Remiel is on his feet in seconds and takes a swing at Michael. His fist hits Michael square in the face, sending him flying backward. Michael springs up, great white wings spread behind him and bounds forward, shoving Remiel back with such force he’s flown yards back, hitting and breaking a tree behind him.
Watching two archangels fight is terrifying, and knowing they’re fighting over me makes it even worse. This can only end one way, and it’s not going to be good.
“Come with me.” Lucifer holds out his hand, but Remiel notices before I can hook my fingers around Lucifer’s. He throws the dagger, and it narrowly misses clipping Lucifer in the shoulder.
Angry, Lucifer’s eyes flash red. “Your orders were to capture, not kill me, brother,” he says to Remiel. “Who’s disobeying now?”
“Nothing compares to protecting a Nephilim, and now to learn you two are working together,” Remiel spits, looking angrier than before. “You will both be locked in the cage and then I will see to it this abomination is destroyed as it should have been the day it was conceived.”
“She is my daughter,” Michael grows, face pulled back in anger. His eyes glow midnight blue and he holds his wings out behind him. If I wasn’t so terrified, I would be in awe of how beautiful he looks, while at the same time intimidating as ever. “Do not call her an abomination.”
Lucifer sidesteps, tipping his head in my direction. I’m too scared to breathe, heart racing a million miles an hour.
“Daughter?” Remiel snorts. “You cannot possibly consider that half-breed to be family. It’s only part of what we are.”
“And they say I’m the self-absorbed one,” Lucifer mumbles and rolls his eyes.
“Step aside,” Remiel repeats.
“I will not give up my daughter,” Michael repeats.
“You leave me no choice then,” Remiel warns and looks up at the sky. He’s going to call for the other archangels, and once they’re alerted to me, it’s game over. Michael may be the strongest, but he cannot take them on. And even if he did…then what? I live the rest of my life being flown from country to country, evading danger by just seconds.
Lucas holds me tighter and I look across the yard at Kristy, silently saying goodbye. She knows it too…there’s no escape from this.
Michael rushes forward again, knocking into Remiel and the clash is as loud as thunder. Remiel holds out his hand, summoning the dagger. He slashes it through the air and slices a gash in Michael’s wing.
“You can’t protect her, brother,” Remiel snarls.
“Yes, I can,” Michael growls back and grabs Remiel’s wrist. Everything happens so fast, and I squeeze my eyes closed as the dagger plunges into Remiel’s chest. Michael’s eyes widen and he steps back, looking at Remiel in fear and shock.
Remiel’s hands go to the dagger, trying to pull it out. He slumps to the ground, and the glow of his eyes slowly fades. The entire forest is silent, and the shadowed outline of broken wings flash behind Remiel’s body.
“What did you do?” Lucifer breathes, lips parting as he looks from Remiel’s body to Michael. Nerves prickle along my spine. This is bad. Really fucking bad. Only minutes ago, I thought the worst thing that could happen was a demon bringing Hell to earth. But anarchy among the most powerful beings in the universe—it terrifies me even more.
I’ve been sentenced to death from the moment I was born, and now that an archangel has been killed over me…I can’t even finish the thought but I know nothing will ever be the same.
“What do we do?” I ask, voice all shaky.
“Yes, brother,” Lucifer echoes, fear apparent on his face. Whatever scares the devil is bad. Really fucking bad. “What do we do now?”
Reign of Night, book seven in the Thorne Hill series, is coming this fall! Click here to preorder now!
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Thank you
Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy life to read Queen of Night!
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Emily Goodwin is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of over a dozen of romantic titles. Emily writes the kind of books she likes to read, and is a sucker for a swoon-worthy bad boy and happily ever afters.
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She lives in the midwest with her husband and two daughters. When she's not writing, you can find her riding her horses, hiking, reading, or drinking wine with friends.
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Emily is represented by Julie Gwinn of the Seymour Agency.