“Yes,” Ramiel frowned. “Because it seems as though Az just couldn’t control himself, even if that meant it would saveyou.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re such an idiot,Ramiel.”
He blinked atme.
“I was already doomed before last night.” I pushed up from the floor, wondering how much it would take for him to understand exactly what I was trying to say. Curling my hands into fists, I willed him to see my meaning without me having to blurt it all aloud in front of an audience.I love you, you idiot. I love all of you. “There was nothing you could have done to saveme.”
“I told you this was a bad idea, Ramiel,” Sammuttered.
I whirled toward my red-haired angel. “Oh, don’t get me started on you and your fake break-up. You made me think you were just using me. Youallsuck for not telling me about thisimmediately.”
Uriel held up a finger. “I would just like to say that I just follow Ramiel’s orders. Besides, I didn’t think you’d particularly miss my affections, since…well, I know where your heart trulylies.”
He nodded once at Sam, and then atAz.
Oh, they were all just soinfuriating! Why didn’t they understand? Why couldn’t they see thetruth?
The distant sound of clattering hooves filled the air. Lilith, who stood just inside the doorway, turned toward the noise to gaze outside. Her face remained blank; her voice was flat. “Oh, look. It seems as though we’re saved from this awkward conversation after all. The demon who likes to collect heads ishere.”
We all scrambled to the windows, my love life thankfullyforgotten.
In the distance, a form glided over the rolling hills on a black stead that was at least twice as large as humans’ horses. The rider and the horse moved together in one fluid motion, waves of ash trailing behind them like a blanket of pure death. I swallowed hard and took in his thick armor, his two broad swords, and the steel helmet that encased his head. And the two severed heads dangling from his waist that bounced with everygallop.
This was going to be…fun.
“So, what’s this guy’s deal?” I whispered to Lilith. “What exactly do we need to be preparedfor?”
“Like I said, he likes to rip people’s heads off. And then he likes to eat them.” She lifted her hand to her amulet and squeezed tight. “It’s probably been awhile since anyone has ventured into any of his villages. So, he’s likely to behungry.”
“He eats people, but he’s not a blood demon,right?”
Lilith sniffed. “I don’t appreciate the comparison. I drink blood as sustenance. He eats to cause violentchaos.”
“What is he then?” Rourkeasked.
“A death demon,” Lilith said. “He craves it. He seeks it out. It’s the only thing that can keep him alive, just as blood keeps me alive, just as water keeps water demonsalive.”
And just like fire kept fire demons alive…and yet, I rarely needed the flames, ifever.
“He’s getting close,” Ramiel said, voice firm and hard, our love life arguments now seemingly forgotten. But I knew he was still stewing, even if he put on a brave face. “Anything else we need to know,Lilith?”
“He’s one of the only demons in the realm that has wings. So, he’s kind of hard tobeat.”
Chapter Twenty
Erela
“Wings?”I pushed back from the window and stared at Lilith, my heart pounding hard in my chest. The water demon’s words rang in my ears. Everyone else had dismissed what she had told me. They didn’t believe that something might be amiss with my wings. The thing was, demonsdidn’t havewings. Fallen angels did have wings, but they were trapped inside their backs. Only angels had command of the skies. If demons wanted to fly, they had to use creatures of night. To hear that there was a demon who had wings? Well…I couldn’t help but wonder what thatmeant.
Lilith gave a nod, oblivious to my reaction. She hadn’t been on the boat when the water demons had attacked, and I hadn’t yet told her what the female had said. Partly because everyone else had dismissed her words. It hadn’t felt important. Untilnow.
“I didn’t think demons could have wings,” I said, my voice hitching up on the lastword.
Lilith lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “They don’t. Most of the time. What’s the big deal? I know it will make this fight a little bit more difficult than it normally would be, but there’s no need to freak out over it. I’m much more concerned about the fact that he likes to rip people’s headsoff.”
Uriel sidled up to us. “Erela has the idea in her head that there’s something different about herwings.”
“Somethingdifferent?”
