I forced my feet to move, keeping myself out of view and clinging to the sensation of power enveloping my form.
A flash of white lightning shot horizontally through the sky, momentarily blinding me and forcing me to my knees. Concussive thunder boomed, drowning out the constant rumble of the volcano.
When my retinas acclimated to the aftermath of the lightning, I glanced over my shoulder toward the sound of the rolling thunder, which seemed to be at Sheol, Lucian’s citadel.
The sky above Lucian’s fortress ripped open with white shafts of light shooting across the ugly, charcoal-colored clouds, the slants of luminance becoming fingers searching for a handhold.
Two seconds later, hundreds—no, thousands—of forms arrowed toward the structure, each speck shining like a beacon in the night, a rain of stars focused on the castle.
Could they be...?I couldn’t finish the thought because I needed to find safety. As far as I knew, those new arrivals could be another army of demons attacking. God only knew how many enemies Lucifer had probably made over the eons.
But I continued to stand in place, frozen as a strange murmur flowed through the ash-filled air, a deep, musical thrumming calling me to join in whatever mayhem was about to unfold.
A tear of joy fell from my eye. Those were not demons assaulting Lucian’s fortress. They were beings of light, of goodness, of hope. How I wanted to join their fight against Lucian and his army, to bring that palace to ruin, to force them to their knees, to wipe out their evil from my world. But I remembered Cain’s explanation of how the powers couldn’t shift out of balance too long. Humanity seemed to be the glue holding everything together...eliminating one side of the equation could rip it apart.
And even if I knew what I was doing with my fledgling power, I won’t be of any help.I had no idea how to fight or control the light coursing through me.
An ear-piercing scream of metal and off-key bells jangled in the sky above me, drowning out the beautiful music calling to my soul.
An army of dark angels soared through the sky, their wings shades of crimson, midnight blue, deep purple, and indigo. As they blasted above me, the wind of their passing scattered loose ash and small pebbles into the air.
I crouched, partially hiding my body behind an old chunk of lava rock, sure they’d see the light surrounding me and swoop in, but no one veered off to pursue me. Instead, every dark angel careened toward the palace, the shriek of their passage an ugly, grating sound.
There are too many of them.Even though that glorious rain of stars had been my kin—people like Dad—there were at least three demons for every angel.
I need to help them.And my father could be with them. It was a stupid thought. How many times had I imagined him striding through the door of our house as if he’d never disappeared?
No. If Dad lived and had such power, he would’ve returned.I had to face the evidence. Dad had been dead a long time, and nothing I could ever do would bring him back.
“He might be dead, butI’mnot.” Lifting my chin, I closed my eyes and focused on Lucian’s throne room, imagining myself appearing in the middle with my own sword of light.
Air brushed my face and the stench of sulfur lessened. I opened my eyes.
Steel clanged against steel, orange sparks flew from the contact of swords, and screeches pierced the air.
Awkwardly clutching my bright sword with both hands, I peered at the mayhem unfolding in Lucian’s hideous throne room.
Angels slashed at the Fallen in a dance of aggression and sharp breaths.
I’d appeared at the edge of the vast room, keeping myself hidden behind a black pillar.
The coppery smell of blood overrode everything, and almost everywhere I stared, men and women lunged, parried, or wrestled with one another, shouting in that language I’d never learned but somehow instinctively understood.
A tremor of fear traveled along my nerves, from my feet to the top of my scalp.I have no business being here. I’ll only get in the way at best and get myself killed at worst.
So, I hesitated, sweeping my attention farther out, looking for what, I didn’t know, until my gaze stopped. I had to blink twice to assure myself I truly saw him.
Raging in the middle of the chaos stood Cain, surrounded, not by his normal shadowy power, but by golden light.
No one seemed to have noticed me yet, and I couldn’t tear my eyes from Cain’s moving muscular form. Something about his appearance nagged at me. He stood taller and slashed his enemies with surer strokes. No longer carrying the slight hesitation he seemed to wield when facing the Fallen, he slashed with sure strokes of his sword and a grimace on his lips.
A demon rushed him from behind, but Cain easily swung around, blocking the dark angel’s blow and using his blade to shove the Fallen backward. With a quick jab, Cain twisted the steel through the demon’s chest.
He killed one of his brethren. What does it mean?
A flicker of hope stirred in my belly, but I tamped it down. I couldn’t read too much into his actions, not when the entire room swarmed with friend and foe alike. Maybe, in the frenzy of battle, he didn’t realize he’d killed one of his own.
Another Fallen, a woman with long black hair and midnight wings rushed toward an Angel with silver dreadlocks, but Cain intercepted, chopping off the tip of the Fallen’s wing.
