Celestial Storm

by Emma L. Adams

  “I’ll look in the guild’s stores,” said Lydia, crouching beside the pentagram. “I think they’ll know I let you out, but it can’t be helped.”

  The pentagram’s lights died, and I rose to my feet, stepping out into the dim shed. “Thank you.”

  “I got these off Sammy,” she added, handing me my coat and weapons.

  “Thanks,” I said, shrugging the jacket back on. “I appreciate it.”

  To my relief, the demonglass was in the pocket where I’d left it. Nodding to Lydia, I used the glass to hop back into Nikolas’s living room.

  “Devi!” said Rachel, leaning forwards on the sofa. “We were about to send out a rescue party.”

  At her side sat Nikolas, while Fiona and Faye occupied the armchairs.

  “Good, you’re all here,” I said. “Fi, have you told them about the demonglass?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, I said you were off to retrieve the pieces you left in the guild. What took so long?”

  “Harvey showed up and they kinda jailed me for a bit.” I gave a brief rundown of the last couple of hours. “I guess I can retrieve all the other demonglass in the city and harass Javos for more. Or get some from Zadok. He has way more than he needs. But what’s already here might be infected, and I don’t know what the end result will be for the humans.”

  “Since Lythocrax is dead, they’re free,” said Nikolas. “If it’s like your mark, or Fiona’s, then their souls are still their own.”

  “It’s not like they chose this either way,” I said. Why did I still feel like I’d missed something vital? “Lydia spoke to me in the jail. Said she’d search the guild for demonglass. I wish I knew why she and Clover are so convinced they can keep Harvey out of the guild tomorrow without anyone getting hurt. She claimed he’s losing his mind and talking to people who aren’t there.”

  “Angels?” asked Fiona uncertainly. “Or ghosts?”

  “There’s no such thing as ghosts, even on Purgatory,” said Faye. “So what did Harvey say at the guild? Did he get in?”

  “No, he talked to the staff outside. But they let him lure them out.” I heaved a sigh. “Anyway, he said he’ll be there at noon tomorrow. With his army. I can’t single-handedly keep them out. Lydia seems confident the guild can talk some sense into him, but that’s like asking a demon for a birthday present that isn’t a one-way trip to hell.”

  “Shit,” Faye said. “Who else can stand up to him?”

  “Javos.” I gave a short laugh. “He’s immune to Grade Four celestial powers. I’m taking a wild guess that isn’t a common thing?”

  “No,” said Nikolas. “He does have a brother, but he’s not currently in the city, to my knowledge.”

  “You might know it.” I swore under my breath. Javos would never agree to help the guild. There was nothing I could offer him. He had money, resources, and power despite being deposed as leader of the warlocks. How could I bribe him into helping the guild? He was of the opinion that they should rot in hell. Not that he cared for the rogues either. He’d nearly sent his people to kill them once already. That would have ended badly for the warlocks, if nothing else.

  “I think it’s worth asking him,” said Rachel, fiddling with a strand of hair.

  As the only one of us who actually liked Javos, she might be a little biased. But the guild couldn’t be trusted to handle Harvey and his band of lunatic outcasts alone.

  Nikolas shook his head. “The demonglass at least—he needs to know about that, since he’s in charge of the stores. I’ll tell him.”

  “I’ll come,” I said. “Yes, I know he hates me, but I can handle him.”

  I hope. I didn’t want to send the warlocks into a panic, but odds were, some of them had handled the demonglass, too. Who knew what other surprises Lythocrax had hidden inside it?

  To my immense surprise, Javos agreed to meet Nikolas, Rachel and me at the warlocks’ new headquarters. When we drove there an hour later, he waited in the hallway when Nikolas unlocked the door, like he owned the place.

  “Javos,” I said.

  “Devi.”

  We sort of glared at each other for a bit. Then his gaze went to Rachel, and his brows rose in obvious surprise. Maybe he hadn’t expected her to ever talk to him again.

  “I have something important to report.” I led the way into the room Nikolas had picked out as the office for the warlocks’ new leader, and launched into my account of where the humans’ newfound demon powers had come from.

  “What do you expect me to do about that?” Javos asked. “I’m not an expert on demonglass.”

  “That’s not what you said when you pressured me to practise using my powers,” I countered. “Any piece of glass in the city might be infected.”

  “You brought this on us, Devi,” he growled.

  “Don’t you start. This is Lythocrax’s doing. He picked demonglass deliberately, since it was his own power source and it stores magic.”

  “Stores magic,” he said. “Like you.” There was a look in his eyes I didn’t like. Calculating.

  “Yeah, if you want to put it that way.” Despite his immunity to celestial power, I didn’t fear him. I’d faced too many arch-demons to be afraid of an arrogant demigod like him. “It’s what caused the virus to spread among humans. I thought it might be the saphor demon eggs again, but it’s not like anyone was bitten. Someone would remember.”

  He drummed his fingers on the desk. “So you asked me here because you wanted me to congratulate you on figuring out why your humans have hijacked our magic?”

  Someone was in a mood today. “No, I came here to ask that you check every store of demonglass you have. And the bloodstones, too, while you’re at it, in case someone tries that old trick again.”

  “Nobody has touched my demonglass stores. I made sure of it. As for the bloodstones, they were dealt with. Not a single vampire has been infected since you ridded them of the virus.”

  Damn. He had no reason to lie, not when the humans with demon powers were as much of a nuisance to him as they were to the guild.

  “I’ll take that as a thank you,” I said. “Also, are there any other warlocks within travelling distance who have immunity to celestial powers?”

  “Celestial?” he said. “Why?”

  Here we go. “If I tell you this,” I said. “You have to promise not to overreact.”

  In order to get his help, I needed to tell him the truth, and hope that he didn’t blow the ceiling off this time.

  “What did you do?” he growled.

  “Not me. Lythocrax. And the people he’s working with.”

  I gave him a simplified version of the Divine Agents’ goals, ending with the rogues’ proposed visit to the guild tomorrow.

  “So the rogues have gone from their hideout?” he said. “That explains why my people didn’t find them. I admit I wondered if you made them up, Devi.”

  “You sent your people out there? Javos, the celestial rogues are all Grade Four. They can burn any warlock here to ashes, except for you. And they’re coming into this realm again tomorrow. To take down the guild.”

  “Your point?”

  “Javos!” I said. “You know they won’t stop there. They tried to ignite tensions between the warlocks and the guild once before and you stepped right into the bait. They’ll come for you next, I guarantee it.”

  He stepped forward, looming over me. “If Nikolas wishes to take the position of leader of the warlocks, then it’s his responsibility to face them.”

  But he’s not immune to celestial power.

  “The rogues still think you’re the warlocks’ leader,” I said. “Since they left right after the battle. So, what’ll it cost me to ask you to come with me as backup when Harvey declares war on the guild?”

  “More than you could ever afford, Devina.”

  “Javos,” Nikolas said warningly. “She’s right—this is about more than us. These Divine Agents planned to turn the angels themselves against one another. As a fallen angel, Lythocrax in
filtrated the demon realms, too. This is very much our problem.”

  “It most certainly isn’t,” he snapped. “If the guild is too incompetent to find traitors among their own people—”

  “Neither did you,” I said. “Look, you won’t actually be fighting. You can even wave your hands around and scare the shit out of the novices if you like. Harvey’s not that brave, and he doesn’t know he’s being manipulated. Chances are, he’ll take one look at you and run if you show up. Not to mention…” I paused for effect. “The guild will be more likely to want to maintain a working trade relationship with you if you go along instead of Nikolas. They don’t know you nearly strangled me or even that you arrested Lydia.” Not technically true, but nobody had brought the subject up at any point.

  Nikolas gave me a warning look, but he knew the safety of the city might well depend on Javos’s cooperation.

  “You’re the only warlock in the city who’s celestial-proof,” added Rachel. “Also, if you don’t come with Devi, I will never forgive you for what you did.”

  “I thought you already didn’t,” he growled, turning to face her.

  Rachel stared unblinkingly into his eyes. “I was debating.”

  “I practically raised you,” he said to her.

  “Yes, you did,” she said. “Then you nearly strangled Devi. And you’re a mean dick to everyone who isn’t on your short list of people you like.”

  “You don’t like people either,” he answered. “Humans.”

  “I like Devi,” she said. “I like not being killed by Divine Agents, which is what’ll happen to all of us if we don’t send anyone to help keep the Grade Fours out of the guild. Like it or not, Javos, you’re the only option. And that’s the reason you wanted to become the warlocks’ leader to begin with, right? To keep the celestials in line.”

  Huh. I’d often wondered if that might be the case.

  “You owe me,” he said, turning back to me. “I’ll attend to this ridiculous meeting if you promise never to bother me, or the warlocks, again.”

  “Deal.” Not like I had a choice.

  I’d never thought I’d be glad to have Javos at my side to face down the celestials, much less potentially put Nikolas’s chances of becoming the warlocks’ leader in doubt. I’d probably started another argument between the two of them, but if the guild fell, war would follow.

  “I expect you to keep your word,” Nikolas said, and led the way out of the office.

  Rachel opened the front door and hopped off the doorstep. “He will.”

  “Damn,” I said, in a low voice. “I didn’t think he’d say yes.”

  “Nor me,” Rachel admitted.

  “I suspected you could do it, Devi,” said Nikolas. “But this is going to cause no end of problems. Are you sure the rogues will declare war outright? Won’t they give the guild the chance to surrender first?”

  “Maybe,” I said. “Harvey’s already been softening up Mrs Barrow, but he’s wildly unpredictable and he’ll cut his own head off if he thinks the angels want him to. And I can’t count on Clover to show up and help either.” Unfortunately.

  Rain fell as we walked the short distance to Nikolas’s house.

  “Is Javos seriously going to go back to being leader again as though nothing happened?” Rachel asked quietly. “Not that we don’t need his help, but if the celestials leave without a fuss, we’re stuck with him for another few years.”

  “Oh no, there’ll still be a vote,” said Nikolas. “He already agreed to it, but he’s been sliding out of every attempt I make to set a date for the election. He only showed up today because I said it was you who wanted to see him, Rachel.”

  “And he didn’t believe I’d show up,” Rachel added. “If the celestials smite everyone, we won’t have to worry about our leadership anyway.”

  “Glad to hear you’re joining the Devi optimism train.” I reached the spot where I’d parked my car. And stopped. “What the hell? Who did that?”

  Someone—and I had an inkling they had fangs—had painted ‘I’m your biggest fan, Devi’ on the side of my car. Rainwater had washed half of it away, but if anything, that made it worse.

  “Since when did vampires come near here?” asked Rachel.

  “I guess they were stalking me.” Wonderful. “You can always count on them to show up when it’s not necessary.”

  “Just like the bloody rogues,” said Rachel. “I really hope they don’t declare war tomorrow. I like having more than two weeks without Armageddon.”

  “You and me both,” I said.

  9

  At eleven thirty the following day, we gathered down the road from the celestial guild’s headquarters, looking out for the Grade Fours. Nikolas, Faye, Javos and I formed a weird group, even more with Fiona and Rachel waiting in reserve.

  “It’s too dangerous, Rachel,” Nikolas said, while I made the same argument to Fiona.

  “If the rogues hop into this realm, they need a source,” said Rachel. “That means they have someone on this side waiting to let them in. Soon as they do, we’ll chase the bastards down.”

  “Just as long as you stay out of the fighting.” I stood on tip-toe to see over the guild’s fence. I hoped Mrs Barrow had the place locked against outsiders, in case Clover and Lydia’s defences didn’t work. Worryingly, neither of them had come out to meet us, but perhaps Lydia had managed to get through to her. Assuming the rogues hadn’t figured out she was betraying them. “Faye, is this really the best time to reveal yourself to them? You might get arrested instead. Look what happened to me yesterday.”

  “I can’t step aside and let them get taken over,” she said, her jaw set. “They have no idea what’s coming.”

  “That’s why it’s a bad idea,” I said. “The celestials will attack you before they attack Harvey, because in their eyes, you’ve done worse than he did. And if they’re preoccupied with you, his band of rogues will have an opening.”

  If they brought an army, we were screwed. Only an arch-demon could actually wipe out a group of celestials that size, and the best we’d be able to do was stall them.

  Despite my desperate hopes to avoid a conflict, all of us were armed and dressed for battle, including Javos. His dark clothes must be custom-made to fit him, because Javos was too big for any normal human-sized clothes.

  “He’s late,” said Javos, eyeing the guild’s gates.

  “Maybe he was bluffing,” said Rachel.

  “I doubt it,” I said, though worry prickled down my spine. “Trust me, those rogues don’t do false alarms.”

  “Might they have staged a diversion?” asked Faye.

  “From what? Everyone they want to kill off is gathered in one place. It was always the guild they were after.” Harvey had said he’d be here at noon, and I’d got the impression the guy was punctual. Maybe not.

  “Is there still a source inside the guild?” asked Faye.

  “Not to my knowledge,” I said. “They can’t get inside, believe me. Not directly through Purgatory. And I moved all the other—” I broke off as my side burned suddenly, like my jacket had caught fire. Light blazed out from my pocket, blinding me. “Seven hells, they’re using my demonglass.”

  I dug my hand in my pocket and pulled the glowing glass free, wincing when it burned my hand. Throwing the glass to the ground, I tapped into my demon mark and unleashed its shadowy magic, but the light kept on growing. I swore, stomping on the glass. The light flared up to the sky, like a beacon to the heavens—and Harvey crash-landed on me, sending both of us sprawling onto the concrete.

  “Ow, you moron.” I kicked him off me, rolling to my feet. The light’s fading glare left red splotches on my vision.

  Harvey got up, brushing dust from his clothes. “I expected you to be inside the guild, Devi.”

  “That was your way in?” My hand throbbed with burning pain. I hadn’t wanted to waste any of the regenerative power Nikolas had given me, but I needed my hands to be in working order, so I quickly healed the damage.
“Nice job, dickhead.”

  Clearly, he’d aimed for the nearest source—mine. I was damned lucky he hadn’t brought all his friends along for the ride.

  Harvey’s gaze travelled from me to Faye, Nikolas, and Javos. His hand lit up with celestial power. “You dared to bring your monstrous warlock friends with you, Devi?”

  “They’re here to make sure you don’t do anything stupid,” I said, with a glance at the guild headquarters. “Like starting a war.”

  “There will be no war if I get what I desire,” Harvey said. “The guild desperately needs new leadership, and now you’ve sent these monstrosities to confront me…” His celestial blade appeared in another flash of light, both sides shining silver-white.

  Javos and Nikolas immediately moved into attack mode, their auras darkening and their eyes blazing. Dammit, Nikolas, you’re not immune to his fire.

  “I’ll take that as a threat,” said Javos, stepping in front.

  Harvey yelled as his body rose into the air as though yanked by invisible strings. Javos grinned, raising his hands. Harvey struggled, kicking out, but Javos’s telekinetic power held him captive.

  “You monstrous demon!” Harvey yelled.

  “Yes,” said Javos, flipping Harvey upside-down with a quick gesture. “I am.” It was pretty clear Javos had been waiting to fuck with a celestial for a while, but where in the seven hells was the rest of his army?

  There was the distant sound of breaking glass, followed by screaming.

  Nikolas growled from behind Javos, “What did you do?”

  Crap. Maybe he is a diversion.

  More screams rang over the rooftops. The guild’s doors flew wide and a group of celestials ran out, drawing their weapons.

  “Where are the demons?” one of them asked.

  “Don’t come outside!” I shouted. “This prick wants to get into your headquarters.”

  “You… scum,” Harvey hissed, his face reddening as blood rushed to his head. He didn’t look like he was in any position to conquer the guild, and yet… where did that screaming come from?

  “It’s a setup.” I jerked my head at the still-struggling Harvey. “What did you do? Did you send the rest of your people to start a fight?”