Page 19 of Wings of Valor
But why would he go there?
The Godless Mountain was at the center of the battlegrounds in the fight that put the Archangels in power and left Silver City without a God. Now, it’s less of a mountain and more of a tall formation of rock reminding us of what happened here. The Archangels themselves banned the area ages ago, so what purpose could Atlas have to go there?
I hang back a little. This guy is a seasoned lieutenant of the guild and probably has senses far greater than mine. The last thing I need is for him to realize he’s being followed.
It’s not just for my safety, though, but curiosity as well. I want to know what’s so special about the Godless Mountain. Maybe there’s something here that can help us.
Atlas lowers his altitude until he lands near a pile of rubble. I watch on from the clouds as he spares a quick glance at his surroundings before continuing on foot.
Up ahead, the clouds disperse, so if I want to continue my tail, I’ll need to do so from the ground.
Shit. As curious as I am about this area, I was kind of hoping to watch from afar.
I pick a spot farther back and dive quickly, flaring my wings at the last second to lessen the impact. No sounds greet me from the ground. Birds don’t chirp in what’s left of the charred and broken trees. Nothing scurries about in the destruction that litters the ground.
With nothing to mask my noise, I’ll have to be even more careful.
What the hell is Atlas doing here?
Quietly, I walk by bones, worn-out fabric, rotten trees, and other debris. This place is eerie. No wonder they’ve made it off-limits. It’s nothing but a graveyard.
A sound from up ahead has me stopping dead in my tracks.
No. It can’t be.
A few more steps take me to the hollowed-out trunk of an old tree. I count my breaths, trying to steady my heartbeat into a normal rhythm. I manage—but it doesn’t last.
Not when I peer around the tree and catch sight of who Atlas is meeting.
Except it’s not so much a who as awhat.
My mind races, slotting the connections into place as I watch Atlas and a fuckingdemontalk as if it’s normal. Like they aren’t warring species.
He’s the mole.
Lieutenant Atlas is the fucking mole.
Does Mira know what her father’s been up to? Did he plant her in our fucking ranks as a spy?
Oh,fuck. She used his keycard to help us steal amulets. She’s the one who supplied the goddamn rune that proved we could trust her. Was that even real?
I have to get back. Now. Before we execute any kind of plan to get Hayliel’s parents back.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
Mira was involved in every conversation. The talks of an ambush. Castiel reaching out to one of the other Archangels. She knows all of it.
She wanted Hayliel to meet him. Sure, she said it was to look at all options, but what if it was more than that?
Turning, I get as far away as possible before taking flight, not wanting Atlas or his demon friend to see me.
We can turn this around. Use it to our advantage somehow.
Maybe offering Mira—or even Atlas himself—as a trade will help us get Hayliel’s parents back.
Shit. Fuck! This is a mess.
The flight back passes in a blur. I’m constantly looking over my shoulder, worried I’ve been spotted, but I luckily land on my balcony with no one following.
