I hit the ground hard and quickly rolled to my back.
Nathaniel swung his sword as he advanced.Oh fuck.Silas was on the ground behind him.He was alive, I could see him breathing, but he wasn’t moving.I tried to get up but everything fucking hurt.That’s when I realized he hadn’t just slammed into me, he’d shoved his sword deep into my side.I’d recover from it, it would heal, but not in the next few minutes, not the next few days.
I glanced up as I tried to scramble back.Roxy was on her feet, and by the hand Lothar had curled around her wrist, he was ready to restrain her.The rest of my sisters jumped to their feet as well, all standing.Even Uma looked ready to kill for me.
A smile curled my lips.
Nathaniel’s hate-filled gaze slid over me as he closed in.“What do you have to smile about, demon?I’m about to take your head.”
Ignoring the agony, I pushed myself up and staggered to my feet.“You won’t live long afterwards.”
“And who is going to kill me?”he spat.
I motioned to the stands.Every handmaid was slamming into an invisible field that Felditch had lifted around the stands.Lucifer was on his feet now as well, his eyes glowing bright yellow.“They’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth.”
“The rules prohibit retribution,” Nathaniel said, as if he’d bested me.
“Haven’t you been paying attention, Nate?We’re demon bitches, remember?Breaking the rules is what we do.”I scooped up my axe that had skidded from my hand and, with a cry of rage, attacked.
Our weapons clashed, the sound deafening.He was so incredibly strong and power rolled from him in a chilling blast.He had the might of Heaven behind him, but I had darkness, and it surrounded me, comforting me.It was as if Lucifer was right there at my side.I felt him there, his love for me.No matter what happened today, live or die, he would take me home.
I stumbled and Nathaniel used his wings to propel him forward, advancing, not giving me the chance to catch my feet.I was going down, and I wasn’t sure if this time I could get back up.I’d lost too much blood, and the more I lost, the heavier my axe became.
My back slammed against the ground and Nathaniel kicked the axe from my hand, pressing the tip of his blade to my throat.He smirked down at me and leaned in.“Don’t take this loss to heart, Ursula, you were never going to win.Did you truly believe that Silas was ever on your side?”Fury filled his eyes.“I know you caught the look between Silas and Uriel, I certainly did.”Hatred rolled from him.“Looks like your fuck buddy’s been making secret deals.”
Whatever that exchange was between Silas and Uriel, Nathaniel was furious about it.
My gaze sliced to Silas.He was struggling, trying to stand up.Blood poured from his back, his side.His gaze locked on mine.No.Nathaniel was just trying to fuck with my head.Silas would never do something so shitty.
Nathaniel grunted, and my gaze sliced back to him as he hit me with power, pinning me to the ground, holding me immobile.He was about to take my head?—
Silas slammed into Nathaniel out of nowhere, knocking him on his ass.He held his blade to the other angel’s throat, breathing hard, hissing through his teeth.His chest heaved as he raised his sword, and with an agonized roar that echoed around the arena, brought the razor-sharp blade down with brutal force—and impaled the dirt beside Nathaniel’s head.
Silas’s gaze was locked on the other angel.“We surrender,” he said.“You win.”
What?No!“What are you doing?”I swiped up my axe and went for Nathaniel.Nothing happened.My arm was frozen midair, the blade of my axe hovering above him but not touching him.
Nathaniel was frozen as well—then he was gone.One moment he was about to eat my blade, the next he was on the other side of the arena.
My gaze shot back to Silas, his hand around the hilt of his sword still buried in the dirt, his silver gaze locked on mine.
He’d surrendered.He’d let them win.
My heart shattered.
He’d chosen them.
Eighteen
Ursula
How couldI have fallen for his lies?So many fucking lies.Nothing, none of it was true.This was his plan all along.
I strode toward him, while fury like nothing I had ever experienced before throbbed through me.Humiliation, betrayal, pain, were all whipping around inside me like an out-of-control category-five fucking hurricane.
“Urs,” Silas said, swaying on his feet.
I slid a knife from the sheath strapped to my thigh.