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Zade chuckles, and I shake my head. “They’re going to be so powerful. I can already see it.”
“Damn straight.” Dante struts in the room, cradling a familiar angel in his arms as if he’s practicing for holding the twins. Gabe looks miserable, his face scrunched in pain, but he doesn’t scream or fight.
Kase comes in behind him, stretching his arms out already, heading straight for Tamia and Gia. “Give them here. I need to cuddle the fuck out of them. It’s been a long day.”
I expect Tamia to argue, but she holds Arabella out alongside Mateo as Gia holds him out as well. I’m thankful for it. I know that Kase struggles. His eyes fill with tears, and just the sight of his pain stabs me deep in my chest. It’s easier for me to shut things out, to carry faith, and to carry hope, but he and Dante—Lucian too—they’ve been so far removed from Heaven for so long that I’m sure it’s not easy for them anymore.
“Where is Micah?” Lucian’s voice booms through the room. His eyes flash with firelight as he strides into the room with Cassius right behind him. He looks ready to start a war, and I savor the power radiating from him. I haven’t been planning this for my entire existence as he had. He probably feels wronged because Raven was so easily stolen from us.
“He’s ready and waiting in the basement. He doesn’t want the babies to be so close to the Hell circle.” Zade kisses Arabella on her forehead and returns to my side. “We are good to go.”
I look toward Elias, quietly sitting in the rocking chair, staring off into space. I know his thoughts wander to the heavenly plane, and he might even still be trying to access it. “What about you, Elias? Are you ready?”
It takes Kase nudging him with his tail to get him to even look in my direction.
“What?” he asks, scrubbing his hands into a scruffy face. “I mean, yeah. I’m ready.”
He doesn’t sound so sure. I know it’s going to take a miracle to pull him from the darkness of his thoughts. He carries the blame for Raven’s death. He carries the blame for not being able to access Heaven again as well. He refuses to share the weight of the universe on his shoulders, so it’s up to us to grab it from him to show him that even though he is not a devil, he is still one of us. He is one of Raven’s loves and the reason that her soul was angel-kissed in the first place. He never made a mistake, sharing his light with her. He never even made a mistake when the two of them decided to cycle again. Everything that has happened in existence has happened for a reason. I know that we’ll get Raven back. I know that this moment of time, and her absence, will only make us stronger.
That’s how I keep myself together. I can’t believe anything otherwise. I’ll not stand the thought of her being imprisoned in Heaven forever. The Almighty doesn’t work like that. We were not given the ability to turn our backs on his plans for nothing. I believe with every fiber in my being now that this was what it wanted. The Higher Power is not our enemy.
“We will be with you the entire time,” Cassius says, draping his arm over Elias’s shoulders. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen him show that kind of affection toward Elias, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Elias flutters his wings, light radiating from his being. Cassius squints, but he doesn’t pull away. Instead, he pulls in closer and hugs him.
“The only thing I regret in my existence is not opening my heart sooner. I wish I could look at the world like you had when you found Grace. I’m sorry for trying to take her from you. I’m sorry that I also tried to take Raven. I hope you can forgive me. All of you.” Cassius swallows, his Adam’s apple shifting in his throat.
This is the man that I would follow anywhere. He has finally overcome his pride, and even though it is his kingdom, I know that he will not go back to how things were. He knows now how to listen.
“Yeah, yeah. We can fucking celebrate later. We don’t have much time. I’m sure the angelic army is going to notice something is up.” Kase claps his hands together, turning to the angel. “You’re up, Gabe. Don’t let us down.”
“If you do, our deal is off,” Lucian adds, muttering.
Instead of asking about the deal, I quietly follow behind the others, kissing Arabella and Mateo on their foreheads as we pass by, leaving them with Tamia.
Because Raven needs all of us.
So does the rest of the world.
***
“Everyone brace yourselves. There could very well be an army on the other side of this portal.” Kase tightens his grip on his blade, preparing to charge into a portal not intended for us.
“I’ll go first and shield you to the best of my ability.” Elias swivels on the balls of his feet and looks at each of us. “I’ll be able to sense Raven’s soul immediately. Once I do, we should be able to manipulate the realm. You guys fend off the angels, and I’ll get her. If I’m not back—”
“Your next words better not fucking be to take care of the twins on our own. You can’t stay, even if you want to. Raven will kick your ass straight to Hell if you try. So just get our pretty soul.” Dante hisses with his words.
I nod my head, silently agreeing with him. He’s right. I know Elias wanted to go with Raven even if he couldn’t bring her back so she wouldn’t be alone. But we all know that the twins need him. They need all of us. We don’t have any other options.
“I don’t think the angelic army will be waiting. They’re confident in their ability to keep you out.” Gabe rubs his lips together, tensing as if we’ll blast him with hellfire.
It looks like Micah wants to. He gathers flames from his kingdom, growing them in his hands as if he plans to blast anything and everything from his spot in the summoning circle. He’s not going with us, but his power and tether are what will give strength to us in this moment. Because we’re going to need it. Heaven hurts my very being to cross into.
“We’re about to prove them wrong. So open the portal. I’m ready.” Elias unfurls his wings, straightening his shoulders. For the first time all day, he looks as if he’s channeling the strength of Hell despite being blessed as a reincarnated angel.
Gabe lifts his hands, tipping his head back. For a moment, I’m afraid he’s not going to be able to access Heaven and that he’s already been forsaken by making a deal with us. Everyone shifts, our nerves rippling with our muscles. Shifting my gaze, I glance at Zade. He tightens his jaw, gripping his sword tighter. Purple electricity dances across his gaze and I force myself to smile at him. This is like old times, standing together. But we are stronger now. We are better. We see things more clearly.
Bright light flashes through the air, stinging my skin, but it doesn’t burn me. It’s as if Elias absorbs the sacred air coming through the portal. Gabe groans, his whole body shuddering. I realize he currently stands in the middle between angelic light and Hell power, and if he isn’t strong enough, he could be destroyed in the process.
