“Foster was always good,” Michael said slowly. “Has anyone stopped to ask how he even knew about the Gospel of Lazarus? He was almost certainly pushed down this path.”
“And I think we have proof of who’s responsible,” Luce muttered darkly
“Someone who has been orchestrating a puppet show all this time,” Michael grumbled.
“Someone playing a long enough game that he had the foresight to have my wings stripped.”
Mags looked between the two men, a smile flickering at the edges of her lips. “I see you found a common enemy.”
“More than you might realize, my dear.” Luce shook his head. “Are you ready?”
“I’ll need a basin.” She released him and sat up straighter, smoothing the blankets over her lap. “Fill it with cool water and set it in my lap, please.”
Glory was closest to the table and dutifully followed her instructions. Luce could feel the tension rolling off everyone as they clustered around, trying not to appear as stressed and anxious as they all were.
Mags brought him back to reality with a soft touch on his wrist. “One hand in the water, please.”
He dipped his fingers in the bowl, letting them splay over Mags’s own submerged hand.
“Ready?”
He nodded and reached for the recent memories of his trip into the past. Digging deep, he focused on the last few momentsbefore they had been ejected. The water began to warm, and he glanced down. Mags’s skin emitted a soft glow beneath the surface. Her eyelids were shut as she prepared to receive the vision, and for a moment he felt a stab of guilt over asking her to do this right now. But it had to be done.
He closed his own eyes as the water grew warmer still, bordering on uncomfortable. He pictured the clearing, glimpsed between the trunks of the trees, with early evening light filtering into the space. Pale skin, dark hair, the stolen guise discarded on the grass.
The water began to boil around their hands, somehow without causing pain. Then it started to steam, and as the steam rose it condensed together and became opaque. Luce opened his eyes to watch the scene from his memories play out—and, if he was being honest, he wanted to see the reactions.
Oh, there werereactions.
Remi was the first to comprehend the revelation, and she turned a most fascinating shade of burgundy. If it had been a cartoon, steam would be pouring out of her ears. She began to tremble as her face settled into a furious snarl, and when she opened her mouth, a noise like a teakettle poured out in place of words. Rag blinked slowly in astonishment and then looked around the room. He nodded decisively, then stalked to the window and smashed it with his fist.
Gloriana fainted, but Cami caught her before she fell off the edge of the infirmary bed and fanned her rapidly. Sachi seemed stunned into silence, gaping at the scene.
Mags herself opened her eyes and turned to Lucifer, expression somewhere between astonishment and vindication. She had never trusted Gabriel but had often wondered if she was just being petty. Now she realized it had been her intuition seeing past his sleek and charming facade.
Michael raised a single golden brow, as if to ask Luce ‘was this really the best way to tell them?’ and Luce shrugged slightly as if to answer, ‘no, but didn’t it work?’
Mags removed her hand from the basin, and the steam dissipated. “So, you think this is another plot?”
“No, I believe it’s the same plot.” Luce frowned. “I think this has all been one long con on the part of my backbiting snake of a ‘friend’.”
There was a scuttling commotion at the doors to the infirmary, drawing every eye to Cwall as he burst inside. “There ya are!”
He flew inside, Balthazar and Judas hot on his trail, and Lucifer jerked to his feet, nearly toppling the bowl of water as he hurried to meet them.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Judas panted, bending to rest his hands on his knees. “Gabriel has violated your edict.”
“What?” Lucifer’s expression darkened. As if he didn’t have enough reasons to wring Gabriel’s slimy neck.
“I was watchin’, like ya wanted,” Cwall was hovering in place, wings working frantically to expend his obvious nerves. “I swear I came right ta find ya.”
“We were in a portal,” Luce said, trying to reassure the imp so he would get to the point.
“Fos was at the hospital, an’ Gabe convinced ‘im ta kill the old lady.”
“No,” Luce shrank back, horrified. “Foster adores her.”
“I know,” Cwall said, uncharacteristically serious.
