Page 87 of Living Legend

“The portal. She wanted to test the portal, to see if she could send them through it.”

“And you know how?” Reese questioned, but realization dawned on him within the next moment, when she looked directly into his eyes.

“That’s what that demon told you?” I leaned closer to her, hit in the face with cinnamon again. It was heady but sweet, as if she shampooed her hair with it.

She nodded, the small curls near her forehead swinging back and forth.

“And is it still…” Ariel started, but Dani quickly cut him off.

“He’s dead.” Her shoulders were tense, and she looked like she was physically trying to keep her hands from shaking under the table.

Jonah looked to me, as if this was something I should have told him, but I shook my head. “It’s already taken care of. The mess is cleaned up.”He gave me a curt nod and settled back in his seat.

“He knew this was going to happen, that you would capture him, that I would be the one to question him. He was ready for it all.”

Markus treaded lightly. “You sound as if you knew him.”

“I did.”

Ariel let out a small chuckle. “Of course, she did. You put too much faith in these demons, Jonah. What makes you think they didn’t discuss things she isn’t telling us?”

“She killed him, isn’t that enough?” I heard myself saying. It felt good coming out.

“Killing him means nothing, since I expected that anyway. Her awareness of who he was and her killing him aren’t parallel to one another, Nicholas. Demons have no boundaries.”

“Speak for yourself, you obnoxious piece of shit!” Elise yelled, slamming her hand on the table. The power of it reverberated through the wood.

Natalia spoke next. “Everyone please. Dani, did he say anything else?”

Dani swallowed. “He kept saying how you were all dead anyway or that you would end up like your messenger.” Jonah closed his eyes but said nothing. “He called me a—”She stopped and shook her head, meeting every eye in the room, but stopping right at Jonah, as if wanting him to feel her words.

“A what?” Reese said, as if the suspense was too much for him.

She let her tongue stick out, wetting her bottom lip, and I shifted in my seat, pretending like that didn’t do something to me. “A pawn.”

“A pawn?” Ariel repeated.

“As if you were basically planted here,” Reese stated, his eyes darting back and forth, as if trying to keep his emotions in check.

“He told me Lilith set my fate the moment I was placed in Purgatory, that all this was part of a greater plan, a pawn on all sides.” She spat her words out at Jonah, who she had yet to look away from.

Markus looked to his fellow executives. “I’m sorry, was he claiming someone in Heaven’s Gate is a part of this supposed idea?”

“He didn’t explain how or when my being here would show its true colors, just that she wants me here and it won’t end well for you. That’s why she hasn’t made a move. She doesn’t need to when she has someone on the inside.” She was calling people out without saying too much at all. I was impressed and a bit unnerved at the same time.

Markus looked perplexed. “Lilith and an angel, working together? After everything that woman has done to us and—” He pointed at Natalia, who narrowed her eyes at him, “to her people during the war?” He ran a hand through his gray hair. “You speak nonsense.”

“Is it though?” I said under my breath.

“Nick,” I heard Reese whisper beside me, nudging my arm.

I had sworn my words were just for me, but that wasn’t the case, I realized. Those three words had formed into a question now causing everyone to look in my direction.

Fuck.

“What did you say?” Ariel asked, annoyance lacing his words.

“Is it really that preposterous?”

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