Page 38 of Wings of Valor
“You’ll be more help doing the one thing no one else can do. And you’ll be safer this way. We all have a part to play.”
Even though I nod, I don’t agree. And it looks like my friends don’t either. The council’s intentions remain to be seen. Are the Archangels on our side or Auriel’s? Either way, we won’t just sit by on the sidelines while my parent’s and Zeke’s lives are at risk.
Mikhael doesn’t realize it, but his words have only added fuel to my raging need to help. He can underestimate me all he wants, but I know I can imbue swordsandhelp bring them home.
And I’ll do it whether the Archangels or their council approve or not.
16
We leave the war room with grim expressions on our faces and head toward the wing of the sanctuary dedicated to us. The one place we hope is private enough for us to talk about what the fuck just happened.
Mikhael told us to use the slate on the wall just inside our room to order room service. As if we’re thinking of food at a time like this. Still. We need energy if we want to get anything done, so we order anyway.
Only after the food arrives do we risk discussing our options.
If the Archangels and their council think we’ll just sit by on the sidelines, they’re sorely mistaken. Maybe if I’d just let everyone help me in the beginning, Zeke wouldn’t have been on his own and so easy to capture.
Fuck. I hate this!
I reach out to him again in my mind, trying my parents next when the connection doesn’t go through. The others watch me. I feel it on my skin, their eyes tracing over me. Do they know I’m trying to reach him? Are they trying, too?
Theo shakes his head, and I wonder if maybe I said my thoughts out loud again.I can’t reach him either, firefly. I’ll keep trying.
I nod in understanding and push the tears away. Lately, it feels like all I ever do is cry. I’m always angry or sad. I’m tired of it.
“I can go to the guild,” Mira offers. “If I can find a way to search Lieutenant Atlas’s things, maybe I’ll find out where he usually meets Auriel. It has to be somewhere they won’t get caught.”
“That’s a good point. Zeke said your dad was a lieutenant. Maybe you can talk to him and see if he’s heard anything?” Raphael asks.
An odd expression crosses Mira’s face, but it’s gone just as fast. “Maybe.”
“Dina is basically under house arrest by her father, but if she’s hanging out with you instead of me, he might not mind. It wouldn’t hurt to loop her in on all this,” I say, waving my hand around.
She nods. “I’ll message her now and keep it chill so her father doesn’t suspect anything.”
Theo places a kiss on my cheek before stealing a fry off my plate and popping it into his mouth. “If you’re handling the guild, maybe Castiel and I can narrow down viable locations of their operations another way. It might even help us have a better picture of everything, depending on what we find.”
“Splendid idea,” Castiel agrees.
Raphael, being so observant, hands me a piece of bacon when he sees mine is all gone.
“Are you sure?” I ask, not wanting to take from him but really wanting another piece of the crispy deliciousness.
“I ordered extra.” He drops a kiss on my cheek, and I snatch that bacon up like a lifeline.
Yum.
“Well,” he goes on, “I’m still learning to trust him, but maybe I should contact Raduriel. The council isn’t the only one with connections, and he seemed eager enough to help us the last time we spoke.”
I take his hand. “Are you up for that? Because it’s okay if you’re not.”
He gives my fingers a gentle squeeze. “I can put aside my past for this. Besides, trust needs to be earned—and what better way to earn some than by helping out in an end-of-the-world type situation?”
I giggle. “Right.”
There’s silence for a few minutes as Raphael uses a very old, very unused connection with his brother to let him know they need to talk. He’s not even sure it’ll work, but I know the second Raduriel responds by the look on Raph’s face.
Good. Things are moving, and we’re not stuck in a corner somewhere being told not to get involved. “We don’t have many answers, but when has that stopped us?” I ask, trying to adopt some of my parents’ optimism. I hope wherever they are, they haven’t lost their hopeful spark.
