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But now we were alone again.
Just me and Lux, back-to-back, scanning the Elder’s Hall, waiting for one of them to return.
But it wasn’t one.
Simultaneously, at least two dozen landed in a circle around us, ten strides away.
Michael was just before me. In my peripheral on the left, I saw Selaphiel, and on the right, Barachiel.
Lower tiered Angels filled the gaps between them, surrounding us.
Every one of them was drenched in blood.
“I didn’t want to do this, Nix,” Michael said.
“Oh, you didn’t?” I asked. “We forced your hand? When did we do that? When did we attack you?”
“You didn’t,” Gabriel said behind me. “But you showed us who you are.”
“That you’re unfit to lead,” Michael said. “You always have been, but it’s very clear now.”
“This is leading?!” I slammed a hand toward the bodies in gesture. “Killing your cousins?! Killing your aunt, and your uncle, and your grandfather?! That’sleading,Michael?!”
“Every bit of it was nece—”
“This is because you’re jealous,” Lux snapped behind me. “Don’t spin this for your followers. This is because you’re angry you didn’t get to rule Matriaza. You’re pissed that Véa and Nix dismantled the sexism, and the classism, and the patriarchal culture that made you so important.That’swhat this is about. You’re jealous that the position was given to a woman because you felt it should’ve been yours. You’re pissed you don’t get to be at the top of the food chain, boy. That’s what this is. You’re a child throwing a fit because you didn’t get the treat you wanted. We all know this has nothing to do with fearing for the maalaichte cnihme’s return.”
“Whatever makes you sleep better, Pa,” Gabriel said.
Michael’s expression said it all.
That was exactly what this was.
Wasn’t everything? Every war, every battle, for all of forever—weren’t they all about the same thing? Power? Feeling inadequate and fighting an invisible threat for a false sense of security?
Defeat the enemy who isn’t an enemy at all, because once the threat you manufactured is dead, you get to feel strong.
It certainly wasn’t a revolution. Those had noble ethics behind them. Revolutions were formed by people fighting for equality, basic rights, or necessities. These men weren’t fighting for any of that.
It was all an elaborate ruse by men who craved influence to exploit and oppress those weaker than them. Their goal was to reform the Matriaza we’d dismantled on this mortal world so they could be the top dog again.
And the awful reality?
I didn’t care. Not now, not in this moment. I’d always wanted Matriaza to be a better world, but the only reason I’d been able to fight for it was because I had Véa. I knew that was wrong. I knew my top priority should’ve been defending good, protecting the world and way of life we had here, but I wasn’t good at that. Icouldn’t.
Véa was. Véa could. Véa was the one with plans, and ideas, and the vitality to rebuild the broken. She was the birth of new, and I was the dead branches and leaves who kept the tree of life nourished.
But what was the sustenance, the decay, without the seed of new birth?
Useless.
Without her, I was useless.
Until I had her back, until she was alive, I didn’t have what was needed to stop them, to grow whatever they planned to destroy.
“Where are they, Michael?” I scanned beneath his flesh, seeing only his soul within him. “You want to rule so badly, rule. I don’t care. But give me my family back.”
Half of a smile. “Not far. But it doesn’t matter now, Uncle.”
