Jezebel took her place at Delphine’s side and stared daggers at Killian. If she could kill him with looks alone, she’d do so, happily.
Killian pulled a small silver knife from his pocket and slid it across his palm. Blood welled, a deep crimson, and he made a fist, letting his life force drip onto the grass at his feet.
“I pledge my life, here and now. Let this be my final vow. If I lie, if truth I hide, may this circle fail and die.”
Killian’s entire body seized, and he strained against the spell. “Ask...me...anything,” he managed.
Delphine pressed her hands against the circle, but it resisted her, to Killian’s relief. “Did you steal the celestial sand from the crypt?”
“No.” The answer flowed easily, truth the only option he had.
“Who did?”
Killian tried to protect Maddox, but the spell forced the words from his lips. “An...angel.”
The whoosh of wings had to be all in his head. Maddox was back in the celestial realm. But then, he could see nothing but white feathers, a toned, muscular back, and dark, wavy hair.
“I stole the sand, witch. If you have a problem with that, you may deal with me, personally.” Maddox’s wings tucked against his back, and he tossed a quick glance over his shoulder. “I understand now, baby. What I need to do.”
Mad stepped from the circle, and Killian’s entire world went white.
C H A P T E R T W E L V E
MADDOX
H e’d thought flying was a fast way to travel. That was nothing compared to Mist carrying him halfway across the city in all of two minutes. By the time they reached the graveyard, Killian was surrounded by half a dozen witches, his hand bloody, and his body rigid.
Mist had warned him. “A blood oath. It compels him to utter only truths. Go to him. I will do what I can with the witches. Without killing them.” She rolled her eyes, clearly unhappy with the promise Maddox had elicited from her before they’d set out.
Now, Maddox spread his wings, shielding Killian as he approached Delphine, Jezebel, and three other witches flanking them. “The sand didn’t belong to you. I attempted to return it to its rightful place in the celestial realm.”
“Attempted?” Delphine took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. “Where is the sand, angel?”
“Scattered to the four winds.” He shrugged, his feathers rustling. “I suppose a few grains may have found ill humans to cure, but most were likely washed away by the afternoon rains. Killian had nothing to do with the theft. I broke into the crypt. Killian’s only crime was rescuing me outside of Magnolia House with the broken vial in my pocket.”
Delphine sidestepped Jezebel so she could see around Maddox to Killian. “Does the angel speak the truth, witch? Tell me where all of the grains went. Tell me everything.”
Killian groaned and staggered under the weight of the spell. “I found him. Outside. The vial...was broken.” Each word seemed to take more effort than the last, and Maddox turned and met Killian’s gaze. Sorrow lingered in the blue-gray depths, and he whispered, “I’m sorry,” before continuing. “Some of the sand fell...onto Maddox. The rest, I scattered.”
“Onto the angel?” Delphine chuckled. “Well, then. They can be recovered.”
“Maddox, get back into the circle!” Mist shouted, but at the same time, two large men leapt forward and grabbed Maddox by the arms. He struggled to free himself, but they were too strong, looping chains around his torso, binding his wings to his back and his arms at his sides.
“No. Delphine. Please,” Killian begged, but the elder witch laughed, shoving her hands out in front of her and sending an arc of blue light into Mad’s chest.
Agony overtook him. Burning, twisting, breaking bones and rending flesh. Blood dripped down his bare chest as the grains worked their way out of his body, and he screamed, thrashing within his chains.
All of his injuries from being hit by the car came back with a vengeance, made worse by the chains and Azrael’s warning in his ears. “You will eventually become mortal.”
A percussive force slammed into him, and Maddox was launched high in the air, back over Killian’s head, and when he came down, his body bowed over a tall grave marker. His spine shattered, and his legs went numb, but still, the grains fought their way free, and through his tunneled vision, he saw them float on the wind towards Delphine.
“Killian,” he whispered. “Help...me...”
KILLIAN
No. He’d tried to bring Maddox back into the circle, but the spell had been too powerful, and now the angel lay bent over backwards, blood staining his lips, pouring from a dozen wounds in his chest, and still bound by those bloody chains.
“No more,” he growled and stalked towards Delphine and Jezebel. “You are killing an angel. One of the Divine.”
