Page 14 of Till Death

I’m not sure how we managed to get off the street with the war raging on around us. The rest of the Archangels must have held the Halflings at bay long enough for us to make our escape. Focusing on the area where Michael had stood, I stared until my eyes burned, and soon the world went blurry.

It didn’t bring him back.

“Jade, come on.”

Eli was insistent, panicked. He took me in his arms when I didn’t respond and began to run. Why did it matter where we went? We’d already lost this fight. There was no coming back from such a devastating blow. I shook my head.

“You have to snap out of it. Do you hear me? You’re no use to anyone catatonic,” he said as he ran.

He tried to keep his tone light, even, calm. I saw right through him. Eli was built to be Guardian and, once upon several thousand lifetimes ago, my lover. He was only one of those things now and doing his job to the best of his abilities. I knew I made things hard on any given day, and this time even he didn’t wholly believe what he said.

I should try to go into the Void again, the place where spirits were sent as the final step in the afterlife process. Maybe I’d find Michael there and drag a few answers fromhim. Death after death, yes, but I had an inside man to help me. Fully dead, he may be more inclined to answer me.

I blew out a breath.

It wasn’t my craziest idea of the day.

We managed to get to Divine Magic, a measure of optimism slipping through me right until the ward on the door smacked me in the face. I pressed a palm to the wood, because damn, maybe I’d be able to press through the wards on my own, without a witch. Eli finally set me down on my feet.

I called on my power and opened my eyes just enough to see that nothing happened. No little white wisps curling around my wrists. No wave of heat drawing from the center of my being.

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

I was definitely empty and there was no getting it back anytime soon.

Michael is dead.

No.Wewere so dead. Well, no time to worry about it now. I was smack in the middle of survival mode so no sticky emotions for this girl.

“They’re inside,” Eli was saying, although his voice echoed in my ears in a strange, tinny way. “They should hear your voice.”

“Open up!” I banged my fist on the door. “It’s me. Kay? Lawrence?” Someone better answer me, stat, or else I’d—

Good thing my voice carried because the door swung open a split-second later and Kay’s wide brown eyes were staring into mine. “Oh my God. Jade. Is it really you?”

I answered by pushing through and wrapping her up in my arms. Bertha disappeared with a thought, leaving my hands free.

“Are you alright?” I paused only long enough to lean back to stare at her before drawing her into the hug again. Damn, I didn’t realize how badly I’d needed to see her. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

Kay’s nose scrunched the longer she stared at me. “Not me, but you’re covered in blood. Please tell me none of it’s yours.”

“Do you want the truth or do you want me to lie to you?” She’d see through me with the latter.

“The truth, always.”

“It’s a mixture. Part mine, part dead demon. I think it’s a good look for me.”

Kay’s laugh quivered as wide, dark eyes took me in. “You’re all right. You’re here. That’s what matters.”

“I’m here,” I replied. And I didn’t want to let her go.

I’d come close to losing her before. I thought Ihadlost her during my Trials, having to make a choice between saving Kay or Zach, and no matter how much time passed since then…I guess a part of me would never forget the agony of having to let go. Of having to watch her fall.

Watch her die.

Time to remember that Kay was a necromancer now. She had magic of her own, and a good support system.

The familiar scents of lavender and gunpowder filled the air, the interior of the shop a comfort. It was unchanged.

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