Page 59 of Light

“Enough,” Samael said in a cool voice. Both demon and seraph froze. Samael no longer held the power to freeze time, but he could spin it backward.

Gabriel watched Sariel pull his sword from Paimon as she solidified in front of him. Time moved forward again, but this time, Paimon dematerialized before he could strike and swung her long spiked tail, catching him in the back.

He fell to the floor, groaning, and Gabriel fell beside him, pressing a hand to his wound.

Sariel reached for a leather strap bisecting his chest and pulled Gabriel close. “You cannot bargain with the lance. It would mean the end for any he used it on. No soulmate is worth that.”

Gabriel shook him off, pulling the last of the poison from Sariel’s wound and standing. “I will retrieve it for you if you reverse the spell.”

Astaroth and Paimon fell back, flanking Samael once more. “I cannot deny it’s tempting, but what you ask is not mine to give.”

Sariel got to his feet. “Nor is the lance Gabriel’s to offer.”

Gabriel tossed him a dark glare. Sariel only glared back.

“Very well. If you refuse me, I have no other business with you.” Gabriel took a step back, preparing to leave.

“Ah, but there is another matter,” Samael said.

Gabriel stopped.

“That nasty bit of magic you used.” He directed this over Gabriel’s shoulder to Dina, whom Gabriel had not seen appear behind him with Raphael. “It did have an unintended consequence.”

This time, it was Dina who said, “What do you speak of?”

“It seems your blood sacrifice required an end to the entire line.”

Gabriel’s throat dried, and he swiveled his head to Dina, staring daggers at her.

“That’s right. Your sweet Adalaide gave her life a little too willingly when she colluded to trap my mate in Sheol. The magic demands more." Samael raised a stiff gray brow. "One life to seal the fate of my mate for eternity from her other half? Did you think it would be enough?”

Gabriel fell to one knee, prepared to beg. Damn the consequences. This was more than he could bear.

“Stand, brother, you make yourself appear weak. I offer a solution.”

The cold terror shooting down his spine diminished. “What do you want for their lives?”

“It’s not just your children who must pay; it's the entire line, as the words to the spell demand.”

“No,” Dina cried. “You wouldn’t.”

“They will die at the same age Adalaide will; each one. Should she accomplish her goal, when she dies, she marks the death date of every member of her line. They will live long enough to procreate, and then, they too will die. It will continue for as long as one member of your wretched line continues to breed.”

“Please,” Gabriel breathed.

Samael tsked. “Be glad she was an adult when she cast this spell. Twenty-five is a long life for the creatures. Plenty of time for life experiences and all that. They get to live, and then they get to be with the other souls in Alaxia. If they deserve that end, of course. There are so many vices to lead them from their path.” Samael pressed a finger to his human lip. “Well, I have plenty to keep them occupied below, should it be their destination.”

A growl slipped past Gabriel’s lips before he could swallow it back.

Samael laughed, a throaty sound he choked on at the end as if his lungs were not accustomed to making it.

“Name your price to free my sons of this curse.”

Samael gave his wispy wraith companions a look. They chortled in dark amusement.

“Rise, Gabriel. Let us speak as brothers.”

Gabriel stood, meeting Samael’s dark stare.

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