Page 131 of Alastair
Michael’s murderous gaze burned into him. “Have you told Lucifer about us retrieving Night Fall?”
“Yes.” Evangelos smirked. “You think you’ve beaten him, but you’re wrong. He’s going to kill all of you. You, the cursed sons, and Asa. All of you will fall to the Light Bringer’s flame.”
“Lucifer isn’t powerful enough to breach this realm,” Uriel said. “He’ll never get to us or Asa.”
Evangelos was no longer nervous. He was bold now. Defiant. Perhaps because he knew it was a lost cause. He couldn’t lie to us. “His goal isn’t to breach this realm. At least not yet. He intends to summon Asa tohim.”
“Like he tried to do in Hoia Baciu?” I asked. “The forest won’t allow it. The spirits residing there, along with every living thing, will fight him.”
“Ah, you have it all wrong, Commander. Lucifer won’t need to tap into the magical energy of the forest this time. There’s another way.”
“Impossible,” Gabriel said.
“Not quite impossible,” Selaphiel countered. His golden hair brushed his shoulders as he stood from his chair. “I feel the astrological energies shifting. A rare event is about to occur in the human realm that will increase this energy. If Lucifer performs the summoning when I suspect he will, he will succeed.”
“The black moon,” I said.
Evangelos’ smirk widened. He looked crazed. “Now that Lucifer knows you have Night Fall, he intends to use the power of the black moon to summon Asa and kill him, preventing you from carrying out your plan.”
Nerves twisted in my gut. “A soul weapon can only be destroyed if the soul it’s attached to dies.”
Michael worked his jaw. “Lucifer plans to kill Asa, so Night Fall will die with him.”
“So therearebrains along with that brawn. Bravo, Captain.”
Uriel stepped closer to the chained angel. “Where will this summoning take place?”
“In the place where it all began,” Evangelos answered. “Where Asa Morningstar’s soul first awoke.”
At first, I was confused. But then the answer hit me… and a bittersweet ache came with it.
It was where Asa’s soul had been released from the ring. Where the war and everything springing from it had been set in motion. A place where the brothers had felt so safe once upon a time, before that safety had been ripped from them and set aflame.
The mansion in Echo Bay.
***
Oliver stood on the beach beside Daichi. The earth dragon spoke to him, much too quietly for me to hear. In our time on the island, the two had become good friends. Though, Oliver felt a deeper bond than friendship, one he hid out of respect for the other male’s marriage to Kyo’s sister.
Daichi was comforting him.
I had left the celestial realm before Evangelos’ sentence had been carried out by Michael. The council’s decision had been unanimous.
Verdict: execution.
“How are you holding up?” Dargan asked me. “Having a warrior under your command betray you would eat at anyone.”
“I’m fine,” I answered before nodding to Oliver. “It’s him I’m concerned for. His heart is too big sometimes.”
“Eh. He’ll be fine too.” Dargan’s caramel eyes focused on the pair near the water’s front. “Especially with the dragon at his side.”
My heart went out to Oliver. For thousands of years, I had endured the pain of desiring someone I could never have. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
“Watch over him for me?” I asked Dargan before releasing my wings. “I need to visit the boys.”
“Yes, sir.”
I then flew to Baxter’s villa, where Alastair and his brothers had gathered with the allied commanders to discuss the night of the black moon. Nico met me outside. He was sitting on the front steps eating a Popsicle.
