by S. J. West
“Thanks, but I’m not here for your sympathies. I need you to fulfill a wish for me.”
“A wish?” He looks confused, and I can’t say I blame him. “You understand that a selfish wish has the ability to cause you to lose what you love most, right?”
“I understand. I’m willing to take my chances.”
Alred doesn’t look certain that I know the trouble I’m asking for, but I know exactly what I’m doing. He reaches into the front pocket of his pants and pulls out a small cut ruby. He hands it to me and I readily take it.
“I can’t believe how easy you made that for me.” Before he knows what’s happening, I already have the ruby down my throat and on its way to my belly.
“Have you lost your mind?” he shouts, grabbing me by the shoulders. “Why would you do that?”
“To make sure you don’t let any other hot-headed Warden make more wishes, you fool. I understand that you’re not the sharpest djinn in the genie-shed, but did you seriously believe you could destroy the academy? It’s protected by God, you idiot. Why don’t you use a little common sense next time?”
“That wasn’t God protecting the school. That was another djinn. I assume it was Faust’s little girl, right? She’s here, isn’t she?”
“You’re right, but she’s an emissary of God. Anything you try to do she will counteract. Besides, I have another mission for you. You’re wasting your time with the Wardens. They can’t take you to Azrael.”
“How do you know that?” Alred eyes me curiously. He doesn’t seem to believe what I’ve said.
“I know that because I’m Azrael.” I let that piece of truth sink into his brain. Some people just aren’t that smart and need time to fully understand things. “Do—you—understand—what—I—said?”
“I’m not an idiot,” he retorts. “I understood it perfectly. I’m just trying to figure out if you’re lying, and if so, why?”
“I’m not lying.” Why does everyone automatically assume I’m lying? Why must I prove myself every . . . single . . . time! “Would you like a demonstration of my powers?”
Alred crosses his arms over his big burly chest and spreads his legs slightly apart.
“I want you to show me something only Azrael can do. Then, I might believe you.”
“Have it your way.” I hold out my hand and make a fist.
Alred’s big frame goes limp as a noodle. As he falls to the deck of the boat, he slams his big noggin against the corner of a trapdoor.
“Ouch!” I wince. “That had to hurt.” Blood begins to pool around him. I quickly open my fist, causing Alred to come back to life with a start.
He lifts a hand to the injury at his temple and flinches when he touches the ripped flesh.
“Sorry about that.” I feel like I owe him the apology. I certainly didn’t mean to harm him when I have a job for him to do.
Your plan is never going to work, you know. It’s impossible!
“Shut up, boy! It doesn’t hurt to try.”
“Who are you talking to?” Alred stands to his feet, even if his legs are still a bit wobbly.
“None of your business.” I wave his question away like an annoying fly. “Listen. I want to make my first wish. Are you ready?”
“Give me a minute.” He walks over to a metal bench screwed onto the deck. After he sits down, he wipes the blood from his hand onto his jeans and looks up at me. “What’s your wish, Azrael?”
“I wish for Lora to fall in love with me and ditch her soulmate.”
Alred stares at me expressionless before he begins to laugh. He stops a few seconds later when the pain in his head reminds him of his wound.
“I can’t change someone’s emotions. You’re barking up the wrong tree if you think I can make her fall in love with you. You’ll have to work that miracle yourself.”
Told you. Maybe you’ll listen to me next time instead of making such a fool of yourself.
I want to strangle Caleb with my bare hands, but he has me at a disadvantage.
“Fine. I’ll think of something else. In the meantime, I’ll keep your talisman with me until I no longer need it . . . or it passes through my digestive system. Whichever happens first.”
“Just make sure you wash it good before you give it back to me. I still can’t believe you swallowed it.” He shivers in revulsion.
“Look. I’m not very happy about it either. Impulsive decisions lead to strange consequences.”
“Good luck hunting for it when it comes out.” Alred grins. “Maybe you’ll get lucky and have a bout of diarrhea. That would certainly make it easier to find.”
“The movement of my bowels really isn’t something I want to talk about with you. I would much rather know what Levi is offering me for my help. That’s why you’re really here, correct? To make sure I’m on your side of the war when it starts?”
Alred clears his throat and takes on a business-like demeanor. “Levi said I could make a bargain with you for your help.”
I wait a few seconds for him to continue, but all I get is silence.
“Well?” I prod. “What’s the offer? I’m listening.”
“He’s willing to give you the living world as long as you let him have Heaven.”
Well . . . that’s certainly unexpected. I had no idea Levi wanted Heaven so badly.
“That’s uncharacteristically generous of him.” All those lovely living souls to reap. I could live forever snatching souls anytime I wanted. “What’s the catch?”
“The only condition he has is that you have to completely annihilate the army the Watchers and War Angels have assembled. We don’t know how large it is, but we do know it exists. What do you say? Do we have a deal?”
It’s never good to show your cards too soon in a game, and this negotiation is no different.
“I need some time to think about it. When I make my decision, I’ll get back in touch. I don’t suppose you know how long I have to decide?”
“Three or four days. Levi will be here by then.”
Three or four days! That’s not a lot of time, but at least we know. Now we can tell Lora and the others.
Not until I get what I want.
You have to warn them!
No. Actually, I don’t. I’ll keep this bit of information to myself until I find a use for it.
You’re the most selfish person I know.
Maybe.
But I almost always get what I want in the end.
10
(Lora’s Point of View)
With everyone pitching in, it only took a couple of hours to clean up the mess from the storm. Jered brought Lilith, Sariah, Kodi, and the hellhounds over not long after I told him how we stopped Alred’s spell. Silas was oddly quiet when I told them Caleb was the one who came up with the idea of using Sariah to counteract the other djinn’s magic. All I want to do is tell Silas the truth, but Azrael wouldn’t see it as me unburdening my heart. He would use it as an excuse to break our deal and choose to join Levi’s army.
In my heart, I know that’s what he really wants to do. In fact, he could be playing me for a fool by stringing me along when there’s no real chance he’ll choose to support our side. No matter how hard I fight for humanity, he’ll probably end up betraying us in the end.
“All right, everyone,” Jered shouts out to those of us in the rotunda, gathering our attention. “I would like you all to go to the auditorium so I can explain a few things to you. After that, you’ll need to make some tough choices concerning your continued attendance at this academy.”
“How many do you think will stay?” Silas leans the broom in his hand against the wall as we watch the students begin to file into the auditorium.
“All of them, I hope.” Even as the words leave my mouth, I know my wish won’t come true.
There will be a few students who decide this fight isn’t for them. They’ll want to return to their homes and spend what time they have left with their families. Who can blame them for wanting to do that? Once re
ality sets in that Levi isn’t some bedtime story villain, they’ll have to decide if facing death in battle is something they’re prepared to do.
“Hey . . .” Silas takes one of my hands with his. “I have something important to ask you.”
The come-hither look. The sweet smile. Is Silas going to finally kiss me? It seems like an odd moment for it, but I definitely won’t say no if he asks me for one.
“What do you want to ask me?”
Silas grins and draws me a few inches closer to him. “Would you like to go on a date tonight?”
“Oh, I thought you were going to ask me if you could kiss me,” I say disappointedly.
Silas chuckles. “Not that I don’t want to kiss you until you go weak in the knees, but doing it here after everything we’ve been through isn’t very romantic.”
“Agreed, but I’m still a little disappointed.”
Silas leans in closer and kisses me on the forehead. His lips are warm and soft, and all I want to do is fly him somewhere so we can share a moment alone.
“Lora!”
Over Silas’s shoulder, I see Emi approaching us. The heels of her boots clip against the granite floor with every agitated step she takes. I let go of Silas’s hand, and he turns to face our friend.
Bryce, Emi’s boyfriend, walks a few feet behind her with a scowl on his face. I’ve never liked Bryce. As far as I’m concerned, he’s a snake in the grass and can’t be trusted. I have no idea what Emi sees in him. He’s controlling, manipulative, and doesn’t give Emi the respect she deserves. I just wish she could see that.
“Is it just me or do they both look angry?” I ask Silas.
“It’s not just you,” he confirms. “They’re both mad about something and I think we’re about to learn why.”
Emi comes to a stop in front of us with her hands on her hips and fire in her eyes.
“This assembly is about Levi coming, right?” Emi asks brusquely. It’s definitely not a tone that’s normal for her sweet temperament.
“Jered plans to give everyone a chance to go home if they want to,” I say.
“See,” Bryce says, his face flush with an anger of his own. “I told you they would give us a chance to go home and that’s exactly what we’re going to do!”
Bryce grabs Emi by the arm and tugs her toward him. I almost intervene on her behalf, but Emi yanks her arm out of his grasp before I get the chance.
“And I told you that I’m not going anywhere!” Emi has never yelled at Bryce in my presence before now. In fact, I didn’t even know her voice could get so loud. “If you want to go home, go home. I’m staying.”
Bryce reaches out to grab Emi’s arm again, but Silas grabs his elbow to stop him before he can touch her.
“She said she’s staying here,” Silas says as the two men have a slight battle of the wills.
Bryce stops fighting Silas and draws his arm back down by his side. He turns a menacing glare in Emi’s direction, but my friend holds her ground and lifts her chin defiantly.
“Do you think your mom is going to let you stay here after I tell her everything?” he asks Emi. “You know as well as I do she’ll have you and your sister back home before I’ve even unpacked my bags.”
“My mom understands loyalty and honor,” Emi says. “Too bad you didn’t learn about those things from your parents.”
Bryce’s hands form fists by his sides. His whole body tenses like a snake about to strike its target. He isn’t used to Emi standing up to him like this. I’m sure he expected her to follow his lead without questioning his orders. Too bad he doesn’t know his girlfriend as well as he thinks he does.
Emi isn’t the same girl I met the first day of school. That girl wore her hair the way her boyfriend wanted her to. The woman standing in front of me is ready to fight for what she believes in no matter what the cost. She’s learned that she can stand on her own two feet without needing Bryce to lean on. Becoming less dependent on someone is a hard thing to do, and I’m so proud of her I feel like I’m going to bust.
“If you don’t come home with me right this instant, we’re over.” Bryce’s face is so red with anger I can see a vein throbbing in the middle of his forehead. However, from the defiant look on Emi’s face, his threat doesn’t hold the weight it probably did at one time.
“Then I guess we’re over!” Emi’s shout rings in the hallway, drawing the attention of those entering the auditorium.
Bryce practically growls with pent-up rage before he turns on his heels and angrily stomps away.
Emi huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. “I never could have imagined he would end up being such a coward.”
“War brings out peoples’ true colors.” I place a comforting arm around her shoulders as a tear rolls from the corner of her eye. I know she’s mad at Bryce, but breaking up with him has left its emotional toll. “Want to go beat something up?”
Emi grins and lets out a small laugh as she relaxes and lets her arms drop back down by her sides. “Don’t we need to go to the assembly first?”
“Nah,” Silas says. “You already know what my dad is going to say in there. Besides, we won’t have normal classes today. We might as well head on over to Warrior Hall. I heard my dad say that Malcolm has some new holo-programs for us to train in. They’re supposed to emulate what we can expect from Levi’s army.”
“That’s smart.” I’ve never doubted Malcolm’s intelligence, just his way of doing things sometimes. I hope he hasn’t made the programs so challenging that the students end up feeling defeated before the real battles even begin.
As the three of us walk over to Warrior Hall, I hear someone call out my name as we pass by the Spire. I use a hand to shield my eyes from the sun and look at the top of the tower. There I see Azrael waving for me to come speak to him.
“What do you think he wants?” A disgruntled Silas asks, peering up and only seeing Caleb.
“I’m not sure, but I should probably find out.”
“If he wants to talk to you, he should come down here and do it, not make you go to him.”
If Silas knew that Caleb was really Azrael, he would understand why I need to talk to him.
“I’ll only be a minute,” I say. “Don’t wait for me. I’ll catch up to you and Emi.”
Without giving Silas time to respond, I fly up to the top of the tower but remain airborne in front of Az.
“Where have you been?” I ask him.
“Here and there.” His smile holds a hint of mischief.
“You didn’t kill someone did you?”
“I’m not all about death you know.” He looks insulted by my question. “I actually went to find Alred to make sure he doesn’t try to destroy the academy again. I thought that would make you happy.”
I fly over to the railing and grab it before the shock of what he said makes my wings give out.
“You did? Seriously?”
Az nods with a self-gratified smile on his face.
“How? Where is he?”
“It doesn’t really matter how I found him or where he’s staying. I’ve hidden his talisman in a place he can’t reach, so you don’t have to worry about his interference anymore. He’s basically been neutered.”
“Thank you.” I’m completely flabbergasted that he managed to do all that in such a short amount of time.
“How grateful would you say you are?”
“Depends,” I say cautiously. I should have known he would want something in return. “What do you want?”
“Go out on a date with me tonight. I can show you things within this universe you’ve never seen before. Plus, you can use the time to try and convince me that humanity is worth saving.”
“I can’t tonight. I already have plans.” There’s no way I’m going to miss my first date with Silas. “Besides, the best way to prove humanity’s worth is by spending time with humans, don’t you think?”
“Do we have to?” Az looks less than enthused about the idea. “I would much rather just
spend time with you alone.”
The look of desire in his eyes warns me that being alone with Az is not a good idea. I realize his attraction to me is mostly due to Caleb’s feelings, but I also know I need to tread lightly where he’s concerned. The last thing I need to do is make Az mad. We need him on our side. If Levi gains his support, we’re all dead.
“How did you take Alred’s talisman away from him?” It’s something I want to know but it also douses the flames in Az’s eyes.
“It’s not that hard to outwit a djinn,” he says offhandedly. His answer tells me that there’s more to the story that he’s not willing to tell me.
“Alred didn’t try to convince you to join Levi’s army?” If he says no, I know he’s lying because that was the whole reason Alred was trying to reach him.
“Of course, he did.” Az laughs nervously. I’ve hit on a subject he doesn’t want to talk about.
“What is he offering you in exchange for your help?”
Az looks away, either unable or unwilling to look me in the eyes.
“The living world.” He meets my gaze with his as he finishes answering my question. “Basically, he’s offered me a universe of souls on a silver platter. The only thing he wants in return is control over Heaven.”
“God will never allow that,” I say. “His offer can’t be trusted.”
“It seemed sincere.”
I shake my head. “Then Levi is more of a fool than I thought he was, and you’re a fool if you believe he’ll just hand over the living world to you. If there is one thing I know about him, it’s the fact that he’s selfish to the core. He isn’t going to just hand you half of what he’s worked so hard for, and he certainly can’t be trusted to uphold his end of the bargain.”
“I’m fully aware of how duplicitous Levi can be, Lora. I’m not an idiot,” he says defensively.
“I didn’t call you that.”
“That’s what you implied. If I was a lesser person, I would take offense.”
This isn’t going very well. If I’m not careful, Az will leave, and I’ll lose my chance to prove humanity is worth his time saving.