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A scream rips through my world as Raven’s anguish explodes through my sanctuary, stealing my breath. The world shakes around me, and I rush toward the crystal window again. My fiery eyes glow orange, and a haze of black mist kisses my dark skin. Fury unlike anything I’ve ever felt burns through me at the sound of Raven screaming again.
Swinging my fist, I shatter the crystal window, sending rainbow light beaming through the air as the shattered pieces reflect my burning firelight. I climb through the broken window, the icy wind blowing through my black feathers and pulling me toward the ledge leading into a dark abyss.
I stare down into the black nothingness, searching for something, anything, to focus on. A pinprick of light snags my attention, and I narrow my gaze, watching the light grow and devour the shadowy world until all I see is the familiar light of Raven’s breathtaking soul.
“Micah, please!” Raven calls.
Desperation hooks me onto an invisible line, and her voice reels me forward until I toe the edge of the cliff. I overlook the only thing important to me. Raven’s soul shines like a beacon of everything good in the universe. Her essence stirs something wild inside me, and I know as long as I lose myself in her light, I’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.
Cassius and the brethren were mistaken about Raven.
She’s not going to destroy the world or bow beside Lucifer. If anything, she will shine brighter than the Morning Star ever could. Peering over my shoulder, I glance at the empty room that used to bring me comfort. What I loved about this place is now gone.
So I turn my back on it.
I close myself off from the world that was supposed to be everything good and pure but now feels so unjust and wrong.
Bending my knees, I jump from the ledge of the cliff overlooking Raven. Instead of falling, I fly. I soar.
Bright light and pitch blackness strobe around me as I glide toward Raven, letting the warm winds carry me to the only place I want to be. By Raven’s side, there will never be darkness. Her light will never blind me.
“Micah, no!” Cassius’s booming voice thunders through the air, and I close my wings and plunge toward Raven’s soul faster than I have ever moved before.
The world blurs around me, the light and dark turning into a dazzling blue similar to the depths of her eyes. Bursts of energy fly around me, but as hard as the brethren try to throw me off my mission to be with Raven, they can’t try to force me off course again.
Tensing my muscles, I brace for the impact with the ground, and land so hard on my feet that the ground splits and breaks. The world quakes from my force, and I open my arms and catch Raven before she can fall into the fiery abyss surrounding me. As quickly as the world breaks open from my descent, it seals up, leaving me standing in the middle of a parking lot.
Cool fingers clutch my face, and Raven guides my head up to look into her eyes. Her brilliant soul shines and grows until I can see her angelic face clearly. Tears sheen her gaze, turning her blue depths into pools like the ocean. Her emotions hit me like a ton of concrete blocks, and I reach up and press my fingers to her trembling lips, leaving her skin pink with my heat. Throwing her arms around me, she engulfs me in a hug that wraps me in her very essence, sending my body tingling under her touch.
“Micah, behind you!” Kase calls, his voice echoing through the world as he chucks an orb of red energy over my head.
I don’t get a chance to move or let go of Raven. Thuds sound through the air, the brethren landing around us. Kase roars and shifts into his devilish beast and attacks Zade, getting him to back away.
Lightning strikes the ground beside us, and Raven cries out, the heavenly energy crackling close enough to burn. Cassius expands his wings, blocking out the sun, and I shove Raven away.
“Run!” I shout. “Go!”
A shockwave of white electricity slams into me, knocking me onto my stomach. I holler and buck my body, trying to summon my sword, but it doesn’t come. Cassius stomps on my back, forcing me to stay down. His angelic power sizzles across my skin and locks me into place.
“How could you do this to us? We were family,” Cassius says, towering over me. “And for what? One soul? What about the rest? How many lost because of this? You’ve betrayed us.”
I grind my teeth and jerk my arms, trying to knock Cassius off me. Turning my head, I catch sight of Raven as Dante and Kase surround her protectively, trying to drag her away. “Raven, it’s not your fault, okay? I chose this. I accept the consequences of turning my back on the Higher Power because you should’ve never been in this position. I wasn’t the only one to fail you. The Higher Power did nothing, so I will do things myself. I will still save you, but for now, go with Dante and Kase. I don’t want you to see this.”
“The only thing you’ll ever do is damn her,” Cassius says, digging his fingers into my wings. “It’s all you’ll ever do from now on, betrayer.”
I don’t fight Cassius as he instructs Zade and Andre to hold me down.
Instead, I close my eyes.
They can do anything they want, and it won’t break me.
The only thing I will ever do now is rise.
Chapter 25
When Angels Cry
RAVEN
