Page 35 of Grave Revelations

“He’s right, Rebecca.” Sophia approached them over the railing, and Azazel moved, placing himself protectively between the girls. “I won’t hurt her. I didn’t mean for that to happen. Your essence called to me. It was so… strong.”

He faced Sophia. “In your new state, you have no life force of your own. Your body will only thrive on the essence of others. But if you choose to feed on demon essence, it will darken your soul.”

Rebecca slid around him, reaching for Sophia. “Don’t listen to him. Simon fed on demons for decades, and he doesn’t have a dark soul. What’s your alternative? Feed on humans?”

Azazel growled, but he didn’t stop her as she clasped hands with Sophia. “You don’t think his soul is dark? Lies fall from his lips as easily as breath.”

Rebecca squared her shoulders. “You said you read all his thoughts! Besides, he couldn’t become a reash if he wasn’t pure.”

He barked a laugh. “I said nothing like that. He made no deals with the fallen, but his motives are as dark as they come.”

Rebecca scoffed.

“I hate to break this up,” Sophia said, “but I think it’s important. I left searching for a demon, but not only did I find none, I found no humans in town either.”

“There were people in town before,” Rebecca said, glancing between Azazel and her friend.

Azazel’s brows dipped low. “Dina.”

As if summoned, she suddenly appeared beside them and glanced around before meeting Azazel’s eyes. “A church?”

“It was a safe place to land. Have the reashes reported human deaths?”

“There are always human deaths, brother,” she answered.

“Whole towns of people?” Sophia gasped.

Jophiel’s swirling eyes darted to Sophia. She strode forward, pulling a stone from her pocket.

“We’re well past that, Dina,” Azazel said. “You must see it. Leave the girl be.”

She halted, slipping the stone into her pocket. “Speak with me in private, brother?”

“No,” Rebecca and Azazel said together.

“Very well. Yes. Entire islands in this region have all of their inhabitants missing. We aren’t sure what’s happened to them, but no new souls have entered Alaxia in days. We assume the worst.” Jophiel paced away from them, her wings vibrating in much the same way Azazel’s did when he was upset.

Azazel's brows dipped. “I came upon a boat filled with dead humans. They weren’t nasdaqu-ush. If not for her own gain, could she be building an army for the Fallen?”

“We would have our answer if someone went to Primoria to find out,” Jophiel said. “If only we knew someone with that ability.” She raised a silver eyebrow at her fallen brother.

Azazel stepped closer to Rebecca. “Sanura is involved in all of this somehow. Sophia met her in Sheol.”

Jophiel glanced at Sophia, then back to him. “It’s close. I can feel it. Can you not?”

“No. I’m cut off from Father’s visions.”

White eyebrows dipped as Jophiel rested a glowing hand on Azazel’s swirling skin.

He jerked away from her touch, bumping Rebecca’s shoulder.

Rebecca pressed a hand to his back. She could only imagine what it must be like for him to be cast into darkness. And all because of her.

He slid one hand behind his back, reaching for her hand.Not your fault.

Rebecca startled, releasing his hand. Had she just heard his thoughts? But there were no other words that followed.

“Palma, Sardinia, Corsica,” Jophiel was saying.

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