Page 16 of Wings of Valor (Silver City University #4)

I should be paying attention to Castiel, or the Archangel he brought, but I can’t tear my eyes away from Hayliel. She looks broken. Shattered. Something I never wanted to see her become.

She blames us right now. Mira, too. But I can’t let that get to me.

Out of any of us, Zeke is the most likely to survive.

He’s tough. Tougher than I ever gave him credit for.

And I meant it when I said we’d get him back.

For all his faults, he’s still important to her.

To me, too, even if I don’t want to admit it.

Theo and I share a glance. Before Zeke was taken, he’d passed a message to us. Only to us. We know who the lieutenant is—the guild mole. And although knowing helps piece it all together, it doesn’t solve our problems.

Lieutenant Atlas. The angel who saved our asses during the demon attack is working with the enemy.

I replay every interaction in my mind as I struggle to pay attention to Castiel.

The way Atlas told us to take the blade out when Hayliel had been stabbed—and how he promised to track down the demons who attacked us.

That motherfucker.

We have to tell the others. I press the thought to Theo, who looks to be paying attention to Castiel as much as I am.

He nods. And find a way to contact Azrael. He needs to know who it is, and maybe he can help us get everyone back.

Everything is a fucking mess.

Hayliel looks like she doesn’t want to be in the Archangel’s presence at all. She still sits on the sand, staring lifelessly at the tiny grains of it slipping between her fingers.

An empty shell.

Broken.

And even though I’m pissed that Zeke was taken, I’m still glad it wasn’t her. I’m still happy it was one of us and not the angel we all love. The angel who has been through so much already. I just wish I could get rid of her pain. Wish she would trust us.

After what Mira said, though, I can understand why maybe she doesn’t. We never wanted to control her. We only wanted to keep her safe.

“Are any of you listening?” Castiel asks, sounding annoyed with us for what might be the first time.

“Sorry,” Theo says sheepishly.

“We’re all a little on edge, what with our friend being kidnapped by a psychopathic Archangel and not being any closer to getting Hayliel’s parents back.

” There’s more bite in my tone than I intended, but given the current situation, I’m sure he’ll manage to forgive me.

Or not. At this moment, I don’t really care.

Castiel sighs but reads us well enough not to say anything.

Instead, he crouches next to Hayliel. The Archangel he brought with him doesn’t say a word.

He doesn’t step forward with Castiel. All he does is watch our professor talk to Hayliel in soft, reassuring tones, most of which I can’t hear, but as the minutes pass, her shoulders relax a little, and she finally stands.

Good. This is good.

“Now, let me introduce you to Archangel Remiel,” Castiel says, and my brows nearly reach my hairline. He’s really just going for it, huh? “I know your trust of his kind isn’t very high at the moment, but I’ve known him for a long time, and he would never go along with what’s been happening.”

My gaze darts to the Archangel we’re being asked to trust. I wonder if he knows what we did in his offering tent.

“Hayliel.” Remiel’s voice is soothing. A comforting timbre that could lull me into a happy slumber, even under the worst circumstances.

Dangerous.

“I’ve often seen you in my visions,” he continues. “So often that it feels as if I already know you.”

Hayliel ignores his pleasantries and practically begs, “Can you see a way to help my parents? To save Zeke?”

“I see many things—most of which I cannot share, otherwise the future will shift. But there are possibilities, many of them, that may offer what you seek. I would like you to come with me to the Archangels’ Sanctuary. There, we can speak more freely.”

My first instinct is to laugh and tell him, absolutely fucking not.

Isn’t that where Auriel lives? Where he plotted to kill and maim angels?

Where he conspired with demons right beneath their noses while they remained completely oblivious?

Hell, for all we know, he could show up while we sleep and slaughter us all.

But what other options do we really have? Go back to school and take our exams like the world isn’t fucking ending? Neither sounds particularly pleasant.

What do you think? As much as I’m wary of trusting Remiel, at least we could be close enough to make sure they’re actually doing something , Theo says to us via our mental connection.

Hayliel’s sigh rings loud in my head. Uriel was here with them. The sicko was itching to stick an angel blade in my chest, so as shitty as it might be, I don’t think campus is a safe place for me anymore.

That fucking garbage ass angel , I hiss mentally. Then I think we go, but we stay alert just in case. We can’t let our guard down with another Archangel, even if Castiel swears he’s trustworthy.

Agreed , they say in unison, and then we turn back to Castiel and Remiel.

“We’ll go with you,” I tell them, not missing the look of relief on Castiel’s face.

“But the rest of our trusted group should come as well,” Hayliel adds, like she’d just thought of it. It’s smart, though I can’t say I’m not surprised that she’d want to see Mira again so soon after feeling betrayed.

Theo brings out his slate and begins typing, but stops to ask where they should meet us. None of us have been to the sanctuary before, and the only thing we know about it is that angels actually compete to win the chance to go there.

Remiel lists off numbers to the coordinates, and Theo dutifully types them into the chat and hits send. Before anyone can reply, Remiel spreads his four wings, signaling that it’s time to leave.

We fly in silence.

Theo and I send small, reassuring comments to Hayliel through our mental connection, letting her know she’s not alone, and by the time we arrive at the entrance to the Sanctuary, Mira is there.

I don’t see Dina anywhere, but I’ve come to realize that her father might just be more controlling than my family.

The angels guarding the entrance look annoyed, making me wonder just how hard Mira has been trying to get past them, but with a nod from Hayliel, Remiel confirms to the guards that she’s with us.

Mira gives a sharp look to them that screams told you so, asshole but no fight breaks out.

We’re on the move, crossing through the threshold into the Archangels’ Sanctuary.

Something settles over me, causing the hair to rise on my arms and a shiver to race down my spine.

If this is a protective rune, it’s the strongest one I’ve ever felt.

I watch as Mira makes a beeline for Hayliel, her expression almost pleading. It’s not a look I’ve seen on the confident angel’s face before. But Hayliel only turns her back on Mira.

“Give her some time. She’ll come around,” Theo whispers to Mira, who looks like she wants to push but doesn’t.

With the impending drama settled for now, I let my gaze focus on the elusive area that very few angels have the privilege of seeing.

From outside the gate, the area appears to be nothing more than rocky mountain terrain, but inside, it’s entirely different.

There isn’t much to see right away. A sprawling landscape surrounds a path that leads to tall castle-like walls and a massive arched gate.

More guards are stationed at the next gate, which just seems like overkill considering how powerful the Archangels are, but what do I know?

I take one step, then another, fully intending to continue down the path to the high walls, but Remiel clears his throat. We all stop and turn to him.

“Now that we’re within the shields that protect this area, I want to hear from all of you.

Once we’re behind those walls, things will escalate quickly, so I’d appreciate as much information as possible.

Castiel told me some things about an uprising, strange demon behavior, and a supposed traitor among the guild and within our leadership.

But I fear he only scratched the surface. ”

“Did he tell you I’m a Seraphim? Only recently discovered that bit, but now Auriel and his followers know, too.

That’s why he kidnapped my parents—so he could blackmail me into joining his cause.

” Hayliel’s scowl deepens. “When I refused, he took Zeke, my … well, he’s very important to me.

We have to get the three of them back right away. Alive.”

Theo grabs her trembling hand, and I watch as she relaxes into his hold.

I give her shoulder a squeeze before sharing more of what we’ve learned. “We know Auriel is working with demons, and we suspect he’s made some sort of agreement with the demon king. They’re providing him with angel blades, though we’re not sure what the demons are getting out of it.”

“Very strange indeed.” Remiel turns his midnight eyes to Hayliel. “And did Auriel give you any indication of what he’s planning?”

She shudders. “A cleansing. Our best guess is that he wants to rid the world of the Fallen.”

“Which is weird, because he’s working with Fallen angels on his plan. How the hell does that make sense?” Theo’s question has my brows furrowing—because he’s right. That doesn’t make sense.

“I have my theories on that, though none I can share at this juncture,” Remiel says, and I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. Of course, he can’t share, but he expects us to spill everything to him.

“And the mole in the guild?” Remiel asks. “Have you discovered anything new?”

“No,” Hayliel says at the same time Theo and I say, “Yes.”

All eyes turn to us, but it’s Hayliel who holds my gaze.

“How? When?”

“Zeke. He pushed the thought to us before … before the connection was lost.” I hate that my words make her flinch.

Theo must sense how close our girl is to falling apart, because he picks up where I stopped.

“The guild mole is Lieutenant Atlas.”

His declaration is met with silence. Mira is the first to break the silence, her face ashen as she repeats, “Lieutenant Atlas is the mole. Are you certain?”

I nod. “Zeke’s determination pulsed through our bond. And even if it didn’t, we thought it over during the flight here.”

“It makes sense, given what we’ve been through and what he was aware of. How he showed up at opportune times and seemed far too observant,” Theo adds.

“Hmm.” Remiel scratches at the scruff on his jaw. “I’ve heard the name before. What do we know of him?”

“Not much. Zeke would probably know more, but he never really talked about him. Only Azrael,” Hayliel says, and it looks like the words cause her pain.

Remiel looks at Mira, who stays quiet. I’m about to ask her if she knows anything, but Theo interrupts my thoughts.

“We should probably update Azrael. At least we already know we can trust him, and he should know who he’s working with.”

Castiel folds his arms across his chest. “Absolutely.”

“And Zeke’s dad,” Hayliel adds, pressing a hand to her heart like the act alone can reduce some of the pain. “He’s a lieutenant, too. He deserves to know what’s going on with his son.”

“Wait.” I turn to Mira as realization dawns on me. “Isn’t your dad a lieutenant? If you think we can trust him, it might not hurt to at least warn him about Atlas so he doesn’t get caught up in anything.”

Before she can respond, Hayliel interrupts with a question directed solely at Remiel. “Were you aware that any of this was going on?”

He looks like he wants to avoid the question entirely, but he quickly realizes there’s no getting out of it.

“Not to this extent, no. Auriel has been in my visions over the years. All the Archangels have, for one reason or another, but I see so many that don’t come to pass and saw nothing to make me think it would.

Of course, we’ve always been aware of the history between angels and demons—and even knew their presence had increased over time—but that was not new.

Recently we heard whispers of a Fallen uprising—talks of a truce made between the Fallen and demons.

We were preparing for a fight with both, but we didn’t realize, until recently, that the rebels were following one of our own.

I fear this will come to a head far sooner than we expected. ”

“It already has,” Hayliel says, her tone filled with annoyance. “We’re well past that now.”

Remiel nods, his expression stony. “It seems we are. We must make haste, then. Come. I’ll take you inside, and then I must relay all of this to the others.”

Castiel follows him, then Hayliel and Theo. Mira hasn’t said a word, but her face remains haunted as she and I walk side by side toward the towering walls.

We’re either heading into safety or stepping directly into the lair of our enemy.