him and so many questions.
“They’ll be okay,” I said.
Kael nodded. “Of course. Dante is unstoppable, and Llyr might be reckless but he’s smart.”
Despite his words, he was worried. Even though the tingle on my back returned, the writings didn’t shoot to my hand, so I knew it was safe to touch him.
I reached out and gripped his hand.
Kael lowered his head and studied our linked hands, then me. He smiled and gave my hand a gentle squeeze, then let it go. “You are good for the Nephilim, Lilith. I don’t care what that archangel said. It will be an honor to fight by your side.”
I shivered, imagining fighting the archangels. “Do you think we’ll have to fight them?”
He nodded. “Yes. The Tribe never stops once they’ve received a directive. We’ll need an army. Dante and I are not alone. You can count on us and our friends to protect you. There will be many casualties, but this time, they’ll have some too. We just need to know how Bran chopped off that angel’s wings. No Nephilim, Guardian or demon, has ever done that before.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
“Oh yes. Angel wings are not just the symbol of their glory. They contain most of their powers. Chop them off and an angel becomes useless. All they can do is ascend, if they are strong enough even to do that. In most cases, they stay in their physical form until one of their own finds them and helps them ascend.”
“Is that why they cut off our forefathers’ wings?” Lucien asked from behind us. I hadn’t realized he’d joined us until he spoke. I want to tell him to go away, but there was something cute about him. He didn’t have the edgy ruthlessness of the other three, who were smart enough to keep their distance.
Kael nodded. “Yes, young Guardian. Before the Principalities were banished into the abyss, they chopped off their wings first, making it impossible for them to ascend or use their powers. The lucky ones escaped with their wings but lost their feathers, making them more powerful than the average Nephilim, but still not as strong as an archangel. That is what makes Dante and Bran very unique.”
Maybe that explained Bran’s ability to chop their wings off.
“If we can’t defeat them, can we summon the Tribunal?” I asked.
He winced. “Don’t use that name.”
“You believe
“It does. Say it often enough and loud enough, and the court will convene right here.” He looked behind us and concern flickered in his green eyes.
I turned to find Dante had appeared and was busy inspecting one of his massive bat-like wings. It had a fresh wound, as did his right cheek. A hollow feeling settled in my stomach even as Kael and I rushed to his side.
“Where’s Bran?” I asked.
Dante looked around and frowned. “He was right behind me.”
A quick scan and I swallowed. I couldn’t detect Bran’s presence.
“When did you last see him?” I asked in a high-pitched voice.
“We teleported together, dodging their lightning bolts.” A horrified expression crossed Dante’s bruised face. “They must have destroyed the last telegate.”
My heart sank. Blasting a telegate was like lighting a fuse line attached to fireworks. The path of destruction followed whoever was teleporting, instantly killing them and leaving nothing behind.
“We have to find him,” I said.
The cardinals nodded. They still had their swords out.
Dante jerked his head. “The last teleport was in—”
Bran’s sudden appearance cut him off. Still high on adrenaline rush, he had a broad grin on his lips and a sparkle in his emerald eyes, dimples flashing. His wings, shirt, pants and coat were muddy, but he had no bruises I could see or feel. Relief left me weak.
“Hey, sunshine,” he said, then sauntered toward me at the same time as I ran across the room.
“What happened?” Dante asked sharply, not masking his irritation.
“They blew the telegate with me in it. I had to get off and loop my path like crazy before coming here. Good thing you told me where you were headed. Locking onto Lil’s energy helped pinpoint your exact location.” He pulled me in his arms and held me tight.
“They almost…because of them,” I added andjerked my head toward the Cardinals before I could stop myself. I immediately regretted it. Blaming them for refusing to leave was pointless now. “No, that’s not completely true. They don’t know Dante and Kael and didn’t want to leave with them, which is understandable.”
Bran glanced over his shoulder at Esras and the twins. “What are you doing outside the valley without the gang?”
“Trying to find you,” I said. “The others went to Xenith to say their goodbyes.”
He frowned. “Why?”
“They’re closing the portal until this mess with the Tribe is over.”
Bran shook his head. “I knew about the portal. I was asking why you were trying to find me.”
“Master Haziel’s orders. Did you find Jethro?”
“No. I was closing in on a lead when I saw your signal. On my way to you, I noticed an archangel circling in the air and saw the ones on the roof. He didn’t see me coming. By the time he did, he’d lost one wing. He started to fall, but I was faster.”
Being able to fly and having the element of surprise had helped him. Dante might use his wings to his advantage too. How many of their friends had wings? Kael was busy inspecting Dante’s singed wing. They looked so cute together. Unfortunately, they also had kept secrets from us.
“Dante and Kael knew about the archangels, but didn’t tell us,” I said.
Bran shrugged. “Can you blame them? The archangels are scary beings.”
He didn’t sound remotely afraid, but thinking about them filled me with both fear and anger, which was counterproductive. “Can we go home now?”
“Sure. What’s wrong?” Bran asked, frowning.
“We’ll talk later.” I incline my head toward Esras and the twins. “Tell them we’re leaving while I say goodbye to Kael and Dante.” Bran’s gaze followed me as I walked toward the two nature-benders.
“Hey,” I said to draw their attention. “Thanks for helping us escape Raphael and his warriors.”
Dante’s wing folded behind his back like a cloak. “Thank us when they are gone. I want to show you something.” He took my arm and led me to the wall. “Do you know where we are?”
“Las Vegas.”
“Treasure Planet Casino to be precise,” he corrected. “It is our building on the Strip. We will be open for business in a few weeks, but whenever you need to contact us, come to this floor. As soon as you teleport in, we’ll detect your presence. No humans or demons will be allowed on this floor, except you, Bran, and your Cardinal friends.” He glanced over his shoulder at the Cardinals. “The other ones,” he amended. “If you need us, come here. No more sending signals.”
I studied his face, then Kael’s, who’d moved closer and now stood by his side. “You guys knew we were dealing with archangels when we mentioned them last week, didn’t you?”
Dante frowned and exchanged another glance with Kael. “Our paths have crossed before. We had to be sure it was the same horde of archangels.”
“Just how old are you?”
“Old,” Dante said with a finality that didn’t invite more questions. “We’re still searching for the Summoners, but we know they are the ones kidnapping young demons. We don’t know why.”
“To start an army. Gavyn, Bran’s brother, told me,” I added when they scowled. “He also said that he and his friends summoned the Tri…the Nephilim court. He said other stuff too, which I’m beginning to believe might be
