visible.

You can see me? Sovvan grabbed his hands and squeezed them.

He just stared at her, aghast, as if she committed some terrible faux pas. Uh-oh. Had she just escaped one set of troubles only to land hip-deep in another?

The Search for Mom

What about Mom? What happened to her? Can you use your magic to check on her or prophesy or whatever it is that you do? Faylon elbowed Fedre when he sat beside her.

She looked better than he did. There wasn’t a mark on her or the tunic and trousers that had replaced her impractical robe. When had she found time for a wardrobe change and where had she gotten those clothes from? Faylon hadn’t been wearing them when they’d left home. Even her black hair looked freshly combed and braided. That must be an illusion. Faylon must have lied about being able to cast them on herself because there was no way she could look that good after all the fighting and running and the imploding magical gateway thing.

What are you staring at? Faylon touched her dark blue tunic. It clashed with her swirling red-glowing eyes, and that was probably why she’d chosen it.

You. Your clothes aren’t soot-stained like mine. Nor are there any rips. There’s no sawdust in your hair either. You don’t look like you’ve been to Hell and back. Where did you even get those clothes from? You didn’t bring any supplies when we left home. Fedre scooted away from her in case she was playing another trick on him.

Oh, this? Faylon waved a hand to encompass her spotless clothes. I’m a shifter, you fool. I can change my shape and my clothes to suit my needs. Besides, I didn’t like wandering around with sawdust in my hair and holes in my robe. I have standards you know. She folded her arms and turned away from him.

Can you fix my clothes? Because I’m a hot mess. Fedre shook the sawdust from his hair, but the wind just blew it in his face.

Sure. Let me put my claws on. Faylon’s hand elongated, and red claws extended from her fingers.

That’s okay. I’ll live with the dust. It’ll come out, anyway. You can put those away now. Fedre moved to the other end of the fallen Memory Tree.

It’s your loss. Faylon let her claws sink back into her fingers, and she flexed them just to creep him out. Sisters, they were impossible sometimes. Can you look for Mom, or did the whole gateway takedown thing knock something loose in your head?

Very funny. But it was a good question. Could he check the future for their mother? Fedre rubbed his chest to ease a sudden ache there as he called up a flame on his palm, just like his mother would have done if she were here. I should have stayed in Hell to help her.

She hadn’t given him a choice, and there was no point regretting that now. Mom had made her choice.

And I’ve made mine. I’ll find you, Mom. You’d do the same for me. But she’d probably do it with more violence. His mother wasn’t a patient woman. Fedre gazed into the fire, dancing on his palm. It didn’t burn him because Mom was a fire goddess, so her children had some immunity to fire. He thought of his mother, but her image didn’t appear in the flame. Instead, the fire winked out before he could see anything at all.

Either the energies here were still too disturbed to view the future, or it hadn’t settled on an outcome yet. Either way, Fedre couldn’t see anything until the future settled on a course. There was one other scenario, but he refused to consider it. His mother had lived many, many centuries. She couldn’t be dead. His heart rejected the mere suggestion of that. Mom is still alive. He fisted his empty hands.

You know that for a fact? Faylon studied his face, but her own remained impassive, betraying no hint of her thoughts.

No, but I feel it here. Fedre tapped his chest. She must be alive. We’d know if she wasn’t. She gave up a lot of her powers, but someone would still have to take over as the Final Fate, right? Fedre waited while his sister considered that. This wasn’t something Mom had ever discussed, but it made sense. Damn it. He wanted that to be true.

Fedre thought of his littlest half-brother. Phare desperately needed his mother. We have to find her. We need to know what happened to her. He owed her that much for bringing him into the world and giving him the best life a son could have. Fedre swallowed all the emotions those thoughts brought up. He didn’t have time to deal with them. He could grieve later if grieving was warranted.

What about Sovvan? Four asked, reminding them that their mother wasn’t the only woman in trouble. The elephantine Memory-Eater shifted from foot to foot. Who will help her?

Fedre caught his sister’s eye and knew she was thinking the same thing. We can help her, but our family must come first. Fedre pounded his fist into his thigh.

Sovvan would understand. He had a feeling she would do the same if their roles were reversed. And if they saved their mom from certain doom, she might be in a good enough mood to forget all about their ill-fated trip to Hell. Fedre didn’t want to be grounded for the rest of his life.

What will you do? Fedre asked Rachielle. He didn’t know whether to hope the angel would stick around, or hope she’d volunteer to help Sovvan.

Rachielle touched the sword sheathed at her hip. I guess I need to go report this. Somebody needs to know what happened here, and what could have happened if we hadn’t prevented it.

So, you’re not going to help Sovvan? Who knew what her ex-guardian angel had planned for her. Fedre hoped they could reach her in time to make a difference. He had a feeling she needed help right now, but she was on her own for now. I’m sorry, Sovvan.

I’d like to help her, but I can’t leave my post except to deliver that report unless someone orders me to leave, and no one has. That’s why I need to go tell someone and let them decide what to do now. Rachielle shifted her weight, and her white wings appeared behind her.

What about you? Fedre asked Four.

The elephant shook her head. I can’t help you. My duty only encompasses the Gray Between and this place, and I also need to report what happened here to my people.

What then? Will you help Sovvan? Faylon rested her chin on her fist and blinked to stay awake. She must have used up a ton of energy when she’d shifted into a dragon to take down the gateway. But she had no way to recharge while she was here.

I can’t help her, not unless she’s in the Gray Between, and I doubt she’s there. Four’s liquid eyes were pensive, but her trunk and tail had stopped swinging.

The Gray Between sounds like a good place to start our search. What do you think, bro? Faylon stifled