“Okay, so how did I get hurt?”
That dangerous light sparked in his eyes again, gold flints flashing in the dark. “Byzamoth.”
A knot twisted her stomach. She’d known he was a threat, but she’d ignored it, had put Josh in danger of being seriously injured or killed, and all because of her arrogance.
“I’m so sorry, Josh.”
“Hey.” He sank down on the bed and drew her into his arms. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“You tried to warn me. You tried to get me out of there, but I didn’t listen, even though I knew he was after me.” She swallowed hard and pushed away from him. “Even though you’ve been right from the beginning.”
“Let that be a lesson,” he intoned, but his eyes glinted with mischief. “I’m always right.”
God, he was perfect. He was a little moody, but with a past like his, who could blame him? He was also kind and smart and deadly.
He deserved better than what she’d given him, which was a whole bucketful of lies.
He’d been a Guardian, for heaven’s sake. He could handle the truth. He fought for the side of good… and since he was protecting her, he should know.
“Josh… I need to tell you something. It’s going to sound crazy—”
He put his finger to her lips. “Trust me, I know crazy, and whatever you say won’t fit into that category. I -promise.”
“Yeah, well—”
“I’m always right, remember?”
“You’re also pretty full of yourself,” she muttered, but she was teasing, and he knew it, and rewarded her with a smile that could stop the Earth from rotating.
“Lay it on me,” he said, sitting back on the bed and watching her expectantly.
“Remember our talk in Alexandria? About the humans charmed by angels?” She took a deep breath. “Well… I’m one of them.”
“Seriously?” His expression didn’t change, even when she nodded. He merely looked curious. “So, shouldn’t you be immortal and immune to injury?”
“Well, I can be hurt… but only if I want it or feel like I deserve it.” At his raised eyebrows, she said, “Like, once I lied to a nun, and I felt bad about it, so I let her rap my knuckles with a ruler. That hurt. A lot.”
“I could think of more fun ways to get hurt,” he said with a wink. And then he sobered. “But how do you explain Byzamoth?”
“That’s the million-dollar question. I was hoping to do some research… guess it’ll have to wait. Maybe you could feel around some of your Aegis contacts until I can get to a secure Internet connection?” When he nodded, it was her turn to narrow her eyes at him. “You’re accepting this pretty easily. Why?”
“I work in a hospital that uses magical cures.” He shrugged. “And there’s the Aegis thing.”
The tension poured out of her. It was such a relief to be able to confide in someone other than Val. Someone who cared about her on a different level than the man who hovered over her like she was a toddler learning to walk.
Josh’s brow creased. “I know about Marked Sentinels because of The Aegis, but the details are sketchy. Researching Byzamoth might be easier if you tell me the purpose of the charm. I mean, angels don’t run around charming people for shits and grins.”
“No, they don’t. Anyone who is charmed is in possession of something that needs to be kept out of the hands of evil.”
“Like the coin you found in Alexandria. That was what the charmed guy carried.” At her nod, he continued. “So what are you protecting?”
Her hand automatically went to her necklace. “This.”
“What is it?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure. It’s called Heofon, Old English for Heaven. But that’s all I know. The guardian of the coin we found was the last Sentinel to have a full understanding of what it was he was holding. According to Val, Sentinels were no longer allowed to know exactly what their object’s purpose was, for fear that they’d reveal it to the wrong person, or that they would use it improperly, as the coin’s guardian did.”
“But didn’t he think he was helping souls cross over or something?”
“Yes, but by killing himself and leaving the coin unprotected, he risked allowing evil forces to retrieve the coin.” She now had to keep the coin with her until it could be given over to The Aegis. According to Val, once such an object was safely in the hands of Guardians, a new Sentinel would be chosen to guard it.
“So the Byzamoth guy… he’s been after you, hasn’t he? Not the tablet.”
“I think he definitely wanted the tablet to keep The Aegis from closing the Harrowgates, and I’ve no doubt he’d take the coin as a bonus, but yes, I think he’s after me. I’m sure he wants the necklace and my charm.”
“How could he get them?” Josh’s voice had gone deep and dangerous, and she shivered with both dread and feminine appreciation.