Heir of Night by Emily Goodwin
Chapter 16
“Thanks,” I tell Lucas, not taking my eyes away from the TV. I switch back to another news station when the local one cuts to commercial. “The oil spill is really bad.”
“They usually are,” Lucas says, still holding the plate of food he prepared for me.
Ever since an oil tanker malfunctioned a few days ago, I’ve been glued to the TV, trying to see if the Horsemen are behind this. I’m not sure what clue I’m looking for, but because of the oil spill, fishermen in the area haven’t been able to catch any fish, and the small village they provide food for is hurting. “And they unfortunately happen without supernatural causes. Human error has caused more environmental damage then the Horsemen ever will.”
Blinking, I finally tear my eyes away from the TV and take the plate from Lucas. He made me some sort of sandwich that I can thankfully blame morning sickness on when I don’t eat it. I love so fucking much that he makes me food, and he puts forth a very admirable amount of effort to follow recipes and remember how specific foods go together, but sometimes whatever he makes is a miss.
Like this sandwich.
“You’re right.” I let out a sigh and pick up an apple slice. A week has passed since we left the Covenstead after transferring the demon from Noah into a vampire. And nothing eventful has happened in that week. The memory-altering spell on the werewolves has held, and the Ley line has been flowing steadily. I don’t usually watch the news because I have a severe aversion to politics, thanks to my asshole of an ex-father, but I’ve had it on in the background all week.
And then a tanker had an equipment malfunction, whatever that means. The cause just came about this morning and was determined to be by human error, not by supernatural forces, just like Lucas said. Plus, he’s right. These kinds of things happen.
“I hate this.” I set my plate on the couch, hoping Scarlet will act like a normal dog and grab my sandwich when I’m not looking. “Waiting for demons to attack is worse than actually attacking.”
“I wish I could tell you whatever you fear could happen isn’t going to be as bad as what is going to happen, but you know I’ll never lie to you.”
Biting into my apple slice, I lean back against the couch and take Lucas’s hand. “Thanks for not bullshitting me.”
“It does no good in this situation. Though I will say, sitting around watching the news isn’t going to prevent anything or prepare you any more than you’re already prepared.”
“Already unprepared,” I correct. “I’m worried about Julian, too.”
“Have you tried reaching out to him?”
“Not in a few days. It feels almost pointless. I know he’ll come when he can.”
“Try it,” Lucas suggests.
Not wanting to get disappointed, I don’t have a slightest expectation Julian will hear me. “Hey, Jules,” I say out loud, closing my eyes. “If you can hear me, I’d love to talk.” I wait a beat. Please, Julian. I’m scared.
The energy shifts, and only a second later, Julian appears in front of us.
“Hello, Callie,” he says. “Hello, Lucas.”
“Julian!” I exclaim, shocked he’s actually here. “You…you heard me.”
“I did. Are you in danger?”
I get to my feet and pull my cousin in for a hug. I can ask why he’s all muddy in a second. “Not immediate danger at the moment. It’s good to see you, though.” I let him go and look him up and down. “You smell like a swamp.”
“I was in one,” he states matter-of-factly but doesn’t elaborate.
“Are you going to tell us why?” Lucas asks, getting to his feet as well.
“I was looking for a piece of a broken amulet,” he says, and I motion with my hand for him to go on. “Centuries ago, a vessel was created to house demons. Whoever wielded it had one powerful weapon. It was destroyed by your father before it could fall into the wrong hands.”
“You want to repair it and trap the Horsemen,” Lucas continues.
“Yes. It wouldn’t contain them for long but would buy us time to possibly get them into another hell dimension.”
“Like the demonic prison Bael escaped from,” I finish.
“Yes,” he repeats. “Ideally, they would be the only ones in the prison dimension. Allowing them to gather followers from other demons is too risky.” He meets my eye. “We need to create a new prison dimension.”
“Great,” I say with a forced smile. “Sounds super easy.” I close my eyes and let out a sigh. “How do you even go about creating a prison dimension like that? If it’s like how the Covenstead was made, I can get several covens to help.”
“It is similar,” Julian starts, and I grab another apple slice. “Though the main difference is they have to be created from the inside with no way out.”
“How would you do that?”
Julian frowns. “Whoever creates it has to stay.”
“Forever?”
“Yes. There is no way out. It’s a sacrifice to create a prison like that. Trapping yourself in a pocket dimension with demons doesn’t leave you with much time.”
Lucas turns to me. “You’re not doing that.”
“Trust me, I don’t want to.” I let out a breath. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. Witches willingly trapped themselves in a prison with demons?”
“Covens have created prison dimensions, yes. Others were created by angels.”
“And they all died?” I ask, though I know the answer.
“Humans, yes. Angels don’t age and die the same way, but being trapped in a prison with demons isn’t something anyone could survive for long.”
Goosebumps break out over my arms, and I pull them in close to my body. I talked about the Horsemen turning this world into a dystopian hell, all while other witches and angels have actually lived it, running and hiding from demons in a prison they themselves created.
“Did they know they’re going to die?” My voice is thin.
“I believe so,” Julian answers. “Sacrificing one for the many sometimes includes yourself.”
“What about the other angels? Aren’t they concerned the Horsemen are on earth?” Lucas asks, running his hand up and down my back. Right. He can hear my pulse increase and knows when I’m upset, even if I don’t show it.
“Yes,” he answers shortly and picks a leech off his neck. The tiny wound from the leech bite heals immediately. “They think Lucifer let them out on purpose and he locked himself in Hell on purpose as well.” Julian frowns. “The other archangels will always see the bad in him, Callie. They made up their minds a long time ago.”
“Regardless,” Lucas says before I have a chance to get pissed at the other angels. If Lucifer hadn’t shown up, the world would be in a much worse place. “What are they going to do about the Horsemen?”
Julian’s grim face says it all: they’re going to do nothing. “There is still much debate on the subject. Some think Lucifer should handle it. Clean up his own mess is what they’re saying.”
“But people will die,” I interject. “I thought angels were supposed to be the protectors of humanity. Humanity needs protecting right now against the Horsemen.”
“There have been demons on earth for as long as there have been angels,” Lucas reminds me. “You yourself have been in very precarious situations, and no one flew in and saved you other than your father, and if he wasn’t just that—your father—you would have died from the demon disease.”
“Free will is a tricky thing and doesn’t come without a cost.” Julian presses his lips together. “Know that not all feel this way. Chamuel in particular doesn’t want to see any unnecessary carnage on earth.”
“What about my father?” I ask. “Please tell me he’s not going along with this. He knows the truth, doesn’t he?”
“He does. I was able to speak with him, and it was under his direction that Alona and I search for the broken amulet. There is something you should know, Callie.” Julian tenses, and he diverts his eyes from mine to look out the window behind me. He’s a spit it out kind of person, not stopping to think how whatever he’s going to say will make someone feel. Whatever he’s about to say is going to be bad.
“What is it?” Lucas’s voice is steady as usual, giving me comfort. His arm goes around me, physically supporting me as well. He really is my rock. My anchor. I don’t know what I’d do without him.
“Michael’s recent distance hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
“Because he’s been taking time to visit me?” I shake my head. “He’s been here like a collective twenty minutes.”
“It’s not just being here,” Julian goes on. “It’s the time he’s taken to cover tracks. To stop rumors before they spread.” He looks back at me. “Uriel is starting to get suspicious.”
“Chamuel and Uriel are my uncles?” I ask, needing to be sure.
“Aunt and uncle. We were hoping we may be able to sway Chamuel to our side. Where your father is the fighter, Chamuel is the lover. Her strength lies in acceptance and unconditional love. If any of your relatives could be won over, I would have thought it was her, not Lucifer,” Julian says and then shakes his head, getting back to the subject. “I myself had to dispel rumors before I could accept what I heard through the grapes as truth.”
Not bothering to correct him on another misused human phrase, I swallow hard and suck in air, waiting for him to go on.
“The rumors aren’t true, but the words are being said. I heard the same rumor whispered between angels, and they all come from the same source: Uriel.”
“Someday, we’re going to have a chat about cutting to the fucking point,” Lucas chides. “Tell us what the rumor is.”
“Michael is working with Lucifer, and they both are behind letting the Horsemen out. Michael and Lucifer were close before Lucifer got kicked out of Heaven, and they’re close again.” He frowns. “Uriel wants the others to turn against your father.”
I sink back down on the couch, heart in my throat. The rumor isn’t a total rumor since there is truth in it. My father and Lucifer are working together, but they’re working together to help keep me safe.
“There has been no mention of the Nephilim,” Julian adds, as if that’s supposed to make me feel better. “Not yet, at least. Though if Uriel sends angels to investigate his claims and they descend upon the underworld, they will hear the chatter amongst the demons.”
“And the demons know I exist, and they know Michael is my father.”
“Right.” Julian frowns again. “We are already coming up with a way to disprove Uriel’s lies,” he assures me. “Which will get harder if anyone finds out Lucifer isn’t in Hell.”
“The cloaking spell is still working? I wasn’t sure how long it would last on someone as powerful as Lucifer.”
“You are powerful as well,” Julian replies. “And yes, the cloaking spell is still working. The other archangels have not been able to sense him on earth.”
Maybe that could work in our favor. How? I have no fucking clue. But talk about a secret weapon, right?
Julian tips his head, as if he’s trying to listen to something far away. “Alona thinks she found something promising. I need to go.” He puts his hand on my shoulder and then steps back, disappearing as quickly as he came.
“I thought talking to Julian would make you feel better,” Lucas says apologetically.
“Um, I feel a little better but also much more concerned.”
Lucas sits on the couch next to me and puts an arm around me. “What do you feel better about?”
“The others don’t know Lucifer is here. If he gets all the partying out of his system…maybe…maybe he can help us. Two archangels are better than one, though having my dad and Lucifer team up would only prove Uriel’s lies.”
“Teaming up to save the world is different than teaming up to unleash destruction.”
“You’re right. And maybe…” I trail off and shake my head.
“What?” Lucas moves my hair off my neck.
“Maybe Kristy is right after all. It’s going to be up to me to stop the Horsemen.”