Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 118699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
It wouldn’t matter then if they won the battle in New York—the war would’ve been lost to these creatures for they would’ve spawned and spawned by massacring anyone who came in their path. The entire system of angel-mortal-vampire would collapse without enough mortals left alive to process the toxin.
“Is there more?” Michaela asked.
Keemat briefed them on everything she had, and they talked over that knowledge as they ate with rapid speed. It was just fuel at this point, necessary to power their bodies. Afterward, they decided to put themselves on the field in rotation, so that the squadrons and infantry always had the support of one archangel.
“I’ll take the first lone watch,” Alexander said. “It’s my territory and my responsibility. You two rest until you can take over. We’ll fly to Raphael’s territory after clearing up these reborn. We can’t burn ourselves to the bone, need to be able to make the flight.”
Zanaya walked out with him, while Michaela went into a private room set up with a communications system in order to make contact with her own people. The Archangel of Budapest wished to ensure her territory remained unmolested by the reborn threat.
Zanaya waited until she and Alexander were in the entranceway with no one else around before she took his hand; her discreetness wasn’t about hiding who they were to each other. Anyone who knew even a piece of their history knew of Zanaya and Alexander.
No, it was about giving him a moment to lay down his head.
So she tugged him to her in silence, and he came in the same quiet to wrap his arms around her. And for a fragment of time, she held him, this general who she had loved all her lifetimes. She kissed him on the jaw when he pulled back and then she watched him put on his warrior skin once more.
“Thank you, my Zani.”
He touched his fingers to her lips in a caress familiar and resonant.
Then he was striding out.
She stepped out in time to see him take to the skies, her general who’d have his heart broken over and over again this day. “If mortal hell exists, Lijuan,” she whispered, “I condemn you to it.”
* * *
* * *
In the days that followed, however, it was them and others around the world who lived in hell—a hell of Lijuan’s creation. As they had guessed, Alexander’s wasn’t the only territory Lijuan had infested with reborn children. Neha was dealing with the same—with Caliane’s assistance.
Meanwhile Titus and Charisemnon battled a different wave of reborn, while Astaad and Aegaeon fought against a spreading wave of noxious insects that carried infection dangerous to vampires and angels both. The Archangel of the Pacific Isles and the newly risen Ancient had had to burn out multiple islands, razing the abundant green to stone, to contain the rapidly spreading plague.
But nothing was as bad as the situation in New York. That city had held the line thus far, its people refusing to surrender, but they couldn’t go on forever.
So Zanaya wasn’t surprised when Michaela said, “We must go to New York. The situation is dire!”
Alexander fisted a hand on the sand table around which the three of them stood, working on a strategy to funnel large numbers of reborn into a dead-end valley. “I won’t abandon my people.”
“The situation here is nearly under control,” Michaela argued, her hands gripping the edge of the table. “A few more hours and your generals will be in a position to maintain the status quo if nothing else.”
Alexander shook his head. “How can I leave this horror to my people to handle?”
“Because we’ll lose the world if we don’t win New York!”
Michaela and Alexander continued to argue for several more minutes before it became clear that they were at an impasse. “I can’t agree,” Michaela said at last. “I’m going to fly home, ensure all is well in my territory, then head to New York.”
Alexander gave a brusque nod. “You have assisted greatly and for that, I thank you.”
Perhaps, in another time, Zanaya wouldn’t have liked this woman. From the little chatter she’d picked up about the Archangel of Budapest, she had a reputation for vanity and caprice. Zanaya didn’t know if that was true, couldn’t know. All she knew was that the Michaela she’d met this waking was a warrior and one with heart. She’d bled for each child she’d had to execute. “I’d fight with you in any battle, Michaela.”
A slight narrowing of those striking green eyes, as if the other archangel was suspicious of Zanaya’s words, but at last, she nodded. “As I would you, Zanaya.” The faintest softening. “After the war is done, I invite you to Budapest. Perhaps you’ll do me the honor of sharing stories of my father’s youth.”
“It’ll delight me to do so. Gavriel was a favorite for the joy he brought to my court.”