Page 8 of When Monsters Rise
Theyboth nodded.
Iwanted to ask what that was, but my gut told meIprobably didn’t want to know.Butthere was somethingIneeded to ask them. “Yousaid the monsters get pulled back toGehennawhen the relic is put back together, and the celestials can return to heaven.Whathappens if theydon’tleave?”
“Thenwe make them go,”Shemsaid. “Thisis not their home.”
“Andyou…”Iscanned his face. “Isit your home?”
Hisjaw ticked. “Watchersbelong in a place between heaven and earth.”
Butnot in it.
Hewould leave.
Leavethis earth and leave me.
Apit of nothingness yawned inside me at the prospect of the absence of him, and my instinct was to challenge him, to push.Butnow wasn’t the time or place for this conversation, soIdropped my gaze, not wanting him to see how much that hurt.
“Getsome rest,Rue,”Shemsaid. “We’llleave at dawn.”
“Whydo you have to wait?”Beeasked.
“Becausethe devolved watchers are nocturnal.Mostwill be asleep during the day.”
Likethe monsters. “WhatifKabielis…Whatif he’s gone?”
“Thenwe’ll deal with him, and we’ll find another way.”
Theother way would mean making ourselves vulnerable to detection opening the channel and hoping that it could guide me.
Wehad to hope thatKabielwas still himself.Ourfates depended on it.
Chapter5
GABRIEL
Mycell is sparse, designed not only to hold a prisoner but to mentally torture him too.Withnothing to stimulate the mind, a captive could spiral into madness quickly, butIhave a playground inmymind.Aspace whereIcan retreat.Agarden filled with sunshine and the sweet scent of honeysuckle.Abrook bubbles and babbles not far from my perch on a flat rock.Fromhere,Iwatch the bees fly from flower to flower.Musicplays somewhere—an upbeat melody.
I’mcontent here with my thoughts and beauty all around.
TheDominioncannot reach this part of my mind.Theycannot find me here.Idoubt they’ll have need to come looking for me, though.Theyhave what they need.
Michaelbetrayed me.BetrayedRue.
I’veexhausted my memory running over every interaction with him over and over, searching for a missed moment of deception.Aword, a look, but the only conversation that springs to mind is our interaction on the security floor whenPaiterhacked intoDominionsecurity.There’dbeen a moment whenMichaelquestioned our return to heaven and wondered if we would fit.He’dmentioned how it would be wonderful to be powerful once more.Thiswas the momentIshould have had doubts.
MichaeltheArchangel.Michaelwith his sword blazing with light.Worshippedby all.Ishould have known, that given the choice, he would choose power.Tobe revered.Tohave status once more.Thethreat of living on half rations had been too much for him.
Butwhen had he spoken to theDominion?Hadthey come to him?No…he would have gone to them.Madea deal at our expense.
Ishould never have trusted him.
Theworld is in danger and allIcan think about is the human,Rue.Thedark-haired vixen with a smart mouth and eyes that pierce my soul.I’dbe lying ifIsaid my eagerness to bond with her was purely strategic.Iwant her in a wayIhaven’t wanted anything in a long time.I’mnot sure why, but she’s awakened a longing inside me that’s been absent for millennia.
I’veobviously been trapped in this damn city for too long.
Oncemy celestial energy dies, they’ll come for me.They’llkill me.
I’lldie a mortal, and all my planning, all my efforts, will have been for nothing.IfMichaelgave them my name, he would have given themErelim’salso.
