Cheers sounded out from the rooftop and below, but only tears fell from my eyes as I watched my lion walk over to where Phoenix lay.
My lion – my angel maker, Michael – gently leaned over Phoenix and nudged his face, giving him a small nurturing lick, as a lion would his cub. And with a final look back at me, his eyes as blank as ever, he took off, bounding in great and mighty leaps all the way to the edge of the rooftop and beyond as Grigori watched in wonder.
‘Vi, you’re bleeding,’ Lincoln said, sounding worried.
My hand went to my face and I looked down to see the streaks of blood that my eyes, nose and mouth had left behind. My power was gone. I couldn’t feel it at all. I couldn’t feel the senses. I couldn’t feel the lure of my Sight. The well that sat deep at the base of me was empty. And still, none of it mattered as I staggered over to Phoenix, collapsing at his side.
My hand trembled as it ran over his face.
‘I’m sorry! I’m so, so sorry,’ I cried.
Slowly, his dark brown eyes opened and lifted to meet mine. He stared at me for what was probably just seconds but felt like a brief lifetime. And in his eyes I found everything I needed at that moment. Acceptance. Forgiveness. Relief. And … humanity. I had killed him. Not today. Perhaps not for many tomorrows. But immortality was his no more.
No longer a malign angel.
No longer a dark exile.
Phoenix was human.
Just like every other exile in the nearby radius.
And yet, in those final seconds before the world around me went black, I saw something new in his eyes. Something that looked an awful lot like hope.
It hurt. Everywhere.
I’d moved in and out of consciousness for what seemed like a very long time; opening my eyes, seeing Lincoln, feeling his closeness and then slipping back under all too soon.
I could hear chatter here and there.
‘She might not make it—’
‘Yes, she will.’
‘I’m just saying you should be prepared.’
‘No need … Get this joker out of here.’
And then, later …
‘We should consider moving her.’
‘Is it safe?’
‘We can’t know, but it has to be better than keeping her here.’
‘Get a plane ready.’
And then, moving. Lying in a bed and then being cradled in the arms of the sun. Warm. Loved. Safe. I sunk in.
People came and went. Again I heard them talk. Sometimes I even knew who they were.
Griffin sat with me often. I thought I heard him cry. But then he got on with it, letting me know that he was looking after things. That the clean-up was well in hand. All the exiles in the city of New Orleans had fallen. My range hadn’t been much more than a dozen city blocks but since they’d all been in that area for the battle, it had worked a charm.
The Grigori had started to detain the now-powerless exiles immediately, with assistance from the navy. A number of the exiles had taken their own lives before they could be stopped and many had fled but were being pursued.
Griffin marvelled at how the events of that night had changed the face of the fight. There were still many exiles out there to fight and the guarantee of more to come, but the playing field had been significantly evened.
All the while Lincoln stayed by my side.
I wanted to open my eyes and tell them I would be okay. But I couldn’t. The darkness held me even while light surrounded me.
Eventually, I became aware of loud noises. Then I heard a familiar voice.
‘Honestly, you’d think they’d give a guy a break. It’s like fricking Fort Knox getting in here.’
‘Yeah, a few of the Rogues have taken it upon themselves to add a little extra security.’
‘A little!’ he scoffed. ‘I almost peed myself.’
I heard Lincoln chuckle. ‘It’s good to see you.’
‘Yeah, well, I got sick of waiting for you to come and visit me.’
‘Sorry, Spence.’
Spence.
‘No sweat. I would’ve been here sooner but Mia and Chloe are worse than the pit bulls guarding this room.’ I heard his voice change, soften. ‘How’s she doing?’
I heard Lincoln sigh. ‘I can’t feel her like I usually do. She’s weak but she’s holding on. I try to help the healing along but it’s like something is blocking me.’
‘Maybe she just isn’t ready,’ Spence said simply. I felt a hand at my forehead. ‘Is it terrible that there’s a part of me that wishes we’d never figured it all out? That we’d been somewhere on the other side of the world when that war had gone down and the angels had just dealt with it like they were going to.’
‘No. I’ve had that thought myself. Doesn’t mean we’d change things, though.’
There was a pause before Lincoln added, ‘What you did … Drenson. How are you dealing with it?’
I could almost hear Spence’s shrug. ‘Not like I look back on it with regret, if that’s what you mean. It was him or her, which meant there was no other option. And it helps that no one locked me up.’
‘I agree.’ Another pause, and then, ‘But?’
Spence sighed. ‘Yeah. Just wish he hadn’t been such a dick, I suppose.’
‘Yeah. Me too.’