Page 84 of Wings of Strife
“You, of course,” he answers, like there’s nothing else he could possibly want.
“But why?”
“Well, for starters, a Seraphim would do wonders for my cause. You could help keep my friends in line and build a brighter city. Besides, you’re rather pretty. You might not know this yet, but I like to collect pretty little things.”
The shine in his eyes makes me uncomfortable. The smart thing would be to back down, but I can’t seem to force my tongue to behave. “So that’s what you want me for? Why you took my parents? Not for a partnership at all, but to be my employer?”
He rolls his eyes, laughing like he would at a toddler attempting to make a joke. “I never did like that word. Join me and help me cleanse the city of those who are undeserving.”
“I think we might have a different idea ofcleanseandundeserving,” I say, deadpan. The only one undeserving right now is him.
His entire demeanor changes. Before now, a devilish smile lurked behind his every word, but every trace of it is gone. Wiped away like it never existed. All that’s left is a poisonous rancor that turns my stomach. “I see. Fine. You want time? Have it. Don’t say I was never gracious and giving.”
I doubt this guy has ever been either of those things a day in his damn life. How could he be when he’s killed so many, with plans to do it again?
“Returning my parents will help me decide. It’ll prove I can trust you. No partnership survives without trust,” I say, like I might actually work with this psycho.
As expected, he isn’t fooled. “No. They stay with me. Though of course you can see them. This very moment, in fact. You only need to come with me.”
“Hummingbird,” Zeke growls beside me, like he knows I’m considering it. How could I not? Archangel Auriel has my fucking parents. A headache builds behind my eyes, threatening to take me down.
This is all too fucking much.
“The next move is yours, little seraph. Join the cause, or prepare for war. You have seven days to give me your answer.” His wicked smile has returned, warning me I won’t like his next words. “While you contemplate, I’ll do my best to keep your parents alive. Comfortable, even. You have my word.”
Then, so quick I would have missed it with one poorly timed blink, he taps his staff on the ground once, and he’s gone. Leaving me with an impossible choice to make.
Agree to his disgusting plan to cleanse the city while saving my parents in the process, or work against him and lose them forever.
