Page 30 of Reluctant Rebel

Loki clapped his hands together, extinguishing his light show. “Unfortunately, he was. History always repeats itself.”

Mikhail shared a look with Sabre, his heart beginning to pound. “Are you saying this has happened before?”

Loki shook his head. “I’mnot saying that. Areyousaying that?”

Mikhail grabbed Sabre’s arm, stopping her from launching the giant pearl she’d just pulled out of the wall. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He knew arguing with Loki was futile, but he couldn't help but persevere. He had been the only god willing to have a real conversation with him when he was Hound. “Loki, you’re pissing me off,” he said honestly.

When Loki only laughed, Mikhail snapped. “These are the lives of my people we're talking about.”

Loki fell silent, regarding him for a moment before walking forward slowly. “Not justyourpeople.”

“What do you mean?” Sabre demanded, moving in front of Mikhail. She was still holding the pearl. “Not so close, Loki. I’ve never killed a god before, but I’d be thrilled to add it to my scorecard.”

Loki looked thoroughly entertained by Sabre, but he did heed her warning. He stopped more than an arms-length away, saying, “Purgatory isn’t the only realm in the universe. It’s not justyourpeople that are dying or in danger.”

Mikhail ran a hand through his hair, no doubt making a mess. “I’ve heard that. Earth is somehow involved in the samemess. And that’s my point. Zagan is out there killing left and right, and the Heavens don’t seem to give a shit.”

Loki tapped his chin, looking thoughtful. “Why wouldtheygive a shit when they haveyouto give a shit, hmm?”

Mikhail couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “So, what? It’smyjob to stop Z? When you’ve just admitted that this is a universe-level problem?”

Loki clucked his tongue. “Notjustyour job. We gave you an angel, didn’t we?”

“Me?” Sabre looked appalled by the notion.

“Yes, Isrephel.You.” Loki’s silver eyes swirled tumultuously. “The first resurrection angel to be a guardian since King Cerberus crawled out of Hell and created Purgatory. The first angel to deal in souls right when souls are going astray.” Loki shrugged, and he slouched against a pillar. “Or perhaps it’s simply a coincidence.”

“Zagan’s motive is the souls?” Mikhail asked, latching onto the new piece of information.

“On the contrary, his motives have nothing to do with souls,” Loki revealed, speaking plainly for once. “But souls are the consequence,” he added ambiguously, ruining it.

“Do you know what the consequence is for pissing me off?” Sabre inquired. She held up the shiny pearl menacingly; it was the size of a bowling ball. “This shoved up your arsehole.”

Loki waggled his eyebrows with a grin. “Don’t tease me with a good time.”

Mikhail ground his teeth. He was about to let Sabre loose when Loki spoke again.

“Did you know that the body doesn’t have a soul? The soul has a body.”

Mikhail pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. His brain would leak out of his ears if he had to listen to Loki for much longer. “What do you mean?”

“What would happen if there were no more bodies for the souls to go into?” Loki continued as if he didn’t hear Mikhail. “Or even better, what would happen if no more souls existed for the bodies?”

“You’re not making sense,” Mikhail snapped. His patience was just about gone.

“Oh, I am,” Loki vowed. He had the audacity to reach forward and bop Mikhail on the nose. “You just don’t understand.”

Before Mikhail could break the god’s finger, Loki disappeared in a shower of sparks, his laughter ringing obnoxiously throughout the vast space. “I think I hate him,” Mikhail grumbled.

“IknowI do,” Sabre said with a scowl. “Do you have any idea what any of that means?”

“Not a clue,” he admitted. He felt more defeated than ever, to be honest, but he didn’t say so out loud. He reminded himself he was a king with an entire world to save by the sounds of it. “We should head straight to the library. See if anything Loki said lines up with something in the archives.”

“Fine.” Sabre started walking, rolling the pearl between her palms. “Plus, we should make sure Eric isn’t getting frisky with Jinx.”

Mikhail stiffened, his feet fusing to the ground. “What?”

Sabre shrugged indifferently, not missing a beat. “Libraries are sexy. And books are aphrodisiacs. Everyone knows that. You can’t blame them if they get overwhelmed by the ambience and jump each other’s bones.”

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