A shadowy figure stood inside the gazebo.
Amarantha moved with purpose now, shooting across the snow directly toward the gazebo. I dropped my phone back into my pocket. This was what she had been up to all along.
She entered the gazebo, and the figure turned to speak to her. There was very little light in the center of the park this time of year. I couldn’t see the other person clearly. I had an impression of height, but the deep shadow may have been distorting my perception.
“We have to get closer,” I whispered.
“This is exceedingly foolish,” Gabriel said. “I am calling J.B. so he can deal with his mother’s ghost.”
“Call him after we find out who she’s talking to,” I hissed. “It’s not helpful if we call him with no new information.”
I again had the impression of a heavy weight thrown over me.
“Are you adding to the invisibility spell again?” I asked.
“Yes,” Gabriel said grimly. “Since you insist on staying, the least we can do is ensure that we are not detected.”
“Are we having our first argument as a married couple?” I asked innocently.
We flew closer to the gazebo. Amarantha and the other person talked in low whispers, and I couldn’t make out what they said.
“I never thought I would say this, but I wish Jude was here,” I said wistfully.
The couple concluded their business, and Amarantha exited the gazebo. The person inside lingered for a few moments longer.
“Come on, come on,” I whispered.
“Shall I follow Amarantha?” Gabriel said.
“No,” I replied. “Call J.B. and tell him where she is.”
“Which is what I wanted to do in the first place,” Gabriel muttered.
The figure in the gazebo stirred just as Gabriel concluded his call to J.B. Amarantha had resumed her slow drifting down Lincoln, and there didn’t seem to be any urgency in chasing after her now.
The clouds shifted, and the moon, which was three-quarters full, was revealed. A shaft of light fell across the person who had met with Amarantha.
It was Nathaniel.
“I’ll kill him,” I snarled, and shot forward. I had no real plan in mind other than grinding Nathaniel into tiny pieces.
Gabriel snatched me out of the air and pulled me back to him, both arms around my middle.
Nathaniel left the gazebo with a furtive look and crossed to the northwestern side of the park, disappearing into shadow.
“I’ll kill him,” I repeated. “That dirty sneaking scumbag!”
“Wait,” Gabriel soothed. “Wait. You can gain nothing by killing him now.”
“I can gain the satisfaction that comes from knowing I have squashed a poisonous bug,” I said angrily, thrashing in Gabriel’s arms. “This is what he was talking about when I overheard him on the phone at Amarantha’s castle. I figured it had to be some stupid angelic shit. I didn’t think he had the balls to kill humans and participate in rebellion right under Azazel’s nose.”
“Think,” Gabriel said. “Just think. We already have enough difficulties with the Grigori. If you murder Zerachiel’s son in cold blood, then it will cause additional problems.”
“My blood is not cold right now,” I growled. “Jude was right. Nathaniel helped kidnap the cubs. He helped take away their memories. Little kids. And they were nothing to him—just another means to an end. Like me.”
“What are you really angry about?” Gabriel said.
“I didn’t love him, if that’s what you’re asking,” I said. “I never loved him. But he used his relationship with me as a cover for his extracurriculars. I’m sure that as long as Azazel thought everything was humming along nicely on the betrothal front, he didn’t bother to question Nathaniel too closely. And his position as negotiator with the faerie court gave him leave to meet with Amarantha multiple times over.”
“We must inform Lord Lucifer,” Gabriel said.
“You mean inform Lucifer’s voice mailbox?” I said bitterly. “What’s to say that he’ll rush back from wherever he’s been holed up to deal with Nathaniel? We’ve got to do it ourselves, before any more people are captured.”
Gabriel looked at me steadily. “If I release you, do you promise not to act rashly?”
“Define ‘rashly,’” I said.
“Rushing after Nathaniel and taking his head off with Lucifer’s sword,” Gabriel replied.
“So if I do anything less than that, it won’t be considered rash? What if I rush after him, jump on him and beat him until his face is mangled?”
“I do not want you touching Nathaniel. You might catch something,” Gabriel said solemnly.
I laughed, and Gabriel relaxed, releasing me. I took his hand.
“I’ll call Lucifer. I’ll let him know what’s going on. But then I’m going in,” I said. “I won’t have Nathaniel running around doing more damage.”
“Fine,” Gabriel said. “We will collect our allies, and then we will confront him.”
“You know where he’ll be,” I said grimly.
“Azazel’s court.”
Maybe now Azazel would see just what kind of man he’d tried to force me to marry. Even Azazel couldn’t overlook his favorite undermining Lucifer’s kingdom by consorting with vampires.
“I’m guessing Daddy won’t be happy to see me.”