Page 79 of Death Match

They both nodded.

“Wherever you are,” Michael said.

“Well, f—”

Eli’s hard glare cut me off.

I changed it to, “That’s unbelievable.”

Michael nodded. “It is a great asset to have in a fight.”

True. But what the heck did you name a sword?

Was it like Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth? Should it be something as epic sounding? Maybe Sword of Justice?

I wasn’t Wonder Woman, though, was I?

I could go more…hardcore with it. Call it Demon Slayer or a name more along those lines. Demon Slayer sounded a bit like a heavy metal band, maybe something Marla’s niece, Arianna, would listen to. Besides, by the time I got “Demon Slayer” out of my mouth in the middle of a fight, I'd be a goner.

I considered my options but then found I didn’t have many. I definitely didn’t want to name it after someone I knew. That’d just be weird.

Who knew naming an inanimate object would be so hard?

“I have no idea,” I said finally with a frustrated sigh. “Can you just pick something for me?”

“This is your sword, Jade,” Michael said. “It has to come from you.”

I swiped a hand over my face. “I don’t know,” I started, thinking it over some more. “I’d probably want to make it ironic. Something like Bob.”

“Bob?” Eli’s eyes widened. “You're not serious.”

“I am actually.” I huffed. “Well, not Bob, but I like the idea of a badass, all powerful sword being named something ironic. Can you imagine being shanked by something named Debbie or even Bertha? It’s both hilarious and pathetic, you know?” I grinned, glancing at the weapon waiting in the stone. “You know what? That has a nice ring to it. Bertha. Big Bertha.”

I stepped toward the sword and reached out for the handle.

“Jade,” Eli cautioned, hand out to stop me, “you should think about it a little more. Something as holy and mighty as an angel sword isn’t meant to be mocked or ridiculed.”

My fingers paused just above the thing, and I looked up at him. “You asked me what I would name it, and this is what I picked.”

“Yes, but—”

“Elijah,” Michael said gently, “it is Jade’s weapon, and it’s up to her to choose a name she believes would be fitting for it.”

Eli’s arm fell back to his side, and he straightened his spine, not pleased by the side of the line his commander-in-chief decided to stand on. Instead of saying anything more, he grimaced and gestured for me to continue.

“Go on, Jade,” Michael encouraged, with a small wave.

I stepped closer, wiggling my fingers above the shiny gold handle of the sword. I cleared my throat and lowered my voice to sound more dramatic when I spoke. “Angel sword, I name thee Big Bertha—or just Bertha for short.”

Eli snorted, unamused.

I ignored him, slapped my hand on the handle, and yanked the thing out of the ground.

Holding the blade up in front of me, I stared at my reflection, looking back at me in the polished metal. It was surprisingly light weight in my hand. Agile. It would probably be easy to maneuver in a fight.

I swung it once and then twice, just to prove my point. As predicted, it sliced through the air in a blur of speed.

I smiled.

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