by Elicia Hyder
“Why would you entrust Nulterra’s key to a demon?” I asked.
Cassiel shook her head. “Mihan didn’t fall with the Morning Star. She was converted later and joined Abaddon’s ranks after she’d been given the key.”
I raked my fingers back through my hair. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Afraid not. And unfortunately, the key was lost.”
“So if we find the Nulterra Gate, how the hell will we get inside? I assume my power won’t work to open it.”
“No. Your gift won’t open it anymore than it could open the gate to Eden.”
I swore under my breath. “Have any suggestions?”
“The keys would not have been destroyed along with their masters. Abaddon’s key must still be in existence, probably passed to his daughter, Anya.”
“And Anya, if she’s still alive, is in Nulterra. That does us no good.”
“Mihan’s should still be somewhere here on Earth.”
“Did she have any children?”
“No. Her key would have passed to another guardian.”
“What do the keys look like?”
She shrugged “I never saw them.”
“Who did?”
She stared at me, pressing her lips closed.
“Let me guess, Mihan and the Destroyer?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you were supposed to know everything, Cassiel.”
Her lips spread into a thin smile. “Only most things.”
I sighed. “Fury won’t be happy about this.” I sat back, letting the back of my skull thump against the headboard. “Can you hand me my phone? It’s on your nightstand.”
She picked it up, unplugged it, and handed it to me.
“Can I have some privacy?” I asked.
“Nope.”
Shaking my head, I swiped open the screen and searched for Fury’s name in my recent-call list. When I found it, I paused.
“What’s the matter?” Cassiel asked
“I can’t remember which day Fury had her baby.”
“It’s been two days here.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “You know what I’m thankful for?”
Her brow lifted.
I held up my phone. “Cell phone towers and satellites that keep track of which time zone I’m in. This shit hurts my brain.”
She laughed. “I wish I could say it gets easier.”
I tapped Fury’s name in the call list, and the phone dialed her number. It was just after six in the morning. Any other time, Fury would have been awake. Certainly having a newborn would only increase those odds, right?
The phone rang. And rang. And rang.
She finally picked up. “Hello?” Her voice was gravelly and quiet.
“Did I wake you?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“I just had a baby, Warren, and I’m on narcotics. What do you want?”
I decided to save the bad news about the key for when she was feeling a little less lethal. “I just wanted to make sure you and the baby were all right.”
“At six a.m.?”
“Sorry. There was an attack on Wolf Gap last night. Moloch, the Archangel of—”
“I know who Moloch is.”
“I don’t think I like you on drugs,” I said.
“Oh my god, Warren.”
“We think Moloch tried to attack Echo-5 last night. There were several demons with him.”
“So why are you worried about me? They’re after your kid, not mine.”
Her bitchiness might prove useful. “Are you sure about that?” I asked slowly.
There was silence on her end for a second. “What do you mean?”
Cassiel was watching me.
“How long are they planning to keep you at the hospital?”
“You’re being weird. Is someone listening to you?” Her voice was quiet.
“I just wanted to know when you’re going home. Azrael said he can help out if you need him.”
God, I hoped she understood my cryptic meaning. I couldn’t say much more without evoking the wrath of Cassiel.
“I’ll call him now,” she said.
“You should do that. How are you feeling?”
“Goodbye, Warren.” Her tone had returned.
“Bye, Fury. I’ll be in—” The line went dead. I pulled it back and looked at it. Call disconnected. “She hung up on me.”
Cassiel stood back up. “What’s with the two of you? Your whole demeanor shifted when she answered the phone.”
“There’s nothing with the two of us.”
She pointed at me. “Lying. Again.”
“You really have to stop doing that.”
“How about a compromise? If you can’t tell me something, just don’t say anything. I’d rather have silence than deceit.”
“And you won’t force me to tell you something I don’t want to?”
Her head tilted. “Depends on how badly I want to know.”
“Figures.”
She picked up my clothes off the floor and tossed them to me. “Get dressed. You need to find me something decent to eat around here. Or is that even possible out here in the boonies?”
“Oh yeah. It’s possible.” I smiled. “How about Tupelo Honey?”
Chapter Fourteen
Maybe breakfast at Sloan’s favorite restaurant wasn’t my smartest idea. Even Adrianne looked at me funny when I suggested it that morning. Still, she and Azrael and Reuel went with us.
“Has anyone talked to Nathan?” I asked.
“Briefly this morning. I told him we were going to breakfast,” Azrael said.
I dialed Nathan’s number. It went to voicemail, so I left a message. “Hey, it’s Warren. We’re on our way to Tupelo Honey in South Asheville if you’d like to join. Call me back.”
He responded via text a second later. Way ahead of you, man. Be on my way soon. Picking something up at the command center.
I wanted to ask Nathan how many I should add to our party, but I didn’t.
“Have you seen the news this morning?” Azrael asked, looking in the rearview mirror.
“No. Why?”
“Malab is all over it.”
“What’s Malab?” Adrianne asked.
“A small country in northern Africa. Warren killed their prime minister yesterday,” Azrael said.
Adrianne whipped around in her seat.
I rolled my eyes. “Their prime minister was already dead. I killed a dangerous imposter.”
“Can you look it up on your phone?” Cassiel asked. She was sandwiched in the middle seat between me and Reuel.
“Good idea.”
She nudged my shoulder with hers. “I’m pretty smart.”
I chuckled and swiped the phone’s screen open. I googled Malab, and the entire first screen was filled with news articles announcing the death of its leader. I clicked on the first story, then played the video that popped up.
An anchorwoman was speaking over a recorded video of the windows being blown out of Malab’s Capitol building. “A nation is grieving today after the mysterious death of Saare Kelifah, the prime minister of Malab.”
“I think grieving is a stretch,” I said.
“Witnesses say an explosion occurred only minutes after the close of a Cabinet meeting. The prime minister and his aide were found dead at the scene. Guards have reported two white males and one white female were present after the explosion, but their whereabouts and their involvement is currently unknown. Security footage seems to have gone offline shortly before the incident occurred.”
I looked over at Reuel. “Nice job taking out the cameras.”
He gave me a thumbs-up.
“Umar Tadese, chairman of the People’s Liberation League, will serve as the interim prime minister until the party chooses a new leader. Tadese was unavailable for comment.”
I ended the video. “Hopefully because he’s busy distributing food to his people.”
“
Nice work, son,” Azrael said.
“I couldn’t have done it without these guys,” I admitted.
Cassiel smiled. Reuel reached around her to offer me a fist bump. I obliged.
Azrael changed lanes. “Anyone else find it funny that Moloch was nothing more than a footnote to that video?”
“So funny,” Cassiel agreed.
Reuel nodded. “I’ll bet he’s going to be urinated.”
The entire car burst out laughing.
The restaurant was just as I remembered it. Trendy. Eclectic. Super Americana. And it smelled the closest to Eden as any place I’d been on Earth.
“How many?” the hostess asked just inside the front door.
“Six, maybe seven,” I answered with a gulp.
Azrael glanced over. “Think she’ll come?”
“No, but just in case.”
He looked at Adrianne. “Do you think Sloan will come?”
I was so desperate to know, I wondered if anyone might sense the anxiety radiating off me.
Adrianne shrugged. “I texted her, but she didn’t answer.”
Cassiel was watching me carefully. Then she put her hand on the small of my back. My heart rate slowed and the tense muscles at the base of my neck relaxed.
As much as I hated the Council’s ruling, and as much as I hated Cassiel being my unshakable shadow, it wasn’t all bad having her around. Reuel was great company, but Cassiel seemed to understand me.
She was also easy on the eyes, which was never a bad thing. NAG had given her a pair of black tactical cargoes and a loose gray T-shirt. It didn’t have quite the same effect as Fury’s suction-tight tank top (few outfits did), but now she looked like she belonged in civilized society and less like she was heading to the set of the next Lara Croft film.
I smiled, gratefully, at her. And she hooked her arm around mine.
The hostess led us to a round table tucked into a nook in the back corner of the room. I pulled out a chair.
Adrianne pointed to a seat across the table. “Save that corner seat facing out for Nathan. Otherwise, he’ll be looking over his shoulder the whole time at what’s happening behind him.”
“Why?” Cassiel asked, sitting next to me.
“It’s a cop thing,” Azrael answered.
“He’s a police officer too?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Not anymore.”
The waitress, a young redhead, stopped at our table. “Good mornin’, folks. What can I getcha to drink?” She looked at Adrianne first.
“Orange juice.”
“Same,” Cassiel said.
Azrael ordered coffee.
“Coffee for me too, please,” I said.
She looked at Reuel.
I started to answer for him. “He’ll have a—”
“I can order for myself,” he said with a wild grin.
I chuckled and balanced my elbows on the table. “That’s right, you can.”
The waitress was looking at us weird.
“I’ll have milk, chocolate.” He hovered his hand about a foot off the tabletop. “Big one.”
She smiled and scribbled on her notepad. “You got it.”
When she left, Adrianne shook her head. “It’s so strange hearing you talk, Reuel.”
“It’s really funny when he gets stuff wrong,” Azrael said, looking over his menu.
“What do you recommend ordering?” Cassiel asked me.
“Everything’s good.”
“My favorite is the Pecan Pie French Toast,” Adrianne told her. “Or the Carolina Steak and Eggs or any of the omelets. The biscuits are amazing too, with gobs of blackberry jam.”
I grinned. “Hungry, Adrianne?”
She stuck out her tongue at me. “Shut up, Warren. I’m eating for two.”
“When are you due?” Cassiel asked.
“August twenty-fourth.” She beamed at Azrael, who was scowling at Cassiel. “We just found out it’s a boy.”
“Congratulations,” Cassiel said. “Have you thought about names?”
Adrianne looked at Azrael. He gave a slight nod.
“We’ve talked about naming him Michael.” Adrianne smiled at me. “After his big brother.”
“Really?” I asked, sitting back in my chair.
Azrael put his arm around Adrianne. “If that’s OK with you.”
“Of course it is. I’m honored.”
“I never knew Michael was your middle name until Azrael recently told me,” Adrianne said.
“It’s more than a middle name.” Cassiel turned toward me. “That’s the name registered in Eden.”
“Like Sloan’s demon mom used to call her Praea?” Adrianne asked.
Azrael nodded. “Exactly. When an angel or Seramorta is created, they’re often give two names. One for Earth, and one for elsewhere.”
“Michael doesn’t sound like an angel name. Sounds like a human name,” Adrianne said.
“Very much so.” Cassiel leveled her gaze with Azrael across the table. “It’s been discussed if that was by design.”
“What do you mean?” I asked her.
Azrael spoke before she could. “She means she’s overthinking this as she does everything else. But I guess it is part of her job description.”
The waitress interrupted the conversation with our drinks. “Any questions about the menu?”
I was still staring at my father, and he was doing his best to avoid making eye contact. “I think we’re all ready to order,” he said, signaling the end of our conversation.
As I ordered the Shoo Mercy Omelette, a familiar sound turned my head toward the window. A moment later, a black Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat pulled into the parking lot.
My car.
I got up from my seat. “Excuse me.”
“Men and their toys,” Adrianne said as I walked to the restaurant’s front door.
Nathan was angling out of the driver’s seat when I walked outside. It appeared he was alone. I stood on the curb and crossed my arms. “I knew that sound a mile away. You here to rub it in?” I asked as he crossed the parking lot.
He tossed me the keys, and I caught them midair. “You said it had been a while since you’d ridden in a car. Thought you might like to drive one.”
I hooked the keyring over my middle finger and jingled them. “I wonder if I remember how.”
“Like riding a bike, my friend.”
“Nice hat,” I said, reading the “Zombie Response Team” patch on the front. “Speaking of zombies, you’re gonna love our story from Africa.”
“Ooo, can’t wait to hear it.” He took a step backward off the curb. “Come on, tell me about it while we cruise up the mountain and back.”
“Later. Maybe we can take the car over to see Shannon after breakfast. I need to check on that situation.”
“I’m sure Shannon would love to see us,” he said with a sarcastic laugh as we neared our group.
I thought of Cassiel. Nothing in me wanted to tell Cassiel about Shannon Green, Nathan’s ex. Much less did I want Cassiel to meet her. But given the circumstances, if there was a chance Shannon’s child was the Morning Star, I needed that information sooner rather than later.
Cassiel was watching through the window. “Not sure what to do about my warden though,” I said with a frustrated sigh.
“That woman you’re with?”
“Yeah.”
“She looks like an elf from Lord of the Rings,” he said quietly.
Couldn’t argue with that.
“Are you and her…?” He made a fist with one hand, then inserted his other index finger into it.
“Ha. She wishes.”
He laughed.
“Where’s the woman with you?”
“Sloan and I talked about her coming. Even called her dad to see if he could come hang out with Iliana.” He looked down at his boots. “But she decided at the last minute it probably wouldn’t be a good idea for anyone.” He grinned. “Least of all, me.”
I laughed to
cover the sadness surely etched in my eyes and turned toward the restaurant door. “No more issues at Echo-5?”
He opened the door and held it for me. “The rest of the night was quiet.”
“Thank the Father for that.”
“What’s your plan? You sticking around for a while?”
“Iliana’s safety is my priority, but as soon as we’re sure the compound is secure, I must go. I have some pressing matters to deal with.”
“The stuff with Samael?” he asked as we walked by the bar.
“Yes.” At least Nathan couldn’t tell when I wasn’t being completely honest.
He deserved to know the truth about the Council’s ruling against Iliana, but that didn’t mean I would actually tell him. Hopefully, I could find the Morning Star before Iliana’s birthday and change the Council’s mind, and no one would have to be the wiser.
Reuel, who was sitting at the end of the table, got up to let Nathan squeeze past him to the chair in the corner. I sat back down next to Cassiel.
In my absence, the waitress had delivered two baskets of biscuits: one for Reuel, and one for the rest of us.
Cassiel peeled one open, and steam rose off the fluffy, flaky insides. “This looks promising,” she said, reaching for the blackberry jam.
“Have you guys ordered?” Nathan asked, picking up the menu at his place.
“Yeah, we didn’t know when you’d be here,” Azrael said.
Adrianne looked over at Nathan. “How’s my goddaughter this morning?”
“She was still sleeping when I left. She is not a morning person, just like her mama.”
My heart twisted.
Cassiel picked up her biscuit and bit into it. Her eyes melted with delight. Then she slowly wiped buttery crumbs off the corners of her mouth. “OK. I’m a believer, not all food on Earth is pure kupai.”
I laughed and handed her a napkin.
Adrianne looked confused. “Kupai?”
“It means shit,” Azrael translated.
“Can I ask you a question?” Adrianne asked Cassiel.
Cassiel wiped her mouth and nodded her head. “Sure.”
“Azrael told me last night you are part of the group that made up the rule that angels can’t speak English. Why is that?”
“That’s a good question.” Cassiel put her napkin down beside her biscuit and folded her hands in her lap. “When angels were first sent to this planet, it was a safeguard to keep us from being too powerful here on Earth. It’s difficult to recruit followers if you’re unable to talk to them.”
