Page 22 of Grave Revelations (Prophecies of Angels and Demons #3)

Chapter 21

Rebecca

“What?” both girls said in unison.

“Anyone with seraph blood, even a little, gets bits and pieces of the war at the end of the world. Your so-called prophecy is just part of the story.”

“That's not true,” Sophia said, planting her hands on her hips. “My coven valued my ability to see the future, but I saw the past and present as well.”

“The end began two centuries ago.” Azazel’s wispy wings twitched, a sign of his discomfort. “Your visions could not be of anything prior to or unrelated to the end.”

Sophia’s eyebrows wedged together, bunching between her eyes. Her gaze trailed over Azazel’s wings. She looked unconvinced.

“You’ve known your world would end. What you cannot see is the outcome. None of us knows that.”

“But Sophia’s visions have been about my sacrifice. If Adalaide already sacrificed herself, and I’m here, why do I have to as well?” Rebecca asked.

“Light, you don’t have to sacrifice yourself for anyone.” Azazel stretched his hand out as if to reach for her.

A blur of motion shot past Rebecca, and she blinked, taking in the new scene .

Azazel wrapped his fingers in Sophia’s golden brown mane, pried her from his arm, and tossed her to the ground.

Sophia stared up at them both, horror on her face. “I’m… I’m…” She stood, darting away, leaving Rebecca staring after her.

“She’s hungry,” Azazel grumbled.

“She tried to bite you!” Rebecca’s stomach lurched as she imagined Sophia draining him dry. Could he be drained like a demon? Would he be sent to Primoria? Would it be difficult for him to return?

“I’m not a demon. But she can draw essence from anyone with a soul,” he explained while Rebecca glanced past him, staring into the darkness. “Don’t worry, Light. She’ll be back.”

“How do you know?”

“We are her best chance of saving the others.”

“ Will you help me save them?”

Azazel held out a hand, and Rebecca took it. His touch soothed some of her mounting tension. The ember in her chest flared to life, and she sighed, leaning into him.

His breath ruffled her curls as he whispered along her ear. “Ending the necromancer will keep you safe, and that’s all I care about. But it will free the others, too. Any who are still living, that is.”

She pressed her hands to his chest, pushing away. “You never told me how you knew she was a necromancer. And what happens to the people she’s turned?”

“They die.”

“What?!” Rebecca pushed harder, stepping back to look up into his face. “Sophia is one of them. And so is Simon!”

“Simon was remade. He’s no longer bound by her magic.”

“And Sophia?”

“The creatures are tied to their maker. When I end her, the magic will die with her. They cannot survive it.”

“We can’t kill her! Unless you can do to Sophia whatever you did to Simon.”

“I no longer have that ability. ”

Rebecca backed up, stalking away from him. Heat simmered under her skin. It was unfair; it was wrong. She wouldn’t allow it.

“She let you die when she thought it would save the world,” Azazel continued. “She would expect you to do the same.”

“No.” She crossed her arms, turning to face him.

“He’s right, Rebecca.” Sophia approached them over the railing, and Azazel moved, placing himself protectively between the girls. “I won’t hurt her. I didn’t mean for that to happen. Your essence called to me. It was so… strong.”

He faced Sophia. “In your new state, you have no life force of your own. Your body will only thrive on the essence of others. But if you choose to feed on demon essence, it will darken your soul.”

Rebecca slid around him, reaching for Sophia. “Don’t listen to him. Simon fed on demons for decades, and he doesn’t have a dark soul. What’s your alternative? Feed on humans?”

Azazel growled, but he didn’t stop her as she clasped hands with Sophia. “You don’t think his soul is dark? Lies fall from his lips as easily as breath.”

Rebecca squared her shoulders. “You said you read all his thoughts! Besides, he couldn’t become a reash if he wasn’t pure.”

He barked a laugh. “I said nothing like that. He made no deals with the fallen, but his motives are as dark as they come.”

Rebecca scoffed.

“I hate to break this up,” Sophia said, “but I think it’s important. I left searching for a demon, but not only did I find none, I found no humans in town either.”

“There were people in town before,” Rebecca said, glancing between Azazel and her friend.

Azazel’s brows dipped low. “Dina.”

As if summoned, she suddenly appeared beside them and glanced around before meeting Azazel’s eyes. “A church?”

“It was a safe place to land. Have the reashes reported human deaths?”

“There are always human deaths, brother,” she answered.

“Whole towns of people?” Sophia gasped .

Jophiel’s swirling eyes darted to Sophia. She strode forward, pulling a stone from her pocket.

“We’re well past that, Dina,” Azazel said. “You must see it. Leave the girl be.”

She halted, slipping the stone into her pocket. “Speak with me in private, brother?”

“No,” Rebecca and Azazel said together.

“Very well. Yes. Entire islands in this region have all of their inhabitants missing. We aren’t sure what’s happened to them, but no new souls have entered Alaxia in days. We assume the worst.” Jophiel paced away from them, her wings vibrating in much the same way Azazel’s did when he was upset.

Azazel's brows dipped. “I came upon a boat filled with dead humans. They weren’t nasdaqu-ush. If not for her own gain, could she be building an army for the Fallen?”

“We would have our answer if someone went to Primoria to find out,” Jophiel said. “If only we knew someone with that ability.” She raised a silver eyebrow at her fallen brother.

Azazel stepped closer to Rebecca. “Sanura is involved in all of this somehow. Sophia met her in Sheol.”

Jophiel glanced at Sophia, then back to him. “It’s close. I can feel it. Can you not?”

“No. I’m cut off from Father’s visions.”

White eyebrows dipped as Jophiel rested a glowing hand on Azazel’s swirling skin.

He jerked away from her touch, bumping Rebecca’s shoulder.

Rebecca pressed a hand to his back. She could only imagine what it must be like for him to be cast into darkness. And all because of her.

He slid one hand behind his back, reaching for her hand. Not your fault.

Rebecca startled, releasing his hand. Had she just heard his thoughts? But there were no other words that followed.

“Palma, Sardinia, Corsica,” Jophiel was saying.

She tried to focus on the words, but her mind was spinning. Had she heard Azazel’s thoughts, or was she losing it ?

Sophia slid closer, wrapping her hand in Rebecca’s, fingers trembling. Sophia had heard what he said: if they killed Elizabeth, she would die too. The girl must be terrified.

“We’ll find a way around it,” Rebecca whispered, leaning closer to her friend.

Sophia’s yellow eyes darted to hers. “I’ll die for them if I must.”

“If she’s already taken Crete, I imagine the rest of the Greek Islands aren’t far behind,” Jophiel said.

“Crete? There are half a million people on Crete,” Sophia said, crushing Rebecca’s fingers in her grip. “I have family in Athens and Piraeus. We must stop her.”

“Have you been to Patmos?” Jophiel asked, ignoring Sophia, her gaze never leaving Azazel’s.

“I was on my way there two nights ago but never made it.”

She dipped her chin. “Sariel stands fast. It is safe.”

Rebecca’s gaze darted between the two angels—or rather, an angel and a fallen one. “What are you talking about?”

“There is a weapon,” Azazel began.

Jophiel exploded in a burst of light, blinding Rebecca in that same moment.

When her vision cleared, Azazel was gone. “What did you do to him!” she shouted. “Where is he?”

Jophiel lifted from the ground, her wings stretching wide.

Rebecca reached for the ember in her chest, and her knees buckled when it glowed only dimly. “What did you do?” she breathed.

“He cannot speak of it. Not in front of the nasdaqu-ush.”

She tugged again at the ember. It gave a tiny pulse in response, and she sagged against Sophia.

Without another word, Jophiel was gone.