Page 47 of Wings of Torment
“There’s a dead angel in the Fallen district.”
Silence fills the air around me. The only sound audible through the phone is Hayliel’s soft breath. I exchange a look with Theo that tells me he heard what she just said, too.
Everyone knows there aren’t many ways to kill an angel. We’re basically fucking immortal. So if what she’s saying is true, that means things have just gone from bad to worse.
I shake my head, and it takes every ounce of control I have not to lash out at her for being so fucking stupid. Instead, I ask the one question I can think of. “Was the angel dead before you got there?”
She doesn’t answer right away, and that little sliver of reluctance is all I need to know the answer.
When she continues not to say anything, I ask again, “I need the words, hummingbird. Was the angel dead before you got there?”
“No. I was there when it happened, but I only heard it. Zeke, I’m pretty sure Roderick has an angel blade.”
“I don’t know what’s worse. That Roderick might have one, or that you were close enough to one of those blades that you could’ve died. Fuck, Hayliel. This is bad.”
“I know.”
“You’re home now?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Now, where do I tell Azrael to look for the body?”
“I don’t remember the street name. But it was down a street opposite a place called the Sinful Café.”
“Alright. I’ll let him know. Maybe he’ll be able to find something to help us track down the stolen weapons.”
“Hayliel said you think there’s a mole in the Guild. Do you think it’s wise to involve them at all?” Theo adds, reminding me of his presence.
“Theo is with you?” Hayliel asks, sounding surprised.
“Dude, just put her on speaker, for fuck’s sake.”
I groan but do as he says, clicking the speaker button on my slate. “There. You happy? Yes, Theo and I are bonding over demons and our mutual distaste for one another. As for the mole, it’s not Azrael. He’s solid, but even so, I won’t mention where this tip came from in case he has to tell someone else. We should hold off on telling him Roderick’s name, though. If theylocate him from something they find on the body, well, that’s not on us.”
“That’s fair,” Theo says. “But what do we do about the murdering angel with a blade that could kill any one of us?”
“I have an idea about that, but it might be a little risky,” Hayliel says.
“I’m not surprised,” I reply blandly. “Let’s hear it.”
“It’s not like he was so hard to find the first time, seeing as I stumbled upon him by accident. He must have a hideout in the district somewhere. If I can find it, maybe we can figure out what his end goal is.”
“You’re serious,” I deadpan, and when she doesn’t respond, I add, “One body wasn’t enough? You want to risk the next dead angel being you? This is—”
“I’m trying to make it so there aren’t any more dead angels at all, and I figured if you tagged along, then maybe we’d actually stand a chance. Maybe I should reconsider the invite.”
Her words hit me like a landslide. It’s a foolish, stupid idea. One that could get us both killed. But I know her enough to understand that if I say no, she’ll just do it alone. Or she’ll ask Raphael or Theo to go with her, and somehow that’s almost worse.
“Uh, guys,” Theo says, “I get Ezekiel is a Guild intern and all that, but you’re both students. You don’t have medals of valor from battles won, or even experience fending off a deadly blade-wielding rebel. Is this really a good idea?”
Look at that. Something the Pure and I can agree on. Still, I ask, “Do you have a better idea?”
He sighs. “No.”
“Perfect,” Hayliel says. “Then it’s settled. Zeke, how soon can you get here?”
“I’m due at the Guild at first light, but I can come out after that.”
