Magnus’s amusement vanished. “No. I’ve donesome asking around, but no one knows how Lucifer is openingthem.”
Kobal drummed his fingers on the table as hedeliberated Magnus’s words. “I will find out soon enough,” hemuttered.
“Do you think she can kill him?” Magnusasked and waved a hand at me.
“I’m sittingrighthere,” Iretorted.
“I think she could kill him or at leastwound him enough to weaken him,” Kobal answered.
I was beginning to feel like one of thosesouls or demons trapped behind the glass in the freak show as theyall stared at me.
“We’ll do whatever is necessary for her toget the chance to make that happen then,” Magnus said. “Let’s hopeyou’re right about going for the seals, and that we’re not bringingsome of the most powerful demons of Hell, the one ruler of Hell,and Lucifer’s daughter to their deaths.”
The hounds on Kobal’s arms rippled as a veinin his forehead throbbed to life. I didn’t know if I liked ordespised Magnus, but I did admire how he unflinchingly spoke hismind. My gaze went to Kobal, who studied me as if he’d been readingmy mind.
“Do you have a better plan, Magnus?” Corsondemanded.
“I do not, but I want to make sure my sidewins.”
“You’ve told us your reasons for retreatingfrom the war, but how are we to know they’re the truthful ones?” Idemanded.
His silver eyes flashed the color of moltenlead when they met mine. “Make no mistake, I retreated here becauseI felt it better for all involved, but I am loyal to the demon raceand Kobal. My ancestors stood by every new varcolac who rose andfell to Lucifer. They were slaughtered to the point thatIam the only one who remains. I realize my stunning good looks causeothers to underestimate me, a bonus in my mind, but I’m not one tomess with. I won’t be as easily taken out as my ancestors were, andI will make Lucifer pay for what he has done to my kind.”
“So much for modesty,” I muttered.
“Fuck modesty. I believe in the truth, andthere is never any reason to deny or avoid it.”
His gaze flicked nervously to Kobal when hetensed beside me. “Be careful how you speak to her,” Kobalgrowled.
Magnus held his hands up. “I meant nodisrespect to my queen. You know I don’t hold my tongue and oftensay what comes to mind.”
“I like hearing what you have to say.”For the most part, but I kept that to myself. My head tiltedto the side as I studied Magnus, that like and dislike feelingwarring inside of me once more. “Is that your real face or is itanother illusion?”
He grinned at me and leaned back in hisseat. “This is my real face. I don’t hide myself when I’m not in anillusion. You must admit the barker was far more frightening thanthis perfection.”
“I may kill you just to shut you up,” Balemuttered.
“I agree,” Corson said, and Hawk nodded.
“But we all must remember who we are, atheart,” Magnus continued as if they hadn’t spoken. “I acknowledgewho I am every time I step out of an illusion and allow my trueself to come through once more.” His gaze unflinchingly held mine.“What about you? Are you ready to acknowledge what you are,child?”
I blinked at him and sat back. “I don’tunderstand.”
“It must have come as a shock to learn youare part angel and demon as well as human, but which of those doyou feel strongest in you?”
“Human…” My voice trailed off when Irealized that answer feltwrong.
I’d been raised human, it’s what I knewbest, but it wasn’t the strongest part of me, not anymore. Fearfueled the fire within me and brought forth the demon part of me.Love, strong emotion, and a deeper connection to living thingsfueled my angelic ability to wield life.
The visions I sometimes received could comefrom any part of my line as there were humans who had specialabilities too. The visions were the same kind of power that hadallowed me to share Kobal’s dreams and, at one time, to connectwith Lucifer in a dream.
I looked at Kobal, so proud and fierce as hegazed at me, awaiting my answer for a question he’d never asked mebefore. Because, I realized, to him the answer didn’t matter. I waswho I was, and he loved me for it. Or maybe he hadn’t asked becausehe already knew the answer when I hadn’t, not when Corson had askedme when we had been traveling to the gateway, and not even when I’dasked it of myself. I knew the answer now though.
I turned to face Magnus and the others againas I spoke. “Angel.”
Surprise didn’t fill their eyes, but itkicked me in the chest. Out of the three options, it was the onethat had always been straggling at the back of the race. It mostcertainly hadn’t been a front runner before, but now that I’dspoken the word aloud, I knew it was true.
“What does that mean?” I whispered.
