Battle Angel (Immortal City 3)

Jackson rounded the quieter passageways and headed into the main section of the sanctuary. Up ahead he heard a low hum. In the hub of t

he sanctuary was a tree circled by a round marble fountain encircled by a bench. Just off the fountain was a piazza lined with various high-end stores, as well as restaurants and open seating.

Up ahead, Jackson saw Gabriel talking with a small group of Angels. Gabriel was easy to spot—he always gave off a kind of glow. The Immortals weren’t used to seeing so much of Gabriel, but it only made sense that he’d venture out into the public more often now that they were all banded together in the sanctuary.

The True Immortal wore a more casual robe than usual, sleek and contemporary in its cut. Catching Jackson’s eye, he excused himself from his conversation and approached the young Battle Angel with a smile and a clap on the shoulder.

“Good to see you, Jackson,” Gabriel said.

“Thank you, sir. It’s great to see you as well,” Jacks said.

Gabriel smiled, and Jackson thought about how distant and mysterious Gabriel had seemed to him when he was growing up. He was the leader of the Council. The Angel who had taken them out of hiding and formed the National Angel Services. He was a living legend, practically out of a myth. But now that they’d been meeting semiregularly in the solarium, Jackson felt he was starting to get to know the real Angel, the true Immortal behind the figurehead.

“I’ve just left the company of your old friend Louis Kreuz. We’ve been discussing the human situation again.”

Color leapt into Jackson’s face.

“Jackson, you shouldn’t be angry at them,” Gabriel said. “It’s in their nature to err. And we can just no longer protect them from their own selves anymore.”

“I’m not angry,” Jacks said. But even though he didn’t even know what he really felt, he knew in his heart that he’d just lied to Gabriel. He just knew he didn’t feel right, and that he was just trying to focus on the human-Angel situation without bringing her into it.

“Yes, well, that kind of . . . energy can be used for much more productive things,” Gabriel said. “For the future, Jacks. Our future.”

“I understand,” Jacks said.

“Jacks, I was wondering if you might stop by again this afternoon. I’d like to discuss something with you,” Gabriel said with a gentle smile.

“Of course, sir,” Jacks said.

“Wonderful. I’ll see you soon,” Gabriel said. He put his hand on Jackson’s shoulder and walked off, presumably back to the Council chambers. Jacks just watched him go.

“Jacks!” Before Jacks could react, Emily was up on him, kissing him on both cheeks. “What are you doing here? Rubbing elbows with Gabriel, I see? Sit down!”

A couple of younger Angels sat at a bistro table with Emily, their Immortal Marks displayed provocatively in their low-cut designer shirts. Emily’s protégés, no doubt.

“I have to get going. . . .” Jacks tried to protest, but Emily wouldn’t take no for an answer. She grabbed his arm and tugged him to sit down.

“What were you two talking about?” Emily said, her eyes lighting up.

“Nothing.”

“Well, even if it was something, I wouldn’t want you to tell me if it was confidential,” Emily said, as if she wanted to look out for Jackson.

Normally Jacks would have tried his best to keep respectful distance from a girl like Emily, just as he had with Vivian when she’d been obsessed with getting back together with him. But now, for some reason, Jacks was letting Emily do her thing. She did sometimes make him forget about Maddy for a while, but sometimes she made him think about her even more. This time, however, even though nothing had happened between them, she was making him think of her less.

“When are we going flying again, Jacks?” she said. Her Angel friends looked Jackson up and down with moony eyes as they poked at their green juices with their straws. They had surely heard about Jacks and Emily’s recent flight after the first demon attack.

“We’re shopping for new bags,” Emily explained, without giving Jacks time to answer. “Well, I am, for sure. Ashley doesn’t know if she wants one or not. But I haven’t been able to find one yet. The selection here in the sanctuary is just, like, okay. We’re just taking a juice break.”

Above, Angel City was preparing to face its destiny with a demon enemy, and down here, Emily was going on about green juice.

“The kale in it kind of tastes weird, but you get used to it. Plus, it’s supposed to be great for your skin. You should totally try it.”

“Cool.” Jacks just nodded. He couldn’t be less interested in kale juice if he tried.

“Gosh, Jacks, you always sound so serious!” Emily teased.

The girls whispered something between each other and started giggling, their laughter echoing down the sanctuary halls. Emily leaned in and put her hand over Jacks’s as she talked, and Jacks was surprised when he didn’t pull away. She noticed and gave him a smile.