S’lach is camped outside the estate, and he’s not alone. Assembled in a loose, uneasy clump are an assortment of pop-up shelters—designed by theorikand assembled by theeluun.The technology is fascinating. Starting the size of a suitcase before expanding to house multiple angels. I’ve never seen this many in action.
The message is clear: S’lach is forcing his allies toheel.
Celine drops her toast, lifts the pistol, and flicks the safety off. “Let’s do an experiment.”
My eyes widen. “I’m not sure that’s a good—” She pulls the trigger, cutting off my objection. I sigh. “Idea.”
Someone screams, and movement at the makeshift camp escalates. Grinning, Celine blows over the barrel. “I expected more smoke. In the movies, there’s smoke.”
“Okay, Annie Oakley, calm down, put the safety back on, and eat your toast.” Ciprian massages his temples. “My ears are ringing now.”
Celine crosses her arms and glances over the balcony railing with narrowed eyes. “They’re violatingthatshalaw and about fifty different customs by camping out there. Ignoring that would make me look weak.”
“S’lach publicly disavows the old ways,” I say. “Most find his plans reprehensible, but there are others...”
Celine growls. “Losers searching for boots to lick so they can feel important.”
“The bullet passed through the shield.” Riven drums his fingers against the table. “The estate’s magic is discerning.”
“It’s connected to those who came before me.” Celine’s eyes take on a faraway gleam. “No one takes their magic with them when they go. It goes into the family stores, protecting the estate and powering any descendants.”
“He’s trying to rattle your confidence,” I tell her.
She scoffs. “He’s failing. After the monster realm, I’m not sure I can be rattled, and he only has himself to blame for that.”
“He’ll use us to distract you.” I swallow around the lump in my throat. “He’ll make digs about my betrayal and Riven’s face—he’ll want to humiliate you, Celine.”
She puts the gun down and covers my hand with hers. “Let’s get a few things straight: you never betrayed me, Malach. You dida selfless, stupid thing. His silence brand, the control—those things weren’t your fault, they were his.”
I flip my hand and pull her knuckles to my lips. Tomorrow, they’ll be bruised and bloody, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“Ignoring his goading is good, but he won’t play by the rules either,” Riven adds. “The attacks on the gates show his desperation. He may face you tomorrow at dawn, but he’ll have safeguards in place, and none of them will be honorable.”
Celine surveys the estate grounds and sighs. “I’m not honorable, either. Not anymore.”
My back throbs, phantom aches where my wings used to be. Celine thinks she lacks honor, but she’s wrong. Though no longer a monolith, her moral code is set in stone. Celestial heritage, life in the Fringes, and surviving the monster realm—she’s a product of everything she’s been through, and there’s nothing dishonorable about that.
I would trust her moral compass over anyone else’s, including my own.
“I’m going to address the staff,” Celine says. “Everyone needs to be focused tomorrow.”
She pushes back from the table and disappears through the balcony door. When Alistair moves to follow her, I shake my head and hold up my hand. He settles back in his chair.
“What’s up?” Luca asks. Without caffeine, he’s quiet in the mornings, but he’s awake enough to be visibly worried.
“This is Celine’s fight.” I flex my hands on top of the table.
“We know that.” Ciprian cocks his head. “What are you getting at, Malach?”
I glance out at the makeshift campground and crack my knuckles. “The fight belongs to Celine, but so do we.”
Riven sits back in his chair, assessing me coolly. “You don’t want to wait for S’lach to reveal hisdeception.”
I shake my head. “We should have a deception of our own in place. Precautions, contingencies...” I swallow before meeting their eyes one at a time. “I lost her once, and I wouldn’t wish that pain on anyone. I won’t lose her again.” Celine doesn’t think twice before throwing herself into the path of danger for us. It’s time we returned the favor.
Alistair nods, and Luca pulls his lip ring into his mouth. “I don’t like going behind her back. Why not talk it through together?”
“Dueling customs.” I wince. “Before the fight, they will make vows on their radiant words. If she knows in advance, Celine’s truth will give us away. It must stay between us.”
