“That’s true, but there may be a way to bend the rules a little through you.” Andrew stepped closer, touching my shoulder.
“When Belial stabbed you with the Spear of Longinus, Christ’s blood was still on the tip. Do you understand where I’m going with this?”
I felt the blood draining out of my face. “You’re saying that there is a small portion of the Son…in me?”
“Yes. It’s very faint and it won’t last forever, but it may be enough to allow you to join the archangel’s powers together enough to form a trinity.”
“What’ll happen? Will we turn into some sort of Megazord?” I asked, growing anxious.
Andrew grinned, apparently getting the reference, but pushing past it anyway. “Not exactly. Your mother and I believe that you will become a conduit capable of connecting their powers together enough to destroy the false angel because each element represents a part of what created it. The attack comes from man, the defense comes from angel, and the healing comes from Christ. Use it well.”
I hesitated, feeling the weight of their words, of my responsibility. “What if I fail?”
My mother met my eyes then. “What is it that Gabriel always tells you?”
“Have faith.”
“That’s all you need, mi hija. Go. We’ll be watching over you always.” She wrapped me in a hug one last time. I fought a fresh wave of tears when she let go. Andrew brushed a lock of hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead, sparing me another encouraging smile.
“Go get ‘em, kid.”
“Thanks. I love you,” I whispered.
They began to fade from my vision, but I could still see them join hands and speak in unison. “We love you more.”
Chapter 26
I crashed back into my own body—my poor, broken, aching body. I could still hear the sounds of dying and slaughter around me, but it took a minute for all my senses to return. When my eyes focused, I saw Michael hovering over me. His eyes darted between my face and my chest, checking to make sure I was alive. He sighed—a sharp sound—and brushed his thumb across my cheek.
“Welcome back.”
I coughed hard, shaking and rubbing my bruised neck ruefully. “How did you…?”
Just as I pushed myself up to a sitting position, my hand brushed something cold and wet on the grass. I shrieked as I realized it was Mulciber’s bloody, severed arm and scooted away.
“Oh. Well, that explains it then.”
“You were unconscious. It was…the longest four minutes of my life,” Michael admitted, helping me to my feet. Four minutes. It felt like I had been with Andrew and my mother for at least half an hour. Then again, they did say it was a place suspended from time.
Mulciber—minus her right arm—was on her knees with Ithuriel and Zephon holding blades against both sides of her neck. To my relief, it looked like they’d healed themselves.
She sneered at me. “I should have snapped your neck.”
I punched her as hard as I could with my good hand, relishing the groan of pain that escaped her as a result.
“Yeah,” I said slowly, my voice ice cold. “You should have.”
“This isn’t over, Seer.”
Michael stared down at her with hard certainty in his eyes. “Yes, it is.”
He made one quick motion to the angels with his hand and then ushered me away. The sickening slice of her head being removed from her shoulders still reached my ears. Good riddance. Bit by bit, I could feel my strength returning. The instructions from my mother and Andrew rang in my ears. Time to end this war.
“Come on, we have to get you out of here,” Michael said.
“I know how to kill the false angel.”
He stopped. “What?”
“When I was unconscious, my mother and Andrew Bethsaida came to me. They told me we need to form a trinity in order to destroy it.”
He shook his head. “That’s impossible, we can’t form one without—”
“A conduit, I know. I am one. They told me there is a trace amount of Christ’s blood in me. It might be enough to help combine our powers.”
There was an unearthly roar in the distance and the ground trembled. Michael glanced in the direction where Gabriel was fighting the false angel and then back at me. “I don’t like this plan.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “It’s all we’ve got right now.”
He gave me a grim look, but nodded. “Alright. Just don’t die. I’d hate to have to miss you.”
“I wouldn’t want to be such a bother.”
Michael didn’t smile this time, and I didn’t blame him. He motioned for Ithuriel and Zephon, who had come up behind us after dispatching Mulciber.
“Follow me.”