Court of Sunder (Age of Angels #2) - Milana Jacks Page 0,45

and as soon as they spotted me, they would start circling, watching, counting the few males in my Court, and then they’d either return to the Command Fleet that was on the way or find a way to descend and spy inside the Court.

Michael had made his move.

Chapter 17

Having eaten well beyond my normal amount, I didn’t want to leave the chair. If I needed to get active right now, I’d likely vomit cheese and mushroom all over my opponent. Which was precisely why we weren’t allowed more than one bowl of stew while training. It would do me good to remember my training. Especially now, as Raphael walked to stand in the middle of the street.

Sensing something was wrong, the mortals cleared the area. Mothers shouted, and the wandering kids ran to them; proprietors boarded up their shops, and the entire street emptied of civilians in a few minutes. Impressive. Organized. Lovely to see civilians clear out this fast.

Raphael unfurled his wings, spread his arms, and levitated. I’d seen the commander do the same when drawing on the massive power he possessed. Pressure developed in my ears, and I opened my mouth to release it. It popped, then returned, along with thick air that made my lungs heavy. Inside the shop, Tony coughed.

Around me, the angels hummed, and each stretched out an arm as if reaching for their lord. The fingertips of their outstretched hands turned gray, and the gray wave traveled up to their elbows. Their expressions told me they were in pain. What was Raphael doing to them?

He thrust his hand up in the air, fingers splayed as if reaching for something, then he made a fist and dropped his hand. I looked up. Nothing up there. Nothing happened, though his angels kept their arms outstretched, the graying skin traveling farther up their bodies. He was stealing their energy. He was. But for what?

In the sky, an angel shrieked.

Four plummeted to the cobblestone, splattering brains and blood all over it.

In a swirl of ebony wings, Uriel crashed on the roof, rolled down the side of the building, and cracked his skull on the stone. He stayed down.

Whistling sounded from Raphael’s angels, and Tony joined in.

Raphael entered Tony’s and came out shortly after, carrying something in his hand. Next to Uriel’s body, Raphael dropped an egg. It cracked on the cobblestone. He crouched next to Uriel. “Why do you think Michael trains you all to hold position, hm? Where do you think he saw angels splattering like this? I know you know, Uriel, and yet you’ve chosen to believe I wouldn’t detect you and bring you down. You’ve paid for your arrogance.” Raphael pressed a hand on Uriel’s chest.

Uriel’s dark skin charred, and he opened his mouth. Raphael sliced open his own palm and held it over Uriel’s mouth.

“No!” I screamed, thinking he could turn Uriel into an undead or some such. I picked up my machete, rushed to Raphael, and placed the tip at his throat. Violet eyes locked with mine. My heart beat furiously, and my knees shook, as did my sword arm. I threw aside the weapon I’d picked up out of habit, and instead knelt next to Raphael’s crouched form.

It felt like the entire city had gone silent, and we three were the only ones left. Raphael glared into my eyes as if he could see inside my soul, and perhaps he could, and in case he could, I wanted him to see that hurting Uriel would also hurt me. “Uriel has guarded and guided me,” I said. “Please spare him.”

Raphael rose and licked the blood off his palm, violet eyes promising vengeance. “Gather up the four splattered eggs and take them into our keep. Bring Uriel and leave him on the lawn. Tony, go to Tracy’s and ask her to make extra uniforms. I have a feeling we will have an entire fleet of new wings joining this Court.”

Tony ran down the street while Raphael sat back at our table. “Dessert?” he asked me.

“No, thank you.” A tear escaped my eye. Quickly, I swiped it away.

“You would cut me for him?” Raphael bit out.

I shook my head no. “I’ve known him all my life.”

“No, you haven’t.”

“I think I know I have.”

Raphael’s jaw set hard, reminding me of the commander when he’d made a decision and was ready to act on it. “We trade everything besides what, Nevaeh?” he barked.

“Loyalty to one’s Court, Lord.”

“The day your soul brushed against mine was the day your