Angels Falling

by Harriet Carlton

  Then they were on the ground. Imorean swayed on his feet. Exhaustion reared up inside him now. He wanted to sleep. There were other people near them. Imorean smiled as his squad arrived. Roxy was on him, pulling him into a tight hug and speaking in his ear. He heard her words, but couldn’t understand them. It was as though they had been spoken in another language.

  “He needs rest,” said Gabriel.

  Imorean looked up at him. Why could he understand Gabriel and not Roxy? He turned back to Roxy as she took his hand and led him away from Gabriel. Dimly, he saw Baxter, Bethany, Ryan and Kadia. Kadia and Bethany were still tied together. Imorean inclined his head. Why? Nothing made sense. Roxy pushed a pill and a bottle of water into his hands. She spoke to him. Imorean stared at her. Her words hadn’t made sense.

  “Take.”

  The vague thought came from Gabriel. Imorean did as he was asked and looked back at the temple. This made no sense. He was dopey and confused, all senses burned out. Exhausted.

  Chapter 42

  Awareness and consciousness came in slow waves. Imorean coughed as he came awake. His throat felt raw. He rolled over. Sunlight just pierced the trees. He looked down. Someone had put him in a hammock. It hung only a foot or two above the ground.

  “Oh, thank God you’re alive.”

  Imorean looked up. Baxter was staring at him in utter relief.

  “What’s going on? What happened?” asked Imorean. He coughed and rubbed a hand along his throat. His voice sounded rough and ragged.

  “Lots of Archangel stuff …” said Baxter, his eyes darting away.

  Imorean blinked at Baxter and sat up. He groaned as stars danced in front of his eyes. He rubbed them hard. The world beyond the tree line caught his attention. His mouth fell open in horror. The temple where they had fought the gods the night before had crumbled. Rubble had caved into a wide crack in the ground. It was ruined. Razed. The stones themselves were smoking, charred. In the center of the plaza, sat the group of tourists. Imorean spotted Gabriel sitting on the lowest steps of a nearby temple, talking to them. They all listened with rapt attention. Unnatural.

  “You were supposed to tell us when he got up.”

  Baxter held up his hands in immediate surrender. “Sorry. If it’s any consolation, he’s just woken up.”

  Imorean turned and grinned. Roxy stood almost behind him. “Hey.”

  “How are you feeling?” she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  “Where’s Kadia?” interrupted Baxter.

  “She’s watching Bethany. She’d probably like some company,” replied Roxy.

  Baxter nodded once then moved away through the trees. Imorean glanced at Roxy. It was just him and her now.

  “So …?” asked Roxy.

  Imorean cleared his throat again. “I think I’m okay.”

  “Thank God. It was a rough night.”

  “Roxy, what happened?” Imorean swallowed. What had he done?

  “You … well, I guess the best way to say it is that you ‘Archangeled’ out.”

  He smiled, trying to lighten the mood. “Archangling is a verb now?”

  “Don’t laugh,” said Roxy. Imorean met her eyes. “It was scary. Like you levelled up or something.”

  “What was? I still don’t know what happened.”

  Roxy didn’t reply. Imorean looked down as she rested a hand on one of his own. Horror. Both his hands were bandaged. White gauze stretched around the palms and up each individual finger. A tremble seized him. Nausea swept his stomach. He raised his hands. They were shaking.

  Roxy steadied them, but when she spoke, her voice was trembling. “You pretty much burst into flame, Imorean. Eyes, hands, wings … everything. You set the temple on fire. Even the stones were burning. Set Tezcatlipoca on fire – scorched half his face off. Then in the middle of it all, you went down. Just collapsed. Gabriel had to zap in and back out twice to get the headdress, then you. You couldn’t … you couldn’t even understand English when you got back out. I thought you were going to die.”

  Imorean sighed and put his arm around her shoulders. He didn’t need the senses of an Archangel to feel how distraught Roxy was. “Hey. Don’t worry. I’m still here, aren’t I? I’m still alive.”

  Roxy spun and grabbed his wrists. He was taken aback by the ferocity in her eyes.

  “Yes, you are. But for how long, Imorean? How many more times am I going to have to wonder if you’ve died? You got attacked by a Hellhound last fall, Vortigern kidnapped you in the winter, Uriel chased you across half of Iceland this spring. Michael dragged you off to the Norse gods and a giant wolf nearly ate you. You were attacked by a Hellhound again just weeks ago. Now this.”

  Imorean saw tears gathering in the corners of Roxy’s eyes and pulled her in tight against his chest. Her voice was muffled when she spoke again.

  “I couldn’t bear to lose you, Imorean. Please, I’m begging you, be more careful.”

  Imorean sighed. “I’m trying, Roxy. I have no idea why everything that happened on the temple top did. I don’t know how these powers work.”

  Imorean looked up as a shadow fell across him and Roxy. Gabriel. He looked more like Michael than ever. Imorean reached out as Gabriel passed his sword to him.

  “How are the tourists?” asked Imorean, buckling the weapon back across his shoulders.

  “Coping,” replied Gabriel. “I’m getting them to believe that all of this has been part of the tour. Not the best way of doing things, I know, but it’s the best I can do.”

  Roxy looked up. “Getting them to believe this has been part of the tour? How?”

  Gabriel grimaced. “Every Archangel has a special power. Michael’s is being an incredible soldier and at times an incredible prick, but that’s beside the point. Raphael is a healer of the highest caliber. Uriel is the best metal-smith I’ve ever known. It’s thanks to him that we even have our swords. And me … well, I’ve got the gift of gab and illusions. I can manipulate people, make them believe things, cast the occasional illusion, but really my gift is talk. Comes in handy with situations like this.”

  Imorean glared. “Don’t tell me that’s how you got with my mom.”

  Gabriel laughed softly and grinned. “No. I’m shocked you think I’d do something like that. I don’t use it nearly as much as I used to. I learned early on that it can cause a lot of damage if used too liberally. It works best if used in situations like this. These people need to believe something other than the horror they’ve undergone. We’ll get them back to Mexico City tonight, then head back up to Felsenmeer.”

  “Are they going to be okay?” asked Imorean, nodding at the tourists. They were all staring after Gabriel with rapt attention.

  Gabriel clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers. The tourists relaxed, and one by one, began to look around and stand up. Easy chatter started up amongst them. Imorean couldn’t help but smile. The tour group was safe. They weren’t going to be sacrificed and he and his squad had gotten what they came for.

  “They’ll be fine, don’t worry. Have you seen your wrist?” asked Gabriel.

  Imorean furrowed his brow and glanced down at his wrist. The skin there was livid red, welted and angry. It was a perfect mirror for the shape of his watch, which was missing. Again.

  “Where’s my watch?” he asked, looking between Roxy and Gabriel.

  “Practically had to tear your skin off to get it off you. He should have used snowflake obsidian. I told him that,” sighed Gabriel, fishing through one of the pockets of his AL Pack.

  “What’s the difference?” asked Roxy, sitting up.

  “This isn’t an ordinary watch,” said Gabriel, pulling the timepiece out and holding it like it would bite.

  “Yeah, thought not. Why else would Michael give me a gift? Spit it out, Gabriel,” said Imorean, taking his watch.

  “That watch is made mostly out of obsidian, an igneous rock. Obsidian only comes from volcanoes. When made the way Michael designed it and with the tweaks that he and Uriel ma
de to it, it acts like a conductor for your powers. It makes them easier for you to reach. I told him that solid black obsidian would be too powerful and that snowflake obsidian would be a gentler conductor. It would ease you into using your powers. But did he listen? Pfft. No. He never does.”

  Imorean looked between the watch, Gabriel and the ruined temples, and his thoughts darted to what Roxy had said he’d done to Tezcatlipoca. “You mean, my watch did that?”

  “Ah … not exactly. It made it easier for you to reach your abilities, but the raw power … well, that’s all you.”

  Imorean swallowed hard and stood up, fiddling with his watch through bandaged fingers. Gabriel stepped closer.

  “Fire is the most temperamental of all the elements an Archangel can have. You don’t have anyone to teach you how to manipulate it. Having your power be explosive like this is to be expected.”

  Imorean forced a smile and flared his wings. “I guess I’ll figure it out.”

  Gabriel offered a small, sympathetic smile. “I know. I just wish you didn’t have to. Come on. We need to figure out what to do with Bethany and Tezcatlipoca.”

  Imorean fell into step next to Gabriel, Roxy appearing on his other side. “Bethany and Tezcatlipoca?”

  “Oh, yes,” said Gabriel, smiling grimly. “Bethany’s arrival you already know. Tezcatlipoca fell from the temple top after you set it – and him – on fire. He was the only one of the gods that made it out. He’s injured, but alive.”

  Imorean looked away, a sudden, hot sweep of guilt crashing through his veins. Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli were dead. Huitzilopochtli had been killed by Bethany, but Tlaloc? Had he done it? Had the fire he supposedly commanded killed him? He steeled himself as his squad, Bethany, and Tezcatlipoca drew into view. The Aztec god’s eyes were closed. He seemed asleep. Bethany was tied back to back with him.

  “Good morning, guys,” said Imorean, walking up to Baxter, Ryan and Kadia. Ryan gave him a sidelong glance, but Kadia slung an arm around his shoulders.

  “I knew you’d be back on your feet before too long,” she said with a bright grin.

  “‘Course,” replied Imorean. Kadia’s good mood felt contagious. “Nothing can keep me down for long.”

  “We’ve noticed,” grinned Baxter. “You indestructible or something?”

  Imorean gave a quiet laugh and shrugged. “Might be.”

  “How’s your wing feeling?” asked Ryan. “The feathers grew back while you were asleep. Knowing that Archangels have regenerative properties would have been nice.”

  “Feels fine. Thanks,” replied Imorean, flaring it to prove his point. He hissed a breath through his teeth as he saw another deep, black line through the new, white plumage. Yet another scar to add to the others.

  Ryan nodded and folded his arms. Imorean looked back at Tezcatlipoca and Bethany. Bethany’s bright, blue eyes were on him.

  “Well, Imorean, what do you want done with them?” asked Gabriel

  Imorean stopped and stared at Gabriel. “What do you mean?”

  “Tezcatlipoca had no qualms about drinking your blood last night,” said Gabriel. “And Bethany … does it need saying? What happens to them is your choice.”

  Imorean sighed and turned, studying Bethany and Tezcatlipoca. The god still hadn’t moved. His great, long fingers were wrapped around Bethany’s hands.

  “I saved your life last night,” snapped Bethany.

  Imorean took a deep breath. “Yeah, you did. I’ve been repaid now for sparing you at the battle in Iceland. The next move is mine.”

  “You wouldn’t kill me,” she said.

  “You killed my family, Bethany,” Imorean replied. He pulled his sword free and studied his reflection in the metal. The mirror surface had been scratched by Huitzilopochtli’s macuahuitl. His image looked fractured. A shiver ran over him.

  “That wasn’t what I meant,” she replied, a grin spreading across her face. “I mean you won’t kill me. You can’t. You’re still too soft-hearted. Even the girl who sold out your family … you won’t be able to bring yourself to kill me.”

  Fury flashed through Imorean’s chest. Bethany was goading him and it was working. An angry tremble worked its way across his skin.

  Her grin deepened and she continued. “You’re stuck ‘Morean. Like, really stuck. Let me live and you’re weak. You’ll have Michael to answer to. Kill me here, now, just like this, and you’ll have become the thing you fear the most. Nothing more than a murderer. A true monster embracing his Archangel nature. What would Mommy think?”

  Imorean stopped, a terrible kind of horror building inside him. Bethany knew exactly what buttons to push. Next to him, Gabriel bristled.

  “How dare you?” snarled Gabriel. “How dare you speak about her? About the Archangels? You have no right –”

  “Gabriel, don’t,” said Imorean. The sound of his own voice surprised him. It was steady. He swallowed. He didn’t know what to do. There was no easy answer. He looked down at the sword in his hands again and turned back to Gabriel. “You said that Bethany’s fate is my choice?”

  Gabriel nodded. “Yes.”

  “Why did you save my life last night?” Imorean asked, meeting Bethany’s eyes.

  She smirked and stifled a laugh. “For my father. I couldn’t have Huitzilopochtli killing you. Daddy wants to kill you himself. It’s only right that I keep his prey safe until he’s ready to come for you.”

  Imorean laughed. “How sweet of you. Do you plan on gift wrapping me, too?”

  “Only if I have time. You nearly killed him in Iceland when you two sparred. He hasn’t forgotten that. He’s learning all your weak points. He won’t hold back next time.”

  “Neither will I,” replied Imorean. He blinked, then he noticed it. Bethany’s hands were squeezing Tezcatlipoca’s. The god was still sleeping. Sleeping too deeply. Tezcatlipoca twitched and his mouth lolled open. Imorean stared hard. Something dribbled from the god’s mouth. He peered closer. Blood. He snapped his attention back to Bethany. Her grin had deepened into something wide and sickening.

  “I’ll be seeing you soon, Imorean,” she said quietly.

  Imorean scrambled forward. Gabriel grabbed him by the shoulders. Roxy and Kadia cried out as a dull flash of gray light swept the jungle. Dark vapor, like thick dust, rained down and settled on the wide leaves. Imorean coughed, waving away the mist. Bethany was gone. Tezcatlipoca lay on his side, great claws limp. His tongue hung out of his mouth – covered in blood. Imorean shifted his weight and moved toward the god. He crouched to rest a hand on Tezcatlipoca’s shoulder, when the god’s skin rippled. Orange orbs floated up toward the trees. A few at first, but soon dozens, then hundreds, then thousands. Imorean could hear them whispering. Tezcatlipoca’s body crumbled to dust. The orbs began to vanish through the trees, floating away in a shimmering line. Only heartbeats later, they were gone. Silence reigned for a moment, but only a moment. Then the birds began to sing.

  Chapter 43

  The midnight sun still muddled Imorean’s mind. In Mexico, he had grown used to his schedule having a regular pattern of day and night. Returning to a world where the sun refused to set would take some readjusting to. He staggered as he landed next to Gabriel just in front of Felsenmeer. The massive ski lodge-style building was as welcoming as ever. Imorean could smell damp in the air. It must have just finished raining. There was a splat from behind him.

  “Oh, that’s just great,” huffed Ryan.

  Imorean turned. Ryan had landed hard in a patch of mud.

  “Couldn’t you have put us a foot to the left, Gabriel?” asked Ryan, shaking a boot.

  “It’s hard enough hitting a landing zone with a group this size. I’m just glad I only had to bring you from Iqaluit,” replied Gabriel. “Okay, guys. Go get some sleep. Michael should be back soon, no doubt with new assignments for you.”

  “No rest for the wicked,” said Kadia.

  Imorean smiled at her. A hand rested on his shoulder and he looked over. Roxy.

&nb
sp; “You doing okay?” she asked.

  “I’m fine, Roxy. I just want some sleep,” he replied.

  “Same,” she said, nodding.

  “Come on,” said Gabriel, setting off across the small, muddy lawn in front of Felsenmeer.

  Imorean yawned as the automatic doors opened for them. He was tired, the burns on his hands had begun to hurt a few hours ago. He dreaded pulling the bandages off. He smiled, seeing Colton, Raphael and Diniel gathered in the lobby. It seemed like they had been waiting for them. Colton bounded over.

  “Don’t you guys dare leave me alone here ever again. I’ve been bored out of my mind. Tell me everything,” said Colton, folding his arms and not letting any of them past.

  “We’ll do our best, Colton,” replied Imorean, pulling him into a one-armed hug. He slipped past Colton as the rest of the squad greeted him, flaring his wings to go up to the second floor.

  “No!” shouted Raphael. “Stay right where you are!”

  Imorean whipped around as Raphael clamped a hand on the back of his neck. He thrashed, trying to pull away. “Easy, Raphael! You’re grabbing a pressure point there.”

  “Colton, feel free to interrogate them. Diniel, checkup on minor injuries. Gabriel, go to bed,” barked Raphael, a Michael-ish tone to his voice and his grip never wavering.

  “Oh, no task for me?” asked Gabriel. “How sweet.”

  “You’ll be debriefed in the morning, I’m sure,” replied Raphael.

  Imorean felt Raphael’s grip on his neck slackening and moved to slip away.

  “No, you don’t, Imorean. You’re coming with me.”

  “Oh, come on, Raph,” groaned Imorean, looking over his shoulder as Raphael pulled him down the hallway toward the hospital wing. “I’m tired. Let me go to bed.”

  “With burns and bandages covering your whole hands? What kind of a doctor do you take me for?”