Page 45 of Princess of Bael

I started toward the house, already over this little family gathering.

They could all attend the funeral or burial or whatever it would be. I wasn’t worthy of it, considering my role in all this. Instead, I’d spend my time in Ezra’s office, see what I could figure out from the maps, and try to piece together what I already knew from Ashmedai.

I’d make myself useful, prove myself to be worthier than a pawn in this fucked-up game of fate.

Whoever had taken Kristina’s power was a direct threat to the veil. It was one thing to pass on that sort of energy to a worthy candidate, and entirely another to steal it for one’s own gain.

I created this mess, so I’ll clean it up, I thought as I entered the house via one of the many back doors. This one placed me near the kitchen.

So I grabbed a bottle of water on my way to Ezra’s study.

Food would be too much right now, but hydration I could do.

I needed to make this right.

And I would start by reviewing all the maps I’d drawn.

Then I’d create a list of everyone I knew and detail their power shifts.

Someone had taken Kristina and siphoned off her energy. That required significant abilities alone, so it had to be someone of immense power.

And the fact that the signature had disappeared suggested Ezra’s suspicion about it being a Nephilim might be right.

I would start there by naming all the powerful Nephilim I knew of.

Beginning with…

Gleason.

Ezra

I setthe shovel to the side, the grave site finally ready.

We would have to wait until morning to properly bury Kristina, as she’d preferred the sun, especially in this spot in her favorite garden. I’d left her in her home, lying on her bed, wrapped in her silky linens.

Demons notoriously dissolved into ash upon their deaths, but Kristina had angelic heritage, too. Which left her body corporeal despite her departed soul. Therefore, a proper burial was required. And this was where she’d want to rest for eternity—among the flowers she’d tended to for the last few millennia.

I glanced up at the rising moon, taking in the early evening atmosphere and allowing the air to calm my feathers. Digging had helped clear my mind, providing me with a fresh perspective for the days to come.

Finding the culprit was only one piece of the grand puzzle. We also needed to determine a new host for Kristina’s essence because eliminating it would only harm the balance that much more.

Which meant, in addition to tracking Kristina’s power, I needed to evaluate all the auras among the angels and demons to locate a potential candidate. Someone willing to provide sturdiness while upholding the greater good. It wasn’t an easy feat, hence the reason only three had been chosen through the millennia to bear this burden. It required a specific blend of Hell and Heaven to create such a being.

And from what I knew, there were no recent creations on that front. Archdemons and Archangels inherently harbored resentment toward each other. It’d taken effort just to orchestrate the matings that had created Lucía, Kristina, and Johanna. I strongly doubted any of the parents involved there would be willing to procreate again.

Politics, I thought, sighing as I beat my wings to take me into the air.

Johanna’s and Lucía’s homes were lit up in the distance, telling me they were both in their respective quarters. I could sense Bael’s and Alastor’s presence among them, their darkness an itch against my skin that irritated me immensely.

Normally, I would demand they stay in my home.

However, given everything that had happened, it couldn’t hurt to add additional security around Johanna and Lucía right now.

It seemed the two Archdemons were of like mind because they had several of their Royal Guards patrolling the estates, their collective presence further irritating my invisible itch.

Several of the guards would likely remain behind to watch over Kayla. I’d allow it because I didn’t mind the additional protection where my mate was concerned, but their presence would certainly grate on my nerves.

Interestingly, Kayla didn’t have the same impact on me.