Page 60 of Crimson Promises
My suspicion of who she was to him deepened. For so many years, I had been fixated on revenge against the Originals. To do that, I needed more power than I had—I needed to become a member of The Gifted. Michael’s deal made that a reality. But lately, I’ve wondered why Michael would go against the rules of Heaven and disobey commandments, all for some random mortal girl.
Fear skittered up my spine. “No.” My concern for Aurora boldened me to respond. “But I’ve grown to care about her welfare, and I’m trying to do the job that you asked me to. If there is something I’m missing, then it becomes a blindspot in my arsenal to properly defend her.”
“I assure you, Bennett, you’ve been given all the necessary information,” Michael said. Fucking archangels.
I tried from another position. “What can I do if another demon attacks? Is there something special, a weapon that would easily defeat them?”
“Only relics of Heaven can destroy demons easily.” My mind’s eye focuses on Jos’smagicum. “Heavenly fire or daggers made ofillicium. The material is of the same one you carry, Bennett Caelum.”
My mouth dropped open. Holy fuck. Where would my mom have gotten something like that from? My dad? I didn’t even know who he was. All my mom ever told me was that he had important things to do, and that’s why he couldn’t stick around. I had always assumed it was just a story she told me not to deal with the fact that my dad was a deadbeat or didn’t love me enough to stick around.
I tentatively pulled the knife out of its usual spot. I spun the blade around in my hand. There was nothing remarkable about it. It looked like a silver dagger with a black handle. No unique markings, jewels, or stones. Plain and simple, just like me.
I asked Michael, “You’re talking about this one?”
Michael stepped forward and took the blade from my hand. He flicked the metal and then brought it to his ear. If I hadn’t observed him, I would have missed it. There was a slight but distinct humming sound coming from the blade.
He handed me the blade's pointy end first. Probably hoping I’d slice myself. His dislike for me was no secret. Like all the other Originals, he is only stomached me because I’m beneficial to him.
I’ve never been this close to Michael before, except when I shook his hand all those years ago. I should give him a big ol’ hug. He sure looked like he could use one now. I might have obliged if I weren’t positive he would obliterate me to smithereens.
“I can confirm that this is a weapon with a blade ofillicium.”
“I never knew.” I stared at the knife, dumbfounded.
“Now you know, Bennett. For your additional information,illiciumwas a material forged in the depths of Heaven. It cannot be used against any archangel of the realm.”
“The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.”Liar, liar, my pants better not catch on fire.
“Bennett, continuing to treat me as an ignorant party will not serve you adequately in the future. It would do you well to remember that.” Michael tapped his knuckles on the sword. “If that is all?—“
“It isn’t. There’s more.”
“What is it?” he demanded.
“I… overheard Aurora talking to someone,” I started, not wanting to tell him that I was on a sort of date with whoever Aurora was to him. “She confirmed her necklace is missing.” I paused, trying to gauge his reaction.
His tapping on the sword halted momentarily, the only hint that this news ruffled his feathers.
“Aurora said it belonged to her mother and that she was meant to carry it with her, always.”
Michael’s throat bobbed.I’ve never seen him do that before.
“She’s torn up about it. Like I said in our last meeting, she thinks she lost it the night that guy tried to attack her. She’s even been to the police station.”
“And this is in line with when the nightmares started again for her?”
My neurons were firing at super speed. I dug my heel into the dirt. “You think they’re connected?”
“Perhaps.”
An owl hooted in the distance, a predator claiming its prey.
In a firm voice, Michael instructed, “It is imperative you locate the necklace, and when you do, it must be returned to Aurora immediately.”
“Are you going to share why it’s so important?”
“It’s none of your concern, Caelum.”
