Page 42 of Princess of Bael
“Agreed,” Johanna said, following suit to stand beside her. “Kristina needs a proper burial.”
Which could only happen in one place.
I swallowed, my gaze falling to the female on the ground.
Then I nodded.
“We need to bury her,” I murmured, echoing their sentiments.
“At home,” Johanna reiterated, in case that part hadn’t been clear to me.
“I know.” I palmed the back of my neck and blew out a breath. “Does it alter the timeline?” I asked, my question for Zerak.
“Steady at nine years,” he responded.
I nodded. “All right. Let me know if that changes.” I’d probably feel it in the shift of power, but having confirmation would be good. “Tell your contact we’ll be coming in two human days,” I told Zebulon.
“He’ll be ready,” the Demonic Lord promised.
Dariel just shook his head. “This is a fucking shitshow.” With that beautiful commentary, he disappeared, leaving Mietek to sigh in his wake. His gaze met mine, his statement silent yet loud at the same time.You know what to do, his eyes said.
Then he vanished as well.
“Thank you for returning her to the earth, Ezra,” Valisa said without meeting my gaze and vanished in the next breath. I took that as confirmation that she wouldn’t be attending the funeral.
“Well. Since I’m clearly not needed for anything…” Morax trailed off and left in a cloud of smoke, the darkness seeming to chase him into the underworld.
Kristina had barely known the Archdemon.
She wouldn’t miss him at her burial.
“Nine years,” Zerak echoed, then teleported in a manner similar to that of the other angels.
Scion was the last to leave, his expression vacant as he disappeared, leaving me with a horde of Archdemons, an Archdemon’s Halfling daughter, a Demonic Lord, and my fractured pieces of the Divinity.
I bent to scoop Kristina into my arms, then I glanced at Johanna. “You know the way. Be sure to take Kayla with you.”
Because I didn’t have the hands to ensure Kayla’s safe passage.
Nor did I trust myself to touch her right now.
Because part of me was still livid with her decision to put the balance at risk for her own need for revenge.
Meanwhile, another part of me wanted to thank her for showing solidarity with me in front of Azrael.
Rather than pick a side, I engaged my gift.
And took Kristina’s body home.
Where she would rest for eternity.
Kay
Yeah,this isn’t awkward at all,I thought, releasing my father’s arm the moment my feet touched the green lawn outside Ezra’s estate.
His anger resembled a whiplash to my nerves, his overarching disappointment in my actions a palpable emotion between us.
“Look,” I started.
