Page 140 of Grave Revelations

“You’re safer here until this war ends. It’s chaotic there,” Sophia explained. “We’re doing everything we can, but the humans are hiding, trying not to become collateral damage.”

Rebecca grimaced. “And failing. The number of souls arriving has doubled since yesterday. I’m unsure what to do with those with nowhere to go.”

Sophia stared at the fields of tall grass swaying in some imaginary breeze and the souls wandering among them. There did appear to be a lot more than there had been, but they seemed content.

“Maybe they aren’t your concern?” she said as her gaze snagged on a dark shape leaning against a tree watching them. Unlike the other souls,hewas not content.

Rebecca followed her gaze, her brow furrowing as it landed on Simon. “He isn’t speaking to me.”

“He will accept your choice. Eventually.”

Rebecca’s mouth turned down, but she said nothing, staring at the boat disappearing on the horizon. After a long silence, she said: “I tried to follow it today. To see if there was some other path that would take me to Earth. But when I reached a certain point, I ended up back here. It happens every time. It seems I truly will be stuck here forever.”

Sophia’s chest ached for her friend, knowing she would rather be on the war-ravaged Earth fighting beside her mate than here in the most beautiful place she’d ever seen. She laid a hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. “Do you want me to bring him a message tonight?”

Sophia should have thought before she’d made her offer, but there, in that calm, relaxing realm, it was easy to forget how desperate things were on Earth.

When she woke, she shook dust and debris from her body, thanking God the building they’d stored their bodies in for the day had survived whatever had happened to it.

They stepped out into a land that had once again been transformed. While demon husks still littered the ground, large gaping chasms bisected the landscape, making it unrecognizable. Sea water raced along slashes through the earth, sloshing against the banks of newly formed cliff edges, washing cars, rubble, tree branches, and other indiscernible items away.

Fear for her mother and other coven members shot through her. Sophia glanced at her sister night-beings to ensure none had been injured before racing back to the place they’d left their coven that morning.

In this new landscape, it was hard to tell where that was, but as she halted alongside the remains of a bank building dangling precariously over the side of a sheer drop to the ocean, she saw no sign of life in any direction.

Exchanging glances with Vassi, who had caught up with her, she swallowed back her terror.

Maria joined them. “Should we split up? Look for them?”

Helena arrived last, looking stricken.

Gusts of wind tore at them, and the ground shuddered. They turned, staring up and up and up at a massive angel who appeared larger than any of those they’d helped on the battlefield by far.

He knelt on one knee, looking down at them as they gathered around him. “Hello, Pythia.”

Sophia swallowed, dipping her chin in deference.

“I presume you are searching for your mother.”

She nodded, clasping hands with Helena.

“We have moved your coven somewhere safe. Would you like me to take you to them?” The angel held out his enormous hand.

Vassi bumped Sophia’s shoulder, giving her an encouraging nod, and stepped forward, pulling herself up the side of his index finger to climb into his palm. Sophia, Helena, and Maria followed as they crowded together.

He brought his hand to his chest, and they rocked forward, falling into one another. His massive wings flapped as they lifted off the ground, soaring into the air.

As he swept high over the land, Sophia hugged his finger, leaning across the edge of his nail to get a better view. From up here, it was a puzzle. Each stream of water was like a seam between interconnected pieces of land; all along the coastline, chunks had slipped into the ocean. The world was burning, and as they left the coastline, it became too thick with smoke to see more. From this vantage point, Sophia couldn’t imagine any humans had survived this wreckage.

“Have you seen Gabriel?” she shouted up to the angelic creature.

His enormous wings flapped, sending another gust of wind at her. She gripped his nail tightly, fighting not to fall back against his chest.

“Gabriel is in Alaxia,” he said, the words rumbling overhead.

She released his finger, slouching against his palm. Alaxia. So hewasan angel again. But what did that mean for Rebecca when she could never leave Sheol?

The ground trembled as their angel taxi landed atop a tall mountain peak. They’d traveled for hours, and she was worried they wouldn’t reach their destination before her time was up for the night.

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