The City of Flame and Shadow

by Kim Richardson

  Alexa didn’t like the way he said power, like this new order of angels was stronger than the Legion. “Who’s in charge of The Order of the First?”

  Milo studied the empty chamber and then turned back to Alexa. “No one knows for sure. But I think it must be one of the senior angels, someone who’s been in service for a very, very long time. The High Council have a few of them under suspicion, but it could be any of them.”

  “What do you think?” Alexa knew to trust her angel instincts, and she knew it would be the same for Milo. “Do any of those names stand out? You must have an idea of who that might be.” She eyed him for a moment. “You do, don’t you? I can see it in your face. Tell me. What does your gut tell you?”

  “Nathaniel.” Milo’s voice was harsh, and his eyes flashed with sudden anger, the kind that had history.

  Alexa studied the tall, muscular angel as bitterness and rage flooded his features. He knew this angel personally, and he hated him.

  “Nathaniel,” said Alexa, tasting the name on her lips. “Tell me about him.” Alexa couldn’t help but be a little curious. She’d only seen that kind of anger on Milo’s face after Hades had mentioned who his father was.

  Milo was silent for so long that she wasn’t sure he’d ever speak again. “Nathaniel’s an ancient angel,” he began in a monotone voice. “Almost as old as the archangels. He was one of the first guardian angels created.”

  Alexa scowled. “I bet he’s the one who came up with the name The Order of the First.”

  Milo gave a small nod of his head. “I wouldn’t be surprised if it was him. It’s just like him to choose such a bold and self-righteous title. He always thought of himself as being above the other angels. He believed that being one of the first guardians gave him special privileges.”

  Alexa stared at Milo. “And did it?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “All angels are created equal in Horizon. No angel is above another.”

  “Really?” said Alexa, incredulous. “You’re forgetting the whole petty officer thing. If that were true, we’d be the same rank.”

  Milo shot Alexa a look of surprise. “I don’t mean equal as in ranks, although ranks are necessary here just like any administration, to set boundaries and to instruct and train rookies. I’m talking about angels who think they have claims over other angels because they’ve been in service longer, or just because they come from a long line of guardian angels. It doesn’t matter where you’re from—if you were born poor or rich, what your background was, the color of your skin, your sex—none of it matters. We’re all the same. We’re angels. We all have the same rights, same opportunities and the same training. We’re one big army geared towards the same goal—to guard and protect the lives of mortals.”

  Milo studied her intently, his expression stony and unreadable despite the storm raging in his dark eyes.

  “But this Nathaniel thinks otherwise,” said Alexa. “He believes that not all angels are created equal. Some are superior to others, and he is one of them.”

  “Exactly.” Milo gazed at her steadily. “I was surprised to hear that he didn’t join the first Cleansing when it happened. Maybe he didn’t agree with Asmodeus’ methods. I don’t know. He’s still on the list of names the High Council mentioned during the meeting, but they’re not all convinced it’s him.”

  Alexa stared at Milo, her mind reeling. “So, what happened between the two of you?”

  Milo looked away from her. His frown deepened but he didn’t answer.

  From the tension in his shoulders, Alexa knew he wouldn’t tell her, at least not yet. Instead she said, “But you think it’s him.”

  “I do.”

  “Well, whoever this Nathaniel is,” said Alexa, glowering. “He couldn’t have picked a worse time to try and divide the Legion.”

  “He’s already divided us.”

  Alexa gripped her hands into fists. “It’s almost as though they did this on purpose. Like they timed it perfectly with Hades’ ascension from the Netherworld, waiting until our backs were turned. We should go and bring them back by force. Fight them. Take down this Nathaniel character. I’m sure some of the angels are just confused, brainwashed because their minds are weak. They’ll be all right once they see reason.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” said Milo, looking grim. “It was discussed in the meeting, but the Legion’s first and foremost mandate is to protect human life. What we saw in that nightclub is just the beginning of Hades’ madness. More and more reports of heightened demon activity are coming in. It’s in every major city in the world. And it’s growing.”

  “We should have stopped him from getting the helm,” said Alexa as the image of Hades putting on the Helm of Darkness and then vanishing in a shimmer flashed in her mind’s eye. She felt sick. “If I had used my gift on Hades—”

  “It’s too late for that now,” said Milo. “But Hades’ threat is pressing.” He glanced around, as if he half-expected to see the black shadow of Hades hulking toward him. “The other units will be back soon. I wanted to find you before they came.”

  “Really, why’s that?”

  “I have news you might find interesting.”

  Alexa perked up. “Like what?”

  “As you know, the Legion’s resources are divided,” Milo began. “They don’t have the necessary resources to fight Hades. And by the time the new rookies are trained and ready for duty—it’ll be too late.”

  “So, what exactly are you saying?” Alexa’s mind was whirling and she tried to speak calmly. “We’re just going to give up? Let Hades win?”

  A look of annoyance flashed across Milo’s face. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. If you let me finish before interrupting, I can tell you.”

  Alexa raised an eyebrow, as she would to a child who’d said something stupid. To complete the look of annoyance, she crossed her arms over her chest, glowering.

  “Because of the lack of resources,” continued Milo, his voice tense. “The Legion has no other choice but to ask for help from the humans.”

  “You mean the Sensitives?”

  “Exactly,” said Milo. “With our numbers failing, we’re going to need help if we want to defeat Hades and the recently roused Greater demons, not to mention the new threat of the belphegor demons. Apparently, the belphegors have taken an interest in Sensitive safe houses. There have already been ten attacks, including the one on Hallow Hall.”

  A knot of dread formed in Alexa’s chest at the mention of that particular safe house. She couldn’t help but think of Erik—and the kiss they’d shared—as well as the others from Hallow Hall. The attacks had caused a rift between her and Erik. Something had broken. But after all she’d seen and suffered, she wasn’t sure she wanted to repair it.

  Alexa could feel Milo’s eyes on her. She knew he was watching her for a reaction, a sign that would tell him if she was still in love with the mortal. Not that it was any of his business, and not that it had ever even been love—more of an infatuation. From the little she knew of Milo, he was probably making sure she was fit for duty. That her resolve was sound, so she could focus on the job and not be distracted by Erik’s muscled chest.

  It was even more apparent when she met his eyes. His face held traces of uncertainty, like he was still unsure about her, but she also saw a hint of worry. Then it was gone so fast, part of her thought she’d imagined it.

  Why would Milo even care what Alexa thought of Erik? Did he think she was so weak she might break down if faced with him again? She’d been humiliated enough. She would not break.

  Milo fell silent. It was clear from the look on his face, some kind of struggle was taking place inside him.

  “What?” she said, her voice rising in irritation. She resisted the urge to grab his shoulders and shake him. “Either there’s something on my face or you’re not telling me something—”

  “I can tell you for sure, there’s nothing on your face,” interrupted the female angel, “so there’s definitely something he
’s not telling you.”

  Alexa had forgotten about her. She’d probably listened to their entire conversation. But when Alexa shot her another glare, the angel pressed her lips together and gave her a suit-yourself kind of look before turning away.

  Milo looked like he was caught between a smile and a frown. “The Legion called an emergency meeting with the Heads of the North American Division. Which is unheard of. The Legion usually only communicates with the Sensitives through House Ramiel.”

  Alexa pressed her hands on her hips. “And?”

  “And,” said Milo, as he thrust his hands into the pockets of his pants, “the meeting’s taking place in New York. You and I, fledgling, have been summoned.”

  CHAPTER 5

  THE EMERGENCY MEETING WAS HELD in a large, five-story private residence brownstone on Hancock Street in Brooklyn, New York. According to Milo, the home had once been a nursing home, which the Sensitives had bought twenty-five years ago and converted into a safe house, the closest one to Manhattan.

  Although they had been summoned with other angels and archangels, Ariel had advised them to travel separately. Ariel and the other archangels would go first.

  At first, Alexa had welcomed the noise and bustle of Brooklyn, where she was forced to think about other things. But each time she made a trip to the mortal world, it also brought a sense of sorrow. The ache in the pit of her core couldn’t be filled no matter how many times she tried to convince herself that she was an angel now and her past mortal life had no meaning. She didn’t even remember it.

  Because it did have meaning.

  Without a past, Alexa felt like a newborn creature, opening its eyes in an unfamiliar world and seeing everything for the first time. Free from conflicting emotions. There were no unknowns to frighten her, but she still felt empty, felt a hollow in her core.

  There was always that lingering feeling of something missing.

  It felt wrong. She felt wrong.

  The large brownstone was just as impressive and lavish on the inside as the outside. Alexa followed Milo in through a set of grand oak doors set with stained glass windows. Her boots were cushioned with lush Persian rugs while soft golden light spilled from a magnificent crystal chandelier. Through the foyer, they were met by a grand staircase that disappeared toward the top floors, all lined with gilded wooden rails and spindles. Heat was everywhere, when a blink ago the streets in Brooklyn had been covered in cold and wet snow. The traffic on Hancock Street outside was a soft murmur.

  And just like Hallow Hall, the brownstone was embellished with archangel sigils.

  Instead of tile floors like in the hotel, the floor was hardwood and had brilliant sigils painted every few feet. They were everywhere—on the drapery, chairs, and sofas, even painted over the walls.

  With that warmth and the hope of help from the Sensitives, Alexa began to think she had a chance at vanquishing Hades and getting her memories back. Her mood took a definite upturn.

  “Is the Elders’ Guild going to attend?” whispered Alexa, afraid that speaking too loudly would only make them appear suddenly. She flinched inwardly at the thought of those creepy elders in their white robes, their faces lined with age but still possessing unnaturally strong and younger bodies. Her stomach clenched when she thought of the twisted, haggard features of Elder Hugo. He had sentenced them both to die an angel’s true death by keeping them from returning to Horizon. Their bodies would have eventually deteriorated in a slow and painful death.

  “The Guild has refused to get involved,” said Milo as he sauntered forward.

  “Refused to get involved?” Alexa raised her voice. “They’re already involved. They were involved the minute they tricked us and tried to kill us by locking us up in their creepy dungeon. They knew what Hades was looking for all along. They could have done the right thing and saved us a trip to that Icicle Fortress.”

  “Icefall Castle.”

  “Whatever,” growled Alexa. “So, they’re just going to hide away in their castle while the rest of the world is fighting demons? Cowards. They’re all cowards.”

  “I never thought you’d be so anxious to see Elder Nicholas again,” said Milo with a satisfied smile, “after what happened.”

  “I’m not,” said Alexa quickly. “But don’t they care about what’s happening? I mean—they’re creepy, freakishly creepy—but they can fight. They have skills we could use. Maybe they could train some of the mortals?”

  Milo cast her a sidelong glance. “Maybe. But it’s more than that.”

  “What is?”

  “They blame us for losing the Helm of Darkness to Hades after they’d protected it all those years. They claim they didn’t want to reveal their secrets for this very reason. In case we lost the helm.”

  Alexa exhaled. “Well, they’re right about that. We did lose it.”

  “We did,” agreed Milo. “It seems they want nothing to do with us and think we should fix our own mess. I don’t know. Maybe they’re not the sort to get involved. Maybe they just prefer to stay secluded and ignorant of what’s happening. Or maybe they regret what they’ve done and just can’t face the Legion right now.”

  “You think that if it makes you feel better.” Alexa smiled inwardly when she remembered the hard slap she’d given Elder Nicholas as he’d cowered in a corner. She was almost sorry she wouldn’t see him again.

  “I was thinking about this meeting between the two groups,” said Alexa, breaking the silence again.

  Milo stopped and looked at her. “What about?”

  “Well, after the attacks on Hallow Hall, I saw real hate in their eyes. You were there. You saw what the Sensitives did. They weren’t keen on helping us. It was almost like they didn’t want to tell us about the Deus Septem.”

  “A very natural reaction after what happened to them. Don’t you think?” said Milo. “They felt betrayed by the Legion. They’d just lost members of their family. They were still in shock. They didn’t know who to trust after angels attacked them.”

  “I know,” said Alexa. “That’s just it. What if the Sensitives don’t want to help? Can the Legion force them?”

  Milo didn’t answer right away. “The attack on Hallow Hall should never have happened. But it did. I know it’s going to take a lot of convincing, but it’s not like they have any choice either. This world is as much a part of them as it is a part of us. They have an obligation to protect it, just like we do. And right now, they have the numbers we need, not to mention the advantages of being mortal.”

  Alexa couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t answer her question. “Do they know about The Order of the First?”

  “If they don’t already know,” answered Milo. “They will soon. A big part of this meeting is because the order divided the Legion and left us hanging. We need their help.”

  Alexa took an unnecessarily deep breath and asked the question she had been obsessing over since she found out about this emergency meeting.

  “Are any other guardian angels attending this meeting?”

  Milo shook his head. “Not that I know of.”

  Alexa frowned. “So, it’s just us?” A cold feeling washed through her. Was she going to be blamed for the attacks on Hallow Hall? At first, Alexa had felt partly responsible for Ryan killing all those mortals because she’d thought Hades had sent them after her. But Ryan hadn’t been there for her. He’d been sent for the Deus Septem.

  That left only one other reason she would be called to this emergency meeting, and that was her new gift—her soul channeling.

  But then why would the Sensitives be involved? What did they have to do with it?

  “What is it?” Milo watched her, his eyes intense. He stepped closer to her until she could smell the leather of his jacket and the steel of his swords. With his handsome face and golden-brown skin, he’d drawn almost every woman’s eye on the way here. Not that Alexa had noticed.

  “Why are you so quiet all of a sudden when a few seconds ago you were full of questions? What�
��s going on in that head of yours?”

  “Nothing,” said Alexa after a moment, hating how perceptive he was. She didn’t want Milo to think she was a basket case or that she was afraid to speak in a room full of people. She was an angel. Immortal. She fought demons as her day job. But there was something about this meeting that had her on edge.

  Milo dipped his head closer to her. “That frown on your face suggests otherwise. Tell me.”

  Alexa unexpectedly found herself opening up to him. “Don’t you think it’s odd that we’re the only angels attending this meeting?”

  Milo shrugged. “Not really.” His eyes lit up suddenly, and he stood a little straighter—maybe a little taller—in the stance of a proud man. “If anything, I take it as a real compliment. It says the Legion trusts us with its most delicate affairs.”

  But Alexa wasn’t convinced. “I don’t know… it feels odd to me. More like an ambush.”

  A smile pulled at the edges of Milo’s lips. “It’s not an ambush. It’s a meeting.”

  Alexa raised her brows and resisted the urge to push him. “There can be an ambush in a meeting.”

  “I don’t know why you’re acting this way,” said Milo. “Unless there’s something else that’s bothering you?”

  Alexa knew exactly what he was implying. She tried hard to ignore the heat that rose from her neck to her face. “I just think it’s strange that we’re the only two angels, at a supposedly very important meeting. If I were on the High Council, I wouldn’t summon the angel-me to any meeting. Not unless I wanted something from me…or I wanted to ambush me…okay, this is getting confusing. Don’t you get it? I have a bad feeling about this, and I can’t shake it off.”

  “I think you’re overthinking things again.” Milo looked up towards the staircase and contemplation covered his features. “I guess we’ll find out when they call us in the meeting.”

  Alexa opened her mouth but quickly closed it. She could see how much he wanted to believe his own words, how important it still was to him to be on the Legion’s good side.