Michael continued, “Their combined abilities, once released, helped trap all the powers of the thrones in here.” He nudged the clay urn with his booted foot. “And they were able to vanquish them back to the Celestial Realm. Even now, I still feel their shock. This ability to absorb powers belongs to the Watchers.”
Týr snorted. “Well, I’ll be damned. Nah, fuck that. I’m not damned. But well done, Nate and Nia. Whoa, Arc—” He cut the archangel a taunting smirk. “You’ll have the pleasure of filling Aethan in on this again. Just make sure you’re a nice, safe distance away from him. That male goes ga-ga crazy when things like this affect his mate.”
Michael snorted. “I think I’ll be safe.”
And he will be,Nia’s smiling voice coasted through Lore’s mind.They’re having a baby. I’m going to be an aunt, and you, an uncle!
Her infectious teasing wrapped around him, stirring him harder. With his awakening powers, Lore felt like a volcano about to explode. He let his attention linger on her lips before trailing back up to her eyes, and her cheeks turned red. He wanted to claim her mouth, needed her badly?—
“The reason the seraph marked Rania for elimination…” Michael’s gaze met Lore’s, and his jaw clenched, wanting to kill Jehoel himself again. And Chamuel was definitely on his hit list if he ever set foot in this realm. “…was not only because she has the power to deplete aseraphof his powers, rendering him unconscious and killing him, but also because she was a crucial part of the Trinity.”
“They couldn’t get to me or Echo, so they went after her?” Nate’s expression morphed to stone.
“The asses,” Nia muttered, squeezing Lore’s forearm.
He covered her hand, calming her anger.
“Your wings regenerating,” Michael told Lore, “is the result of Rania giving you Jehoel’s powers.”
“But they sank into the ground when I tried to help Lore,” Nia said. “Ohhh…” She pivoted to face him, eyes wide. “The night we returned from the cave, and you were hurting?”
He gave a slow nod.
“I smoothed salve on your wounds, and you said it felt better. At the same time, it felt like all the heaviness within me had vanished. It must have been the lingering power of the seraph remaining in me that flowed into you. I didn’t pay it any attention because everything was so overwhelming at the time.”
“I wasn’t the best recipient for receiving any powers in the cave,” he murmured, his gaze caressing her beautiful face, lingering on the light glinting on her tiny nose stud. “I thank you for that,habibti.”
Joy lit her face. “I’m so glad.”
“Good job in vanquishing all those thrones,” Michael said then. “Now, I will take my leave and give my caveat to the seraphs.”
“And what’s that?” Týr demanded.
“I will unleash the last part of the deadly prophecy, slaying anyone who dares come after those under my protection again.”
“You imagine that will work?” Blaéz asked. “These are unemotional winged beings with only one mindset: to keep the Celestial Realm safe, present company excluded.”
Lore shrugged. He didn’t care.
Why did Marmaroth intervene with Aethan and Echo?he telepathed Michael.
The archangel lifted a shoulder in a barely perceptible shrug.Who knows? Marmaroth never does anything without reason. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
With that cryptic comment, Michael picked up the urn. “Týr, you’re off duty until further notice.”
“It’s just a damn hole in my abs,” Týr grumbled, gingerly rubbing a palm over his stomach.
“Honey, stop.” Kira moved his hand away. “You heard Michael. You’re resting.”
“Yes, listen to your mate,” the archangel drawled. “Angelic weapons caused those wounds. It will take a few days to heal. It brought Aethan down.”
“Now I wished I’d killed more of those mofos,” Týr muttered.
“And I…” Race appeared in the doorway and grasped the doorjamb above his head, a pair of black cotton pants sliding low on his hips. “Didn’t even get to flambé any more of those delicious feathered beings.”
Lore snorted.
Race continued, “You’re all breathing. The Empyrean’s on the mend. I shall take my leave.”
