Queen of Night
Page 36
“I am sorry. I never wanted to upset you. Every time I am here, it puts you at risk, and every time he is here, he puts you at the same risk.” He looks at Lucifer. “Especially now. All of our brothers and sisters are looking for him.” Michael puts his hands on my shoulders and I’m fighting so many emotions.
I want him to hug me and tell me things are going to be okay. That he can undo what I did, and I won’t be damned to sit on the throne in Hill. To tell me the baby will be fine, and I won’t die during childbirth…and that he’ll help us keep our child safe. Because I know just having me as a mother will make this child be born with a target on their back.
“Well then.” Lucifer claps his hands together. “Who’s up for a drink? Maybe we can go to a casino this time. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, and all.”
Michael turns, giving Lucifer a stern look.
“What?” Lucifer asks. “When you’re on the run you might as well make it fun.” He laughs at his own little rhyme. “Though this one won’t drink with me.” He waves his hand in my direction. “Lame.”
“I don’t want to keep running,” I say, feeling tears pool in my eyes.
“If there was another way, we’d take it,” Michael tells me. “The more the demons insist there is Nephilim child, the more my siblings become suspicious. I faked your death once, I do not believe I can do it again. I will do anything to protect you, my daughter,” he says and I nod, a tear rolling down my cheek. “And right now, the only thing we can do is—”
Green light flashes though the forest, and another angel appears with a loud crack, as if he split the sky in half to come to earth. Michael stiffens, eyes widening as he looks at the angel walking toward us. It’s another archangel, I can tell from the energy coming off of him. It’s comforting and familiar, yet I know this angel is anything but.
If he finds out who I am, he will kill me.
“Remiel,” Michael says, voice steady. “What are you doing here?”
“I was concerned,” the angel named Remiel replies. He folds his brown and black wings behind his back, and they disappear from view. “Though I should know better than to doubt you, Michael. I see you’ve tracked down our brother and…” He looks at me, tipping his head as he reads my energy. “And a Nephilim. The rumors were true. Though…this one…this one is different,” Remiel mumbles to himself, stepping forward. Michael sidesteps, putting himself between his brother and me. “Her human half is witch,” Remiel goes on. “But the divinity…it’s…from an archangel,” he gasps, holding out his right hand. A knife appears in his grasp, similar to the one Julian wields, though this blade is longer and sharper, with gemstones decorating the hilt.
“I’m feeling the urge to run,” Lucifer blurts and holds his hand out. “Better take me in before I do. Cuff me and make sure to give a thorough pat-down. But I won’t go willingly. It’ll take both of my big brothers to force me back into the cage.”
Lucifer could fly away, yet he’s walking toward Remiel, purposely egging him on. His eyes meet Michael’s for just a second, but just a second is all they need. Michael puts his hand behind his back, reaching for me. I inch forward, heart in my throat, reaching for Michael’s hand. My fingers tremble, and as soon as my skin makes contact, Remiel steps forward.
“And leave the Nephilim?” Remiel asks incredulously, eyes going back to Michael. “Why aren’t you outraged, bother? One of our siblings betrayed us! One has lied to us. One has—” He cuts off, eyes flashing as he stares at Michael and I think just realized who I am.
“You!” he sneers at Michael. “You were charged with the task of eliminating the Nephilim years ago. You have also betrayed us, and for what, to protect his offspring?” Remiel’s eyes go to Lucifer.
“Callie isn’t Lucifer’s child,” Michael says slowly.
“Then who’s—it doesn’t matter. Yours or not, know the rules,” Remiel spits and pushes his shoulders back. Great wings spread behind him and I know he’s going to fly off and tell the others, alerting all of Heaven that I’m very much alive. And what they’ll do to Micheal when they find out he’s my father…I don’t even want to think about it. “Nephilim are to be destroyed. It shouldn’t have even been born let alone allowed to live on earth for all these years.”
Lucifer shuffles a little closer, tipping his head in my direction. If Michael can’t fly me out of here, he can. It’s like putting a Band-aide over a bullet wound, but it will give us time to regroup.
So we can run again.
“The others will be disappointed,” Remiel says. “If you will not give up the abomination, I will return with our brothers and sisters. Once they find out, they will not allow her to live.”
“I can’t let you do that,” Michael says, rushing forward as soon as Remiel extends his wings. A gust of wind blows my hair back and Remiel disappears from view for second. And then Michael tackles him, pulling him from the sky. They fall to the ground and the earth shakes.
“It’s against the rules!” Remiel is on his feet in seconds and takes a swing at Michael. His fist hits Michael square in the face, sending him flying backward. Michael springs up, great white wings spread behind him and bounds forward, shoving Remiel back with such force he’s flown yards back, hitting and breaking a tree behind him.
Watching two archangels fight is terrifying, and knowing they’re fighting over me makes it even worse. This can only end one way, and it’s not going to be good.
“Come with me.” Lucifer holds out his hand, but Remiel notices before I can hook my fingers around Lucifer’s. He throws the dagger, and it narrowly misses clipping Lucifer in the shoulder.
Angry, Lucifer’s eyes flash red. “Your orders were to capture, not kill me, brother,” he says to Remiel. “Who’s disobeying now?”
“Nothing compares to protecting a Nephilim, and now to learn you two are working together,” Remiel spits, looking angrier than before. “You will both be locked in the cage and then I will see to it this abomination is destroyed as it should have been the day it was conceived.”
“She is my daughter,” Michael grows, face pulled back in anger. His eyes glow midnight blue and he holds his wings out behind him. If I wasn’t so terrified, I would be in awe of how beautiful he looks, while at the same time intimidating as ever. “Do not call her an abomination.”
Lucifer sidesteps, tipping his head in my direction. I’m too scared to breathe, heart racing a million miles an hour.
“Daughter?” Remiel snorts. “You cannot possibly consider that half-breed to be family. It’s only part of what we are.”
“And they say I’m the self-absorbed one,” Lucifer mumbles and rolls his eyes.
“Step aside,” Remiel repeats.
“I will not give up my daughter,” Michael repeats.
“You leave me no choice then,” Remiel warns and looks up at the sky. He’s going to call for the other archangels, and once they’re alerted to me, it’s game over. Michael may be the strongest, but he cannot take them on. And even if he did…then what? I live the rest of my life being flown from country to country, evading danger by just seconds.
Lucas holds me tighter and I look across the yard at Kristy, silently saying goodbye. She knows it too…there’s no escape from this.
Michael rushes forward again, knocking into Remiel and the clash is as loud as thunder. Remiel holds out his hand, summoning the dagger. He slashes it through the air and slices a gash in Michael’s wing.
“You can’t protect her, brother,” Remiel snarls.
“Yes, I can,” Michael growls back and grabs Remiel’s wrist. Everything happens so fast, and I squeeze my eyes closed as the dagger plunges into Remiel’s chest. Michael’s eyes widen and he steps back, looking at Remiel in fear and shock.
Remiel’s hands go to the dagger, trying to pull it out. He slumps to the ground, and the glow of his eyes slowly fades. The entire forest is silent, and the shadowed outline of broken wings flash behind Remiel’s body.
“What did you do?”
Lucifer breathes, lips parting as he looks from Remiel’s body to Michael. Nerves prickle along my spine. This is bad. Really fucking bad. Only minutes ago, I thought the worst thing that could happen was a demon bringing Hell to earth. But anarchy among the most powerful beings in the universe—it terrifies me even more.
I’ve been sentenced to death from the moment I was born, and now that an archangel has been killed over me…I can’t even finish the thought but I know nothing will ever be the same.
“What do we do?” I ask, voice all shaky.
“Yes, brother,” Lucifer echoes, fear apparent on his face. Whatever scares the devil is bad. Really fucking bad. “What do we do now?”
Reign of Night, book seven in the Thorne Hill series, is coming this fall! Click here to preorder now!
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Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy life to read Queen of Night!
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About the Author
Emily Goodwin is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of over a dozen of romantic titles. Emily writes the kind of books she likes to read, and is a sucker for a swoon-worthy bad boy and happily ever afters.
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She lives in the midwest with her husband and two daughters. When she's not writing, you can find her riding her horses, hiking, reading, or drinking wine with friends.
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Emily is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency.
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