Page 83 of Blood and War
With a thud, Lucifer’s severed head rolled to Gabriel’s feet. The Horseman stopped it with a dirtied boot. Kellan tossed thedark angel’s blade down beside it, sickened at its sight. For what it had done. To her and to him, and he spat on it for good measure.
He shrugged off the others. Kellan didn’t want to talk about any of it. Not about what happened or the brutal way Lucifer had met his end. And he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about howhewas feeling. Not to them. Not when he’d had one thing on his mind this entire time. His one remaining mission. He knew they would protest it to no end, but he didn’t care. Not after this.
He couldn’t bring himself to truly look at her. He glimpsed Jace still cradling her lifeless form from the distance and it was like he was broken all over again. That piece inside him swelling and screaming as it shattered into tiny pieces over and over and over. Kellan couldn’t bear to look down on her and see those bright, vibrant eyes dulled to nothing. That infectious smile forever stilled.
Instead, he turned away. Walking toward the path leading down the mountain.
“Where are you going?” Eire reached to grab his shoulder, but he moved too fast away from her. Like he couldn’t handle her touch on his body.
“To plead for her life.” He didn’t turn around. Unable to stomach the looks he knew were on their faces at his confession.
“Are you out of your damn mind?” Gabriel shouted. Like a switch had been flipped, the Horseman’s anger soared to new heights at the stupidity he had just admitted. “You know as well as any of us we can’t beg for a life, Kellan.”
Eire opened her mouth to say something, but closed it in a thin line. Unable to bring herself to do it.
“That’s grounds to kill you! The council will never stand for that.” Kane shouted at his retreating figure. Kellan hadn’t stopped moving. Slowed some, but he never deviated from hispath. “Even if they did decide to listen to you, they’d strip you of everything you have. You’ll have nothing left!” He added.
He’d be okay with that, he’d decided. To lose everything he was. To be stripped bare, if it meant bringing her back.
Finally, Kellan stopped. “I am prepared for whatever the consequence.” They wouldn’t understand, no matter what he said. They’d beg him to stay. Would do anything in their power to prevent him from seemingly forfeiting his life, but he wouldn’t stop. This was his last mission, he’d decided. The last thing he would do, then he was done. If they granted his wish, he’d rid himself of the council for good.
“Kellan!” Eire roared. “Where are you going?” She couldn’t hide the pained look on her face as she asked him again. As if hoping for a different answer than the last. But she already knew. Already knew as her hands clenched into tightly bound fists at her side.
“I told you. To plead for her life.” He resumed walking. Slowly, his feet carried him away from the piercing stares.
“To whom?” They asked in unison. Pleading for a life was forbidden. Against every rule they had ever been taught. Especially a human life, and he’d do it anyway.
“To anybody who will listen.”
