Anjali looked around, half expecting an ambush. “What has happened? Has Mark been here?”
“Mark said someone attacked Michael but he was unconscious when they found him. They are looking for the one responsible. All fingers are pointing to you since he was hit by lightning, but they don’t have proof, yet. We all assumed that you fought Michael to save Alazar. They haven’t officially charged you, but given that you have taken a Rogue as your servant, they won’t bother to charge you, they will just kill you on sight,” Hades huffed. Merely speaking to the girl could seal his fate.
“For the record, Michael attacked me first. I was following him and he jumped me, broke my neck, and tied me to a tree. I broke free and found him moments before he took Alazar’s head,” Anjali put her hands defiantly on her hips.
“That sounds like something Michael would do. Be lucky that he didn’t kill you instead. Regardless of what happened, I should take you both into custody and inform the Council that you have been apprehended,” Hades sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He didn’t need this complication and the stress associated with it.
“Or I could snap your neck and tie you to a tree,” Alazar whispered from behind Hades.
Hades froze. Shit. He’d allowed Death to sneak up on him. He hated when Alazar put him at a disadvantage. He blamed his errant mind, which was busy trying to reconcile whether he should help Lady Black or save his own ass.
“Alazar, enough. Hades, you are going to let us go. Maraquette has gone rogue and is the one responsible for the death I blamed on Alazar. Do you remember what I told you I would do if I found out that Maraquette was responsible for Aganon’s attack? Do you really want to stand in my way?” Anjali replied coldly. She didn’t need Hades finding out about Derick. He would undoubtedly use Derick against her.
Hades certainly didn’t want to stand in the way of a raging Destroyer. He knew the girl would succeed against Maraquette, especially with Death by her side, but he was still concerned about the Council’s reaction to her attack on Michael. Thinking about the bigger prize of Maraquette dangling in the Hall of Shadows, he decided to let her go.
Hades huffed. “Fine, since you broke the Rusalka’s hold over me, I will return the favor and give you time to sort out this mess, but don’t expect anything else from me. You’d better find Maraquette and prove Alazar’s innocence before the Council finds you both.”
“I still say we should tie him up,” Alazar smirked, sizing Hades up.
“Come Alazar, we don’t have time for games,” Anjali walked past Hades.
Alazar tapped his foot contemplating what he should do. Deciding that he now had all the time in the world to make Hades’ life miserable, he turned and followed his Master.
“I see she’s already got you on a short leash. Heel boy! Sit! Stay!” Hades said mockingly.
“Be lucky that he listens to me; otherwise, he would have killed you by now. Think about all the terrible things that you did to Alazar in my absence, Hades, and pray for mercy,” Anjali replied just before she disappeared.
Hades flinched, but didn’t say anything. Lucifer was right; their treatment of the Predznak might finally bite them in the ass.
Alazar flipped Hades off with both hands and disappeared.
Hades needed an alibi if Lady Black failed to clear Alazar’s name. He didn’t need to be the last one to see her if she were to be captured. As much as he hated it, being tied up might be the best solution. How could he have spoken to Lady Black when he was hanging in the Hall of Torment? Pissing Lucifer off wouldn’t be too hard a task, given his terrible mood. He knew it was a horrible day when an ass-kicking was the best way to stay alive.
∞
Michael opened his eyes and saw the warm glow of his bedside lamp, which was a far better sight than the night sky over Romania. He remembered the sound of thunder rolling overhead and the blinding streaks of electricity in the air. He tentatively moved his wings, but stopped when the pain overwhelmed him.
He was grateful to be in his own bed. Not only was it more comfortable than the infirmary, but it meant that he wasn’t badly injured. The room was dark, aside from the small pocket of light coming from the lamp. Shuffling to his left indicated that he wasn’t alone. Someone was standing nearby, tending to him.
“I’m glad to see you’re awake,” a warm voice welcomed him.
Normally, Michael would be happy to hear Gabriel’s voice by his side, but not today. He knew it didn’t bode well that Gabriel was waiting for him to awaken.
“I can’t say the same. My wings are damaged,” Michael groaned, hoping to elicit some sympathy.
“I can imagine. You took a pretty good hit. Can you tell me what happened?” Gabriel came into view and sat on the edge of his bed.
Michael put together the pieces of the day’s occurrences and tried to think of the best way to defend his actions. At the time, he’d been sure of his motives and deeds, but now, seeing Gabriel, Anjali’s protector and guardian, his deeds seemed less than honorable.
“Your daughter attacked me,” Michael said quickly.
“She used her power?” Gabriel asked quietly.
“Yes. A storm appeared out of nowhere and filled the sky with rain, wind, and lightning. There was nowhere to turn to escape the tempest. I was knocked off course. The rain soaked my wings immediately and it became harder to stay in the air. Electricity arced all around me, striking me, and forcing me to the ground. I had no recourse from the air. I fell to the ground and that’s all I remember before waking up here,” Michael was careful to recount the parts that wouldn’t land him in trouble.
“I see. That sounds terrible. I’m so sorry that you had to endure that. Did you actually see my daughter?” Gabriel asked carefully.
Michael hesitated. He knew Gabriel would see through the holes in his story. “No, I didn’t, but I felt a power in the air, much like I have felt before when the Destroyer has lost control,” Michael spoke honestly.
“Did she say anything to you?” Gabriel asked. He remained motionless on the bed.
“No. Not a word,” Michael replied.
“So you were attacked while simply flying through the air alone?” Gabriel asked incredulously.
Michael heard another shuffle from somewhere else in the room. It was obvious they weren’t alone, but he didn’t know who else was present, which made him nervous.
“No, I was not alone. I had captured Alazar and was about to take his head,” Michael knew there was nothing wrong with killing Alazar, but it would doom the Destroyer without actually accusing her of anything.
“What happened to Alazar?” Gabriel asked, concerned.
“He fell from my grasp into a lake. I don’t know what happened after that,” Michael replied matter-of-factly.
“I see. You apprehended Alazar and were attacked by a force that you assume was Anjali. Did you have any encounters with Anjali prior to capturing Alazar?” Gabriel asked.
Michael swore to himself. Leave it Gabriel to know exactly what he shouldn’t ask. He hated lying to his brother, but he wasn’t sure what his reaction to the truth would be.
“She tried to follow me. I feared for her safety and didn’t want Alazar to use her against the Council or me. He was considered dangerous and I didn’t want him playing upon her sympathies only to harm her. I was looking out for her best interest,” Michael said quickly.
“What did you do to keep her safe?” Gabriel’s voice grew very quiet.
“I rendered her unconscious and secured her to a nearby tree to keep her out of harm’s way. She must have broken loose and found me,” Michael winced when he relayed the information.
“I see. You attacked the Destroyer without provocation, all in an attempt to keep her safe. I fear what you would have done if you had intended on harming her. You’re sure that she didn’t speak to you?” Gabriel wouldn’t look at him, which was an ominous sign.
“I didn’t give her the chance,” Michael whispered, knowing that he was in trouble
. He could cut Alazar into a thousand pieces, but picking a fight with the Destroyer was a separate issue.
“I see. Well, had you allowed her speak, she would have told you that she came to me and explained that she had mistakenly accused Alazar of murder and found out that he was innocent. I have verified her claims and found the soul of the boy who was murdered. Alazar had no part in his death. I have spent the last few hours explaining to the Council what happened, in the hopes of reversing the decision against Alazar. That was until we found you unconscious. The proceedings were halted to give us time to speak to you. Had Alazar attacked you, the Council would’ve had no choice but to allow his death,” Gabriel sighed.
Michael grimaced. He wondered why Alazar had accepted his death so easily until his master showed up. Alazar knew if he resisted capture, the Council would never believe his innocence. “Alazar didn’t fight me when I captured him. He went with me willingly, having accepted the Council’s sentence. It was only after the storm had started that Alazar hit me in the face, causing me to drop him,” Michael scowled knowing that he’d just lost the battle.
“Then we must find Anjali to find out why she attacked you, if she was indeed responsible,” Gabriel replied as he stood up. He sounded disappointed, though Michael wasn’t sure who he was disappointed with, him or his daughter.
Michael quickly thought of a way to get back on Gabriel’s good side. “We have another problem. It’s possible that Maraquette may have gone rogue and is plotting against your daughter.”
Gabriel turned and stared at Michael while Raphael and Adrian stepped forward into view.
“Why do you think Maraquette is plotting against my daughter?” Gabriel grew cold waiting for the answer. No one in the room knew of Aganon’s attack by Maraquette’s request, nor did they know that Anjali was the blood servant of Lucifer. Gabriel had sworn to Lucifer not to tell anyone, unless it was imperative to bring it to light.
“When I found Alazar, he was injured and hiding in the woods of Romania. He was with a mortal who appeared to be helping him. I don’t know who he was, but the boy mentioned that Maraquette had lured him and his friends to Romania in an attempt to draw out the Destroyer and kill her while letting Alazar take the fall. Alazar had a chest wound from what may have been a gun and was locked in Celestial Bonds. At the time, I didn’t believe the boy since my orders were clear: find, and capture Alazar. I presumed that one of my warriors had put the bonds on Alazar and feared that my warrior was dead. Looking back at all that has happened, it’s possible that the boy was telling the truth. I spoke to a mortal at the castle where a death had recently occurred and the woman mentioned that a red-haired angel had the killed boy, not Death. I thought she was insane, but perhaps she was right,” Michael was desperate to regain the favor of his brother to avoid punishment. He didn’t need a trip to the Realm of Fire with Lucifer watching him burn.
“Who was this boy that you met in the woods?” Gabriel stalked closer, pinning him with his stare.
“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him before, but Alazar warned me not to harm the boy. He said that he held the Destroyer’s favor and she would be angry with me if he were harmed. I remember the boy saying something about Spirit Experts,” Michael shrugged. In his defense, he had no way of knowing that the boy was telling the truth.
Gabriel shifted uncomfortably. “I believe the boy was telling the truth. This is not the first time Maraquette has attacked my daughter. I didn’t mention it prior to this because I wasn’t positive that Maraquette was responsible. Now I am. She sent Aganon to kill Anjali in the Hall of Mirrors a few months ago. He nearly succeeded. Lucifer saved Anjali by binding her to him. She is now his blood servant,” Gabriel could hear the gasps fill the room as he spoke. So much for getting Michael in trouble, he was now in deeper than Michael was.
Raphael was outraged that Gabriel had kept this information a secret. “Gabriel, you should have told us immediately. If Maraquette has done all this, then she is indeed a Rogue, but more importantly, we can no longer trust the Destroyer if she is bound to Lucifer. How do we know that she will not submit to his will and lash out against us and the Mortal Realm?” Raphael was terrified by the thought of the Destroyer becoming a Rogue.
“Calm yourself, Raphael. My daughter has a strong will and mind. She would never allow Lucifer to sway her to harm innocent people. As I have explained to you before, she calms him like no other. I have seen the effects myself. Father’s light inside of her strips away his darkness and he remembers his duties. She will not fall victim to him. Had I thought her capable of succumbing to Lucifer’s whims, I would have never made the deal that you sanctioned,” Gabriel knew he was hitting below the belt by reminding Raphael that the Council was more than happy to allow the Destroyer to rot away in Hell because they considered her a threat.
Michael tried to sit up, but fell back down. He had trouble sounding offended while lying down and in pain. “You should have told us, Gabriel. She will need to be watched at all times to make sure that she remains strong against the evils of Lucifer,” Michael had no idea Gabriel’s error in judgment would overshadow is own faux pas so nicely. While he was grateful for Gabriel’s unintended diversion, he was horrified that Lucifer now had direct control over the Destroyer. He had originally objected to Anjali’s descent into Hell, but this complicated matters greatly.
“My daughter is not the problem here. We need to find Maraquette and to do so we need to locate Alazar. I have a feeling he will know where she is hiding,” Gabriel said quickly.
“I would go, but I am currently in no shape. Let me call General Tabbris and explain the situation. I will have the Celestial Warriors search for Maraquette,” Michael said. He let the issue of Anjali being Lucifer’s blood servant drop for the time being to avoid a fight.
Adrian put his hand on Michael’s arm. “Stay still before you hurt yourself further. The Council will reconvene and declare Maraquette a Rogue, based on the evidence. We will reassign the Celestial Warriors to hunt Maraquette. I will personally speak to General Tabbris. He has just returned from Rome and is eager to start a new assignment.”
Michael nodded his head and leaned back into his bed. He would keep an eye on Gabriel’s daughter henceforth and be there if she stepped out of line.
The Council Members spoke quickly amongst themselves and set off to start Maraquette’s trial. Gabriel followed behind them, but stopped to look at Michael over his shoulder.
“I pity the man that tries to keep a true Master and servant apart. They will do anything to find each other. Please do not be angry with her for what she has done. It is in her blood to find the Predznak and bind them to her. The attack was not personal. Of course, you may want to tread more carefully in the future when dealing with a creature that holds limitless power. I wouldn’t want to see you fatally injured, dear brother,” Gabriel nodded his head to Michael and closed the door behind him.
Michael was angry that Gabriel had the audacity to ask for forgiveness for his daughter, while at the same time warning him to treat the Destroyer with care. Only a father could do both and sound convincing. While he understood why Anjali had attacked him, he refused to forgive her for nearly killing him. It was further proof that she didn’t have control over her power. A single lightning bolt would have sufficed. She could have destroyed the entire countryside with her “limitless power” just to save her servant. As always, the Destroyer was at the top of his watch list, right alongside her Blood Master, Lucifer.
Chapter 19
“I swear this is the spot where I last saw Derick,” Alazar looked around helplessly. He hadn’t expected Derick to sit around on a log waiting to see if he escaped from the big scary sword-wielding angel, but he had hoped to follow some sort of breadcrumb trail. He had no idea how to track a single mortal. That was Balthazar’s specialty.
Evening was upon them again as the sun descended in the pink and blue sky. There was just enough light shining through the trees to inspect the area.
“There’s blood on this rock,” Anjali crouched low, examining the ground.
“I was over here by this fallen log. It must be the kid’s blood. Now that I think about it, Michael tossed him pretty hard, he might have hit his head,” Alazar quickly turned to make sure that Anjali didn’t lose control of her anger. He was relieved to see that she was calm, though visibly upset.
“Do you think Maraquette found him?” Anjali prayed that Derick was lost in the woods, but she had to be realistic. The obsessed angel would be searching for him so that she could complete her plan.
“If she has him, then we’ll be walking right into a trap. You should know something. Maraquette has been a Rogue for a long time, regardless of the Council’s lack of ruling. Once an angel turns their heart against God, there is no going back. Their spirit is gone and God holds no power over them. That means I have no power over Maraquette. I can only tempt people who are still capable of loving God. Once they have eliminated Him from their hearts forever, I can’t do anything to them. Even truly evil mortals still hold some spark of love for God, but the Rogues abandon Him completely. That doesn’t mean I can’t kill her with my hands, but my power is useless. There’s no fear of repercussion to tempt her with,” Alazar wanted Anjali to know what they were dealing with. He relied so heavily on his power, he wasn’t sure he would be of much help to her.
“I’m glad you told me, but I knew this wouldn’t come down to you tempting her to kill herself. She’s too strong-willed for that. She’s on a mission. If she loves Lucifer as much as you say, I doubt even your power could convince her to give up her happily ever after scenario,” she sighed.
She thought about what Alazar said about a Rogue turning his heart against God. She paused when she realized that Alazar had referred to his Father as God, something angels rarely did, unless they were describing God to an outsider. “Since when do you refer to your Heavenly Father as God? All the other times you’ve spoken about Him, you’ve called Him Father,” Anjali turned to look at him, curious about the name change.
The Third Throne: Angel of Death Page 51
