I didn't know what that meant, but Lucifer seemed to. He nodded as if it were assured.
“But not today,” Azrael said. “Jerry is still empowered by Wild Magic. When it wears off, we'll be able to kill him more easily.”
“If he hasn't taken apples with him,” Trevor said.
“He may have, but he won't know when we're going to strike, and I doubt he'll want to waste whatever he has left to keep himself constantly enhanced.”
“True,” Lucifer said. Then he raised his voice to address the crowd, “The battle is over for today, my brothers and sisters. It's time to celebrate your freedom!”
The Angels cheered again, but this time they were joined by the Froekn, Intare, and Demons. The wolves and lions may not be citizens of Heaven or Hell, but they were always down for a good party.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Angels and Demons ran off to get ready for the festivities, and I had to go home too. I had family waiting. Azrael offered to help fetch the children, but I thought he should stay and help his father. So, I traced to Pride Palace with Trevor and Kirill.
We found the kids in the Common Room with Samantha and several of my lions who had been given the task of guarding the children while the rest of us were at war. When we entered the room, the men ran over to us and started apologizing.
“Stop!” I held up a hand. “You didn't fail. Did they, Brevyn?” I looked at Brevyn, who was sitting before one of the many TVs with Vero.
Both of the boys had controllers in their hands and a video game was on the screen. Spyro, I think. No, that other one that Spyro's in, the one you have to put the figures on an activation platform to use them as your avatar. How can I know so much about a game and not know its name?
“No, they didn't.” Brevyn got up and came over to hug me. “I'm sorry I couldn't tell you.”
“It's okay, honey.” I hugged him back. “But you need to explain to your uncles why they didn't fail me.”
“I knew that Zachariel was coming for one of us,” Brevyn said. “If I hadn't gone with him, he would have used his magic to lure Vero away.” He looked at Vero, then at me. “I couldn't let that happen. It had to be me. Only I could save myself and free the Angels. And the Angels needed to be freed.”
“I knew you went with Zachariel on purpose.”
“I did, and I told them this already, Mom.” He waved a hand at the somber lions. “They don't think it matters.”
“It doesn't,” Jake said. “You assigned us the task of protecting your children, and we failed you. I'm so sorry, Tima.” He went to his knees. “I'm sorry, Kirill and Trevor. Please, forgive me.”
The six other lions did the same.
“Get up,” I waved at them. “We're family, not just gods and demigods. You don't kneel to us, not even when you're apologizing.”
“She's right. Get up, Brothers,” Kirill said, then went forward to help them up.
They stood up, but still looked grim.
“A child was meant to be taken today, there was nothing any of you could have done to prevent it,” I said. “Brevyn made sure that it was him and because of that, an entire pantheon is free and many lives have been saved.”
“But he's just a kid. We should have protected him,” Jake said.
“To quote Tolkien, 'Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.' Brevyn has changed it many times and I'm sure he'll change it many more. He is not and has never beenjusta kid.”
Brevyn beamed at me.
“If you had succeeded at your task, the Host would still be under Jerry's control, and, honestly, I don't know what else might have happened.” I glanced at Brev, but he looked away, his smile fading. “I think I might have died trying to save Vero.”
Everyone looked at Brevyn.
“Brev?” Trevor asked, his voice gone tense.
Brevyn bit his lip, then nodded.
A weight fell away from me then. It's easier for me to know that I might have been the one who died instead of one of my children or husbands. Although, if Brevyn hadn't interfered, Vero might have died too. Fuck, that would have destroyed our family. Meandone of the kids? No, they wouldn't have recovered from that.
