Page 71 of Blood and War
“I’m—”
“This is not your fault.” She whispered, nervously toying with the sleeve of her shirt.
“I can’t help but feel somewhat responsible for all this.” The sigh that left his lips tore at her. More than when Jace had spoken to her.
Her body ached, begging her to reach out. To touch his hand, arm, anything. She yearned for the contact. Every part of her craving the feel of him pressed up against her once more. “Don’t apologize for something you played no part in.” With a sigh that could rival his own, she took a step toward him. “He’s being a pig-headed idiot. None of this is on you, Kellan.”
“I came to tell you we were all meeting in the dining hall. To go over our plan. The others are all waiting.”
“What about Jace?” Despite what had happened, she knew he’d be at it. As mad as he might be, abandoning her was something he wouldn’t do.
“Gabriel met him at the front door. He’s there.” Kellan tapped a finger to his head, as if she needed a reminder of themany abilities he possessed. Another thing that set them worlds apart. With a nod of her head, Kellan led her out the door, hand resting comfortably on her back as he guided her down the halls. She didn’t pull from his touch. In fact, she delighted in the way his hand pressed into her. The finger that lazily stroked soft circles against her lower back.
She shouldn’t have been thinking about this. Her mind needed to be elsewhere. Away from the hand that was igniting everything within her. They had a battle, a war that they needed to plan for. Something that required her undivided attention. But that was quickly swaying, and had been for some time now. Finding it harder and harder to keep her focus around him.
Kellan didn’t drop his hand until they entered the room.
Somewhere, they’d found a large white oak table and placed it in the center of the room. Around it, the three remaining Horsemen stood, along with the angels as they mulled over what looked to be a map. Jace and Cory stood amongst themselves, toward the back of the room. It didn’t surprise her that the twins and Tyler were nowhere to be found. Evan not being there did, though. It took everything in her not to meet Jace’s piercing look. To smile softly at Cory before tearing herself from them both as she strode to the table.
“So glad you two could join us.” Eire met her gaze, and all Demitria could do was shrug as she looked away. She wasn’t in the mood to fight with the female. It was exhausting, and she just didn’t have the energy for it. Not after the fight with Jace.
“This is the mountain range.” Motioning her over, Gabriel pointed. “The angels tell me he’s somewhere in here.” With a calloused finger, he traced along a section midway up the largest peak. “I can sense the tunnels throughout, but as to their extent, I do not know.”
“If what my mother said is truly important, he’ll be somewhere in the open, right? Somewhere you can easily seethe sky?” Demitria spoke softly. “If the blood moon is when he’ll be strongest, it’ll be essential for him to have that.” Her eyes wandered over the paper, committing as much to memory as she could. It bothered her, knowing this…prophecy. A knowledge that felt so foreign to her. The others. Snippets. Secrets that she should not know from memories long since faded.
“There are several paths leading up to where we believe he is. Some easier than others.” The angel shrugged, tucking a strand of golden hair behind his ear as he leaned forward.
“What’s the catch?” Gabriel asked.
“They’re in plain sight.” Arakiel answered. “I sent my scouts weeks ago.” His hand grazed over the map, pointing with a steady finger as he spoke. “You’re right about him needing an area in the open. There is an outcropping here, which will give him a perfect view of the moon at night. Several entrances around, but all in the open. Except for one.” His eyes meet her own. “It isn’t safe for humans. We could fly in, but the climb is dangerous to… others.”
“So, we have no choice but to waltz right in?” Kane slammed a fist down on the table, and she swore it splintered under his blow. “We’d be walking into a trap!”
“We can go this route, but it will have its consequences.” Theliel had been quiet for almost the entire time she’d known him, which hadn’t really been all that long, only learning his name once they were riding out from the canyon, and she’d rarely heard him speak more than a few words. And only when the need arose. “Lives will be lost before the battle even begins. The humans will not survive.”
“So we have some casualties. This is war!” Eire droned. “Lives will be lost no matter what. It is one of the many consequences. We have the element of surprise, here. It shouldn’t even be a question which path we take.”
“Eire is right.” Kane refused to meet his brother’s piercing eyes, keeping them fixed to the map on the surface before him. “It’s secluded. Lucifer wouldn’t know we were coming. We have no idea how many we’re even dealing with. Surprise is something we need.” He knew better than to look up. Demitria was sure he could feel the burn of Kellan’s stare as he sided with their sister.
“Surprise is everything! There is no debating that. We take the secluded path!” Eire bellowed. The angels watched the exchange silently. Neither of them choosing a side.
“I will not subject my people to that journey when it could put their lives even more at risk.” Demitria broke, daring a look toward her friends leaning against the wall at the back. Jace may have said some things to hurt her, but she was bigger than that. She couldn’t even entertain the thought of asking him to make that climb. “They have given me more than I deserve. Following me blindly into this war. I refuse to ask this of them. We won't be taking that path. I will proudly march into the open, alone, knowing that I could keep my own safer.”
“You are nothing to me. You hold no leadership, no command over my siblings, nor I.” Eire’s gray eyes grew cold as she looked down at her. “You have no say in this matter.”
“You’re stepping out of line.” Kellan stood before his sister, his large frame towering over her. “Watch your tongue.” An all too familiar growl rumbled through his chest. One Demitria had grown accustomed to after he’d fought on her behalf time and time again. One that may have incited something within her that sure as hell should not have, especially right now.
“I’ve heard just about enough out of both of you.” Gabriel gripped the bridge of his nose in frustration. “We must listen to both sides before coming to a decision.” The exasperated sigh left his lips as he sat himself down in the wooden chair, elbowresting against the table's surface as his other hand clenched into a tight fist at his side.
“The world has seen many losses since the start of this war.” She knew her words meant nothing to some, but for her friends, her people, they were everything. Their very lives hung in the balance. “Species have gone extinct. I know a few human lives don't seem like much in the bigger picture, but to us—to me, they are everything. These people are my family. My home, and I will not ask them to make that trek. They risk enough fighting with us. If this is the path you choose, you walk it alone. We will find our own way in. With or without you.” Demitria knew all eyes were on her. Could feel them burning into her skin. “I won't back down from this challenge. I will fight until my last breath to save this planet, but I will not follow you if it means putting them in more danger than necessary. I will walk alone.”
“It’s decided then.” The ever-knowing grin returned to Arakiel’s face as he looked on with those liquid gold eyes. “We will take the safest route, meeting them head on.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me!” The chair toppled over as Kane jumped to his feet, fists slamming the table again in his rage. This time, she visibly watched it splinter beneath his fingers as the audible crack echoed throughout the room.
“You are at your strongest when you work together.” Arakiel looked around the room. She couldn’t explain how, but every time the angel spoke it brought a sense of calm over her entire body. “Alone, you will falter.Together, you are everything.” Golden eyes met Demitria’s. A gaze that held so much knowledge, so much power that she nearly shied away. But she didn’t break from the stare, hypnotized by its intensity.
“She’s going to get us all killed!” Eire shouted her displeasure, but no one gave in.
