“What about the zombie thing?” I asked Dave. I hadn’t forgotten that their pack lands had been the target of a remnant gone wrong.
Dave tilted his head. “No more reports.”
That was good. Small wins and all that. Zombie apocalypse sounded so much worse than just a normal apocalypse.
Harry shimmered into existence, looking a little frazzled with messy hair and a loose tie. That was practically disheveled for my spirit friend.
“What happened to you?” I asked.
He grimaced. “I was checking on the town. Nothing new to report other than the residents continue to take it in their stride. The remnants themselves are subdued, apart from the odd one or two who take issue with the fact I have both of my souls.”
“They tried stealing your soul?” I growled.
Harry floated a little higher. “They tried but failed.”
That was a concern. We didn’t need ghosts trying to steal souls. “Did your sources say anything else?” I checked with Sophia. “Like how, when, or where?” The why was a moot point. She was a narcissistic bitch.
Sophia snorted. “No, but it might interest you to know there are two camps in The Order right now.”
“Go on,” Dave said.
Sophia put down her crochet and gave us her full attention. “One is the blindly loyal followers of Eloise. They believe she can do no wrong and would throw themselves off a cliff if she demanded it.”
“And the other?” Aira asked.
Sophia glanced at me. “The other is a quiet rebellion, but they are gathering numbers daily. They are dissatisfied with the direction Eloise is taking. They don’t support this route into a brand new world manipulated by her.”
“Seems like they have some common sense,” I replied.
Sophia nodded once. “Indeed, but they lack leadership and direction.”
Oh no.
“There’s no one else in The Order capable of leading?” Dave asked with a frown.
“There are plenty, but none powerful enough to stand against Eloise. It would be a suicide mission.”
“So they need an elemental strong enough to do so?” Aira said carefully as everyone slid glances my way.
“Spit it out,” I snapped. “There’s enough cloak and dagger shit happening in my world. So if you have something to say, just damn well say it.”
“Joseph Langley is leading the rebellion,” Sophia replied. Joseph was capable but no match for my grandmother. “And he’s requested a meeting with you.”
“They want to elect Cora as the new Order leader?” Lucifer said with a chuckle.
My head tilted back as I stared up at the moody sky and sighed. I was a bed-and-breakfast owner, doctor tosupernaturals, and occasional murder mystery solver—not a leader. I didn’t want that pressure—there was enough going on.
“They do,” Sophia confirmed.
“It’s a bad idea,” I muttered. “I am a half angel with a deity problem.”
Lucifer stood and leaned his hands on the table to stare me in the eyes. The king of Hell was in charge, not my uncle. “You are an elemental who commands two of the four elements, and the daughter of an archangel with unfathomable power you haven’t begun to understand or tap into. You house the factions and unite them in the fight of their lives. You are a medical doctor. You are mated to the strongest shifter this generation has seen. The only person who doesn’t believe you are capable is you. You are a force of nature, Cora, and God help whoever stands in your way once you realize your own strength. The world will kneel at your feet and shudder in surrender. So stop clinging to the life you once held. It’s gone.”
I swallowed the knot in my throat. “I’m worried I will make the wrong choices.”
“That’s why you have us,” Lucifer said. “Trust us to guide you. Trust your mate. Trust your family. Trust your friends. You have enough checks and balances in your life to navigate the darkness without falling into it. It’s time, niece. No more hiding.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
