Page 29 of Faith and Damnation

“They may have hidden themselves away across the ocean, but they are still part of this war. And when war comes to their doorstep, do you think all of this greenery will help her defeat their enemies?”

“Do you not see the value in beauty?”

He stared at me. “I can appreciate beauty.”

My eyebrows arched. “Is that… wait, are you flirting?”

“I do notflirt.”

“I don’t know. You’ve said some pretty flirtatious things to me in the short time we’ve known each other. What was it you said back at your bastion?”

“Stop.”

“Oh, right. Submit to me, Sarakiel. Submit and?—”

“—stop.”

“You know you don’t have to be the Tyrant around me all the time.”

“Thisis a frivolous distraction,and?—”

“—Hello again, Sarakiel,” said Helena, her voice catching us both off guard. I could tell just by her posture, by the way she walked toward us looking like some kind of magnificent, tall statue, she didn’t appreciate the Tyrant’s presence. Already she was bristling, and they had barely exchanged words.

The Tyrant shot upright and turned to look at her, his large, bat-like wings whooshing from the sudden movement. He had a scowl on his face at the sight of her, though I supposed I shouldn’t have been surprised. Even before I had made the pilgrimage over here, I had known about how difficult relations between Helena and the Ebon Legion were.

They were frosty, at best, just like thisjoyfulreunion.

“Helena,” he simply said. He looked over at me. I raised my eyebrows. “Nice sanctuary,” he grudgingly added.

“Pleasantries… how very unlike you.”

“Would you rather I be hostile? Because I can do that for you, if you wish.”

“You have been hostile enough with my angels, Azrael in particular. Let us instead be civil, if you find that agreeable.”

“I can be civil as well.”

“Ideally, I’d like us to be more than just civil,” I said. “We’re allies, here. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?”

“Yes…” Helena trailed off, “It does appear as though we have a common cause.”

“The Archangel,” said the Tyrant.

“Indeed.”

“You believe me, then?” I asked.

“I thought about it for some time… without Medrion here in person to defend himself, I have no choice but to withhold final judgment. But Micah’s endorsement of your story is compelling enough.”

“That’s a lot of words to saymaybe,” said the Tyrant.

“Words have power,” she said, “I choose to wield them wisely.”

“As does Medrion. He will use his words to wound us if he can, before he swoops in with his flaming sword.”

“I have not fully endorsed your idea that Medrion is the ruthless killer you make him out to be. I will need more evidence before I believe that.”

“I think I’ll be able to give you all the evidence you need,” I said, “And I have a feeling I’ll have backup, here.”

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