Without a word, Jehovah pressed the palm of his hand to Jophiel’s forehead, a warm golden light washing over the angel.The flow of ichor halted and Jophiel relaxed, hands falling to either side as the healing magic washed over him. When he deemed him sufficiently restored, Jehovah took back his hand and gestured for Jophiel to rise.
“And the others?”
Jophiel swallowed hard. “Slain by the boy.”
“I see.” Jehovah’s eyes narrowed, but he offered the angel a slight smile. “You may yet prove your worth, Jophiel.”
“Anything, my King.”
“Uriel has chosen to defect from our ranks.” He paused, the momentary vulnerability quickly squashed and replaced with his usual calm veneer. “You may do me the service of stripping his wings.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jophiel flinched, alarm flashing over his face. Luce thought, for a moment, the young man might refuse. His hand wavered over the hilt of his sword, fingers twitching slightly. But then Jophiel closed his lips, pinching them tightly shut, and drew his weapon. He turned to Uriel, expression carefully smoothed into a neutral mask, and Uriel sighed.
“One stroke, please, Joph.”
“Do you question my ability?” He stiffened, offended.
“No, my apologies.” Uriel looked at him for a long moment, searching that blank expression for...something, and then finally turned his back on the blond. Lucifer wanted to look away, but something kept him fixed on the scene. His back itched in the exact spot where he bore his own ragged, silver scars. Ezekiel averted his gaze, and Ithiel turned completely away, looking like he might be violently ill.
Poor kid,Luce thought, with just a smidge of pity.Never even seen combat before, I’d bet.
Jophiel, to his credit, took both wings in one fell swoop. He made no spectacle of it, but neither did he offer anywarning.There was simply one moment where Uriel stood,stiff-backed and tense, waiting for the strike, and then in the next breath, two gorgeous russet wings lay severed on the grass.
Luce—and his Fallen, of course—knew what was yet to come. Michael had watched, stubbornly and perhaps with a touch of masochism, as the wings had been severed. He closed his eyes now, as Uriel dropped to his knees, a scream of agony ripping from his clenched lips.
Across the field, Remi flinched, coiling in on herself. Rag shuddered, and Balthazar dropped to a crouch, ducking his head into his knees. Luce felt the phantom pain slice through his own back and rolled his shoulders to assuage it. It was a specific agony that you never quite forgot.
Jehovah looked away, refusing to acknowledge his former soldier any further. “Ithiel,” he murmured. “Please help Mary Magdalene from the ground.”
The young angel scampered to do as he was bid, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste to help Mags up. She accepted his hand hesitantly, and a bit awkwardly with her own still bound.
“Oh!” Ithiel pulled out a small dagger. “Allow me to remove this.”
“No.”
The angel froze, dark hair falling in his eyes as he hesitantly turned to look at Jehovah. “No, my King?”
“Did I stutter?” Jehovah spoke coldly, giving Ithiel a heavy glare beneath his arched brow. “I do not see the purpose of unbinding her before she is placed in her cell.”
Judas cursed. “You swore to Uriel that she would go free! Is your word so worthless now that you could dishonor his last request as your servant?”
“I swore that Ezekiel would not touch her again. Is that not being honored?”
Uriel groaned, shivering on the ground as he wrapped his arms tighter over his chest. Golden blood trailed slowly down his back, dripping onto the dirt. “You and…your damn loopholes…”
“Bastard!” Remi wailed, banging her fist on the barrier Luce still struggled to maintain. “You insufferable, awfulbastard!”
“Rem, please!” Rag tugged at her shoulders, but she shook him off with an agitated snarl.
“Shut up!” She shoved at his chest, fury boiling over to its limit. “Where is the man I bound myself to? Where is the man who sliced offhis own wingsto throw them at Jehovah’s feet? Stop shushing and restraining me and dig your balls out of whatever hole you’ve buried them in!”
Rag reared back as if she had struck him. “Remi…”
“I told you she was a bitch.” Ezekiel frowned intensely. “I told you it was foolish to follow her into oblivion; that you would come to regret choosing her over everything Heaven could offer.”
“Heaven is fickle.” Bal spat on the ground, then placed his hands on the barrier, leaning as close to it as he could. “Says something thatJehois content to let Uriel bleed out, while Luce is giving more than he evenhasto protect us. I would choose this side a thousand times over.”
