CHAPTER NINETEEN
Apollo flashed everyone back to New Jersey, the sudden change in location playing with Isabelle’s balance again. How did gods adapt to this flashing around thing? Give her a plane and inflight movie any day. Mammon steadied her as Lucifer came towards them, concern on his handsome face. The other brothers disappeared to their rooms, the weight of the evening’s discoveries weighing heavily on everyone.
“As safe as we feel you’re with us, we’re going to shore up the defenses. Apollo offered to create a barrier to hide your energy from Michael. At least for a while. I guess I owe that god way more than one favor after all this. You two should get some rest. One of us will keep watch. Until we get a better idea of the Malakhim’s strengths, I don’t want anyone left alone.” The pair of them nodded and Lucifer continued towards his office, the strain evident in his body.
Isabelle frowned at the grim expression on Mammon’s face. “We will figure this out. Hades won’t let them get the box, and you won’t let them get me. It’s a pretty big wrench in their plan.”
Mammon growled, sweeping her up into his arms. He would make sure nothing happened to her. No one would be able to steal her away. She trusted him implicitly, down to the depths of her soul. The dark look he swept over her made her body heat in all sorts of places. In two seconds, she was over his shoulder as he stalked with her into his bedroom. Clearly his idea of keeping her safe involved keeping her in bed for the foreseeable future—she wasn’t complaining!
Gabriel, second in command to Michael, opened his golden eyes. The web he had been weaving to confuse the demons had been snapped like a twig. He was sure the net was sound, misleading and misdirecting them. The Seer, he’d not expected her to be immune to such a trap. She had reappeared, her energy like a golden beacon in the darkness. He felt a hand tightening around his heart right now. He respected Michael, hell they were brothers. He would do anything for his commander, but this whole eradication idea sat unwell with him. Moving from his cross-legged position on the floor of the meeting chamber, his mind replayed the meeting with Apollo.
The Greek god of light had been all smiles and friendly words, but there had been a clear goal in his mind. Information. Gabriel had kept his replies to a minimum, fearful Michael would be listening in on his conversation. His brother was becoming more dangerous and paranoid with each passing day. This insane drive to cleanse the earth prevented the angel from resting or thinking clearly.
He was so consumed by what he called their ‘Divine Mission’, all else was forgotten. He even treated his brothers like nothing more than soldiers, although he believed in the idea of cleansing the earth of sin, returning it to the peaceful place it had once been. Gabriel could not help but wonder if Michael's ‘vision’ would stop at just the humans.
There were so many other species in the world. The angel hated to admit it, but his brother’s single minded viewpoint could potentially turn against them, against his daughter. Gabriel refused to think about Aria right now. As long as she was kept secret, she was safe from Michael and the rest of the Malakhim.
His thoughts were bought back as a low agonized, painful cry echoed through the chamber. Gabriel felt his very skin tighten at the sound of agony, his stomach churning in revulsion. Uriel had returned to inform the Malakhim leader the Seer was gone. Michael had been punishing him for his failure for the past hour. The angel was the youngest and brightest of them. His spirit would not survive much longer as the focus of Michael’s ire.
Leaving the main meeting chamber, he made his way down a glowing spiral staircase to a long shimmering corridor. Another agonized cry filled the air and Gabriel hesitated. He didn’t want to see the mess that would be left of his youngest brother once Michael was done. At least this information would serve to distract him, maybe give Uriel time to heal.
He stopped at the entryway, the scent of blood thick in the air. Pushing the door open, the scene before him had him wondering who the true evil in this world was. He forcefully pushed the thought away. It was treasonous to think like that. Yet the sight before his eyes would not allow him to defend his brother right then.
Uriel hung by his wrists from chains, his toes barely touching the floor. The angel’s prone form left his shoulders in a painfully strained position. His bare chest heaved with agony, head hanging, but no marks marred his pristine skin. The sound of something metal being dropped into a bowl of water brought his dark eyes to Michael. The angel came from behind Uriel, wiping black blood from his palms with a stained rag. He dropped the saturated cloth onto the floor, his eyes narrowing on his brother.
“This better be good.” The copper gaze, once so filled with mirth, was cold and hard. For the first time in centuries, Gabriel hesitated to deliver his news, sudden fear for the Seer biting at his conscience.
“Well?” The impatience in his brother’s voice, echoed by the soft sobbing pain of his youngest brother, spurred him on.
“The Seer is back. She is with the demons. Michael, she broke the web. I advise against an attack. It would be a foolish move, brother.”
Michael sniffed, studying his fingernails. Without a word, he stalked over to a pedestal holding a bowl of water. He dipped his hands in it, the water turning back with angel blood. The only sounds were his hands splashing in the bowl and the low, pained moans of Uriel. Slowly, purposefully, Michael turned his attention to his second in command once more. “A foolish move you say? I see. So you are now the commander of this brotherhood, is that it?” Michael cast cold eyes upon his youngest brother, then tilted his head to Gabriel, who managed to resist the urge to take several steps backward. He was second in command, and he needed to inform his general when the choice before them was a poor one.
“Michael, to act now would be a misstep. We don’t even have the jar yet. Once we do, we can find another Seer to open it. We don’t need her.” He hoped his voice wasn’t shaking as he spoke.
“I see. Prudent plan, Gabriel.” The calm tone to his brother’s voice was more terrifying than anger. Michael came towards him, stopping at his shoulder, his voice deathly cold.
“Make decisions regarding our divine mission again and you will join our little brother. We leave at dawn for Tartarus. You will be at my right hand. Do not disappoint me, Gabriel.”
With that Michael strode from the room. Gabriel watched him go, letting out a frozen breath, then moved quickly to Uriel’s side. Loosening the mechanism holding him up, his body fell like dead weight to the floor. As soon as his back and wings touched the cool floor, he cried out in agony.
“Shit!” Gabriel quickly knelt, rolling him onto his stomach. Uriel was panting hard but quickly fell back into an unconscious state. The second in command of the Malakhim stood rapidly. Bile rose in his throat. His eyes scanned the floor. Silver and black feathers littered the cold tile. Michael had been plucking the feathers from his brother’s back. The most sensitive and revered place upon an angel's body. Michael had ravaged Uriel’s wings.