Extinction (The Divine Book 7) (11 page)

I knew the voice. I had heard it not very long ago.

"Raguel," I said. "You aren't supposed to be here."

The archangel appeared from behind a column, still wearing the same robes and cowl as before.

"Which is why this place is empty," he said. "Except for you, your friend, and me. The others have been sent away, sent to understand this threat. The real diuscrucis, with blood and gold wings."

"I already understand the threat," I said. "That's why I'm here."

"I assumed as much. If you came because you need our help, then we are already doomed."

"Are you saying you won't help me?" I asked. "Because I haven't even told you what I want yet."

"I could destroy you here and now, Diuscrucis," Raguel said. "Your power is strong, but not in this place." He waved his hand, and the runes hidden in every millimeter of the stone flared briefly.

"Awesome," Obi said.

"Do you intend to destroy me?" I asked.

He smiled like the Cheshire Cat, his face hidden under his hood. "The laws are the laws. If you don't attack me, I can't attack you."

"But you want to?"

"There have been times when I have wanted to. This isn't one of them. You came to us. It would be ill-managed for me not to hear you out."

"I need to go to Heaven."

The grin vanished, but he didn't speak.

"Is that a no?"

"Do you have any idea what you're asking for?" he said.

"Yes."

"I don't think you do, or you wouldn't ask."

"If you don't ask, the answer is always no."

"Outsiders don't go to Heaven, Diuscrucis. It has never been done."

"Does that mean it's against your laws?"
 

I knew it wasn't. Dante would have told me if it were.

"No, but it has never been done."

"That's a stupid reason," Obi said.

The cowl shifted slightly, the Archangel looking over. Obi's face deepened in color as he realized he called Raguel stupid.

"I mean, that's not really a reason, is it?" Obi said, trying to backtrack. "I mean, no offense, but Heaven just got pwned out there."

"And so did I," I said. "There may be a way to stop this, but the only way to make it happen is for me to go to Heaven."

"Why?"

I lifted one of the shards of Uriel's sword from my pocket. "Do you know what this is?"

His head shifted, leaning forward. Then he reached up and lowered his hood. His eyes were wide. "You have a piece of Uriel's sword?"

"No. I have the entire thing. Unfortunately, it is in pieces. I need Uriel to put it back together."

His eyes bore into me, as though that statement was the dumbest thing he had ever heard.
 

"Your actions have fractured a family that has been maintained for thousands of years. You caused Adam to fall and indirectly caused all of those Touched to die, not only by creating the schism between the seraphim but by allowing the true diuscrucis to live in the first place. Since your arrival, the world has seen more death and destruction at the hands of the Divine than at any other time in the history of the universe. That sword in your possession would allow you to become powerful enough to challenge God himself."

"That definitely sounded like a no," Obi said.

"I can't argue anything you just said," I said. "It's all true, and it's nothing I don't already know. It's also the exact reason why I need the blade."

"How so?" Raguel asked.

"Because if I'm gone, and Sarah is all that's left, she'll become powerful enough to challenge God. By destroying all of the Divine, she's playing God. Right now, I can almost balance her out, but she's still stronger than I am. And if I can't stop her, neither can you."

"That's not a compelling argument. If you have the sword, and you do stop her, you will be beyond our control."

"You're saying I'm not already."

"As we established, I can destroy you here and now."

"Only if I attack you."

"For now. That is one rule we intend to have changed."

"Without that rule, you become just like the demons. Can't you see what is happening here? You, of all angels?"

"I am the Archangel of Justice and Vengeance. Vengeance requires action."

"Which is why Adam fell. But you blame me for that. He took action, we both know the consequences. That won't change."

"We shall see. No angel will bring you to Heaven. Uriel will not reforge his blade. I will make sure of that."

"You're going to allow all of the Divine to be killed so that I can't become more powerful? I had all of the Beast's power, Raguel. I could have kept it. If I had, we wouldn't be here, now. I didn't, though. I didn't want to challenge God. I still don't. I don't even want the sword or the responsibility that comes with it. I don't have a choice."

"Easy words to say while you don't control the power. Things have changed. You have changed. Consorting with a demon? Visiting Hell? You are both good and evil, Landon. You will always be such, and as such you cannot be trusted."

"She'll destroy you. All of you."

"If we cannot find a way to stop her, then it will be as He wills it."

"You're making a mistake, Raguel. A big mistake."

"Go now," the Archangel replied. "Leave this Holy place, and never return to it. I will not allow you to leave it again."

I bit my tongue to keep from cursing him. That wouldn't help my cause any. I knew it was a risk to come here to make my case. I knew there was a good chance I would be rejected. This time. I wasn't going to give up that easily.

"Come on, Obi. We'll have to settle for Plan B."

"Plan B?" Obi asked, as soon as we were off the grounds of St. Peter's. "We have a Plan B?"

"Sort of. It's the same as Plan A, except we ask a different angel."

"You heard him, man. He said he'd make sure you don't get to Heaven."

"I also heard him say that the seraphim are fractured. He wants to change things. I'm sure not all of the angels do. They might be a little more trusting of my motives."

"And you really don't want to go up against God, right? If you took all of that power?"

"Not a chance."

"Then what would you do with it?"

"Release it back out into the universe."

"You can do that?"

I nodded.

"Why didn't you tell Raguel?"

"He wouldn't have listened, no matter what I did. He's got other reasons to cut me off."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. The more chaotic things get, the easier it becomes for him to push his agenda. To force change to save Heaven and humankind. He doesn't want me coming in and messing that all up. At least not until he gets his way."

"Damn. I hadn't thought about it that way. So, who do we ask next?"

"I'm not sure yet. I've got Jane back in New York. I can go see her, but I can't bring you along."

"If you need to go, you should go. Helping Sarah is the top priority."

I froze for a second. He said "helping," not "stopping." He thought my intention was to bring her back to her senses. To get her to stop. Could I make him understand that she wasn't going to stop? That the only way out would be to end her life?

I didn't think so. Not without a fight. Not without risking that he would walk away. I needed him with me, regardless of the reasons why. Regardless of the truth. I was an asshole for staying silent. I had always been an asshole.

"I need a little more time to weigh our options. Are you sure you don't need to sleep?"

He laughed. "You sound like my mom. If you want to rest we can find a hotel. Don't take too long on this, though. Maybe Sarah is going to go after the demons next, and I know neither of us has a problem with that. It's only a stay of execution for the good guys." He paused. "And for you."

"You have a cell?" I asked.
 

He lifted it from his pocket and began searching for a nearby hotel. We were both distracted when a figure fell from the sky, landing silently beside us.

"There you are," Alfred said, looking at Obi. "I've been searching the city for you."

"Hey man," Obi said. "What happened to you back there?"

"Kira pushed me back to Heaven," he said. "To keep the diuscrucis from killing me."

"Pushed you?"
 

"She was of the Heavenly Host, a higher order than a warrior like me. She has... had the power to send me back against my will. She used it." He finally looked at me. "Who is your friend?"

I looked back at him, making eye contact. His face changed as he recognized me.

"This is not the first time we have met, is it?" he asked.

"No," I replied. "You won't remember me as part of your timeline. I was there."

"At the Mass?"

"Yes."

"You saw the battle?"

"I was in it."

"You couldn't stop the death of the Touched?"

"I tried. I almost died myself."

He looked concerned. "That is not a good sign for any of us."

"Landon was just talking to Archangel Raguel," Obi said. "He asked him for a ride to Heaven."

"And he said no," Alfred said. "It has never been done. Only seraphim and ascending souls go to Heaven."

"That isn't true," I said. "What about Dante?"

"The poet? He was an ascending soul at the time."

Interesting. I hadn't known that. "Still, it isn't against the rules."

"No. He likely denied you because you're a threat to his personal motivations."

"You're aware of it?"

"All of Heaven is aware of the growing rift between us. Now that the true diuscrucis has established herself, I'm afraid they will see it as an opportunity to create further strife, not to rally around a common cause. Raguel has always been tempestuous. I feared the worst when I saw he was leading the Mass. What do you need to go there to do?"

"I have the pieces of Uriel's sword. I want him to reforge it for me so that I can collect enough Divine power to take on Sarah."
 

"By killing angels?" he asked.

"I hope not. I don't like killing angels. The balance is in Hell's favor right now. If we hurry, I can come back and take out a few archfiends, steal their power, and get to Sarah before she launches another assault against Heaven."

"We?" Alfred said. "You're not suggesting-"

"Why not?" I asked. "You know what's going to happen if Raguel gets his way, or if Sarah gets her way, or if Gervais gets his way. Any one of them has the power to destroy everything, even if they think they're doing the right thing, Gervais excluded."

"I'm a warrior, Landon. A fighter. I have no jurisdiction to make a decision like this."

"But you have the power?"

"To transport you? It isn't much different than recalling my blade." His sword materialized into his hand for effect. "It isn't a matter of power. Bringing you to Heaven will cause more upheaval, more fracturing between the sides."

"Leaving me here will see both sides gone. It won't matter much then, will it?"

"Admittedly, no."

"So you'll do it?"

He was still hesitant. He looked at the ground, whispering to himself. It sounded like a prayer for guidance. Then he was silent for a moment, his eyes falling closed. Maybe he said the prayer again to himself. Maybe he was listening for an answer. Either way, when he opened his eyes and lifted his head again, he nodded.

"I may be forced to Confess for this, Diuscrucis," he said. "But Josette always believed in your heart, your inert goodness. My heart is telling me to believe the same. I will take you."

I felt my body relax. I hadn't realized how tense I was about his decision until that moment.
 

"Thank you," I said.

"Great," Obi said. "I guess I'll meet you back here?"

"That sounds like a plan," I said. "I'll get the sword, and then-"

"No," Alfred said. "If I'm bringing one, I might as well bring two. We may need the assistance."

"We?" I asked.

"I'm not going to let you run loose in Heaven without a guide. I'm coming with you."

"Great," Obi said. "When do we leave?"

Alfred dismissed his sword. Then he reached out and put a hand on each of our shoulders. I felt a whoosh of cold air across my face, and then we were standing in the middle of a garden.
 

Because of course we were.