Page 105 of Gray

“Don’t worry ’bout us, Smalls.”

I smiled at Raiden’s remark and made my way downstairs. I grabbed juice from the fridge and drank it straight from the carton. Alastair hated it when I did it, but I was too lazy to walk all the way over to the cabinet for a cup. Even if the cabinet was only, like, four feet away.

That prickling touched my scalp again, and I followed the feeling from the kitchen and down the hall.

A hard slap came from Alastair’s study. Stunned, I stopped outside the door as voices rose from inside.

“Why did you keep this from me?” Alastair asked in a seething tone.

“How could I tell you?” Bellamy responded. “I didn’t want to believe it myself.”

“Do you realize what this means?” I’d never heard Alastair so angry before. “Your loyalty is divided! At least, that’s how Lazarus will see it. By all the gods, Bellamy, why couldn’t you have just let him die?”

“Because it felt like my soul was ripping in two. I… I couldn’t…” A barely audible cry reached my ears. “Fuck. No one else can know.”

“You know secrets are nearly impossible between us. They’ll find out sooner or later.” Alastair expelled a frustrated breath. “Now’s not the time for this. Monsters are running rampant all over the world, and Belphegor is close to storming the celestial gates. Your love life is hardly significant.”

Love? I pressed my ear closer.

“I don’t love him,” Bellamy said with a growl. “I want to rip his throat out.”

“Yet, you saved his life. Tell me how that makes sense.”

“Fuck if I know.”

When the floorboard creaked under my foot, I cringed.

“Gray?” Alastair sounded like a dad about to dish out a punishment.

I opened the door and waved at them. “Hi. I was just checking on everyone. Any news from Lazarus?”

Bellamy’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes.” Alastair walked over to his desk. “The angelic warriors are disposing of the monsters right now. The hunters have helped a lot as well. But it’s intense. Storms are still raging along the coast, and the death toll doesn’t seem to be slowing anytime soon.”

“That’s bad. The humans must be so scared. It’s our job to protect them, and we couldn’t protect them from this.” I frowned. “All so my dad can avenge Lucifer.”

“No.” Bellamy crossed his arms and stared at the fire. “I don’t care what Lazarus says, there’s something Belphegor wants from the celestial realm.”

“I agree,” Alastair said. “I’ve been researching, trying to find out what could be in the celestial vaults he could want so badly, but I’ve found nothing of consequence. Only sacred texts and relics, none of which would seem important to him.”

“What if it’s not awhat… but awho?” My stomach rolled at the thought. “You don’t think Lazarus has… you know, Lucifer up there. Do you?”

Alastair shook his head. “The Morningstar is caged somewhere in the veil between worlds. Lazarus wouldn’t be foolish enough to keep him in the celestial realm.” His phone vibrated on his desk, and he snatched it up, pressing it to his ear. “Daman.”

I tapped into our mind link so I could hear their conversation. Eavesdrop, but whatever.

“War and I are about an hour or two out,” Daman said. “Lev and the twins are with us. I said they could crash with us at the mansion.”

“Perfect,” Alastair responded. “We have the room. Just get here in one piece.”

“Daman’s coming home?” I asked, excited.

“Cas and Kyo are too,” Bellamy answered. “All of us need to be together right now.”

Because we were stronger when together. With the increase of monster attacks and the world in total chaos, the conflict was far from over. We couldn’t afford not being at our full strength.

“What about the dragon kingdoms?” I asked. “Warrin is a commander, and Kyo’s been helping his brother with their army. Can they really leave?”