“Easy. With this,” Bran raised his dagger.
“Find Samuel,” Raphael yelled to the other two angels. “And get him too.”
While he issued orders, Dante issued his own by telepathing something to Kael. All I managed to hear was “now”, then Kael grabbed my arm. “Follow me. You too,” he added to the three Cardinals.
We took off at the same time as the other two angels. The surprised look on Raphael’s face was the last thing I saw before we disappeared, though I wasn’t sure whether it was from seeing us teleport or Dante rushing him.
We spanned the globe—Chicago, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, St. Petersburg, Vienna, and London, then materialized on an empty floor of a building. Lucien stopped peering at the sky through the floor to ceiling windows when we appeared.
“Finally,” he said, hurrying to us. “I thought you were dead. He…the other nature-bender said you were in trouble and ordered me to stay put or he’d make me sorry. Where is he?”
“Making sure we got away safely,” Kael snapped, then walked to the window to study the sky too. I wanted to follow him and reassure him, but first things first.
I turned to face the four Cardinals. Every conversation we’d had zipped through my mind. I’d treated them like newbies, and they’d let me. I walked to where they stood and handed Esras the sword. My voice was calm when I spoke, even thought I was furious. “Why wasn’t I told you were Cardinals?”
“I didn’t like the idea to begin with,” Esras said, then glanced at the twins. “It’s why we arrived late in the alley.”
“Was this some sort of practical joke you three cooked up or another one of Master Haziel’s brilliant teaching moments?”
This time, no one responded. Either they didn’t want to tattle on Master Haziel or they were guilty. I couldn’t look at them without feeling like a total idiot, so I turned and rejoined Kael.
“You okay?” he asked.
“I will be.”
“What happened?”
The urge to vent washed over me, but I squashed it. His concern for me was instinctive, but he was more worried about Dante, who still hadn’t appeared.
“Long story,” I said and glanced out the window. Below us, the city spread like an oasis in a desert. Above, not a single cloud marred the vast blue sky, which meant we were safe. Was Bran safe? Just because I didn’t feel his pain didn’t mean they hadn’t captured him. Even thinking about it made my chest hurt. I had so much to tell him and so many questions.
“They’ll be okay,” I said.
Kael nodded. “Of course. Dante is unstoppable, and Llyr might be reckless but he’s smart.”
Despite his words, he was worried. Even though the tingle on my back returned, the writings didn’t shoot to my hand, so I knew it was safe to touch him.
I reached out and gripped his hand.
Kael lowered his head and studied our linked hands, then me. He smiled and gave my hand a gentle squeeze, then let it go. “You are good for the Nephilim, Lilith. I don’t care what that archangel said. It will be an honor to fight by your side.”
I shivered, imagining fighting the archangels. “Do you think we’ll have to fight them?”
He nodded. “Yes. The Tribe never stops once they’ve received a directive. We’ll need an army. Dante and I are not alone. You can count on us and our friends to protect you. There will be many casualties, but this time, they’ll have some too. We just need to know how Bran chopped off that angel’s wings. No Nephilim, Guardian or demon, has ever done that before.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Oh yes. Angel wings are not just the symbol of their glory. They contain most of their powers. Chop them off and an angel becomes useless. All they can do is ascend, if they are strong enough even to do that. In most cases, they stay in their physical form until one of their own finds them and helps them ascend.”
“Is that why they cut off our forefathers’ wings?” Lucien asked from behind us. I hadn’t realized he’d joined us until he spoke. I want to tell him to go away, but there was something cute about him. He didn’t have the edgy ruthlessness of the other three, who were smart enough to keep their distance.
Kael nodded. “Yes, young Guardian. Before the Principalities were banished into the abyss, they chopped off their wings first, making it impossible for them to ascend or use their powers. The lucky ones escaped with their wings but lost their feathers, making them more powerful than the average Nephilim, but still not as strong as an archangel. That is what makes Dante and Bran very unique.”
Maybe that explained Bran’s ability to chop their wings off.
“If we can’t defeat them, can we summon the Tribunal?” I asked.
He winced. “Don’t use that name.”
“You believe it can hear us?”
“It does. Say it often enough and loud enough, and the court will convene right here.” He looked behind us and concern flickered in his green eyes.
I turned to find Dante had appeared and was busy inspecting one of his massive bat-like wings. It had a fresh wound, as did his right cheek. A hollow feeling settled in my stomach even as Kael and I rushed to his side.
“Where’s Bran?” I asked.
Dante looked around and frowned. “He was right behind me.”
A quick scan and I swallowed. I couldn’t detect Bran’s presence.
“When did you last see him?” I asked in a high-pitched voice.
“We teleported together, dodging their lightning bolts.” A horrified expression crossed Dante’s bruised face. “They must have destroyed the last telegate.”
My heart sank. Blasting a telegate was like lighting a fuse line attached to fireworks. The path of destruction followed whoever was teleporting, instantly killing them and leaving nothing behind.
“We have to find him,” I said.
The cardinals nodded. They still had their swords out.
Dante jerked his head. “The last teleport was in—”
Bran’s sudden appearance cut him off. Still high on adrenaline rush, he had a broad grin on his lips and a sparkle in his emerald eyes, dimples flashing. His wings, shirt, pants and coat were muddy, but he had no bruises I could see or feel. Relief left me weak.
“Hey, sunshine,” he said, then sauntered toward me at the same time as I ran across the room.
“What happened?” Dante asked sharply, not masking his irritation.
“They blew the telegate with me in it. I had to get off and loop my path like crazy before coming here. Good thing you told me where you were headed. Locking onto Lil’s energy helped pinpoint your exact location.” He pulled me in his arms and held me tight.
I’m okay, he reassured me.
I thought they got you.
Me too. I’m okay. Really. For a moment, he just held me, until I stopped shaking, then he kissed my temple, leaned back and studied my face. “That was some signal you sent. I thought the Tribe got you.”
“They almost…because of them,” I added andjerked my head toward the Cardinals before I could stop myself. I immediately regretted it. Blaming them for refusing to leave was pointless now. “No, that’s not completely true. They don’t know Dante and Kael and didn’t want to leave with them, which is understandable.”
Bran glanced over his shoulder at Esras and the twins. “What are you doing outside the valley without the gang?”
“Trying to find you,” I said. “The others went to Xenith to say their goodbyes.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“They’re closing the portal until this mess with the Tribe is over.”
Bran shook his head. “I knew about the portal. I was asking why you were trying to find me.”
“Master Haziel’s orders. Did you find Jethro?”
“No. I was closing in on a lead when I saw your signal. On my way to you, I noticed an archangel circling in the air and saw the ones on the roof. He didn’t see me coming. By the time he did, he’d lost one wing. He started to fall, but I was faster.”