I looked over Nathaniel’s shoulder and saw Samiel carrying Jude in his wolf form. Beezle clung to Samiel’s shoulder. There was a sound like thunder, and a lot of screaming as the nephilim’s cave collapsed. We wouldn’t be getting out the way we came in, either. The cavern around us rumbled ominously.
Nathaniel sped toward the exit.
He calmly blasted the demons out of the way and swooped through the tiny exit, the others on our heels.
The exit was only a few feet from a high precipice that stood above a valley. The demons that did manage to escape the cavern were pushed by the crowd over the edge, falling to their deaths far below.
Nathaniel flew straight across the valley to an outcropping that jutted from the mountain on the other side. There was just enough room for all of us to huddle there as we listened to the sounds of the cavern folding in on itself. The stream of charcarion demons pouring from the exit trickled to a halt.
Nathaniel put me on the ground. I am embarrassed to say that I fainted. In my defense, I was pregnant and heavily injured.
I woke to a feeling of warmth spreading throughout my body, and Nathaniel’s lips pressed against mine. For a moment I forgot who he was, and what he was doing, and I kissed him back with a passion.
Then I remembered, and opened my eyes, and pulled away. His eyes were steady on mine. I didn’t know what to say. My feelings for Nathaniel got more confused every day.
“Thank you,” I finally said, just to break the silence.
He nodded. “You’re welcome.”
As he stood I saw that he held the broken shaft of the arrow that had pierced me in his hand, but instead of throwing it away, he tucked it in his pocket.
I started to ask him why, but Beezle landed on my chest. He scowled at me.
“I thought you were just going to do some surveillance?” he asked. “What was up with the gladiator routine?”
“Antares saw through my veil,” I said. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“Now, how did he do that?” Jude asked, giving Nathaniel a suspicious look. “I thought you veiled her because your spell was more powerful than hers.”
“It was,” Nathaniel said, looking surprised. “I do not know how Antares was able to penetrate it.”
“Maybe,” Jude growled, “you didn’t do such a great job. Maybe you wanted Maddy to get hurt so you could swoop in and save her, present yourself in a better light to Lucifer.”
A second before, I’d been thinking that maybe Nathaniel wasn’t so bad after all. Now Jude’s words forced me to consider him in a different light.
Nathaniel shot an angry look at Jude. “I assure you, I would not risk Madeline’s life in such a manner. You saw the veil’s effectiveness for yourself.”
“How do we know that you didn’t set that spell to fade after a few minutes?” Jude asked.
“How was I to know that Antares would be there just in time to see Madeline? Think about what you are saying, wolf,” Nathaniel replied.
“All I know is that it’s mighty convenient that your spell failed just as Maddy needed it most.”
“Enough,” I said, covering my eyes for a moment. “Just enough.”
I looked between Nathaniel and Jude. Jude made a good point, but he was inclined to mistrust Nathaniel. I wasn’t completely certain of Nathaniel’s agenda, but I had to believe that he didn’t intend me any harm. If he did, he could have easily left me in the cavern, or dropped me as we passed over the valley.
I had plenty of troubles without suspecting Nathaniel, too. I was going to have to trust him, at least for now.
“So,” I said, trying to cover up the tension. “Antares and his army of demons are gone, but Azazel is still out there somewhere.”
“And if Antares is dead, then our best chance of finding Azazel is gone,” Beezle said.
Samiel shook his head. He reached in his pocket for something and held it out to the rest of us.
It was Antares’ spell bag.
Look inside, Samiel said.
I opened the bag. Inside was a collection of charms and spells hidden inside small stones. Each stone had a rune on it.
“The runes probably told Antares what spell was which,” Beezle said.
“Can you read them?” I asked.
Beezle shook his head. “Nope.”
I can, Samiel signed. My mother taught me the old language.
“What good will this pile of stones do us?” Jude asked.
Samiel took the bag from my hands and rummaged through it until he found what he was looking for.
He held the stone out in front of him. It was small and shiny and black, like a pressed piece of coal.
Inscribed upon it was a symbol—a five-pointed star. Crossed over the star was a sword with a rose wrapped around its hilt.
Azazel’s mark.
17
“IT’S A PORTAL TO AZAZEL?” I ASKED EXCITEDLY.
Samiel nodded.
“How can we be sure?” Nathaniel asked.
“It makes sense,” I said. “Antares had no magic of his own. This is like the portal charms that the lesser demons use. How else could he quickly and easily come and go from Azazel’s side?”
“How did you get this?” Beezle asked.
I saw it on the floor of the cavern as we flew overhead, and I used my will to draw it to me.
“You did a Jedi mind trick?” Beezle said, awe in his voice.
“That’s handy,” I said to Samiel. “You’ll have to teach me how to do that.”