by Kyra Quinn
He’d return to the house and deal with Remiel and the human girl in a moment. For now, he owed his attention to two of his favorite animals in creation.
* * *
Viktor hid with Roscoe and Diego until the front door opened sometime later. When the sound of boots against the soil met his ears, he gave the horses a final rub and bolted out of the stables to confront Remiel. His heart pounded as he marched up to his oldest friend and shoved his shoulder.
“What is this, Remi? What happened to the rules about not entertaining company?”
Remiel shook his head in response as he folded his arms over his chest. “One night will do no harm. Even a girl like her can only do so much damage in the space of an evening.”
Viktor snorted. “No offense, my friend, but you don’t know women. They can ruin your life with a smile.”
His mind drifted towards a hurt long in the past. For a split second, his lungs constricted as the colors of the world around him blurred together. If he didn’t stop himself, he could still recall her floral feminine scent and the warmth of her body curled up against his—
“Only if you allow it.” Remiel laughed, his voice snapping Viktor back to the present. “Try not to worry yourself about the passive girl. As soon as the sun rises I plan to walk her to the station and see her out of Mulgrave myself.”
Viktor clenched his teeth, unwilling to accept the solution might come so easy. From the moment he laid eyes on Miss Lilianna’s starry silver eyes he suspected she’d be trouble. He leaned against a bale of hay, his arms folded over his chest. “What happens to her then?”
A frog croaked off in the distance. After a long pause, Remiel shook his head. “Does it matter? Her fate is not our problem.”
“What is the story? You never explained why you brought her here of all places. Where did you find her?”
“She found me. Turned over every stone in Mulgrave to do it from the sound of things, too.”
“Ex-lover? She looks a little young for you—”
“Shut your bone box.” Remiel’s eyes narrowed into a glare. “If what she says is true, I knew her father a lifetime ago.”
Viktor’s eyes wandered towards the house. “Ah. Well, father or no father, her existence is in jeopardy as long as she’s with us.”
Remiel snorted. “From what I saw tonight, her life is in danger either way. Why do you think I brought her here? The girl has a target on her back. Demons don’t attack without provocation, especially in public.”
“I still don’t understand. What do they want with a pathetic human girl?”
“I cannot say. None of what she’s told me makes much sense. She claims a swarm of angels slaughtered her father. I found her surrounded by a pack of hungry demons.”
“Sounds like every power in the universe has it out for her.” Viktor gave a low whistle. “But why?” Even the Feyfolk didn’t stand much chance against angels or demons. A human passive like the girl asleep on their couch stood none.
Remiel pinched the bridge of his nose. “I cannot say. I pity her struggles, but we have no reason to involve ourselves in them. We have enough trouble of our own.”
“So what, we put her on a train back to wherever she came from and hope for the best?”
“Out of sight, out of mind. We cannot afford any distractions. I was wrong to dismiss you earlier. The energy is shifting; I can feel it. The time is almost upon us.”
Viktor glanced up at the sky as if the stars might offer secret clues to salvation. He could tell Remiel had more to say, but none of it would change his mind. His heart ached for her, but the girl had to go. They had enough trouble to manage without adding Miss Lilianna to the mix. He never signed up to be anyone’s personal bodyguard, especially when the explanations for her predicament remained vague.
“What are we to do about this mysterious threat?” Viktor asked, no longer concerned with their mysterious guest. “How can we fight an enemy we can’t see coming?”
Remiel shifted his weight. “All we can do is try. We do the best we can and pray luck is on our side.”
“And if our best isn’t good enough?”
Remiel straightened his spine, his jaw tight. “We die with honor. We die heroes.”
* * *
Hushed voices dragged Viktor from a deep slumber. His head throbbed as he sat up, his mouth dry. He groaned and rubbed his face as he waited for the stables to fade into focus. So much for a small nap. His body ached as if waking from the dead.
“You have no business here,” Remiel’s voice drifted in from outside.
Viktor opened his mouth to ask what in Astryae the angel meant, but a deep voice answered before he spoke.
“It has been a long time, Brother. Are you well?”
“Sard off,” Remiel snarled. “You know how well I am.”
Shit. Who has Remiel brought here this time? Viktor’s heart raced as he dragged himself from the ground. His eyes flickered towards the wooden chest on the other side of the room. His hand itched for a blade or weapon. But the lid weighed too much to open with discretion. Viktor clenched his teeth and crawled to the exit, careful to keep his steps light.
Outside, the conversation continued without pause. A smile crept into the stranger’s voice as he asked, “What would you say to a chance to change that?”
“I would say sard off and go back to the Gardens. I have nothing to say to you, Elijah.”
Viktor paused a few inches from the doorway, now more curious than afraid. Remiel stood beneath one of the willow trees with his back to Viktor. He stood with his feet apart, his body tense as if braced for an attack.
A few feet away stood a man with black wings more majestic than any bird Viktor had ever seen. An eerie glow illuminated his warm toffee complexion. Sharp metallic spikes protruded from his shoulders, his skin bare except for a gold and ivory cloth tethered to a golden band around his waist. The polished helmet over his skull obscured his face as it glimmered beneath the moonlight.
“There is no need for hostility, Remiel. Ages have passed. You must learn to let matters lie and move on. You defected from your orders. We punished you for your actions. There is no malice in that.”
Remiel barked out a laugh. “Is that what you told everyone? It must be nice to have control over the narrative while I am left helpless to defend myself.”
“Don’t be daft. I’m here to offer you a chance at redemption. You can prove yourself worthy of your wings and come home.”
Remiel rubbed his chin. Viktor bit back a growl and prayed Remiel wouldn’t find himself swayed by the smooth-talking asshat of an angel.
“Interesting time to feel benevolent. What is this about? What do you want?”
Elijah glanced at the house. “You have found yourself in interesting company, brother. The girl, what do you know of her?”
Remiel and Viktor dropped their jaws in unison. Lilianna had told the truth.
Remiel cleared his throat. “Not much. What do you want with her?”
“Me, nothing. Samael wants her delivered to him.”
“For what purpose?”
Elijah shook his head. “That part is both classified and irrelevant to you. I need the girl, Remiel.”
“And if I let you take her, I can return to the Gardens?”
“When the time comes, yes. You give me the girl, and I’ll grant you your wings. I’ll even ask Samael if your young ward can come.”
Remiel hesitated for a moment too long. Viktor’s head dropped. When Remiel’s head bobbed in agreement, Viktor turned away and fought back the urge to slam his fist into the wall of the stable. After so many years spent away from the Elysian Gardens, how could Remiel still find himself suckered by the angels’ manipulations?
“Go on, take her,” Remiel said, his voice hoarse as if the words burned his throat to speak. “She is inside asleep.”
Elijah shook his head. “I appreciate your eager enthusiasm and willingness to cooperate, but it isn’t time yet. I’d prefer to presen
t her to Samael after the blood moon, when the gods are at full strength. The girl could present a formidable weapon in the war to come.”
“A human? How? She’s just a girl.”
“That’s what she’d like you to believe.” Elijah chuckled. “Watch her. Let no one else find her. When I give my signal, you’ll deliver her, and we’ll return home together.”
“And how long will that be? She planned to leave in the morning.”
“Don’t let her. If you lose this girl, you lose your ticket to paradise.”
The right answer was no. Viktor said a silent prayer Remiel would tell Elijah and the rest of the holier-than-thou bastards where to shove it or explain how things had changed since his fall. Why swear loyalty to a group that turned their backs on him once already?
But the last few years must have taken their toll. They’d survived on scraps and good will, but both would run out at some point. War waited on the horizon; Viktor could smell it like incoming rain. How much could he resent Remiel for wanting to join the winning team?
“Fine,” Remiel agreed. “We shall await your signal. I can keep the girl under control and in one piece until you are ready to deliver her to Samael.”
Viktor turned away and stomped back into the stables, no longer concerned with being heard. His chest throbbed with the ache of betrayal. He’d placed his life in Remiel’s hands, and where had it gotten him? For all he knew, the angel had planned his betrayal long in advance.
His gut twisted as he paced. He’d wanted nothing more than to rid himself of Miss Lilianna a few hours ago, but he’d never wished her harm. He’d learned enough about the Gardens from Remiel’s stories to know if the angels took the girl, no one would ever see her again.
He had to stop them. He didn’t know how, but Remiel’s secret bargain bought him time to think. As little as he cared for her presence, his hatred towards the angels ran deeper. If Remiel couldn’t hand the girl over to the angels he’d lose his ticket back into the Gardens. Remiel couldn’t betray him if Viktor acted first.
His shoulders grew heavy as Viktor accepted what needed to be done. He whispered into the darkness, “Forgive me, old friend. I have no choice.”
CHAPTER NINE
Destiny Doesn’t Knock
Viktor never fell back to sleep that night. Though he tried to rest his eyes a few times, the snippets of overheard conversation between Remiel and the other angel tugged at the fibers of his thoughts until his head throbbed. No matter how he turned the pieces over in his mind, none of them fit together. How had the other angel found Remiel after so many years of banishment? Why had Remiel seemed so keen to forgive the traitorous bastards? And what nefarious plan could the angels have that required a human girl?
Viktor slid a hand-rolled cigarette between his lips and struck a match. The tiny flame danced on the end of the thin wooden stick as he pressed it to the end of his papers and inhaled. A few seconds later he coughed a thick cloud of smoke to the stars.
He couldn’t decide who deserved his contempt the most. The entire controversy seemed to stem back to the strange girl on the couch in the house. Had he underestimated her or missed something?
He meandered up the hill to the bungalow as he smoked. He wouldn’t find a better chance to sniff the girl out than while she slumbered. He shot a glance inside the dark windows as he exhaled another puff of smoke. He’d have to move fast and make sure Remiel didn’t hear him. He’d learned ages ago that while Remiel could see through blatant dishonesty, withheld information was beyond his powers of detection.
When the ember of the cigarette warmed his fingers, Viktor tossed the smoke on the ground and extinguished it with the heel of his boot. He rubbed his chin and ran through the list of entrances to the home in head. The front door would make enough noise to wake the entire house, and Remiel never unlocked the back. Could he slip in through one of the windows near the front of the house? How would he muffle the sound of his landing?
As he moved to try one of the windows, the front door creaked open. He froze as Remiel stepped out of the house and pulled the door shut behind him. He tensed when he spotted Viktor. “Trouble sleeping?”
Viktor shrugged. “Going somewhere?”
Remiel’s eyes darted between the house and the stables. “I will try not to take long. Our guest will want something more suitable to wear when she wakes, and we have little in the way of things her size.”
Viktor pursed his lips. “I thought you planned to take her to the station in the morning?”
Remiel sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “I did. But some of the issues you raised earlier stuck with me. What if something happens to her? Can we be so callous as to turn our backs when she’s come to us for help?”
Viktor bit back the urge to laugh. He’d never met a more talented liar than Remiel, angel or demon. But there was no way to call out his dishonesty without admitting his own eavesdropping. Instead, Viktor clenched his teeth and nodded.
“What do we do with her?”
Remiel’s features tightened. “I will inform you when I have it figured out myself. For now, we will focus on keeping her safe and alive. We can discuss plans with more detail when I return.”
Viktor held out his arm to gesture towards the beaten path down the hill. “Please, don’t let me stop you. I’ll keep an eye on things here until your return.”
Remiel reached forward and squeezed his shoulder. “I appreciate how well you have taken this, Vik. I know the circumstances are far from ideal for either of us.”
But Viktor shrugged off the facetious compliment. “We do what we have to, right? This is no different.”
Remiel gave him a hard stare and nodded. “That we do. I will try to return before she wakes. Would you mind preparing breakfast while I’m away?”
“Not at all.” Viktor rolled his eyes. “I have nothing better to do than prance around like her footman.”
Remiel’s face darkened, but he brushed off Viktor’s snark. “I appreciate your help. I won’t be gone more than a few hours.”
“Go.” Viktor waved his hand to shoo Remiel away. “We’ll be fine here.”
Remiel shot a final glance at the front door before he turned to walk away. Viktor exhaled a tiny sigh of relief. As much as Remiel’s boldfaced lies made his blood boil, his plan would be much easier to enact without the angel watching over his shoulder.
Viktor waited for Remiel’s silhouette to disappear down the hill. He then pushed the front door open with his shoulder and slipped into the dark interior. He pressed the door shut behind him as easy as he could, but every slight movement made the timber creak and groan. He held his breath and pressed himself against the door as he waited for their guest to wake.
When the girl didn’t move, Viktor crept towards where she slept on the tips of his toes. His heart pounded in his ears as he neared her. He rubbed his neck as a little voice in the back of his head urged him to turn around and run.
Viktor’s stomach clenched as he paused a few inches from the girl. He half expected her eyes to snap open, but they didn’t. A small snore escaped her parted lips. Thick locks of honey covered her face. She laid with her knees to her chest, her body curled into a helpless ball. In her current state, it was hard to imagine her as much of a threat to anyone.
But he had to be sure. He closed his eyes and leaned in until he could feel the warmth radiating from her skin. He inhaled until his lungs threatened to burst. A bittersweet scent filled his nostrils. He gripped the back of the couch to maintain his balance, his head woozy. When he straightened his posture, his eyebrows furrowed.
This can’t be right. What the Fey?
He leaned forward for another sniff, but it did nothing to cure his confusion. He’d never encountered a scent anything like hers. The girl wasn’t human, but her blood held no resemblance to any of the Feyfolk he’d encountered over the years. His mouth watered as he took a step back.
How could anyone smell so familiar and strange all at once? Why did
her blood remind him of Remiel’s? A small part of Viktor struggled to decide if he wanted to eat her or save her.
He reached to brush the hair from her face before letting his arm fall awkwardly to his side. He’d yet to have a conversation with the girl. He had no right to touch her. Yet a part of him felt as if he’d known her for a lifetime. What strange magic did the girl carry within her? And how aware of it was she?
Viktor’s heart jumped as she shifted positions in her sleep. He made a beeline for the door and prayed she’d sleep through the sound of his departure. She’d have every right to panic if she woke to the sight of a strange man looming over her. He’d return later, after she woke for the day. Viktor hurried back to the stables and hoped Miss Lilianna might be more forthcoming with her secrets after he cooked her breakfast.
* * *
Viktor returned to the front steps after the sun rose above the treetops. He stood a few feet from the door and peered through a window for signs of movement. He smoked while he waited in hopes the tobacco might take some of the edge off his nerves. Part of him craved a few glasses of ambrosia, but he resisted the temptation. Lilianna already thought of him as Remiel’s hired help. The last thing he needed to do was brand himself a drunkard.
As the birds sang through the trees, Viktor opened and closed his fist as he glared at the bungalow. How late did people sleep in where she came from? If he or Remiel elected to stay asleep all morning, their horses would go mad with hunger. Would Remiel care if he woke her?
The door flew open before he decided. Lilianna’s fragile body slammed into his chest. A tiny cry of surprise left her lips as she staggered back. Her titanium eyes were the size of the moon as she blinked.
The corners of Viktor’s mouth teased into a smirk. “Out for a walk?”
Lilianna’s cheeks flushed. “Something like that. Pardon me.”
Viktor reached down and clamped a hand over her shoulder. “Sorry, not so fast. Does Remiel know you’re leaving?”
“My apologies. I didn’t realize I needed to make a formal announcement on the matter.”