Page 28 of The Morning Star
“Oh no. Such an action would make him look weak and unstable. He’s an Ancient. He’ll approach you and negotiate in good faith before he does anything so drastic.”
But when I refused to hand over Lux, things would get ugly. Damn it, the timing of this couldn’t have been worse. My mind whirled, calculating how long I could stall, what safeguards I could put in place to keep my Lows and allies in Hel from being caught in the middle of what was most likely going to turn into a huge war. Much like Haagenti had done, Remiel would harass my household in Hel, and send others to attack me and attempt to kidnap Lux on the other side of the gates.
As if I didn’t have enough shit to deal with, now I was going to be reliving that Haagenti nightmare. Fuck this déjà vu. Fuck it.
“Thanks for letting me know,” I told Tasma. “And if you hear anything about Samael, or get wind of who is behind this bounty on angel wings, please let me know immediately. I’ll be very grateful.
Tasma stood and bowed. “I will Iblis.”
And he would, because not only had he pledged his household under mine, but in his eyes I was about to become very, very powerful by exchanging an angel baby for Remiel’s support. And if my reputation took off, so would my allies’.
Little did Tasma know that instead of being affiliated with a rising star, he was tied to one that was about to crash and burn.
Chapter 9
It was astonishing how these hotel conference rooms all looked identical. Same rust–-colored, brocade-patterned carpet. Same beige wallpaper. Same cheap plaster crown molding and clunky brass light fixtures that looked to be the ugly bastard child of a chandelier and a seventies minimalist lamp. Add in the stale coffee and pastries and I could have been anywhere. As Gabe’s voice droned on, I began to wonder if they weren’t really the same space, all accessed through interdimensional portals in hotels throughout the human world. It made about as much sense as whatever shit Gabe was saying.
“Am I late? I’m late, aren’t I?”
The voice jerked me out of my musings. It completely silenced Gabe, whose sentence ended in a garbled gasp. It caused all the angels in the room to look as if they’d been struck by a freeze-ray. Nyalla, the only one unaffected, turned to the newcomer with a smile.
“Oh!” She got that distant expression that meant she was looking into someone’s heart. “Uriel, right? I’ve been keeping your seat warm for you.” With a mischievous smile, the girl stood and gestured toward the chair.
“Thank you, dear. A human on the Ruling Council? And a second Angel of Chaos? My, how enlightened my brothers have become in my absence.” She patted the bright red hair she had knotted into a tidy bun and lowered herself into the chair, her eyes scanning the papers with unworldly speed. “Please pull up another chair, dear. What is your name? My first act is to put forth a motion that the human be allowed to remain on the council as an advisor. It’s important for them to have a voice in these matters, don’t you agree?”
While her brothers were recovering from their shock, I eyed the angel. I wasn’t the only one. Asta, of course, knew Uriel, although she’d probably not had much up-close contact with the archangel, but Ahia had never met her before. The Angel of Chaos was taking in every inch of the newcomer from her surprisingly youthful appearance to her tattered jeans, silky tank top, and gauzy scarf. It was as if the somewhat matronly Uriel of old had been fused with a young, edgy, really fucking hot version of herself.
I kinda dug it. If Gregory hadn’t been such a jealous monogamous asshole, I’d totally be trying to hit that.
“Everyone in favor of the human continuing to serve as an advisor and potential tie breaker if necessary?”
Uriel raised her hand in a motion that looked as if she were about to perform the royal wave. Nyalla’s hand shot up, although technically she didn’t have a vote at this point. I raised my hand, and so did Ahia. No surprise there. The two had become rather close. Asta gave a long, appreciative glance at Nyalla’s adorable, designer cross-body bag, then raised her hand as well.
That left the archangels.
“Sweetie?” At the word, Gabriel blinked, jolted out of his shock by the only voice he ever seemed to listen to. He looked up at Nyalla, then with a mixed expression of terror and fatalistic doom, he raised his hand.
Uriel’s eyebrows lifted and she choked back a laugh before turning to her other two brothers.
Ahia jabbed Raphael hard in the side with an elbow and he slowly raised his hand. “I’m not thrilled about the tie breaker idea, but I do think it’s beneficial having a human here at Council meetings.”
That left one. I stared at Gregory. He stared back.
“No. As much as I love Nyalla, I think this sets a bad precedent. There are other ways to integrate human opinions and viewpoints into our decisions without having one actually attending Council meetings.”
Figures that I was the only one here with a non-pussy-whipped partner.
“Where were you?” Ahia asked Uriel. “Rafi said you were off on some pilgrimage.”
“Let me just say there is a point where grief and regret become self-indulgent wallowing, and that’s where I was. There were some things I needed to work through, and I’ve done so.”
Uriel had been an occasional ally, and I’d gotten glimpses of a strong, independent-minded angel, who spoke frankly during Ruling Council meetings and wasn’t afraid to vote against her eldest brother. I’d never seen any hint of self-indulgent wallowing, but who knew what burdens she might have carried deep inside? I was just glad she was back and apparently ready to kick ass and take names.
“So I’m in? I’m in, right? Majority rules?” Nyalla dragged a chair over and wedged it next to Gabriel’s, resting her hand on his arm and giving him an adoring glance as she sat down. Uriel watched the pair, her lips clamped tight on a smile. Then she turned her attention back to Ahia.
“So you and Rafi?” Her eyes warmed as she looked at the two angels. “I’m glad he found you.”
“Me too.” Ahia bestowed a loving smile on Raphael who was staring at her, equally besotted.
