I can just imagine what we must look like through her eyes. Raffe’s wings are spread out around him like a demonic bat out of hell. I’m sure the firelight emphasizes the sharp scythes at their edges. Behind him, the building burns with malevolent flames against the smoke-blackened sky, shrouding his face in flickering shadows. I have no doubt that he looms dark and menacing in classic demon form.
My mother doesn’t know that he’s probably holding the wings that way to avoid slicing us. To her, he must look like the Thing That Hunts Her. And her worst nightmare has come true tonight. Here is the devil, walking out of flames, carrying her dead daughter in its arms.
She must have recognized me by my clothes for her to start screaming so soon. Or maybe she’s imagined this scene so many times that she just has no doubt that it must be me in this demon’s arms. Her horror is so genuine and so deep that I cringe inside to hear it.
A soldier twitches with his gun aimed at us. I don’t know how long they’ll restrain themselves. I realize that if they shoot, I won’t even be able to shut my eyes.
Raffe kneels down and places me on the asphalt. He lifts my hair to one side and lets it run through his fingers as it slowly cascades over my shoulder.
His head is haloed in firelight above me, his face in shadow. He runs his fingers across my lips in a slow, gentle touch.
Then he pulls away stiffly as if every muscle is fighting him.
I want to beg him not to leave. Tell him that I’m still here. But I lie frozen. All I can do is watch as he gets up.
And disappears from my view.
Then, there’s nothing but the empty sky reflecting the firelight.
CHAPTER 45
Somewhere in the city, a dog howls. The hollow sound should have been lost in the clamor of the battle, drowned in my fear and pain. Instead, my mind draws it out until it eclipses everything else.
As I lie paralyzed on the cold pavement, all I can think is that it’s the loneliest sound I’ve ever heard.
My mother rushes toward me, still screaming. She throws herself on me, sobbing hysterically. She thinks I am dead, but she is still afraid. Afraid for my soul. After all, she just saw a demon deliver my dead body.
Around us, people burst into frightened conversation.
“What the hell was that?”
“Is she dead?”
“Did he kill her?”
“You should have shot it!”
“I didn’t know if she was dead.”
“Did we just see the devil?”
“What the hell was he doing?”
He was delivering my body to my people.
He could have been shot. He could have been attacked by other angels. If I was actually dead, he should have left me in the basement to be buried in rubble. He should have chased after Beliel and taken his wings back. He should have thwarted Uriel and avoided being seen by the other angels.
Instead, he delivered me to my family.
~
“It’s her. Penryn.” Dee-Dum comes into my line of sight. He’s smudged with soot, looking exhausted and sad.
Obi comes into view. He looks down at me solemnly for a moment.
“Let’s go,” Obi says wearily. “Move it!” he yells to the group. “Let’s get these people out of here!”
People shuffle past me onto the trucks. They all stare down at me as they walk by.
My mother grips me tighter and continues sobbing. “Please, help me get her on the truck,” she wails.
Obi stops and gives her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry about your daughter, ma’am. But I’m afraid there isn’t room for…I’m afraid you’ll have to leave her.” He turns and calls to his soldiers, “Someone help this lady onto a truck.”
A soldier comes and pries her away from me.