Page 79 of When Monsters Fight
Something had happened, I knew it with every fiber of my being, just as I knew I had to keep going. Had to move forward against the gnawing pain inside me. I swallowed a sob.
“We can’t let Michael and the Dominion win,” Zaq said.
I was surrounded by watchers willing to risk their lives. There was no room for selfishness, not now. Not here.
“Let’s move.”
If Bastian was hurt,then we’d fix him. He’d be fine. Tumiel and Bee were with him. Everything would be okay.
The sooner we got Lucifer and got out of here, the better.
Asbeel, Kokabel, and the other two watchers peeled off from our group, stopping at the intersections that led to the central chamber.
No one stopped us. No sentinels attacked. The decoy was working, but it wouldn’t work for long. We had to move fast.
Zaq took the lead with Sarq. Gabriel and I followed close behind. He held my hand in a reassuring grip, channeling that same soothing aura that he seemed to exude.
Yes, everything would be fine.
The corridor became a tunnel that led to a single metal door with a keypad lock. If Bastian had disabled the security, then the door would open without a code. Zaq grabbed the handle and tugged.
The door opened with a soft hiss.
My body broke out into gooseflesh. There was power beyond this door. “Lucifer. I feel her.”
“Then let’s get her,” Zaq said.
We filed into a room filled with light. Light that streamed from the center of the room where Lucifer was suspended midair. Light coming from the relics and…Jilyana…The djinn was tied to a post, light pouring out of her abdomen, eyes white and unseeing, and beside her was another figure—large and crimson, wings folded tight, head bowed.
My heart stopped for a beat then broke into a gallop. “Shem!” I rushed toward him, but a figure landed in my path.
Gold-tipped wings flared, catching the light, glowing so brightly I had to throw my arm up to shield my eyes.
The light dimmed after a moment to reveal Michael, chin tipped up, looking down his nose at us imperiously.
“Rue, so nice to see you again.”
I craned to look past him to Shem, unconscious but alive. He was alive, and he was here, and my heart felt as if it would burst. “What have you done to him?”
Michael’s lip curled in disgust. “Nothing, despite my best efforts. Apparently, Shemyaza can’t be killed by a celestialsword. But he serves a purpose here. A handy anchor to help channel the relic power back to its source.”
“You plan to use Lucifer’s power to fuel the celestials,” Gabriel said. “You want to use her as a battery.”
Oh, fuck…
“We can, and we will. Shutting down the security systems has no effect on how this room works.”
Because this room was powered by the relics. By Lucifer herself… “The huge orb on top of the building…that’s where the power is going, isn’t it?”
“Ah, Rue, you are so smart. So perfect. Come here.” He held out his hand, beckoning me. “Come to me, and I’ll make sure you live. I’ll protect you, and in time, maybe we can arrange for you to visit Shemyaza.”
He was serious? He actually believed I’d join him. “Fuck you, Michael.”
His eyes darkened. “You will respect me!” His voice echoed around us, a terrifying boom of authority. “Come here now!”
Gabriel stepped in front of me, wings flaring, and Zaq and Sarq joined him, creating a barrier between him and me. “You want her, you’ll have to go through us.”
Michael’s eyes lit up as he smiled widely. “Gladly.”
