Wrath of the Fallen by Eve Archer

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Ella

My hand shook as I held up Sara’s note. “She never would have left if I had done a better job of convincing her that she’s one of us. Just because she’s not some kind of celestial being doesn’t mean…” I let my words trail off as my voice broke.

Dominick stood and enfolded me in his arms, rubbing my back to comfort me but Rami snatched the note from my hand from behind Dom’s back, his eyes quickly scanning the message.

“You shouldn’t read that,” I said, wriggling from Dominick’s grasp.

Sara had clearly been upset when she’d written it, convinced that she and Rami were part of two worlds that could never intersect, especially now that he’d pledged himself to Mastema. She’d written about not belonging in the world of the Fallen that was now my world, and how even I didn’t need her, since I was a demi-angel.

When I’d first read the words she’d written me, I’d felt sick that my best friend felt that way. I’d expected her to be freaked out by everything that had happened, and I wouldn’t have blamed her if she wanted to get far away from all the craziness, but the thought that she felt like she was no longer part of my world or important to me had cut me like a knife.

Rami glanced up from the note, his brow furrowed in worry. “She says she needs to clear her head and get some distance from me.”

“She took her stuff,” I told him. “I checked her room. Her clothes are gone, although she did only have a weekender bag full of them.”

Rami’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”

“How do you figure? She’s my best friend, and I was the last one who talked to her before she disappeared. I should have done a better job of making her feel like she belonged. Instead, I encouraged her to return to New York. Although, I didn’t mean in the middle of the night. I figured she’d head back home in a week or so, once we’d seen Paris.”

Rami shook his head. “I should have talked to her like Dominick suggested, but I was afraid of hurting her more than I had. I thought letting her go was the kindest thing I could do.”

Dominick held up his hands. “As much fun as it is to hear both of you blame yourselves, this is neither of your responsibility. Sara is an adult, and neither of you are her babysitter. “ He slid his gaze over to Mastema. “I am curious how she managed to leave the chateau without notice, considering the stone wall and security systems in place.”

Mastema stood from the table and walked slowly toward us, his gaze flicking to Dominick. The air crackled with energy, and I wondered if I’d interrupted some kind of argument.

“That’s an excellent question. The human didn’t appear to have any special skills that would make her escape a possibility.” He looked at me. “Was she adept at skirting security systems of scaling walls?”

I choked back a laugh. “Sara? Scaling walls? Not unless Henry Cavill is on the other side. “All three celestials stared at me, expressionless, and I sighed deeply. Sara would have appreciated that. “No. There’s no way she got away unless the front gate was open, and a Lyft was waiting outside it.”

Dominick pivoted to Mastema, tilting his head at the demon. “Or unless she had help.”

Mastema’s eyebrows shot up, and he emitted a low growl. “You think I helped the human leave without telling anyone? What would be my motivation for doing that?”

Dominick and Rami exchanged a glance.

“Then maybe one of your staff let her out without knowing she was sneaking out,” Rami suggested. “She could have told them that her departure was planned.”

The prince of demons flinched. “My demons would not have released her without express permission.” He narrowed his eyes slightly. “They are not stupid or disobedient.”

Dominick folded his arms over his chest, clearly not convinced. “They’re demons. Even angels disobey every now and again.”

Mastema held Dominick’s gaze for a beat before the corners of his mouth twitched. “I suppose you would know about that firsthand.”

Dominick shrugged. “I’m not the only one.”

“Touché.” Mastema cut his gaze to an attendant standing against one wall. “Summon Caspiel here. If any of my demons would know the movements within my lair, it would be him.” He turned toward me, giving me a small bow. “I assure you that we will get to the bottom of this.”

I felt about as much confidence as Dominick obviously did, but I nodded.

“Even if she managed to secure help in getting out,” Rami said, “Where did she go?”

I gestured to the note still clasped in his hand, the paper crumpled. “She didn’t say, but it doesn’t feel like she was going back home.”

“She said she needed distance from me.” Rami’s face contorted with pain for a moment. “Going back to New York would be getting distance.”

I shook my head. “I didn’t get the ‘heading to the airport’ vibe. She mentioned clearing her head. When she needed to clear her head at home, she’d go on a walk. Usually just around the Village, but sometimes she’d go down to Trinity Church and wander among the graves.”

“Maybe she fits in here better than she thinks,” Mastema said.

I ignored his comment, snapping my fingers as I remembered something. “Find my phone!”

Mastema looked puzzled but Rami’s face lit up with comprehension. “She mentioned this when we were searching for you. You can track her phone, as well?”

I nodded. “We put it on each other’s phones just in case of an emergency. I’ve never had to use it before, but I think this qualifies as an emergency.”

The attendant in red livery returned, his expression dour.

“Where is Caspiel?” Mastema asked sharply, making the demon cringe.

“Gone, my lord.” The attendant did everything but bow and scrape as he lowered his eyes, his shoulders slumping.

“Gone?”

“He left with the girl at some point in the early hours of the morning.”

Rami’s face reddened as he crumpled Sara’s note even more.

“She wouldn’t.” I shook my head even as it occurred to me that she might, especially if he’d offered to help her leave without attracting attention.

Rami wasn’t the only one red-faced and fuming. Mastema fisted his hands as he scowled. “He did not notify me or seek permission.”

“Does your deputy have a habit of sneaking off with females?” Dominick asked.

“He is an incubus,” Mastema said, “but he wouldn’t need to take her away from my lair if he only wanted to seduce her.”

Rami let out a rumble that let us know exactly what he thought about that. “If I discover that your demon has taken advantage of Sara—“

“You will have to get in line, Ramiel,” Mastema snapped. “I will want to punish him first.”

It seemed strange that the prince of demons would object to one of his demons doing something bad—wasn’t that the point of being a demon?—but maybe there was some sort of demon code I wasn’t aware of.

“We will find both of them,” Mastema said, locking eyes with Rami. “The woman was under my protection, and that isn’t something I take lightly.”

Rami gave the prince a curt nod.

“I’ll get my phone and we can ping her and then go,” I said, turning toward the door.

“No need,” Mastema said. “I have ways of finding him, myself.”

“Okay, then, let’s go.”

Dominick, Rami, and Mastema paused, their gazes lingering on me, and then darting to each other.

“You should remain here,” Dominick finally said.

“What?” My mouth fell open. “You must be kidding. Sara’s my best friend. I should be with you when you find her.”

“He’s right,” Mastema said. “It’s too dangerous for you to be outside of my lair. You’re still the one the archangels want.”

Dominick took my hands in his before I could argue further. “It will put your friend in danger if you join us, not to mention the rest of us.”

“Although the rest of us can handle a little celestial battle,” Mastema said with a malevolent grin, no doubt savoring the idea.

That shut me up. I didn’t want to risk anyone, not even the demon prince who had given us sanctuary.

“I’ll bring Sara back to you as soon as we locate her.” Dominick squeezed my hands, his expression tender.

“Okay,” I relented with a huff of breath. “But don’t take too long.”

Dominick lifted my chin and kissed me—not as passionately as he had the night before, but not sweetly either, the heat simmering across my skin as he nipped my bottom lip. “As if I could stay away from you for long.”