Page 34 of Wings of Valor (Silver City University #4)

A n hour later, Zeke and I leave the weapon chamber with smiles on our faces.

After he came down my throat and confessed his love for me a few more times, I let him watch as I imbued some weapons. Something about it had my skin flushing and spine tingling. To know that this strong and capable man not only loves that I’m strong too, but actually enjoys witnessing it?

Euphoric.

We’re walking down the hall on our way to our shared lodgings when we run into Kirach.

“Ah, there you are. I went to the healers first, but they told me you had left. How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” Zeke replies, and I can’t help but notice just how strange their relationship is. What’s with the one-word answers?

“I wanted him to see all the weapons we prepared,” I say, adding more context. “He also tested his wing a little on the way, and it held his weight.”

Zeke rubs the back of his neck, looking anywhere but at his dad. Things weren’t this awkward after Kirach found us in a compromising position, so what the hell is going on?

“That’s great news, son. You’ll be back in the skies in no time.”

Silence follows, one so awkward that I can’t help but wrack my brain for anything I can say to break this weird tension.

I come up blank.

Kirach clears his throat, then says, “We tracked down who we think might be the traitor that tampered with the explosives and infiltrated our communications. I was wondering if you’d be up for helping with the interrogation?”

“You found someone? How?” I ask before Zeke can answer his father. Maybe I should have waited. It’s not as if Kirach was asking me to help him interrogate someone, but holy shit. This is one more step toward weeding out the traitors.

Kirach nods but waits for an angel to walk past where we’re standing in the hall before he answers. “We found the real uniforms Archangel Mikhael wanted everyone to wear, as well as some tech we think someone used to alter the explosives.”

Zeke wasn’t awake for the rescue, but that doesn’t stop his anger from rising. He hates a snake as much as we all do. “I’m in. Just give me the when and where .”

“I’ll come by to get you in the morning.” Kirach takes a step back, then stops. “It’s good to have you back, son.” He leaves before Zeke can answer.

It’s silent as we walk. My thoughts are spiraling out of control.

I’m not sure if I should push him about his father or share my reservations about him assisting with interrogations this soon after recovery.

In the end, I say nothing. Zeke is a doer.

He’s not someone who wants pity, which is exactly what he’ll think my worry is.

Raphael, Theo, and Dina are lounging when we walk into the place we’ve been calling home these past few weeks. Dina is on her slate while the guys are reading.

“Well, well, look who’s back on his feet,” Dina says, sending Zeke a look I know he’ll take as a challenge.

“My feet were never the issue.”

“Food is on the way. We weren’t sure what the healers were feeding you, so we ordered lots of extras,” Raphael says, putting his book down and striding toward us to plant a kiss on my cheek.

Theo folds his notebook, then follows a similar path to my side. Instead of kissing me, though, he runs his knuckles along my jaw.

“Ugh. I forgot what it was like to be around you guys,” Dina says, rolling her eyes, but her smile gives away her true feelings. I blow her a kiss, laughing.

“How’d your last session go?” Theo asks Zeke as we get comfortable on the couch.

“Fine. Wings can hold my weight, but the muscles need some work. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Good, that’s good.” Raphael sighs, dropping his head in his hands. “My mother called earlier. I guess the school finally notified her of my absence.”

Shit. I can’t imagine that was a very productive conversation. “We’ve been gone for weeks. Isn’t it a little odd that they’re only calling now?”

“She’s very important, you know. She doesn’t have time for frivolous things like school calls,” Raph says, his voice mimicking the butler I met when I had dinner with his family.

Dina grimaces. “The only reason my dad let me back on campus was because Principal Cael told him you were no longer a student.”

“What the fuck?” Zeke seethes. Raphael and Theo do too, but they’ve had longer to deal with this bullshit. It’s part of why Dina didn’t come here right away. Her dad wouldn’t let her on campus until I was taken care of.

It might have bothered me once too, but not now. How can I even care about school when the fate of the city is so up in the air?

“If only they knew what we were all up to, what we were trying to do for the entire goddamn city, they’d eat their fucking words.

” Raphael looks pissed, and I wonder if maybe I’ve been too dismissive of their feelings.

They’re not like Zeke. He’d never hide his emotions from me, but Raph would if he thought it would make me uncomfortable.

“Was Uriel still on campus when you left?” Theo asks Dina, making me grimace. Somehow, in the chaos of everything, I’d blissfully forgotten about that asshole.

“Yup.” Her eyes dart my way, and for a second, I think she’s going to hold back. Whatever she sees on my face must tell her to go on because she says, “That prick immediately went back to spewing more lies and rumors to the other students. For whatever reason, you’re under his skin, Hayles.”

“I’d rather he has no fucking skin at all,” Zeke mutters, making me laugh. “I bet Malik would do something if he knew what was coming.”

“That sexy motherfucker would look mighty fine on a battlefield,” Dina says, sighing.

“Actually, he asked about the two of you when I ran into him on campus.” Her cheeks grow a darker shade of red, and I just know there’s more to this story.

As much as I want to pry, I don’t. There are certain things that should only be discussed amongst the girls.

“Professor Isadora would help, too, not that I think getting their help would be easy,” Raphael says.

Theo snaps his fingers. “Castiel could definitely help us convince them, or at the very least he’d tell us whether we’re totally off base with our idea. I’ll message him.”

“Learn anything about the demon blood tree?” I ask, glancing at the discarded book on the table.

“Some.” Theo sinks further into the couch, draping an arm across the back. “On its own, the tree isn’t harmful to anyone. In fact, if we assume the handwritten notes in the margins are true, the sap of the tree has certain health benefits for humans.”

“Huh. How would anyone know that?”

Raphael shrugs. “Most angels who leave don’t come back, but some do. It’s rare, but not unheard of. Even so, it means the ash is only one compound of the mixture in those little pouches.” He gestures toward where the sack Zeke stole from the guild rests next to their research.

“So, what you’re saying is, we’re shit out of luck.” Zeke glances between Raphael and Theo, one eyebrow raised.

“Not exactly. I mean, sure, we’d need the leader of the guild to share the recipe with us, as he’s the only one who knows it. The Archangels could request it on our behalf.”

“But,” Theo continues where Raphael left off, “We discovered its purpose. Whatever the ingredients are, when combined, cause temporary respiratory and neurological issues in demons. Unfortunately, they have a similar, though far less serious, effect on angels, which is why the use of them is cautioned.”

Respiratory and neurological issues? That’s a little vague. Even so, I can just imagine how much something like that could turn the tides in an emergency. “Probably not something we’ll use then, though it may not be a bad idea to ration what we have out, just in case.”

The food arrives—a tray full of ingredients to make our own tacos. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen Zeke so excited about food. He manages to demolish two tacos—and already making a third—before I’ve even finished one.

“Fucking hell, this is good,” he says, licking some juice off his fingers.

Damn , he’s fine.

We’re all silently digging into our meals when the door to Mira’s room opens, and she comes out. “Sorry I’m late—”

Zeke stiffens beside me. “What the fuck is she doing here?”

Mira looks almost panicked as Raphael asks, “Ooooh, shit. What did you do to this one?”

“Zeke?” I say, confused. As far as I know, they haven’t even seen each other since before the kidnapping, so why is he acting like she destroyed his favorite belonging?

“Fucking hell. They don’t know, do they?” Zeke asks Mira, ignoring the rest of us.

“Don’t know what?” I ask.

Zeke’s laugh is bitter. “Do you want to tell them, or should I?”

Mira’s silence is palpable, but eventually she says, “I’ll do it.”

Her response only confounds me more. What the hell is going on?

She turns to me, and I immediately put my newly built taco down. Mira looks almost scared, something I’ve never seen on her face before. I brace myself for my world to turn upside down yet again.

“First, I want to preface by saying I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before now, and despite how it may look, I’ve always been on your side.” She looks around the room, meeting each of our gazes. “My father … he’s the mole. Lieutenant Atlas.”

My head swims as I try to make sense of her words.

“You’re leaving out the best part, Mira. The one where you’re working with him and reporting back on our movements like a fucking traitor.” Zeke hisses the last words. I suspect he’s using every ounce of his restraint to stay seated.

“That’s bullshit! I found out at the same fucking time as all of you. I had no idea he—”

Zeke scoffs. “Like I’ll believe the lies spewing from your mouth. Fool me once, and all that.”

“Fucking hell. Can we just calm down for a second?” Theo says, rubbing his temple.

Raphael looks just as enraged as Zeke, but to my surprise he doesn’t add to the outburst.

“Mira?” I ask, turning a cautioned gaze on my friend.

“I swear, I didn’t know what he was up to. All I knew was that something about him had changed over the last few years. He kept pushing me away, and I couldn’t figure out why. It’s the reason I kept going to the guild. But the truth is I … I guess I don’t know my father at all.”

I see the hurt in her eyes, the pain of feeling like the person you looked up to your entire life isn’t what you thought they were. That’s hard to fake.

“You’re a good liar, Mira. Almost as good as dear old dad.”

“Zeke. Please,” I say, sparing him a glance. “I don’t think this is as black and white as you’re making it out to be.”

His next words are quiet, composed, and somehow that makes them more powerful. “Did you know it was your father who kidnapped me? He had the help of demons, as all Auriel’s minions do, but he’s the one who brought me to the Archangel.”

“Of course I didn’t!”

He stands so abruptly that I flinch. “You got close to Hayliel to help him, didn’t you?”

“Zeke,” I try again, but he ignores me.

“You nosed your way into our lives, all to help your father and this stupid crusade against the Fallen.”

“Zeke!” All eyes turn to me. It might be the first time I’ve raised my voice like this, but it had to be done. “That’s enough. Now sit down and fucking eat something.”

“But—” Zeke tries, but I cut him off.

“Now, Ezekiel.”

He looks pissed but sits anyway, though he doesn’t even pretend to eat anything.

I take a deep breath, then release it slowly. “Mira, why didn’t you tell me? After everything we’ve been through together, I thought we were closer than that.”

“I’m sorry. I had my suspicions when I learned he witnessed you survive an angel blade.

When I found out, I asked him about a rumor I’d heard at the guild.

He always used to tell me the cool things he discovered on a mission, but this time he lied to me.

Told me I needed to stop believing everything I heard, and then he just took off.

I never would have guessed he’d sided with the likes of Auriel, and then when we found out, I didn’t know how to tell you he’s my fucking father.

It doesn’t even really feel like he is, not anymore.

Not for a long time.” She pauses for a beat, and the room grows silent.

“I swear I never did anything to hurt you. He never knew where I was spending my time. In fact, I doubt he even knew I wasn’t at home. ”

I watch her as she speaks, looking for any hint of deception, but I don’t find any. “I understand. And I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what that’s been like for you. Finding out a parent isn’t who you thought they were can’t be easy.”

“It’s not exactly easy when you’ve known who they are all along, either,” Raphael adds, trying to lighten the mood.

“Please don’t keep stuff like this from us again. As far as I’m concerned, we’re a family. I won’t keep things from you, and I hope none of you will keep things from me either. We’re stronger together.”

Everyone but Zeke agrees, including Mira, who promises to share whatever she knows and offers to spill on all the details she’s collected so far on her dad if it’ll help.

“Why don’t we do that now? It’ll give these four a chance to, erm, settle things,” Dina says. “We can do it in my room. You go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Mira disappears into Dina’s room, and the moment her door closes, Zeke speaks. “You’re just going to forgive her?”

“Yes.”

“Just like that?”

I nod. “Just like that. If she wanted the same thing as her father, she wouldn’t have protected my dad when we came to rescue you.

He’s a Fallen, after all. She could have just let him die, but she didn’t.

She helped me train and gave me a literal drink to hide me from demons—a drink that helped save you, I might add.

And other than this one omission, she hasn’t given me any other reason not to trust her, so I’m going with my gut on this one. ”

I take both of his clenched fists in mine and run my fingers along his knuckles. “I don’t expect you to move past this as easily as I have, not with what her father did, but I need you to try, Zeke. We aren’t the sins of our parents.”

“I’m with Hayliel on this one,” Dina says. “Besides, I can’t imagine finding out something like that about someone I looked up to, and then having to deal with it all on my own.”

“Exactly. She’s been there for me, so I’m going to be there for her.”

Dina leaves us then, heading into her room to chat with Mira about her father and leaving me alone with my three men for the first time in what actually feels like months.

It’s not exactly the reunion I was hoping for.

None of us are in a very celebratory mood about what we just found out, but the fact is … we’re finally together.

Alive. Safe.

And that’s what matters.

“Come on,” I say, grabbing the platter of taco fixings. “Let’s finish these off and then figure out how the four of us are going to fit into that room.”