Michael’s maid, was on her way up. Their names couldn’t have been a coincidence. Apparently, Michael had two maids, though I didn’t get the other one’s name. If she were Nevada, I wouldn’t be surprised.
Georgia and I parted in the foyer, she heading outside, while I took a right for the office, which I found deserted. Great. I took my sweet time searching for the map of the entire Court of Command. Besides the ancient map on the wall behind the desk, I couldn’t find another. I overturned every paper in Michael’s desk drawers and flipped through old books by authors I’d never heard of. I even patted the chairs’ cushions, thinking he’d hide it in there. In the filing cabinets lining the wall, I found a file with my name on it. File in hand, I sat behind his desk and leaned back, noting my headache had subsided. A colorful ceiling full of angels greeted me.
I searched for an angel with golden wings. There. Right above my head, Michael was painted as sitting on the roof of what I recognized as the House of Command. His majestic wings spread to their full length, he held his sword pointing downward toward the rest of the angels positioned over different landscapes. “Holy shit.” I propped my foot on his desk and pushed the chair so it swung me back, my neck tilted all the way.
The world appeared before me. Three continents, two on each side of one smaller but mountainous one. That was the Court of Command. I recognized it because of the white paintings of snow, this house, and Michael. Everything else was water, way more water than the Earth had before. I now lived on an island. The other two continents appeared to have clear borders, with different climates and vegetation. The biggest continent was split in half, with the eastern half painted in gray. From behind the sun rose an angel with black wings, his back turned away from Michael. Nobody had to tell me which angel that was.
Sitting back, I wondered where in this world my parents lived. If they lived at all. And if they lived somewhere, anywhere, would I ever see them again? If I saw them, would they remember me? I placed the file on his desk. Hopefully, I’d find some clues.
Chapter Thirteen
The fleet took to the skies, and mortals cleared the streets. I landed on one rooftop and hopped onto the street. Strolling along and expanding my senses, I searched for Lucifer. Unease palpable in the air, I sniffed, looking for the scent of malice or demons or anything that didn’t belong in my Court. Almost always, with rare exceptions, the Marked smelled identical to my brother Lucifer. Strong and masculine cinnamon over soft and sweet vanilla.
My second-in-command, Uriel, the fleet’s most decorated angel, walked with me. He wore black armor with a black kilt and boots and carried more weapons strapped on his body than half of any mortal squad carried into battle. He stopped and picked up a rock, then crushed it in his fist. The wind blew away the sand. “How did he escape the Veil? Our finest males guard it.”
I snorted. “He’s Lucifer.”
Uriel’s shoulders slumped. “Take my wings. The guilt alone will eat me from the inside out.”
“Maybe I’ll cut them off later. Have a ceremony.”
“Yes, Commander. You must.”
His dedication pleased me, and I squeezed his shoulder. “I don’t wonder how he breached the Veil or how he does much of what he does. I wonder how he plans to get the sword.”
Ever since Lucifer had been defeated, he had lived on Earth, taking different shapes and forms, guiding people into the gates of Hell where powerful creatures awaited, taking over souls, molding them, training them in secret. When one Heavenly realm crashed on the Earth, his army came with it. Forming a Veil and containing his army inside it was the only way forward for me. Lucifer didn’t like containment. He particularly hated that I had contained his powers inside the Veil. He came for the sword.
With all the power and wisdom granted to him upon Lucifer’s creation, the male developed not one or two different powers, but several. His most precious asset was the ability to infiltrate the minds of mortals, and even some angels. He needed not to move a finger for his minions to do his bidding. The prospect of millions of mortals under Lucifer’s influence made me descend and come up with a way