Embrace, Entice, Emblaze (24 page)

“Hell,” I whispered.

“You can call it that if it keeps things simple for you.”

“Wait. Is that where all exiled angels go?” He knew what I was

asking. He didn’t answer. Instead, he refocused on his cuffs.

“The Seraphim agreed that humanity should have a chance to

survive without the direct interference of angels. And, of course, the role of angels depended on the continued existence of humanity, so everyone’s survival rested on finding some kind of solution. They 198

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knew they couldn’t risk putting more angel Grigori on earth and the same thing happening again.”

“So no more angels on earth,” I said.

He nodded. “Angels were never again permitted passage to earth, unless for spiritual visions— dreams, illusions, crap like that. But they couldn’t stop angels who chose to banish themselves permanently from the angel realm in favor of the earthly realm. And they still needed a power that could police these exiles, a power that could carry light and dark strengths in one entity.” His hand went out to me. “Human Grigori.”

His version was definitely more informed than Griffin’s story.

“Okay, but I still don’t understand what that has to do with

these murders.”

Phoenix nodded and walked back to sit beside me. “I know

it’s complicated, but try. Exiles know that before the existence of human Grigori, they were unstoppable.”

“Not good for Grigori.”

“No. And exiles have evolved. The group your people are tracking are organized. The reason it
looks
like they were killed by both light and dark exiles is because they
were
. They’ve joined forces against a common enemy.” He leaned forward on the couch and grabbed

both of my hands.

“Violet, they’ve called a truce and they have a plan.”

“To kill all Grigori,” I finished for him.

He didn’t respond. He just looked right into my eyes.

F.F.F.F.F.F.F., recurring!

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chapter
twenty- one

“From the crevice of the great deep, above, there came a certain
female, the spirit of all spirits, and we have already explained that her
name was Lilith. And at the very beginning she existed with man.”
Zohar iii, 19a

Lincoln didn’t answer his phone. I left a message and was already halfway out of the apartment when Phoenix grabbed my arm.

“What are you doing?”

I shook him off . “I have to fi nd Lincoln,” I snapped.

He stood beside me as I waited for the elevator. When I raised

my eyebrows at him, he shrugged. “Th ere’s no way I’m about to let you go out there alone. Especially back to him.”

He sounded a little childish and I rolled my eyes, but my heart wasn’t in it. Th e truth was, I was relieved to have company.

I half walked, half ran to Lincoln’s place, Phoenix trailing

behind. I pressed the buzzer for a good fi ve minutes, and when I started banging on the door, he put his hand over mine to stop me.

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Lincoln wasn’t home and I had no idea where else to go. I didn’t know where Griffin lived or where he might be. I silently cursed myself for never getting his number from Lincoln.

The only other place I could think of was the warehouse from

last night. I knew it wasn’t far from Lincoln’s but couldn’t remember in which direction. After a quick explanation to Phoenix, I raced back down Lincoln’s steps and started taking streets at random, getting increasingly disoriented. Even though I was setting a good pace— no doubt thanks to all my long- distance training— Phoenix had no trouble keeping up.

Finally, he dropped behind. “Violet, you obviously have no idea where you’re going!” he called out.

“I know that, Phoenix! Thanks for your help!” I yelled back,

slowing to a walk. Panic and fear were riding me hard and I couldn’t fight the creeping onset of doom.

“If you want my help, all you have to do is ask.” He had

stopped, now resigned to yelling to me from the other end of

the street.

I turned to look at him, throwing my arms in the air in frustration. “What does that mean?”

“It
means
, if you stay still for a few minutes, I can try to track the activity that went on last night.”

“Oh,” I said, feeling stupid. “I’ll stay still.”

I waited and watched, trying not to inhale any of the rotted

garbage smells that were wafting my way in waves of heat. Phoenix tilted his head every now and then in another direction, as if trying 201

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to hear the far- off song of a bird. He started walking in the opposite direction. “It’s this way.”

I had to run to catch up. When we were out of sight of pass-

ersby, Phoenix stopped again.

“Come on, we have to find them!”

I was panting and jittery and out of patience. I knew he was just trying to help, but at that moment he was also the only outlet I had for the terror that was raking its claws through me. Something was wrong.

Phoenix grinned calmly, which only aggravated me more. He

wasn’t even breathing fast. “I was going to offer a little timely help, since you spent the first half hour running in the wrong direction.

I
thought
you were in a hurry.”

I glared at him from where I was bent over with my hands on

my knees, sucking in air.

“Take my hand.” He smiled, as if daring me.

I held out my sweaty hand. He scrunched his face when he

saw it.

“What?” I asked, exasperated.

He kept an eye on my hand until I gave an exaggerated huff and

wiped it on my jeans.

“I told you that you’d be hot,” he said with a smirk.

“Yeah, well, have I told you that you can be very cold some-

times?” I snarled at him. He only seemed amused and took my

hand when I held it out again.

Without warning, I felt the sensation. Like we were moving at

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great speed and yet standing still at the same time. As if we had become the wind, and the world moved around us. My clothes

remained still; my hair barely wavered. We were at the warehouse in an instant.
Now
I understood why Phoenix never bothered with the elevator.

Adrenaline flushed through my body, but I was otherwise

bizarrely calm. As if I had never moved.

“Do you go everywhere like that?” I asked.

“Angels are not confined by space, only by time. In our original form, we only have to stop applying our powers in one place and focus them on another in order to be there. In human form, we’re not quite as fast.”

“That was more than fast. Can people see us?” I said, looking

around for witnesses.

“Most exiles have to be careful not to expose themselves, but

I move faster than average. Let’s just say it’s one of my strengths.

When I move, it’s not like being particles caught up in the wind, but like becoming the wind itself.”

It was cool. Of course, he was totally aware of that.

“From now on, we go everywhere like that!” I slapped him on

the arm playfully.

“Yes, boss.” He grinned.

The warehouse was empty. There was no sign of the violence

that had taken place last night. No vestiges of the dead bodies. It had been cleared and cleaned in an eerily pulp- fiction way. I could have cried. I didn’t know where else to look.

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I turned to Phoenix. “I don’t know what to do. Can you find

them?”

“Not without having some way to pinpoint them. There are

too many power sources floating around that might lead us in the wrong direction.”

I dug out my phone impatiently and checked for new messages.

Nothing.

I tried to call Lincoln again.

Nothing.

I threw my phone on the ground. It smashed.

“Perfect!” I stormed.

“Violet?” The voice from behind me sent shock waves up my legs.

I spun awkwardly and almost fell into Griffin.

“Griffin. Where did you come from?”

“I just sent off the last cleanup team. What are you doing here?” He looked exhausted. He was wearing the same pants and shirt

as the night before. I wondered if he’d had any sleep since I last saw him.

He looked at me, then at Phoenix, who had distanced himself

a little by moving over to look out of the broken windows. Griffin nodded in his direction. “Consorting with
his
kind is not generally what we do.” He looked baffled. “It’s funny though; Lincoln was right: he’s not as obvious to sense as most.”

“Griffin, he has information,” I snapped, partly annoyed at him and partly annoyed at Lincoln for talking behind my back.

“And what’s that?”

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“The exiles are working together. They’ve called some kind of

truce. They’re combining powers so they can kill Grigori.”

“That’s impossible. Magda spoke to a source today who said that exiles of dark had taken three exiles of light captive and were using their powers,” Griffin replied.

“Your source lied,” Phoenix said. He had moved closer without me realizing. Griffin was taken by surprise too, by the look he gave him.

“That’s easier said than done. Why would we believe you, anyway?”

“Because I’m telling the truth. Surely
you
can see that. I have nothing to gain. I have betrayed my kind and shown favor to

humans…to
Grigori
.” His upper lip twitched. “It’s not something to be done lightly.”

As he said it, I could see the battle within him. I also couldn’t stop the surge of guilt as I wondered if he was doing this for me.

I didn’t know if I would ever be able to give him what he wanted in return.

Please, don’t let him be reading me!

Griffin was shaking his head. “You
believe
you know the truth—I can see that. But that doesn’t make you right. Light and dark have always stood in opposition. Their very egos prevent

them from consorting. They don’t work together.
Ever
.” He was slipping into his country- folk accent and I wondered who he was trying to convince.

Phoenix just smiled and drifted to the windows again. He

looked out toward the sky as if preoccupied by something I

couldn’t see. “Coming from a Grigori, that’s stupidly naïve,” he 205

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said condescendingly. “Do you forget that you are the very creation of their truce of old?”

Griffin stiffened but did not respond. Phoenix chuckled to

himself and turned to me. “Is
he
truly your leader? I’m disappointed.” He was relaxed and almost swaying in an eerie way. As I watched, a shadow seemed to surround him, but there was something

else…Fine, long strands of gold were weaving through it. It faded as he drew closer again, and I wondered if my mind was playing

tricks on me.

“Is it so hard for you,” Phoenix went on, “so
difficult
to consider that Grigori would once again cause a truce between the forces?”

“The truce was between angels of light and dark,” Griffin said.

“Exiles do not represent the angelic realm.” He stood tall, but his voice had begun to waver.

“True, but do you really find it such a leap that exiles have

finally coordinated their mutual goals? They’ve simplified…for

now.” Phoenix shrugged. “Believe me or not, but we both know

you see my truth.”

We all stood silent for a moment, Phoenix looking smug and

Griffin looking annoyingly stubborn. Frustration overtook me.

How could they both be so petty? The growing sense of urgency

within me was only getting stronger. I could feel something wasn’t right. Meanwhile, these two looked like they were about to start measuring things.

“Griffin?” I snapped. He looked up, realization dawning on his

pale face. “Where’s Lincoln?” I asked.

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“They’ve gone to meet Magda’s source, a silent exile. But they’re not expecting to deal with more than one. And if what you say is right…Christ!” He shook his head, angry with himself. “They’re

walking into a trap,”

Phoenix didn’t seem concerned at all.

“Where are they? We have to go!” Panic raced through my body

and into my heart.