Evenstar (39 page)

Michael stared into space.
 
“Yes, but that means she is in danger and split off from the others as well.”

Barachiel nodded.
 
“Did you check in with the humans yet?
 
They may have succeeded in acquiring her.”

Michael frowned.
 
“No.
 
They have not reached out to me.”

“I think you—” Barachiel shuddered and closed his eyes.
 
“Lucifer is using energy, massive amounts of it.”
 
He held his head as the stress of information gave him a migraine.
 
“More than he has in a very long time.”

Michael grinned.
 
“Show me where.”

***

Thanatos rushed Dahlia to the Sanctuary.
 
The air throbbed with energy as Furcas and Dahlia became close.
 
The force tore her from his arms and pulled her to the dais.
 
She came to rest at Furcas’ side.
 
They lay unconscious, side by side with matching wounds.
 
Red light enveloped them both, redoubling the strength of the glowing barrier.
 

Thanatos pressed his hands against the barrier, but could not push through.

“This situation is no better.”
 
Ceres shook her head.
 
“Where is Lucifer?”

“Raging.
 
Someone should get him.”
 

Neptune got up and sighed.
 
“I will do it this time.”
 
He disappeared.
 

Set stepped over to look at Dahlia and Furcas.
 
“She is
dead
.”

Thanatos nodded.
 
“She should be, but the two are linked.
 
I do not believe she will die unless he does.”

Paimon swallowed.
 
“How bad is he, Thanatos?”

Thanatos looked grim.
 
“Worse than Lucifer was,
far
worse.
 
This extra burden of keeping her alive makes his energy run out even faster.
 
I give him hours to live on the outside.”

Paimon pushed between them.
 
“
Furcas
!”

“Don’t yell at him!”
 
Ceres was aghast.

Paimon put his hand in her face.
 
“I am
ages
older than you, get out of my face!
 
Furcas,
wake
up!”

“He is not going to wake up!”

Paimon pounded on the light shield.
 
“You lazy
shit
, wake the fuck up
now
!”

Furcas’ eye blinked open.
 
“What do you want, you naggy bitch?”

Paimon pointed to Dahlia.
 

Furcas looked over.
 
“Old news.”
 
He held his side.
 
“Her wounds are not my fault.”

Paimon shook his head.
 
“You’re the
only
reason she’s still alive!
 
Whatever you’re doing,
keep
doing it!”

Furcas closed his eye.
 
“The Archangel of Lost Causes is on the case.”
 
He passed out.
 

Ceres glared at Paimon.
 
“He needs his energy, and you drain the both of them!”

“Shut it, Ceres.”
 
Paimon leaned on the wall.
 
“Someone get me a fucking drink.”

Belial poked her head in the room.
 
“I could use some help too!”

“They’re not doing any good here, shoo!”
 
Paimon waved the second generation Lilliam to her.
 
He grabbed Thanatos.
 
“Not you.
 
You stay.”

The rest of them ran outside.
 
Andy leaned on a wall a few paces from the doorway.
 
His skin was black and charred, his eyes burnt out pits.
 
Belial helped him stand.
 
“He’s not healing right!”

Andy struggled to speak, “I’m just tired is all.
 
Tired…”

Belial ignored him.
 
“Do something!”

Spider took Belial’s hand.
 
“Calm down, let us look at him.”

Andy breathed out and the smell of burnt meat filled the room.
 
“I could use some water.”

Belial pointed at Helion.
 
“Get him water now!”

Shalim waved Helion off.
 
He sent out a call and his daughters, the Auroras, came in with jugs of water.
 
They set them down in front of Andy.
 

Andy bent over to drink.
 
He stopped midway as his skin peeled and split along his back.
 
He dropped to his knees.
 
“Ow.”

“Andrealphus!”
 
Belial screamed, frantic.
 
“You guys, do something!”

Andy shrugged.
 
“I don’t have hands anyways.”

Belial scooped up water for him.
 
“Drink!”

Andy sipped out of her palms.
 

“Drink more!”

“Please stop yelling, I do have a working ear.”

Belial snapped her mouth shut.
 
She sat down next to him and whispered, “Sorry.”
 

Andy plunged his head in the water and drank.
 
Belial dumped another jug over his shoulders.
 
He shook the water off and was able to grin, lips and teeth reformed.
 
New skin and muscle replaced dead flesh.  He sighed and smacked his lips as his hair grew in.
 
Belial helped him up.

Andy leaned on her, wobbly and naked.
 
He stared at his wrists and shook out his arms.
 
Bones snapped and cracked as his hands took shape.
 
He managed a smile.
 
“Oh good.”
 
He fell over.

Belial caught him.
 
“What do you need?”

He held on to her.
 
“A long nap.”

She picked him up and carried him out of the large waiting area.
 
She brought him to a small room full of pillows.
 
She set him down and closed the door behind her.
 
She sat down against it and tucked her knees to her chest.
 
She bit her nails.

Andy opened an eye.
 
“Come here.”

Belial landed on the pillows next to him.
 
She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, knocking the wind out of him.
 
“I’m sorry for fighting.”

Andy trembled and shut his eyes.
 
He kissed her hair.
 
“You do not need to apologize for anything.”

“But—”

“No.
 
I’m the one that is sorry.”
 
He took a deep breath.
 
“I never meant to push you.”
 
His voice caught in his throat and came out cracked, “I didn’t know about what Uriel did.”
 

She stiffened.
 
She pushed away mechanically.
 

He resisted the urge to grab for her.
 
“Belial.”

Belial shook her head.
 
“You weren’t supposed to know, no one was.
 
Ever.
 
Just forget about it please.”
 
She got up and walked towards the door.

“Wait.”
 
Andy pushed himself off the pillows.
 
He took a step and stumbled.
 

Belial caught him before he hit the floor.
 
“Lay down, Andy.
 
You need to rest.”

“Please stay.”

“I can’t.”
 
Belial couldn’t meet his gaze.
 

“Why?”

“Because I can’t be what you want me to be.”

“You don’t need to be anything for me.”
 
Andy tilted her chin up.
 
“I love you as you are.”

She sank to the floor in front of him.
 
“You shouldn’t.”

“I can’t help it.
 
I’ve always loved you.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks.
 
“You’re such an idiot, Andrealphus.”

“Yes, I am.”
 
Andy reached out and gently rested a hand on her arm.
 
“Please stay with me.”

“I—”

“All I need is you near, nothing else.”
 
It was his turn to cry.
 
“I will
never
do what he did.
 
Never
.”

Belial tucked her knees to her chest.
 
Andy touched her shoulder.
 
She shivered and shook him off.
 
She stood up.
 
“I’m sorry.
 
I can’t.”
 

“Why?”

She wiped tears away, but more came after.
 
“I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t be that for you.
 
I’m not her anymore, Andrealphus.”
 
She looked at him.
 
“That Belial died during the war.
 
I’m just her shadow and memory, a doll of the same name.
 
I’m not something to be loved.”
 
She threw open the door and ran from the room.

Sobs wracked his body with pain.
 
He reached for the door.
 
“I love you regardless.”

***

Helion saw his sister flee from the room.
 
He left Whitney’s side and dashed after her.
 
Belial morphed the palace and hit the Grand Promenade.
 
Helion soared above her.
 
“Belial!”

She ignored him, her gaze fixed on the Old Road.
 
She passed Jacob, Tracy, and Celeste.
 
They said nothing, no Lilliam stopped her.
 
Belial wiped tears from her eyes.
 
She ripped at her clothing, dropping pieces on the ground as she sprinted for the Road.
 

Helion dropped down, picked her up, and carried her into the air.
 
“Belial!”

She slashed at him.
 
“What are you doing?”

“What are
you
doing?”

Belial twisted in his grip until she could see his face.
 
“I have to go kill things!”

“Why?”

“It will make me feel better.”

“No it won’t.”
 
Helion soared away from the Old Road and down the twisting caverns of the City.
 
He hugged her.
 
“Don’t punish everyone else.”

“Why not?”
 
Belial snarled.
 
“I hurt Andy.
 
All I do is punish!”

He landed in a remote, empty area of the City.
 
“Take it out on me instead.”

Her mouth dropped open.
 
“Why?”

“It’s my fault.”

She glared at him.
 
“Don’t remind me, Helion!”

He pressed his hands together.
 
“I am.
 
I made the mistakes, no one else.
 
So take it out on me if you must.”

She shuddered.
 
“No.”

“You only want to attack the weak, the humans.”
 
She remained silent.
 
Helion tensed.
 
“You only want to attack that which cannot defend itself, like Uriel.”

Belial leapt on her brother.
 
“I am not like him!”

“You kill humans for fun.
 
You take pleasure in it.
 
You are like him.”

She punched him in the face.
 
“I never do to them what he did to me!
 
Killing them is a mercy, one I was not allowed.
 
I
begged
Uriel to kill me.
 
He
laughed
.”
 
Her rage died as quickly as it came.
 
She crawled off her brother.
 
She stood and stared into the darkness.
 
“He laughed at me.”
 

“But he is not here to do that anymore.
 
We aren’t like that.
 
We want you to be better.”
 
He rolled to his feet.
 
“Andy loves you, Belial.”

She shuddered.
 
“And I love him, Helion, but I can’t be with him.”