Court of Sunder (Age of Angels #2) - Milana Jacks Page 0,53

you. The moment you or any of us think we are the all-powerful, that’s the moment we lose everything. Father hates competition.”

Michael sipped his coffee and made a face, likely because there was no cream, the only “bad food” he consumed. “You made a new race of people in this realm.”

“I did.”

Michael snorted. “Careful, brother. You’re not the maker.”

“I couldn’t let Lucifer mark them and turn them against me. Butter?” I dipped my bread into the melted fat. Mm-mm.

My brother stood, hands on the railing. “And what of Uriel?”

“He flew over my skies with no clearance. Nevaeh saved him from the undead life. He will recover.”

“Recover him now.”

I chuckled and threw his words back at him. “Commander, you’ve lost your place. Find it somewhere in the land of asking, not ordering. Do you need a guide?” I bit into an apple. The sour taste made saliva pool in my mouth. Mm-mm.

Michael’s feathers fluffed up on the wind. “You will take this unit of my fleet and turn them into…your service?” He pointed at his angels resting all over my gardens.

“I was left with no choice.” I contemplated whether I should tell him Ariel was dead, but saved this information for myself. We all kept secrets to use when the time warranted. “Ariel’s regiment is with Lucifer now, and news of Samael hasn’t arrived yet.”

He snorted. “The fleet will never be as loyal to you as they are to me.”

I crunched on my apple, likely annoying him. “Lucifer is expanding over the entire Peen Province. I will send the fleet unit to confine him to the castle and secure that province. As a reward, they will receive land in my Court where they can build, grow, do whatever they wish while not on active duty. It is far more than you’ve given them.”

“Soldiers don’t need land.”

“Soldiers will receive mortal soul’s mates.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I don’t, but if they do, they will want homes instead of barracks. When they fight for land, for their own families, they will fight harder.”

“Hm.” Michael pursed his lips. “I will give them land too.”

“Your frozen ground?”

“I will create more land. Not frozen.”

I rolled my eyes and joined him at the railing. “Don’t copy me. Find something else to give.”

Michael poked my ribs with an elbow, golden eyes twinkling. I chuckled, then choked up, blood filling my mouth. I picked up a napkin and spit into it. Blood seeped through the fabric and onto my fingers, telling me I needed to tend to the rest of my internal injuries. I tossed the napkin. At the railing, I leaned in toward him. “I have work to do.”

Michael turned toward me and offered me his hand, a gesture he associated with peace. I clasped it with my bloody one, and he pulled me into him so that our chests collided. Disliking the way he imposed dominance on me, I thought about stepping away, but stilled the moment he started humming. I recognized the tune at my ear. Richard had hummed it back in the days when we were young and stupid and inexperienced and…pure of heart.

“Forgive me,” I said.

“And you me.” Michael pushed power into me. I grunted at the impact of strength that made me feel like I could destroy and remake the world ten times over. Such was his power. And mine, for I could either heal or shatter. We spent our lives struggling to favor the good, struggling to understand what it meant to be good, do good, execute the will of good. Sometimes it meant making choices that weren’t good at all.

From the corner of my eye, I spotted Nevaeh crossing the gardens, first walking, then running. On the far side, by the gate, her mother walked toward her. Michael pushed more strength into me, and I countered it with healing, making our two powers circulate between our bodies.

Nevaeh reached her mother and flung her arms around her neck. I smiled.

Sharp metal pierced my chest, twisted. I screamed in agony, throwing Michael against the wall, clawing at my chest, trying to heal the wound I couldn’t find. Blood and chunks of my flesh hit Michael’s body, and he restrained my hands. “What’s the matter?” he shouted.

I glanced toward Nevaeh, who lay on the grass, her machete sticking out of her chest. Lucifer stood in place of her mother, eyes locked with mine. Welcome, Heaven, he mouthed, then lifted and rocketed toward the sky.

Sword drawn, Michael catapulted after Lucifer. I was at Nevaeh’s side in a