Page 135 of Grave Revelations

High in the sky, dark swaths of creatures lit, seemingly from within, as the King of Hell cast ball after ball of crimson fire at the angels from somewhere within his horde.

Memories of early premonitions flashed through Sophia’s mind. A bull, racing toward the enemy and her dark beast, blocking out the sun. If they were both already gone, was this war over?

“Mama, did you see where they took Rebecca?”

Angeliki swallowed. “I saw them go into the house, but that was two days ago. She never came out again.”

Sophia nodded. “Will you be alright here for a little while? The others will stay to help you.”

Helena crowded close, squeezing Angeliki’s hand. She glanced up, and her face paled, but she straightened her shoulders and nodded. Vassi and Maria raced past them, joining Thalia farther down the beach.

“We fight to the end, no matter what,” Angeliki said.

Sophia pulled her mother into another embrace before racing to the Graves Estate.

Sophia stepped through a gaping hole in the side of the house and moved on light feet, listening for any sign of demons. A groan sounded from the back of the house, and she darted forward, rushing down the stairs to the underground lair. She pressed an ear to the door, listening. Something behind it moved.

Sophia’s torn finger ached, but she swallowed the pain, forming a rock-hard ball of ice around her fists, and flung the metal door wide.

“Gabriel?”

He said nothing, staring blankly at the opposite wall.

She moved into the room, coming to stand in front of him. He was naked, which was new, but she wasn’t focused on his impressive male parts. Instead, her mind raced as she took in smooth, tawny skin, free of the dark swirls and markings he’d been covered in before. More shocking were the massive white wings splayed out on either side of him.

“We thought you were dead,” she said.

Gabriel gazed blankly through her, his wings twitching as they seemed to expand before her eyes.

“Rebecca thought. I mean…”

His gaze jerked up. “Rebecca?” He shot to his feet, wobbling, before he gained his footing and moved closer. “She’s here? Where?”

His sapphire eyes were new, no longer glowing as they once had, twins to Rebecca’s.

“No. She’s… in Sheol.”

His brows dipped low, and he stepped back, pacing away from her. “Impossible. She used the lance,” he said to himself. “Her body is gone. She’s gone.”

“What happened to her body?”

He ignored her, continuing to pace.

“Az… Gabe… What do I call you?”

He gave her a dismissive look as though her question was useless to him; in truth, it was. She’d come looking for Rebecca’s body, hoping she could convince her to return, to fight with them, take up the lance, and end Samael. But without a body, Rebecca couldn’t return.

“Did you move her body?” she tried. It was a wasted effort. Gabriel was still pacing, treating her as though she weren’t there.

Then he stopped and turned to her, grabbing her shoulders. “You’ll return to Sheol. In the morning.”

“Yes. I think it still works the same. Elizabeth brought us back. TherealElizabeth.”

“Tell her I’m alive,” Gabriel said. “Tell her to come back to me.”

Chapter 90

Rebecca