Page 102 of Hell's Prisoner
“Youwantus to?” Laila asked. “As in you’re nottellingus to?”
“No. The choice is yours, but I do believe you’d find the calling very fulfilling. There are other paths you can take, and they would be good too, but this one will be the most satisfying for you. It will allow your light to shine brightest.”
Laila looked at me. “What do you think?”
I lifted her hand to my lips. “That I trust you, and I’ll follow you anywhere, down any path.”
“That seems like a scary amount of power you’re giving me,” she said.
“Like I said, I trust you. Don’t get me wrong, I do love you, but I won’t follow you just because I love you. I’ll follow you because I trust your judgment.”
“But do youwantto seek out the Fallen and try to bring them back to the light?”
I turned toward the Son. “If this is the path You want me to take, I’m in.”
“Where would we live?” Laila asked.
“Earth primarily,” He answered. “You wouldn’t be under any archangel’s jurisdiction. You’ll check in with me or Father directly between jobs.”
“We’re in,” Laila said, squeezing my hand under the table.
THIRTY
Joriel
Laila staredup at the skyscraper in front of us, her eyes full of wonder. She’d spent her first twenty-one years living in Heaven’s palace, and she was in awe of a Boston skyscraper. I didn’t think she’d ever stop surprising me.
“Ready to go in?” I asked.
We weren’t going to be staying here long. Sam had offered us a room for as long as we wanted, but Laila and I had agreed on one night. I hadn’t had a proper reunion with my family, and Sam still had my axes locked up somewhere in this building, but there was no good reason to linger. We had a job to do, one we were both really fucking excited about.
Laila nodded, but something seemed off.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah.” Her hand tightened around mine. “Everything’s fine.”
“Then why are you cutting off the circulation in my hand?”
Her hold loosened. “Sorry.”
“I don’t mind. I just care that you’re okay. Really okay.”
“Do you think your family will like me?” she asked in a small voice.
“Of course they will. There’s nothing about you that isn’t likable.”
Jules stood in the lobby. I’d worked with him during my time living here and training with Sam’s demon hunters. He was in his late twenties now, but he looked about the same as I remembered, tattoos covering one arm and hair cut military short.
He grinned at us. “Party’s in the penthouse.”
I’d only been in Sam’s penthouse apartment once. Apparently he no longer lived here. He and his wife had a house in the country where they lived with theirthreechildren. Nothing said gone for three and a half years like missing your brother’s wedding and the adoption of all his kids.
The sounds of laughter and shouting greeted us as I pushed open the door to Sam’s apartment.
“Joriel!” I wasn’t sure who called my name, just that it was one of the girls, and then everyone was converging on Laila and me.
For a few seconds it was chaos. Everyone was talking at once, and it took serious effort not to trip on any of the children running around the kitchen.
