Page 20 of When Monsters Fight
Kabiel held up his hand and flicked his wrist so that long black talons erupted from the tips of his fingers. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter 11
Jilyana and I crouched on a ledge far enough from the battle to be safe but close enough to witness every thrash and slash and hear every scream and bellow.
The watchers and Gabriel took on the spine-ridged serpent with lethal intent, but the bastard was stubborn, refusing to release Thanatos despite the blows raining down on it. It lashed its tail, throwing up clouds of dust which made it difficult to track the fight.
“Asbeel is down!” Jilyana clutched the backpack to her chest, leaning so far forward I was afraid she’d fall off.
“Careful!” I grabbed her shoulder to anchor her, my gaze zipping back to the fight.
The dust cleared long enough for me to catch a glimpse of Asbeel. His bloody face contorted in a snarl as he scrambled to his feet, battle cry lost amidst the chaos as he ran at the attacking serpent.
Where was Gabriel? There, above the spiny serpent’s head, swinging my bat at the thing’s eyes. Yes! Come on. The other watchers tore at the serpent with their talons, using their spider legs to latch on to it and refusing to beshaken off. I finally saw blood—they’d cut through its thick skin.
It screamed, letting go of Thanatos in the process and swinging its head toward Gabriel. It snapped its blood-coated teeth at the celestial, and my heart shot into my throat, but Gabriel evaded the bite, wings beating hard to take him clear of the threat. Thwarted, the serpent twisted to attack the watchers on its back, but they moved fast to avoid its teeth, raking their way down its body and tearing a fresh scream of pain and rage from it.
It threw back its head, maw wide and yawning as if it wanted to swallow the sky, but in the next moment its body undulated in an arch as it readied to plunge back into the earth.
Shit, the watchers needed to get off it. Now. “Retreat! Retreat now!”
My voice was tiny and insignificant against all the background noise, but they must have realized what was happening because they managed to clear the beast just as it drove into the earth and vanished.
Silence fell, thick and pregnant with foreboding, because although Thanatos was free of his attacker, he lay quiet and unmoving.
“Is he…Is he dead?” Jilyana whispered.
I shook my head as Gabriel flew down to Thanatos and landed by his head. “I don’t know…I hope not.”
Kabiel joined Gabriel for a few moments, then both he and Asbeel flew toward our ledge.
I scanned Kabiel’s face as he drew near. “Is Thanatos okay?”
“I think he’s dying. He wants to speak with you. Hurry.”
I allowed him to scoop me up and fly me across to the god, leaving Asbeel to bring Jilyana.
Gabriel stood beside Thanatos, his eyes downcast, shoulders slumped.
Kabiel carefully set me on my feet.
“Thanatos?” I hurried over to him. “You wanted to speak to me?”
“I do not have much time here,” Thanatos said. “But I need you to understand that your existence is not by chance.” A rattling wheeze emanated from his body. “Your god was renowned for always having a plan, even if those plans were never put into motion. I believe you to be one of those plans.”
The Cherubim who’d wanted to possess me had explained that I’d been created specially to house a piece of Shem’s soul and channel celestial power. I knew this. Which meant I was part of God’s plan B to fix things. “Yes, God knew the Morningstar fractured. He sent a Cherubim to find and watch over the pieces. He created me to channel the power. What I don’t understand is why he didn’t come back and fix things himself.”
Thanatos let out a wet chuckle. “Your god has a penchant for creation, but he isn’t always present to watch over his worlds. Once the product is done, he becomes distracted. It’s the reason why so many of his worlds have destroyed themselves. I suppose we must commend him for putting in place a plan to save yours, even if the success of it rests on a mortal’s shoulders.” He let out a rattling sigh. “Do not give up, child. This world may seem strange and dangerous to you, but it is home to many creatures, great and small. They deserve to live just as much as your mortals. Even the creatures you call monsters who have found their way into your alien world deserve to live. They did not ask to be displaced. They simply wish to survive, and you can help them all. Restore Lucifer and save us all.”
His eyes closed, and a new stillness settled over him.
A permanent kind. “How can he be dead? He said gods were endless.”
“I don’t know,” Kabiel said. “And it hardly matters now.”
Gabriel rested his hand on my shoulder. “We should go before any more of those things come out of the ground. Thanatos said those serpents didn’t belong in this circle. He said that the fractures were obviously affecting the ecosystem of this world. He warned us not to linger here. To head toward the mountains.” Gabriel pointed to the range of shadowy peaks in the distance. “The gateway to the sixth circle is there. He said to pass quickly and not linger.”
The ground beneath our feet trembled.
