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Grimacing, he sits up a little higher in bed.

“I heard the blasts from here. I take it those were your doing?”

I nod and point to my throat.

“Shouted yourself hoarse, did you? That is all right. I know about the Sub Rosa and the things they can do. And I know about the nephilim. More perhaps than you think. Help me take my shirt off.”

He unbuttons himself and I help him get out the rest of the way. With some effort, he turns around.

“If you will, look at my back.”

There are two deep scars, long and ugly, running from his shoulders almost to his waist.

Fuck me.

He’s an angel.

I was not expecting that.

He turns back around and falls against the hull of the ship. Pearly blood dots the bandages on his chest.

“I can tell that you recognize the scars. And that you are perhaps a bit shocked. Is it my wound? Yes, it is worse than it should be, but I do not heal the way I used to. I lost some of my power when I gave up my wings.”

All I can do is croak out a word.

“Why?”

“That is a story for another time. What is important now is the weapon. It was clever of you to use it as you did. But niphal tricks will not bring down Heaven’s wall or restore order to Creation. That is why we must continue the crusade.”

“You. Captured.”

“When I was taken by the Legionnaires? Yes. Your first guess was right. I allowed it. I needed to speak to them. I hoped that as fallen angels, they would understand an angel who lives in exile voluntarily. Unfortunately, they did not. They had no information of value and they would not join the havoc. There was nothing left for them but to be destroyed.”

“Does Daja know?”

“No. And please do not tell her. Her faith is strong, but her heart is fragile and there is still so much left to do.”

I shrug.

“We must find the Lux Occisor. We must arm the weapon and take it to Heaven. That is our mission. Nothing must stop it.”

I try to say something, but nothing comes out. I take a shot of Aqua Regia and try again.

“Why tell me?”

“Because you have something that I do not have, nor do our angels. You have a friendship with Death.”

I frown at him. Where is he going with this?

“You must find him. Convince him to help us. How many attacks have we endured and the second part of our journey has barely begun? We cannot continue on like this. Death is one ally none of our enemies can overcome. He must be brought to our side.”

“Don’t know where he is.”

“Then you must find him. We will bring the ships to shore and, like the saints of old, you will go into the wilderness and meditate until he appears.”

The Magistrate is ten times more deranged than I thought, but what if he’s right? He’s a wreck. The havoc is barely holding together. I’m sure the angels want the gun, but it’s no use to them unless it works. They should just steal it and get the Light Killer themselves, but angels aren?

?t supposed to steal. And maybe they need the havoc to get the sword. It’s entirely possible that they’re not telling us something and stringing us along.