Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days 1)

“Them?”

Josiah closes his blood-red eyes. “You know I’m not in a position to take a stand, Raphael. I never have been. I never will be. I’ll be lucky if I’m not washing dishes by the end. I’m barely hanging on as part of the group as it is. ” He spits this out with bubbling frustration.

“What are they saying about me?”

Josiah’s voice turns gentle as if reluctant to be the bearer of such bad news. “That no angel could withstand being alone for this long. That if you haven’t come back to us by now, it can only mean you’re dead. Or that you’ve joined the other side. ”

“That I’ve fallen?” Raffe asks. A muscle in his jaw pulses as he grinds his teeth.

“There are rumors that you committed the same sin as the Watchers. That you haven’t come back because you’re not allowed back. That you cleverly escaped humiliation and eternal torture by concocting a story about sparing your Watchers the pain of hunting their own children. That all the Nephilim running around earth is proof that you never even tried. ”

“What Nephilim?”

“Are you serious?” Josiah looks at Raffe as though he’s looking at a madman. “They’re everywhere. The humans are terrified to be out at night. Every one of the servants has stories of seeing half eaten bodies or their group being attacked by the Nephilim. ”

Raffe blinks, taking a moment to absorb what Josiah said. “Those aren’t Nephilim. They don’t look anything like Nephilim. ”

“They sound like Nephilim. They eat like Nephilim. They terrorize like Nephilim. You and the Watchers are the only ones alive who know what they’re supposed to look like. And you’re not exactly credible witnesses. ”

“I’ve seen these things and they aren’t Nephilim. ”

“Whatever they are, I swear it’ll be easier for you to hunt down every last one of them than to convince the masses that they aren’t. Because, what else could they be?”

Raffe steals a glance at me. He looks at the polished floor as he answers. “I have no idea. We’ve been calling them ‘low demons. ’”

“We?” Josiah glances at me as I try to become invisible by the door. “You and your Daughter of Man?” His tone is part accusation, part disappointment.

“It’s not like that. Jesus, Josiah. Come on. You know I’d be the last one to go there, not after what happened to my Watchers, not to mention their wives. ” Raffe paces the marbled floor in frustration. “Besides, this is the last place to throw that accusation. ”

“No one’s crossed the line here as far as I know,” says Josiah. “Some of the guys claim to have, but those are the same guys who say they slew dragons back in the day, with their wings and hands tied up just to make it fair. ”

The albino flushes again in the next stall. “You, on the other hand, you’re going to have a tougher time convincing people of—you know. ” He glances my way again. “You need to counter the propaganda against you with your own campaign before trying any kind of a comeback. Otherwise, you could face a lynch mob. So I suggest you leave by the nearest exit. ”

“I can’t. I need a surgeon. ”

Josiah raises his white brows in surprise. “For what?”

Raffe stares at Josiah’s blood-red eyes. He doesn’t want to say it. Come on, Raffe. We don’t have time for delicate psychological moments. I know it’s cold of me, but someone could walk through that door any moment now, and we haven’t even gotten to asking about Paige yet. I’m on the verge of opening my mouth to say something when Raffe talks.

“My wings have been cut. ”

Now, it’s Josiah’s turn to stare at Raffe. “Cut how?”

“Cut off. ”

The albino’s eyes widen in shock and horror. It’s strange to see such an evil-looking pair of eyes fill with pity. You couldn’t get a more sympathetic response if Raffe had just told him they’d castrated him. Josiah opens his mouth to say something, then closes it as though deciding it’s a stupid thing to say. He glances at Raffe’s jacket with his wings peeking out, then back at his face.

“I need someone who can sew them back on. Someone good enough to make them functional again. ”

Josiah turns away from Raffe and leans against a sink. “I can’t help you. ” There’s doubt in his voice.

“All you have to do is ask around, make the introduction. ”

“Raphael, only the head physician can set up surgery here. ”

“Great. That makes your task a simple one. ”

“The head physician is Laylah. ”

Raffe looks at Josiah as if hoping he didn’t hear correctly. “She’s the only one who can do it?” There is dread in his voice.

“Yeah. ”

Raffe runs his hand through his hair, looking like he wants to tear it out. “Are you still…?”

“Yeah,” Josiah says grudgingly, almost embarrassed.

“Can you talk her into it?”

“You know I can’t afford to stick my neck out. ” The albino paces, obviously agitated.

“I wouldn’t ask if I had another choice. ”

“You do have another choice. They have physicians. ”