I ignored him, caught in the glory that was streaming from me and toward the gate. It was every note ever sung by a joyful heart, every infant’s first laugh, every loving embrace. It was a universal love that had no limits, no boundaries. There was no earning it. It was a gift, freely given. It was all the good that existed. All the light of every star, and sun, and candle flame.
Using the tiniest hint of that power, though it felt like dipping my finger into a stream of magma, I opened my soul wider to make sure it all went to Revel, and sang my name into the gift. I hoped that maybe, if there was enough, he could use the excess to get himself free and find his way to the Celestial Realm.
I’m so proud to be your brother,Revel murmured as he accepted it.
My cheeks tightened in a smile as I sang.Stop saying that. I polished your knob. I’m in love with Seraphiel. I refuse to be your sister…But I would be proud to call you my friend.
“Revel, open, I beg you.” Gavriel’s brow creased, though the expression was odd, as his face was swelling. He was barely holding onto the power of Sanctuary that he’d assimilated. It was no longer only bulging, it was starting to leak through where the shadows had cut him, tiny rivulets of fire on his golden skin. We needed to get him out of Sanctuary, get the energy of the realm away from the shadows that I knew would come back—I could feel them racing our way now, leaving Rumple to go toward the brighter light, the more significant feast of power.
Make it fast,I thought, but there was no answer. Revel was already draining the last of the key’s energy from me to swing the gate wide faster than I had imagined it could move.
Not a second after it opened, the shadows that had been changed into light by Gavriel’s blast rushed out into the void, zipping as if pulled on a line toward the Celestial Realm. Heat encompassed me; my skin felt crisp, my eyes like they were seared open.
The gate glowed like an ember, and blazed on both sides. With each soul that fled Sanctuary, though, it grew cooler.
The malignant shadows that were farther behind surged forward as well now, drawn to the light of the redeemed ones, and to us. Snarling, Gavriel lifted his face and sang at them, keeping them at bay.
I still couldn’t move. In fact, I wasn’t certain if I was alive. Or if there was even a me left. I was a bridge of power, spanning Revel and Sanctuary and Gavriel.
I’d heard people talking about how life-changing Gavriel’s voice had been before he’d stopped singing. I knew now what they meant. The song he made was power and light, magical and miraculous. We were a captive audience, as Gavriel protected the new golden souls flinging themselves through the only way out of Sanctuary, down a thin blue strand of Celestial fire, with nothing but the strength of his voice. Amplified by me.
Revel whispered into my mind, his tone strangely subdued,Show me who you love?
Suddenly, an image of the entire universe began to unspool. Galaxies, planets, puppies and baby goats, individual blades of grass and one particularly ugly hairless cat. Thenallthe cats, and… My head spun. Revel’s laughter was filled with humor and more.I want to see whoFeatherloves.
Feather? I tried to remember who I had been when I was more than a conduit. I concentrated, and suddenly I was thrustinto a strange dream, if a dream could be harnessed to a roller coaster made of light. I blinked and saw the Limen approaching, then the Celestial gate. The Celestial Realm. At last, my mind spun us into a blue room.
The sleeping faces of my mates flickered past, then Precious, who was lying on the bed along with her puppy, in between Mikhail and Righteous.
Who were both still alive. They looked dead, their chests moving imperceptibly if at all, but the room was filled with people who were singing to them, talking to them. I saw Sunny, then Hope and Haneul, Sabriel and Percy. This wasn’t a memory; this was a vision.Is this a prophecy?
No. It’s a gift. You’re seeing with Her eyes. And She sees everything. Thank you for showing me.
I stared at the vision before it faded, trying to comprehend it. Somehow, Mikhail was sustaining Righteous. And Precious… she was feeding her own soulfire into Mikhail. My heart constricted, though the remaining power of Sanctuary still flowed into me. I wished I could send some of it to them, so far away. Shore them up, somehow. It made me proud and terrified to see my baby doing it. She was so selfless and brave.
She is perfect.Revel’s voice trembled, and I wasn’t sure why. As we watched, the puppy that lay beside her lifted its head and began to howl. The sound was excruciatingly sad.
Hot tears streamed down my face. What did it mean? Was she dying along with them?
Revel’s voice was a panicked, pounding drum as he thundered,Feather, can you drain the rest of the realm? Do it now!
I focused, hoping the thread that connected me would be enough… and realized it was not. Like a damp match, all my efforts to channel the remainder of the power failed, even though I reached again and again.
Revel’s voice was hollow, but gentler when he spoke next.Gavriel, carry her through. Fly as far and fast as you can. There is no time. Go, now.
Gavriel almost stumbled from the command in Revel’s voice. “I have no wings. How do I?—”
Revel laughed.You have an entire realm of power before you, Lightbearer. And you can’t leave it here for the Abyss to consume.Makewings.Gavriel’s mouth fell open in shock, but Revel went on.I will hold the shadows here for as long as possible. There will be no pathway to the Celestial Realm for you once this realm is emptied of its power. No road, no light to guide you. I pray you will still find your way. Find it fast. She is dying.
I wasn’t certain whichshehe meant.
Gavriel turned to the gate, hefting me higher, so I could see over his shoulder. And what I saw terrified me: a thick, wickedly jagged shadow knife was flying through the air, thrown by a beast a dozen yards away, and headed straight for Gavriel’s mangled shoulder blades. It traveled silently, flipping end over end like an ax, too fast for me to shout a warning.
All I could do was pray, with one word:Help.
And help arrived, from a direction no one would have expected.
The instant before the knife pierced Gavriel’s back, Slim Shady, who had been stuck to my back this whole time, was suddenly zipping over Gavriel’s shoulder. Slim shifted into a compressed ball of taint and corruption midair, and threw himself in between the shadow knife and Gavriel’s back.
