Page 121 of Chaos
I smashed my fist into one of the stone walls, a loud snarl ripping through me at his obstinance. “You are such a fool, Gabriel. You are blinded by your faith.”
“Better to serve in heaven than rule in hell.”
My eye twitched at his butchering of my line. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how the saying goes.”
He stared hard at me, jaw set. “I pray one day you’ll understand how easy it is to be selfless when you have something worth fighting for.”
I snorted. “Pathetic, as always.” Then I opened the cell door and began to walk away. “I do hope you’ll take the time I give you to reconsider my offer, brother. Eternity in shackles is a long time.”
He didn’t answer me, but truthfully, he didn’t need to. One way or another, I’d break him, and the Messenger of God would be mine to command.
Chapter
Thirty-One
MERRI
My boots made a squishing sound as I walked along the path that bordered the château. The earth was weirdly cracked and dry in some places, while other areas were thick with what could only be described as muck. The grass, or what was left of it, was flattened and brown, creating an endless sea of bleck in every direction. And the trees... They were stick-like sentinels, their brittle branches naked except for a few silent birds.
This was no spring awakening. It was something else, both sinister and unnatural.
As I drew in a long breath, my lungs protested the hot, dry air, the sensation reminding me of holding a blow dryer in front of my face and trying to breathe. It stung and burned, my chest tightening as though refusing the air. This place shouldn’t feel like the desert. There was nothing remotely desert-like about it, especially not in the dead of winter. But here I was in nothing but a t-shirt and yoga pants, a bead of sweat running down the back of my neck as I wandered the property.
Out of all the catastrophes that had struck the earth since the start of this apocalypse, this was the first one that truly made mebelieve our days here were numbered. I could only imagine the havoc this fiery sky would create if it remained for much longer. I doubted it would be long before the oceans ran dry and it was no longer possible for us to do things like grow our own food or, you know, hydrate.
That thought sent panic buzzing through my veins. We’d all die slowly and painfully. And those of us creatures who were truly immortal would be destined for an existence of torture. The picture unfolding in my mind was absolutely terrifying.
As I rounded the corner, Christian came into view. He was standing on a small step stool near one of the windows while he ran his hand over the stone facade. Red liquid dripped from his palm, and I gasped as I realized he must be hurt.
“What are you doing? You’re bleeding!”
Christian spared me a glance over his shoulder. “I’m strengthening the wards, mademoiselle Merri. Nothing to worry about.”
I immediately felt foolish. Cheeks burning, I attempted to save face. “Oh, haha, right. I thought you might have cut yourself on a rusty nail or something. The last thing we need is you to get tetanus.”
He smiled at me, gentle as always. “It warms my heart to know you would worry about me. But do not trouble yourself. I am just fine.” He returned to what I assumed had to be delicate work, leaving the two of us in companionable silence.
I didn’t have much—okay, any—experience with wards. Unless you counted the ones that kept me hostage at Blackwood. What little I did know was the equivalent of vampires like blood. Are you ready for this chestnut? Witches created and maintained wards. The end. So as you can imagine, watching Christian work was the apocalyptic equivalent of Netflix.
I was riveted.
“What do you need the blood for?” I asked.
He cocked one brow and looked at me like I might’ve asked the dumbest question ever asked. “The magic.”
“Does any blood work or just yours?”
“Any blood will suffice, but mine is more powerful, and this ward requires a great deal of power.”
“And do you just swipe it all over? Like that stuff you can put on cars to make the rain bead up on it?”
I could tell Christian was trying not to laugh at me. “Non. It is quite precise work, actually. I must place my blood in key spots to keep the ward intact. Think of it like a web. Everywhere the strands intersect must be strengthened.”
This property was huge. That had to take ages.
He noticed my expression and chuckled. “It is a big job, but one I work on regularly. I have a schedule so that it is easy to maintain. What I am doing now is reinforcing the key wardlines. Specifically the ones that run parallel to the ley lines deep in the earth.”
He was officially speaking Greek as far as my comprehension went. “Sounds hard.”
