Page 36 of Grave Revelations

She tried to focus on the words, but her mind was spinning. Had she heard Azazel’s thoughts, or was she losing it?

Sophia slid closer, wrapping her hand in Rebecca’s, fingers trembling. Sophia had heard what he said: if they killed Elizabeth, she would die too. The girl must be terrified.

“We’ll find a way around it,” Rebecca whispered, leaning closer to her friend.

Sophia’s yellow eyes darted to hers. “I’ll die for them if I must.”

“If she’s already taken Crete, I imagine the rest of the Greek Islands aren’t far behind,” Jophiel said.

“Crete? There are half a million people on Crete,” Sophia said, crushing Rebecca’s fingers in her grip. “I have family in Athens and Piraeus. We must stop her.”

“Have you been to Patmos?” Jophiel asked, ignoring Sophia, her gaze never leaving Azazel’s.

“I was on my way there two nights ago but never made it.”

She dipped her chin. “Sariel stands fast. It is safe.”

Rebecca’s gaze darted between the two angels—or rather, an angel and a fallen one. “What are you talking about?”

“There is a weapon,” Azazel began.

Jophiel exploded in a burst of light, blinding Rebecca in that same moment.

When her vision cleared, Azazel was gone. “What did you do to him!” she shouted. “Where is he?”

Jophiel lifted from the ground, her wings stretching wide.

Rebecca reached for the ember in her chest, and her knees buckled when it glowed only dimly. “What did you do?” she breathed.

“He cannot speak of it. Not in front of the nasdaqu-ush.”

She tugged again at the ember. It gave a tiny pulse in response, and she sagged against Sophia.

Without another word, Jophiel was gone.

Chapter 22

Sophia

As Rebecca leaned into her, head drooping against Sohpia’s shoulder, a pulsing vein at her neck sang to her.

“He’s gone,” Rebecca breathed.

Sophia tried to focus on the words, tried to comfort her friend, but the drops of essence she’d pulled from Rebecca’s demon had only put a dent in the hunger overwhelming her. It was a chant on repeat: feed, feed, feed.It consumed her.

She knew she should be worried about Elizabeth’s army, her sisters, and death so close to her home, but her mind was a dagger sharpened on the edge of one point.

Feed.

It happened too fast, even for Sophia. She struck, sinking her teeth into Rebecca’s tender flesh. The canines along her upper lip elongated, slicing through skin, and she pulled in a long drag of blood, siphoning Rebecca’s essence with it as she pushed her to the ground, sinking with her.

It was sweet. Untainted. Like he’d said. Rebecca squirmed under her hold—fought to free herself—but she was no match for Sohpia’s new strength. With each intake of the vital fluid, a fog cleared.

Wrong, this is wrong. Sophia ripped her mouth from her friend’s throat, stumbling back.

“What have I done?” She wiped her mouth, the evidence of her betrayal staining the back of her arm.

Rebecca cupped her hand to her neck, staring up with so much hurt and disbelief that Sophia felt it at the core of her being.

---