Page 79 of Archangel’s Lineage

Elena turned her face into the cold wind, letting it wipe away her worry. Good to know. Are we hosting them all in the Tower?

No, that would be a recipe for disaster. Each has been assigned a home of their own, complete with staff, as far apart as possible while keeping them within equal distance of the meeting location.

Once again, I’m grateful I don’t have Dmitri’s job.

Venom took charge of this, he said, to her surprise. Not because the vampire wasn’t competent, but because he was young and this was Dmitri’s domain.

As if sensing her confusion, Raphael said, He has proven to have a facility with such matters in the past few years. Dmitri thinks he’ll eventually get to a point where he can take over fully from Dmitri when needed.

That’s a big deal. Right now, at least two of the Seven had to step in to cover for Raphael’s experienced second.

Raphael dipped his wings. Look, hbeebti.

She glanced in the direction he’d angled his wings... and groaned. An aurora danced over the sea in the distance. The colors were faint to the naked eye, but she understood the display for what it was all the same.

Coming to a halt in the air, as Raphael did the same, she said, “Qin.”

“He’s not all the way under.” Raphael’s tone was hard. “What the hell is he doing?”

Elena thought of her conversation with Cassandra. “I don’t think it’s on purpose. Cassandra said they’re in twilight—between Sleep and wakefulness. The only time they can be together.”

Raphael’s Legion mark blazed. “When were you talking to Cassandra?”

“Last night.” Elena folded her arms. “And don’t glare at me. I was going to mention it. Why does she always put you in a bad mood?”

“Because she should be Sleeping,” Raphael ground out. “What else did she say?”

“She basically confirmed that she did wake Marduk.” Elena’s head wanted to turn in the direction of the building where the maybe-Ancestor was hanging out. “She says he once ended a great war. I think she sees this as a favor.”

Raphael narrowed his eyes, his attention still on the sea aurora. “We’ll find out soon enough whether it is or not.”

***

By the time the coming sunset began to streak the sky with orange and red and unexpected pink, everything was ready, the huge central core of their home set up to welcome the Cadre.

While their home only had two levels, those levels were both high, and at the top sat a skylight designed by Aodhan; it sent bright shards of light into the space even on a cloudy day, as if the artist had woven starlight into the glass.

The mezzanine upstairs flowed from their bedroom suite and the guest rooms. The kitchen, library, and staff lounge were on the ground floor, but on the outside of the core. Maeve, their architect, had designed it that way so that the core could be “locked” for private meetings once any guests had left their rooms.

She could’ve designed it so the bedrooms exited onto the external ring, but this was Raphael and Elena’s home. A meeting such as the one to take place today was rare in the extreme—there was no point in segregating this beauty in the heart of the house. Most days, it was the area through which everyone passed as they moved from one room or level to the next.

Elena had populated the area with an arsenal of greenery, some from the freestanding greenhouse beside the house, a precious few from seedlings of mother plants in the Legion building, still others from her favorite nurseries.

The greenery included a palm that grew halfway to the ceiling, and a big-leafed tree that looked as if it had come out of a rainforest. Ferns lush and curling softened the space, along with many other plants Raphael couldn’t name. All the shades of green were striking against the white tiles riven with gold that lined the floor.

That floor wasn’t cold, however, for on the central section lay a huge rug that had been a gift from Alexander after their home was rebuilt. A gift unexpected, but well-chosen. Cream and gold, with touches of a vivid blue, the Persian carpet was the perfect accent to the space. Montgomery changed the seating depending on who they were expecting, but that seating configuration was usually either on or around the carpet.

His Seven preferred to sprawl in comfortable sofas and the like.

For the Cadre, it was luxurious single armchairs with firm but comfortable cushions in cerulean blue and curving wooden arms. The set had been hand carved by talented artisans in Amanat and given to him and Elena by his mother as a housewarming gift.

In daylight, the pale honey-colored wood of the arms glowed in the light that fell from Aodhan’s glass sky. At night, the light came from a chandelier delicate and lovely, designed by Lady Sharine. Another gift, Illium’s mother turning up in person to supervise the installation of the droplets of crystal that looked like falling rain.

Montgomery had placed the odd object d’art in the small nooks in the walls, and Raphael had discreetly ensured that all those pieces of art belonged either to him or to Montgomery. His butler no longer “rescued” as many items as he used to from homes where those items were not being properly appreciated, and, well, it was a small enough peccadillo to accept from such a loyal member of his staff.

“I love this space,” Elena said right before the meeting, as she stood beside him, her eyes lifted to the skylight designed with jagged pieces of glass that melded in haunting and lovely harmony with Lady Sharine’s rain of crystals. “It’s welcoming, even with the formal chairs.”

As she spoke, he watched her, this extraordinary woman who was his consort—a fact for which he was ever grateful to fate. She wore a light layer of cosmetics today, in honor of this first major gathering of the Cadre in their home, and her hair was a ripple of near-white down her back.

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