Page 88 of Grave Revelations

Chapter 56

Simon

Simon blinked in the harsh light of the sterile hospital room, vision blurred at the edges; he wasn’t sure he would ever be used to this dull human eyesight. The steady beep of the monitor to his left was a sound he also never expected to hear again.

But that was in the past.

When he made his deal with the angels, one they no longer expected him to fulfill now that he was human again, they’d restored his heart. Now, a heart that hadn’t beat in decades thumped inside his chest once more.

The world outside his small room was dark, windows frosted in the corners. The medicine receded slowly, and as it left his system, awareness returned. His limbs were leaden, thick with an unnatural concoction that muffled his gift. Were they muffling his healing ability, too? If he could only clear them from his system, perhaps he could heal himself and be rid of this bed. And Valentina.

As if on queue, her saccharine voice drifted under the door. She barked orders at the staff, preparing him to return to her prison.

The nurse outside advised her he needed to stay overnight, but she was having none of it. The door swung open, and Simon closed his eyes, settling his face into that neutral expression he’d learned to master somany years ago.

Her cloying scent invaded his nostrils as she stopped just beside the bed, leaning over him. She pressed a hand to his cheek. “Rest, my love. I’ll take good care of you. And when you recover, I’ll make sure you never think of Rebecca again.”

He forced his breathing to remain calm. She hovered so closely he could smell her breath, the taste of coffee lingering on his tongue.

When she left, taking her oppressive presence with her, he finally opened his eyes again. He’d let the charade go on long enough.

It was time for Simon to free himself from Valentina’s clutches.

Chapter 57

Rebecca

Rebecca dropped her shoulders, shaking out her arms. They had resumed practice in her front yard, and after several hours of Azazel’s bossy instruction, she was over it.

“I don’t want to train anymore,” she said. “I want to find Elizabeth and end her.”

Are you ready to face her, Light?

A tremor that had nothing to do with the cold racked Rebecca. “What choice do I have? If we wait for her to come to us, she’ll have the advantage when she does. Every day, more of my sisters may be dying. We need to unlock the lance and find her so I can end her once and for all.”

“No,” Azazel said. “Once you unlock the lance, I will use it to end her myself.”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. “If I’m truly the chosen one,” she said the words in air quotes, “then I need to be the one to stop her. Unless you don’t believeshe’llusher in the end times.”

“Samael will be responsible for the end times.” As he said it, Azazel’s face changed, his eyes going blank for a moment.

“Az? What is it?”

His brow dipped, and his vision cleared. “Something’s happened. I’ll return shortly.”

Rebecca stepped forward, but he was gone before she could get to him. She stomped her foot in the dirt. Why hadn’t she gotten the special ability to disappear at will when she unlocked her gift?

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down.Simon.

She hadn’t heard from him since her text about the cameras, and her stomach twisted at seeing his name. She wasn’t ready to talk to him, to hear from the man she had once trusted with every fiber of her being, who she now knew was capable of such a violation.

Still, she couldn’t stop herself from opening and reading his text.

I’ve just woken from surgery. You were the first person I thought of, and you’ll be my last thought before I close my eyes tonight. You may never trust me again, and I deserve that, but I only ever wanted the best for you, Firefly. I hope you trust in that.

Rebecca closed her eyes. Firefly had been the name that broke her father’s Obscura spell all those years ago when she learned the truth. Since then, it held a special meaning for her—until Simon used it on Allie.

She understood a little better now, though. Being someone’s soulmate—and knowing she wasn’t the first—shed new light on her circumstances. For the first time, she could see why Simon hadn’t thought of it as cheating. A laugh escaped her. Their problems weresomuch bigger than cheating.

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