Page 9 of Crimson Promises
“Amen to that.” Azrael read off his scroll. “Fidus, it says your family is part of The Gifted. What are you doing slumming with the likes of this traitor?”
I gritted my teeth together, then opened my mouth, but Jos held a hand towards me.
“If you ever got the chance to speak to Ordinaries, you would realize they aren’t any different than we are. If Heaven refuses to give them the same opportunities the First and Second Hierarchies have, then it’s my responsibility to stand with them. It is our right to stand up and demand change. Fight for it if need be.”
Azrael just snickered. The archangel towered over Jos and me even though we stood over six feet tall. “Wrong answer, Fidus. You bring nothing but embarrassment and shame to your family name for your actions on the battlefield today and choosing this scum over your own house.”
Jos whipped out themagicumand began muttering a spell. He was supposed to wait for my signal. We could never defeat him individually, but we could subdue him together.
Azrael’s blue eyes flashed in anger. With just a flick of his wrist, he sent the magical tool flying. “How dare you raise a weapon against me!”
As he dug his caliph into the sand, clouds darkened the previously empty sky. The blue in his iris changed from turquoise to a deep navy.
I hobbled my way to stand in front of Jos. “Azrael, your quarrel is not with him. It is I who was one of the commanders of the legions that stood against God today. As a soldier, he was following my orders.”
“I assure you, Bennett, you will be dealt with. However, did Joshua not join this cause of his own free will?”
No one dared answer his question to anger him further.
Azrael continued, “He was the one who raised his hand to strike against an archangel. It is forbidden. An example must be made for others who think they have a right to take up arms against The Originals.”
Jos gave me a light shove. But I remained where I was.
Before I could stop him, Jos stepped around me. “I accept the consequences of my actions.” His voice rang clear and true.
Stupid fucking noble Jos.
“Maybe you have some honor after all,” Azrael acknowledged.
I reached out to grab Jos’s hand, but he shook me off.
Jos turned back to me and whispered. “Whatever is going to happen. Run. Get as far away from here as you can.”
I shook my head back and forth repeatedly. “There’s nowhere to go. Don’t do this.”
He gave me a sad smile tinged with resignation. Tears glistened in his eyes. “With you, I serve.” He lifted two fingers in a mock salute.
Azrael had stepped closer during our exchange, raised his hooked caliph, and sliced Jos clean open from the base of his neck to the tailbone of his spine without remorse.
My best friend crumpled to the floor. It should have been me. My knees sagged to the floor. I reached forward to touch Jos. His eyes stared past me—vacant of the warmth Jos had always exuded. A lifeless husk lay there in its place.
Fighting my cause was more significant than my best friend consistently putting his life in peril. How naive I was. I never deserved his friendship. He only joined this pointless war to support me and my ideals. Every time I had pushed to train harder, become faster and stronger to move up in rank, Jos was there: when we made the covenant, got the brand, and first stepped onto the battlefield side by side.
All those men who trusted me with their lives—gone. I let every single one of them down on the battlefield today. I led them all to burn in the fire. Nausea rolled through me. I turned my head to the side, retching up the minimal amount of food and water I had the past few days.
Azrael snapped his fingers, and Jos’s body vanished. All that remained were pools of violet plasma.
“Bring him back,” I demanded.
“There is nothing to bring back.”
“Bring him back,” I roared.
The Angel of Death tilted his head ever so slightly. “His body is ashes now. His soul is now awaiting punishment for his traitorous crimes. You will join him momentarily.”
Adrenaline flooded through my veins. I balled my hands into fists. A slice of light refracted off an object near Azrael’s feet—Jos’smagicum. I got on my hands and knees and crawled towards it.
“Groveling won’t help you now.”
