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“Lieutenant,” they acknowledged quietly.
She led the way along the tree line until they were several hundred yards farther down, waiting for Taleth to move his warriors forward into the cover of the trees before she did the same. Drawing her blade, she held it before her, ready but not flaming. The light would give them away, and stealth was imperative. A screeching noise came from her right, startling her, and she turned, but there was nothing there. More screeches followed. Taleth’s warriors had found the hellions and were slaying them as ordered. She gave a satisfied nod and gesture to the five warriors behind her before she headed deeper into the forest.
As the undergrowth got thicker, she pulled her wings in, and they faded from reality with a thought. The woods were dark, but she had an affinity for all growing things, so she could sense her way through and find paths, even in the darkness. Where the undergrowth became impassable, she moved the branches and vines with a mere thought.
Reaching out with her free hand, Sariel brushed her fingers against the tree trunks and leaves as she passed. As always, growing things gave her a sense of peace that nothing else could. It was the closest she ever came to feeling relaxed. If she reached out with her mind, it was as though she could merge with the consciousness of the plants and feel the breeze through the branches...
A rustle on the side of their path instantly drew her attention back to the present. She held her hand up, motioning for the others to stop, and then moved forward, willing her sword to ignite. White flame speared down the long blade and lit up the woods around them. The holy light reflected off trees and bushes and several pairs of dead black eyes that gazed at the angels through the shadows.
“Hellions!” Sariel hissed, and five more swords blazed as the creatures launched themselves through the trees.
There were only a dozen or so hellions, and the angels made short work of them, slashing and stabbing, the flames of their swords sizzling as they burnt away the rotting skin of the creatures. Sariel welcomed the fight. They’d been flying for hours, and her limbs were stiff and needed a workout. The resulting burn in her shoulders and forearms was pleasant and also a good warm-up should she need to face any of her own. The slightest hint of doubt slipped across her mind as she brought down one of the creatures with a slash to its throat that nearly removed its head. What if the four didn’t submit to her? She knew her reputation preceded her, but so did theirs. They were four of the best warriors from the only host equal to hers. They also answered to Gabriel, and he had been furious at their desertion. She had never seen him so angry, and she had served under him for millennia. She had only just succeeded her predecessor as host commander when he had taken a mission on Earth and ended up falling for the charms of some human woman. She shook her head in disgust. It was well known that human men were ruled by their cocks, but for an angel to give in to lust was a serious sin. Gabriel had not reacted well, and this desertion of four more decorated warriors was a huge blow. She would bring them back to him. She would deliver them up, make him proud, and reassure him of her promotion.
Her resolve strengthened her arms as she cut through the last two hellions and grinned as they dropped to the ground. The nearest of her five warriors turned to say something, and she saw his face pale. He opened his mouth, but she was already turning. The hellion that had slithered up behind her was inches away, its maw open to reveal rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth. She brought her blade up, but the blade clashed against the hellion’s claws. They sizzled, and the flames burnt away at skin and sinew, but the teeth drew nearer. For a moment, she panicked.
I’m going to lose.
An arm appeared, clad in some kind of checked fabric, and there was a brutal snap. The creature went limp and was dragged away, falling heavily to the ground. A large black man stood in front of her, the white fire of the angel blades reflecting in his golden eyes. He was easily eight inches taller than her, but she stood her ground and looked up at him.
“Adamachus.”
“Sariel,” he greeted calmly.
She glanced around, scanning the trees for more creatures, but the shadows stood silent. Her five warriors moved to surround Adamachus, but he didn’t react, just simply watched her.
“That was a mistake,” she said, sheathing her sword. The others were armed, so she had no need to be, and she needed to show no fear to this angel.
“That’s an interesting way of thanking me for saving your life,” he remarked, smiling down at her. White fire gleamed off white teeth, and she felt confused.
“You don’t seem put out that I’ve found you, and yet you must know what’s coming to you and the others.”
His smile faded. “I think you’ll find that I tracked you down and just saved your life, but yes, I am fully aware.”
“You’ve come to give yourself up then? What about the others?” She relaxed at the thought that she wouldn’t have to fight them. As shameful and cowardly as their desertion was, she had no desire to kill one of her own.
“I have, but I have a condition.”
Her eyes snapped up to his face. “You’re not exactly in a bargaining position, Adamachus. Do I need to remind you who holds the power in this situation?”
His dark gold eyes bore into her own silver ones. “I believe we both have something the other wants. I was hoping we could come to an arrangement.”
“And what exactly would you have that I want?” she countered.
“The location of the others and my command for them to surrender to you should you give me what I want.”
Sariel looked at him, frowning. This wasn’t how she’d expected this encounter to go, and she was usually pretty good at predicting how things would turn out. Eventually curiosity got the better of her. “What exactly do you want from me?”
His eyes lit up, and there was hope burning inside them. “There’s a human nearby. She was badly hurt by a violent man. I want you to heal her.”
Sariel frowned. Healing humans without permission was not usually permitted. Gabriel had said it was interfering with God’s will.
“Jophiel has healing powers. We trained together once.”
To her surprise, Adamachus reached out and took her hand. The five warriors immediately raised their swords, but she glanced at them and shook her head.
“Please,” Adamachus urged. “Jophiel isn’t strong enough, and she’ll die if you don’t help her. I swear, you have my word, the four of us will surrender to you if you save her.”
Sariel considered her options. Healing the human was possible, and the five warriors around her wouldn’t give her away for something as trivial as that, especially if it meant securing their prize with no bloodshed.
