Several books suspended in midair dropped sharply to the ground before he could grab them. Mags spun around, exclaiming in triumph and derailing his train of thought—probably for the best, if his short-lived obsession with sewing his own clothing was any indication. “I found it!”
“Mhm,” Luce nodded, eyebrows lifted in expectation. “Care to enlighten the rest of us?”
“A long time ago,” she began excitedly, “when I was first Risen, Christos could see how scared and confused I was. He said something that stuck with me, and I thought it was only a figure of speech. Just something to make me feel better, like a fairy tale. I should’ve known nothing is ever truly a myth in our world.”
She laughed, a small bitter thing not like her normal giggle, as if chastising herself for being naive. Luce bit his tongue hard to avoid interrupting, though he desperately wished she would get to the point.
“But it’snot,” she waved the book, a thick volume bound in worn sheepskin leather. “It’s right here, Luce.”
“What is?”
“The Armor of God.”
Luce’s heart sank. He wanted to revel in that gleam in her warm eyes, to feel the hope she clearly did. But he knew what she did not.
“Oh, Mary, no,” he spoke softly, as if afraid to hurt her by speaking too harshly. “That’s not a viable option.”
“It is,” Mags insisted, shoving aside a crystal paperweight in the shape of an apple to make space for the book. Opening it to the first page, she trailed a pink lacquered nail down a long list of names. “This is an index of weapons of old; of ancient artifacts and their purpose. And right here, between the James Ossuary and the Coat of Dreams –”
“Yes, I know,” Luce broke in, keeping his voice soft and soothing. “But did you read the pages attributed to the Armor?”
“No,” she admitted. “I didn’t get that far.”
Luce took the book from her, flipping to the corresponding section of the compendium, and began to read aloud.
“Therefore, take up the whole armor of the Gods, that you may be able to withstand true evil. Stand with assurance, having fastened on the belt of truth and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Do all this with supplication to the holiest of holies, and you will attain the readiness of the Gospel of Peace.”
“Why are you insisting this isn’t an option for us?” Mags demanded. “It sounds like you just have to put on the armor and pray to someone, right? And you’ll have the power to overcome any evil.”
Luce closed the book with a snap. “Nothing is ever that simple, Mary. You think this armor is just sitting in a closet somewhere, waiting to be picked up and used?”
“Well, that would make sense,” she said, crossing her arms. “Though I’m sure you’re about to tell me otherwise.”
“Firstly, not just anyone can wear the armor. You need to be of the highest divine ranks?—”
“Which you are,” she pointed out. “Seraphim Eterna or an Archangel, right?”
“Secondly,” Luce continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “you must earn each piece of the armor, one by one, with the proper supplication and tithing to craft it.”
“Seems reasonable enough,” Mags said, jutting out her chin stubbornly.
“And lastly,” Luce glared at her constant interruptions, “the instructions for how to attain each piece of armor are contained in the Gospel of Peace—which no one can access.”
“And why not?”
“Because, dearest, my brother keeps it locked away in his Vault.”
“What? Why?”
Luce snorted, running a hand through his hair. “Because he’s an arrogant prick with control issues? He claims the armor is ‘too powerful’ to be left for ‘just anyone’ to access.”
“‘Just anyone’?” She scoffed, frowning. “There are barely any Divine left who rank highly enough to use it.”
“I’m aware,” Luce said, mouth twisting in a grimace. “He keeps it locked away so thatIcannot access it. Despite that it is the armor ofthe Gods, he calls it the armorof Godand claims it’s his by right of being King.”
“That’s absurd.”
“Have you met my brother?” Luce laughed grimly. “No, this is not an option for us. He’ll never allow it.”
