Archangel's Heart (Guild Hunter 9)

Turning in silence, they flew back over the bloodlust-drenched lands. Elijah dropped first, to take care of what appeared to be a large village. Favashi took the next kiss of vampires. Then Raphael. He knew the others would continue on to do the same. After he cleaned up the insane vampires in his area, executing them as quickly and as cleanly as possible, he rose up and flew past the areas the other archangels were handling, found another section to clear.

Relatively speaking, it didn’t take them long to get things under control: a single day. They were a Cadre of archangels after all. The villagers would put out the fires now that they no longer had to fear a vampiric attack.

“We need to go to Lijuan’s stronghold,” Raphael said when they landed as a group in a clean section ten minutes from the final nest of blood-maddened vampires. “I have the location.” He assumed the others did, too—though they might not have been able to get inside. Most archangels didn’t have Jason and Naasir on their side.

No one argued with him and they lifted off. All of them should’ve rested after the amount of time they’d already spent in the air, but this situation had the potential to be catastrophic. And they were archangels for a reason.

They flew.

And arrived at the stronghold in stygian darkness long past midnight. No lights, no sounds, no hint of habitation, the stronghold offered the chilliest welcome. Throwing power into the sky, Alexander lit up the world for a vital minute so they could confirm that the jewel in Lijuan’s crown was indeed deserted.

Landing, they explored the hallways to ensure there could be no misunderstanding.

Those hallways were not only empty of all life, but bare of any signs that anyone had ever lived here. No paintings, none of the large vases Naasir’s mate had mentioned seeing here, nothing but dusty emptiness. The starkness couldn’t take away from the beauty of the stronghold itself, but there was a hollowness here now, a sense of loss.

Meeting back in the courtyard at dawn, they waited for everyone to arrive before Titus said, “Lijuan wouldn’t strip her stronghold if she planned to return.”

“It is clear that she’s gone,” Astaad said. “She wouldn’t have permitted our interference elsewise.”

Not even Charisemnon raised an objection to that summation.

Neha spoke next. “We are agreed that Favashi will take over, with Caliane’s assistance until such time as Favashi has developed enough power to rule alone. Are there any new objections?”

“Then,” Michaela said when no one spoke, “Favashi is now Archangel of China, and Alexander regains control of all of Persia.”

“That is the will of the Cadre,” they stated as one.

Their work complete, they took off into the air one by one. Favashi would return with her people as fast as possible. Since the Cadre had already cleaned up the bloodlust, she’d have a territory that was ragged at the edges, but not one in the process of destroying itself. With Caliane watching, Raphael was confident Favashi could take and maintain control.

As part of that, she’d not only bring in her own people, she’d retain those of Lijuan’s people who would work with her. Those who didn’t want to serve her would be permitted to scatter after being given any payments they were due. Raphael didn’t think Favashi would find any signs of Xi or the tight squadron that reported to him. Wherever it was that Lijuan had made her place of Sleep, that was where they’d find Xi.

* * *

Hours of flight later, he wasn’t the least surprised to hit the water border of his territory and see wings of midnight and dawn on the horizon. The weight of the world fell away as he closed the distance to his consort. She flew right into his arms and he took them into the sea, protecting them with a bubble of power. He was tired after the sustained time in the air, but the instant he touched Elena, life burst inside him in a scatter of wildfire.

Her kiss held the same fire. “Did you miss me, hbeebti?” he asked quietly when they came up for air, his forehead pressed to her own.

“‘Missing’ isn’t a strong enough word.” Silver eyes held his own. “Is she dead?”

“No,” Raphael said. “The death of someone as powerful as Lijuan would mark the world, as when an archangel rises to power.” He shook his head. “No, I am very much afraid she Sleeps to grow to full strength.” Lijuan had made mistakes, sought to act the goddess too quickly. It appeared she had learned from her mistakes at long last.

Elena hissed out a breath. “So the next time she rises . . .”

“Yes, Elena-mine. The next time Lijuan rises, she will be a monster to end all monsters.”