AllFreeNovel
Share Us
ad over the edge of the couch. “He’s gotten inside your head. He’s only making it look like he’s innocent, but he’s been at the scene basically every time. How fucking convenient.”
“Why the hell would I show up just after someone gets attacked or killed?” Sam threw his hands up. “That’s just stupid.” He jabbed a finger in Sterling’s direction. “You’re stupid.”
Sterling’s knees buckled, and he collapsed behind the couch again, huddling. “You see? You all saw that. He’s gonna try something. Cast his angel juju on me. Carver, kill him.”
Carver chuckled. “Your audacity is amusing, Sterling. Though I might consider your suggestion if I don’t receive a reasonable explanation very, very soon.”
“Whoa.” Sam held his hands up. “Whoa. If everyone could just relax. Let’s not make this a thing. I was there tonight – and that other night in the shopping district – because I’ve been tracking one of my brothers.”
“So.” Carver raised an eyebrow, his body remaining perfectly still. “There are two angels in Valero, then.”
Sterling gasped, or maybe he choked.
“I didn’t even think you guys existed,” Asher said, his face still aglow with open awe. Then he frowned. “How does that even work?”
Sam shrugged. “I just am. We just are. You have to believe me, I’m not the one taking over people’s minds.” He nodded at me. “Especially that friend of yours we just met? Extremely dangerous. I don’t have any doubt that my brother is exerting his influence over other humans in this city. And you’ve seen for yourselves. He can control supernaturals, too. Imagine the possibilities. The destruction.”
So that’s what was happening. “You mean the Tome of Annihilation? This brother angel of yours has it?”
Sam nodded. Carver’s fingers were still wreathed in pale flame, but he lowered his hand a few inches.
“Which of the celestials are you pursuing?” Carver said. “Which of your brothers?”
“Adriel,” Sam said. “An angel of death.”
“Oh,” Sterling called out from somewhere behind the sofa. “That’s great. Super reassuring.”
“This is worse than we thought,” Prudence said. “The Lorica has had its own contact with celestial entities, and each of them governs their own dominion, an aspect of the universe that they rule or represent. Angels of mercy, for example, or angels of wisdom.”
“Indeed.” Carver’s head craned towards me slowly. “Quite similar to how the demon princes of hell represent their own hideous virtues. But here we are now, plagued by an angel of death.”
Asher was on his feet now, the act of healing completely forgotten, the spigot on his magic turned off. “So what do you – Sam, was it? What do you represent?”
Sam cleared his throat. “That’s not important.”
Asher cocked one eyebrow. “And what’s with all the tattoos?”
Sam narrowed his eyes and lifted his chin. “That’s even less important.”
“Then if you are who you say you are, you should know where to find this Adriel,” Carver said.
“He’s still in the city, and he still has the Tome.” Sam folded his arms, his nose in the air, defiant, haughty. “And I know where to find him.”
“Fine,” I said. “See? That settles it. We’ve all got the same agenda. Stop anyone from abusing the Tome, and prevent more casualties. Are we all on the same page?”
Everyone nodded, with the exception of Sterling, who stayed partly hidden behind the couch, and Carver. Carver fixed me with a look, one that challenged everything I’d just said. We were technically retrieving the Tome for Mammon, after all. We were pulling the grimoire out of an angel’s hands, and shoving it straight into the clutches of a demon prince.
Nope. Not happening. We had to find some way to keep the Tome away from Mammon, destroy it if we had to. My soul – whatever it was worth – was still less than the value of so many innocent lives, human or otherwise. I nodded, and Carver nodded back, as if in understanding.
“Right,” Sam said. “I’ve finally traced the location of the book. We need to find my brother before he decides to strike again. I don’t know why he’s doing this, only that the results will be catastrophic.”
“So,” I said. “The Comstock Building, right?”
Sam furrowed his eyebrows. “How did you know?”
I shrugged. “Lucky guess.”
“The Sisters told him.” Prudence chuckled, then winced, holding up her hand limply. “Normally I’d volunteer to go with you guys, but I might have to sit this one out. I appreciate your hospitality,” she said to the room in general, and to Asher, patting him on the back of the hand. “But I can’t fight. Not in this condition. But Dust? You need to help Bastion. Save him.”
