A Game of Wings and Marks

Rebecca Crunden
Copyright ©2017 Rebecca Crunden
All rights reserved. No part of this book
may be duplicated in any form without
the written permission of the author,
except in cases of brief quotations for
reviews.

ISBN-10: 1548194581
ISBN-13: 978-1548194581

This is a work of fiction. Names,

characters, places, events and incidents
are products of the author’s imagination.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living
or dead, is entirely coincidental and not
intended by the author.

Edited by Daniela Tarlton-Rees

Cover Illustration © John McKeogh
 CHAPTER ONE
The Watcher’s Wings

The figure was bent over, covered in blood. Upon closer inspection it
became clear that the blood on the figure’s back was coming from two
gaping wounds parallel to his spine. Bone and flesh had been ripped
from him with ruthless skill. The blood loss rightly should have killed
him, yet he stood on trembling legs and looked around.
The scraps of burned and destroyed fabric offered no indication as
to what he might have been wearing. Covered in blood and dirt and
grime, it was hard to discern anything about him other than the fact
that he was tall and naked, and something very unpleasant had
befallen him. What was also very apparent to any who looked upon
him in this form, to their horror or amazement, was that he was not
human. Human-like, to be sure, but different.
There was a snapping sound and the heavy breaths of someone
approaching at a run.
The figure’s hands curled into fists and he straightened up as best
he could, which, considering how injured he was, was not very straight
at all. He remained hunched over and trembling in agony. Blood
dripped down his back at an alarming rate.
Out of the forest ran a dog. A woman followed close behind. She
was tall, dark and wiry, her hair plastered to her head with sweat. She
stopped abruptly at the sight of the figure. Her scowl turned to
complete shock and horror.
‘Holy shit,’ she said. ‘What the fuck happened to you?’
‘Help me,’ said the figure. ‘Please.’
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Okay. Can you tell me your name?’
He stared at her with wide, terrified eyes. Inverted, beautiful eyes.
Black with white irises.
It was impossible not to stare.
‘Tell no one,’ he said.
And then he collapsed.
The woman darted to catch him, her hands accidentally pressing
into the wounds on his back. He roared in anguish.
 ‘I’m sorry!’ she cried, eyes widening as she took in the mess of his
back. Her hands were now covered in blood. ‘Jesus Christ! What
happened?’
But he was beyond coherency and she got no answers.

_________________

It took Octavia Coal almost an hour to heave the bleeding man to the
trailhead. The snow fell with increasing intensity, making it impossible
to see the path ahead, and she was glad Cleo was with her. Her dog led
the way back, barking loudly, as she lugged the stranger along.
He hadn’t spoken once on the way down the mountain, and the
blood did not seem to be clotting. She was almost soaked with it.
When they finally reached the car, she opened the door awkwardly,
propping him up against the side.
Cleo jumped into the backseat as Octavia tried to manoeuvre the
stranger into the car without injuring him further. With effort,
wincing all the while, she managed to get him inside.
He hadn’t shown any sign of awareness since he’d collapsed, but
when she leaned back, his hand shot out and wrapped around her
wrist.
His grip was so powerful she thought her bones would shatter.
She froze, eyeing him uncertainly. His eyes were completely
disarming.
There was absolutely nothing human in them.
‘Hey,’ she said with forced calm. ‘My name’s Octavia. I’m going to
help. I’ll take you to –’
‘No one can know.’
Her heart hammered in her chest. ‘Look, gangrene is not worth it.’
His grip felt like stone and his accent wasn’t one she recognised.
‘They’re coming,’ he said. Lilted and soft, the words tripped together
into a near melody. ‘Don’t linger.’
A shiver went down Octavia’s spine. ‘Who?’
‘Please,’ he said unhelpfully. ‘Somewhere safe.’
‘I’ll help you if you let go.’

6
 The stranger released her instantly. His eyes closed; sweat poured
out of his skin. Skin that was much too unreal.
Octavia climbed into the driver’s seat and pulled out onto the main
road away from the mountain. Her heart would not stop hammering
and she was twitchy with anxiety.
There was no one else on the road, but even still Octavia found
herself glancing in the rear-view mirror every few seconds. Having a
bloodied man in the backseat of her car not going towards a hospital
would raise a few questions.
She also couldn’t shake the feeling that whoever, or whatever, that
had attacked him might even be following them now.
She pulled out her phone and dialled Caleb’s number, tapping the
steering wheel anxiously with her thumb.
Her big brother, and only friend, Caleb was the one she went to for
everything. He had held her hair back through her first hangover and
took her to get an abortion when she was sixteen; if she’d killed
someone, he would help her bury the body. Calling him about the non-
human in her backseat was only natural.
When he answered, it was with one of his usual tangents: ‘Do you
think television’s improved or am I simply so brainwashed it’s all an
acceptable level of terrible? Honestly, I’m appalled. But I’m more
appalled by how unappalled I am.’
Octavia took a deep breath. ‘Cale, I need you to get all the medical
supplies you can and meet me at the farm.’
The banter vanished, and his next words were loud with worry.
‘What the fuck? Why? Are you hurt?’
‘No, I’m fine,’ she said quickly. ‘It’s not for me.’
‘Meaning?’
‘Just hurry. And bring food.’
Caleb snorted. ‘Are you hurt?’
‘No,’ she promised. ‘There’s a man in my backseat. I found him on
the mountain. He looks like Hannibal Lecter had a crack at him.’
‘They have hospitals for that.’
‘Can’t go to a hospital.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I’m pretty sure whoever it was is still after him.’
‘Jesus Christ, this is like a horror movie. Okay. I’m on my way.’

7
 It took her another twenty minutes to reach her grandparents’
farm. As they lived in Thailand for six months out of the year it was
completely abandoned now that winter was well settled in. There
would be no one to bother them.
She drove up to the side door and hurried inside. She flicked on all
the lights in the house and clicked the heating on. The windows had a
layer of frost which began to shrink as the warmth spread from
grumbling radiators.
When she returned to the car, Octavia found the man barely
conscious. He had bled through the towels and onto the seat.
She pulled him gingerly out of the car. Her grandfather’s
wheelchair from when he broke his leg proved the best solution to
getting the stranger inside the house. She wheeled him into the
downstairs bathroom and then lugged him into the large shower.
Octavia removed her shoes, socks and coat before stepping in after
him and turning the water on. She took the showerhead down and ran
the water over him. With thick layers of muck and grime coating him,
it was impossible to tell the extent of his injuries.
‘What’s your name?’ she asked.
He was so dazed with pain that she had to repeat the question seven
times before he understood.
‘Tamiel.’
The effort of saying even that seemed to drain him and he said
nothing else.
She was nearly done cleaning his wounds when she heard the front
door slam and Caleb called her name. She yelled back, and he followed
the trail of blood into the bathroom.
‘Mother of fuck!’
Octavia stared at the wounds, heart hammering. ‘Do they – do they
look like they might have been wings or am I completely out of my
mind?’
Making a face, he walked over and bent down, narrowing his eyes.
‘I mean – maybe.’
They exchanged curious looks before they lifted Tamiel off the
ground and out of the shower. With Caleb’s help, she got Tamiel into
a pair of trousers and then kept him from falling over as Caleb treated
and bandaged his back as best he could.

8
 ‘He really ought to see a doctor,’ said Caleb when he finished. ‘That
is like two hours from becoming a nasty infection. I don’t think skin
can just … grow over holes. Can it?’
Octavia tried not to gag at the mental picture those words conjured.
She gently lowered Tamiel onto the bed and placed a blanket over
him before following Caleb out of the bedroom.
After changing into dry clothes, she joined him at the table, tiredly
playing with the burger he’d brought her.
‘Who did he say was after him?’ asked Caleb. ‘Or, more disturbingly,
what?’
Octavia shook her head. ‘He wasn’t specific.’
‘You realise he could be a serial killer.’
‘Please, he looks like he’s nearly been serial killed.’
‘That is not a saying.’
‘You get my point, Cale.’
He raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. ‘And do you get mine?’
‘Yes,’ she said, mostly to pacify him. ‘It’s good I’ve got my big
brother here, isn’t it?’
Caleb rolled his eyes in exasperation. ‘Did you even get his name?’
‘Tamiel.’
‘Is that Hebrew?’
‘Sure.’
Caleb scratched the side of his face, thinking hard. ‘He looks like he
was tortured.’
‘I was thinking that.’
They eyed each other before Caleb nodded. Without another word,
he began walking around the house double-checking every lock and
window until he was satisfied everything was secured. Kissing
Octavia’s forehead, he bid her goodnight and wandered down the hall
to the spare bedroom.
Equally as exhausted, Octavia dropped down onto the sofa and
turned the television on. Leaning back against the cushions, her mind
too heavy with sleep to process any coherent thoughts, she took a few
half-hearted bites of her burger.
Sometime between the programme and the commercial break,
Octavia succumbed to sleep, the half-eaten burger still in her hand.

9
She awoke to the sound of Caleb making breakfast in the kitchen. Her
head felt foggy and her skin clammy. With a grunt, she shuffled into
the kitchen and dropped into one of the chairs.
‘Coffee,’ she mumbled. ‘So much coffee.’
Caleb slid a cup over to her and then went back to making eggs. The
food smelled amazing and her stomach growled. She’d missed his
cooking.
‘I’m not sure how I feel about leaving you here alone with him,’ he
said.
‘I think I can take him,’ said Octavia. ‘He’s missing half his back.’
Caleb grimaced. ‘Fine. I’m leaving work early. And call me if you for
one second have any reason to worry.’
‘I will.’
‘Promise me.’
‘I promise.’
Mollified, he passed her a plate and they ate in weary silence.
After breakfast, Caleb left for work and Octavia took a shower
before heading back in to check on Tamiel.
His black eyes snapped open the moment she entered, appraising
her with a sharp, calculating gaze. He lay prone, and still in obvious
agony, but as wary as he was, he seemed preoccupied by something.
‘Here,’ she said, sitting on the edge of the bed and holding the glass
out to him. ‘Figured you’d need it.’
Tamiel sat up with a wince. He drank the contents of the glass
before holding it back out to her. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘I am eternally
grateful to you for your kindness.’
Octavia smiled. ‘It’s no big deal.’
‘It is,’ he insisted. ‘You risked your life by helping me. I will never
forget that.’
Her stomach twisted at his words and she looked over at the door.
‘Who’s coming after you?’
‘The Irin.’ He moved heavily to his feet, unable to even straighten
up. ‘I must go. They will find me soon.’
‘Wait,’ she protested. ‘You can’t go anywhere like this. You’re about
three seconds away from collapsing.’
‘I am not the only one in danger.’
‘Someone else is going to get fucking butchered?’

10
 He nodded grimly. ‘I have to go. Now.’
‘Right,’ she said, heart pounding as her mind spun ahead with the
possible outcomes of her snap decision. ‘If you can give me directions,
I’ll drive.’
‘You’re going to help me?’ Tamiel was noticeably surprised. ‘Why
would you do that?’
Octavia shrugged. It just felt like the thing to do. There was no
rhyme or reason to it past that.
‘Get a coat,’ she said instead. ‘It’s snowing outside.’
‘The cold doesn’t bother me.’
‘Well, seeing you without a coat is going to bother me.’
She found him some of Caleb’s old clothes and before long they
were in her car, driving onto the dirt road which led away from the
farm. The sunlight glittered off the snow, making the morning feel
kinder than it was.
Tamiel sat stiffly beside her, trying not to lean back against the seat.
‘Whatever reason they had for doing that,’ she said, ‘it doesn’t
matter. There’s no excuse for it.’
Tamiel’s jaw clenched and he didn’t look at her. ‘It was to teach me
a lesson.’
‘The fuck kind of lesson were they trying to teach you?’
‘Not to disobey. Turn here.’ Tamiel waved at a side road and Octavia
turned, heading south. ‘Take the next right.’
The sides of the road were thick with trees and the ground was
heavily blanketed by snow. Everything was various shades of white
and brown and grey.
Octavia glanced at Tamiel. ‘I know you don’t know me, and I know
I’m a stranger, but I figure since I’m helping you, perhaps you might
tell me at least a little of what’s going on?’
He bowed his head. ‘I suppose that’s fair. What would you like to
know?’
Octavia’s grandmother had once told her she had all the tact and
subtlety of a brick to the face. The next words out of her mouth only
confirmed her grandmother’s worst fears: sheer tactlessness. ‘Did you
have wings?’
Tamiel looked over at her. ‘You noticed.’
‘Kind of hard not to.’

11
 ‘Turn here.’ He tapped his finger on the window.
Octavia turned down another road. Where they were going was
unclear. The snow was falling faster now and it was hard to see much
in front of the car. She hated driving in this weather, but the thought
of leaving someone else to face the horror which had been inflicted
upon Tamiel made her fears seem insignificant.
‘Are you an angel?’ she asked, wondering if that sounded as stupid
to him as it did to her.
‘More or less.’
‘What’s the more?’
‘I am akero. But you would know me as an angel. To humans, it’s
the same.’
She nodded several times, trying to process this. ‘And we’re going
towards a …?’
‘Human.’
‘Right.’ Octavia pursed her lips in thought. ‘Tamiel?’
‘Yes?’
‘Can I have a little bit more to go on, please?’
Tamiel nodded, but he seemed distracted. ‘We are going to
Brickwell. Do you know it?’
‘The town? Sure.’ Now that she had a direction she felt somewhat
less disorientated. ‘Who’s in Brickwell?’
‘Jack Cohen.’
‘A human?’
‘A college student.’
‘I would’ve thought a priest.’
‘Why?’
‘You said you were an angel.’
‘Most of our human contacts are not religious. Nor, I might add, are
akero. Only some. As with all creatures.’
Octavia raised an eyebrow. ‘So what are your human contacts?’
‘Believers. But not all believers are religious.’
It seemed unlikely that she was going to get anything else out of
him, so Octavia turned on the radio and said nothing until she finally
saw the exit for Brickwell and turned off the main road. The thick trees
which lined the road gave way to fields covered in snow and
farmhouses with smoke billowing out of the chimneys; soon enough

12
houses cropped up more frequently, and then shops. Signs for the
college directed them through the town.
‘These guys that are coming after you – and Jack – are they, like,
angels also?’
‘Yes.’
Tamiel directed her through the streets until they pulled up in front
of a perfectly ordinary looking apartment complex. He reached for the
door handle and Octavia caught his hand.
‘Stay here,’ she said. ‘You’re no help if you’re falling over. Just tell
me which room number.’
‘Twenty,’ he said. ‘And hurry.’
‘That’s sort of like “thank you”,’ she mumbled. ‘You’re welcome.’
She clambered out of the car and into the freezing morning air. Her
nose and ears began to ache.
With a quick look around to see if anyone had followed them, she
darted over to the side of the building and clicked on the buzzer. After
a few moments, the speaker crackled.
‘Hello?’
‘Is this Jack?’ she asked, crossing her arms to ward against the cold.
‘Who’s this?’
They were all as friendly as each other, then. She wondered who
the Irin were to make them so on edge.
‘Look, your friend Tamiel’s in my car and he’s been fucked up, so
you might want to get your shit and get down here,’ she said. ‘And
bring a coat. It’s fucking cold.’
There was a long pause and then, ‘I’ll be two minutes.’
Octavia jogged back to the car and clambered inside, placing her
hands against the vents to warm them. ‘He’s coming,’ she said to
Tamiel. ‘What does a college student have to do with your wings?’
‘Everything.’
She waited for him to continue but he said nothing else. Intrigued,
she looked over at the front door.
For the next few minutes neither of them spoke or moved. Tamiel’s
hands were closed in fists in his lap and he was glaring at the front
door of the apartment complex as if he could disintegrate it. For all
Octavia knew, perhaps he could.

13
 When the door opened and a young man stepped out, Tamiel’s
whole body relaxed. Jack looked around, caught sight of the waiting
car, and jogged over. He clambered into the backseat and looked from
Octavia to Tamiel in confusion.
‘Tam, what happened?’ he asked. His bright blue eyes narrowed as
they took in the sight of Tamiel. ‘Are you masked?’
‘They know,’ grunted Tamiel before glancing at Octavia. ‘We should
go.’
Octavia drove away from Brickwell as fast as was safely possible.
‘Someone please tell me what’s going on.’
‘How could they have found out?’ asked Jack, ignoring her question.
He was perhaps twenty-two or so, with thick brown hair and curious
blue eyes. The sort of young man who would be found in the corner of
a library or coffee shop, nose in a book, oblivious to the world around
him. Not the sort who ought to be mixed up with warring angels.
Tamiel shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’
‘Why are we driving? Why didn’t you come straight to me?’
Octavia glanced at them. ‘Does this have something to do with your
wings?’
Tamiel shot her a warning glare and Jack’s eyes widened in horror.
‘That’s not your mask,’ he croaked.
Octavia wasn’t sure what a mask was in this instance, but Jack only
now seemed to have realised Tamiel had no wings.
‘No …’ There was utter heartbreak in Jack’s voice.
‘I’m all right,’ said Tamiel. ‘I will heal.’
Jack put his fist to his mouth. He looked ready to be sick. ‘I’ll do it
now.’
‘No. Wait.’
‘Where should I go?’ interjected Octavia.
The snow was falling fast and heavy now. It was hard to see more
than the cars directly around her.
‘I haven’t heard from Qaspiel,’ said Tamiel, glancing at Jack. ‘I have
nowhere.’
‘We can go back to the farmhouse,’ said Octavia. ‘My grandparents
won’t be home for months.’
Jack caught her eye in the rear-view mirror. ‘Would anyone come
there?’

14
 ‘Aside from Caleb, no.’
‘Caleb?’
‘My brother,’ she said. ‘The man who helped bandage your friend
last night.’
Jack only seemed somewhat satisfied with that answer.
Instead of heading into the city, Octavia drove back towards the
farm.
Inside, as Octavia set a fire in the hearth, Tamiel sat still and quiet
as Jack carefully undid the bandages and examined the wounds for
himself.
Octavia looked over at them. As she watched, she realised they were
not friends at all. It was clear they were far more than that. She was
about to turn away and give them some privacy when she saw Jack
take off his shirt.
She stared.
His skin was covered in strange symbols; they weren’t tattoos but
scars. Some were light, white scars, others were deep scar tissue;
logograms in a language she didn’t know. Jack bent down in front of
Tamiel and pulled a knife out from his boot.
Completely mesmerised, Octavia watched Jack carve a symbol into
his chest. He did it quickly and clinically and then pressed Tamiel’s
hand to the wound.
As she stared, the flesh on Tamiel’s back slowly regrew until all that
remained were two dark and brutal scars. Tamiel slid out of the chair
to his knees and captured Jack in a desperate kiss. They clung to each
other, saying things with tightly gripped hands and reassuring touches
which words alone would not do justice to, before they broke apart.
Tamiel looked at Octavia and smiled. Fully healed, even sans wings,
he was still a sight to behold. In that melodic voice, he asked, ‘I expect
you have more questions.’
Octavia’s mouth was still open in shock. She closed it and nodded
several times before finding her voice. ‘Oh, like a thousand. Let’s start
with magic healing carving or whatever the fuck that was, and go from
there.’
The way he explained it, Tamiel was one of many angels stationed
on Earth to ensure that the demons, or daevas, did not overrun the

15
humans and reach their home world, Parid. To aid in this, the angels
were assigned willing humans whose souls anchored them to Earth.
Their most sacred rule, the one which, if broken, resulted in a death
sentence, was to refrain from intimacy with the humans who offered
themselves to the cause. It was that which put Tamiel in danger now.
Someone had learned their secret.
‘I don’t know who betrayed us,’ finished Tamiel, rubbing his jaw in
thought. ‘No one knew. We were so careful.’
Octavia frowned. ‘Why does it matter so much?’ It boggled her mind
that anyone, whatever their species, could care about who was
sleeping with whom.
Jack shook his head and ran a hand through his shaggy hair. ‘I used
to think I knew.’
‘You’re taking all of this very well,’ said Tamiel, nodding to Octavia.
‘I’m impressed.’
Octavia drew her legs into her chest. ‘I was the girl who thought
Santa Claus was real until I was twelve. Sometimes I’m not entirely
convinced nowadays. I’d be more surprised to learn there was nothing
than to learn that there’s something.’
Tamiel smiled. ‘There should be more like you. Everyone nowadays
outdoes themselves to prove their excessive belief in only what their
scientists have managed to stumble across. But there is so much more
out there.’
Jack wiggled his eyebrows. ‘So much more.’
As Octavia wondered what else was real, they redirected the
conversation to what they would do next.
Jack took off his glasses and squeezed the bridge of his nose. ‘We
could go to Blood and Bone. Zev might help.’
Tamiel made a face. ‘I was thinking the same thing.’
‘We have no choice,’ said Jack. ‘And Zev would jump at the chance
to annoy the Irin. Helping you would amuse him.’
Octavia felt once again completely out of the loop, but she was too
fascinated to complain. Yesterday her biggest concern had been
figuring out how to tell Caleb she had broken up with Jax. Now she
was listening to conversations about angels by an angel.
And that was just so fucking cool.

16
 It was certainly the best distraction from heartbreak she had ever
had.
‘Zev will know if we can get your wings back,’ added Jack.
Tamiel opened his mouth to respond, and then looked away angrily,
conceding the argument.
‘What’s Blood and Bone?’ she asked.
‘A haven,’ said Jack, tearing his gaze away from Tamiel. ‘Well, a
club. Demons and angels and humans on neutral ground. No violence
allowed.’
Tamiel scoffed. ‘Violence is currency in that place, Jack. A promise,
a deal under the table, the signing of papers in blood – it’s all violence.’
‘Can you think of anyone else powerful enough, and stupid enough,
to cross the Irin? He did offer you a job.’
‘If I go to him now, I’ll have to take the job.’
‘Good. You’ve just lost one. Perfect time to get a new one.’
Although Tamiel glowered at him, it seemed Jack was set on the
idea. They discussed it for a while longer, but in the end it was agreed
that they would go to Blood and Bone as soon as the snow let up.
Octavia showed them to the guestroom and left them alone. In the
sitting room, she curled up on the window seat and watched the snow
fall. The world seemed much larger and more mysterious than ever
before.
Butterflies of excitement erupted in her chest.

Octavia had been watching the snow get worse and worse, not liking
the prospect of Caleb driving in it at all, when his car suddenly pulled
into the drive several hours early. He jumped out and raced up to the
door. She tugged it open before he could knock and let him inside.
‘It’s a fucking blizzard out there!’ he cried, brushing snow from his
head and shoulders. Caleb had no hair to speak of and buzzed it off
frequently. How he wasn’t a walking popsicle was anyone’s guess. He
added, ‘We were told to go home early. The roads aren’t safe.’
Octavia caught him up on the events of the day. Like her, Caleb had
little trouble believing in the strange and otherworldly. He listened to
her as he set about making them lunch and when the chicken was
sizzling, and the vegetables were simmering, Tamiel and Jack walked

17
in. They looked tired and worn, but both appeared rested and
somewhat less frenetic than before.
‘How’d you sleep?’ she queried, looking Tamiel over. She supposed
it was stupid to worry about an angel getting a fever. It didn’t seem
like the cold affected him like it affected the rest of them. But still, she
worried.
‘Well,’ said Tamiel, bowing his head graciously. ‘Thank you.’
‘You remember Caleb,’ she said. ‘Caleb, Jack. Jack, Caleb.’
They all shook hands.
‘Smells good,’ said Jack. ‘Need any help?’
‘Sure,’ said Caleb. ‘But don’t let Tivs near the food. She burns
everything.’
Octavia rolled her eyes and sat down at the table beside Tamiel. She
had so many questions that all seemed of equal importance. Somehow
what she ended up asking was, ‘What does Parid look like?’
Tamiel smiled at some memory, his fingers drumming absently on
the table. ‘There are no clouds to walk on, if that’s what you’re
wondering. It’s … it’s very much like Earth except larger – preserved.
It is everything and nothing like it is described.’
Octavia thought about that for a moment. ‘Do you miss it?’
Tamiel glanced over at Jack who was laughing about some
disastrous cooking escapade with Caleb. He shook his head. ‘I have
found that home is where you can sleep at night completely at ease.
For me, that is Jack.’
Octavia felt a pang in her chest. It was hard not to feel slightly
jealous of much they loved each other. Jax had never made her feel
safe. He was comfortable chaos and she’d been with him since she was
fifteen. He was a threat which kept away bigger threats. But she’d
never longed for him. He never made her smile.
And now she didn’t have even that.
‘If the storm keeps getting worse did you still want to go to that
Blood and Bone place?’ she asked, trying to distract herself.
Tamiel nodded grimly. ‘Ice storms will not keep away the Irin. It
won’t take them long to find me. Zev will be able to provide protection.
It’s better to go sooner.’
‘But you don’t trust him?’
‘It would be unwise to trust a demon.’

18
 Octavia had no idea what to say to that, so she stood and made them
all very strong cups of coffee as Caleb and Jack began passing around
the food.

19
 CHAPTER TWO
The Demon’s Gift

An hour later, after a nerve-wracking car journey, they arrived at the

club. From the outside, Blood and Bone looked like any normal
business on the main street of an historic city. In an eighteenth-
century building which had been refurbished and preserved, it was not
the sort of place anyone would look twice at save to say that the
architecture was lovely.
Dim light shone from inside and jazz music filtered out. Two
bouncers stood at the doors and very few even attempted entry.
‘Stay close to me,’ said Tamiel. Even without wings, Tamiel still
seemed innately menacing. ‘And speak to no one.’
Octavia did not feel inclined to argue with that. As the only other
person who knew what was going on was Jack, they stuck in odd pairs:
Tamiel and Octavia, Caleb and Jack.
When they reached the bouncers, Tamiel’s eyes flashed solid white
and they stepped aside without a word.
The air was thick with smoke that was strangely sweet; there were
hookahs on every table and half the cliental were smoking. It reminded
her of a piano bar.
Everything was anachronistic when compared to the items around
it. A beautiful landscape of a forest in winter was beside a large, brutal
looking sword which, in turn, was beside an array of vintage playing
cards; the lamps were Japanese, the carpets Persian, the booths 1970s
deco, the chairs chintz and squishy and potentially British, the tables
refurbished drift wood and crystal; there was aboriginal art, and
paintings from China, and vintage photographs from the 1940s.
‘Whoa,’ she said, glancing at Caleb. ‘Décor vomit.’
He nodded, equally at a loss for words.
From Caleb’s other side, Jack said, ‘Zev’s lived through enough
decades by now for it to stop making sense. Whenever something
breaks it gets replaced with whatever’s around at the time. Apparently
the lack of style is the style.’
‘It’s fucking cool,’ said Caleb, bending to examine a katana on a
podium.

20
 Octavia nodded in agreement. She found she liked it even if it did
look like six kaleidoscopes had fallen on top of each other.
Tamiel didn’t look twice at anything. He made directly towards a
door on the other side of the room. Octavia kept pace with him, trying
to look as if she belonged there. He had said humans were safe inside,
but she somehow doubted any of the other humans there were as
clueless as she and Caleb were.
When they reached the door, Tamiel spread his palm flat upon the
wood. His hand glowed red for a moment and when he dropped it,
there was a burn mark. It smoked, flared, and then disappeared
entirely.
Tamiel glanced at Jack, nodded once, and then led them inside.
If Octavia had ever imagined what a room decorated with liquorice
would look like, this would not have been far from it. As she had never
had occasion to imagine such a room, all she could do was stare at the
mass of black everything.
And there, in the centre of the room, sat Zev, the Demon of Games.
His eyes were catlike and bewitching; no sclera and entirely
lavender. With ash-white hair slicked back, thick eyebrows framing a
strong brow, his beard close cropped and neat, he was a striking sight.
He wore only black and his hands were covered in intricate tattoos.
They looked, Octavia thought with amused interest, like card designs.
What language they were in was a mystery, however.
Zev smirked as they stepped closer to him. ‘Ah,’ he said with a
rattling sigh. ‘Hello, Tamiel.’
He looked them over with deliberate slowness. When his eyes fixed
on Octavia, a shiver went through her. He smiled with half his face and
purple lightning crackled between his fingers.
‘Zev,’ said Tamiel coolly. ‘How goes the business?’
‘Oh, you know,’ said Zev, purple eyes fixing on Tamiel. ‘It comes, it
goes.’
‘Much like human affairs.’
‘Yes. Have you come to accept my job offer?’
‘Another matter entirely.’
‘Oh, how disappointing.’ Zev’s lavender eyes were hard to track, but
they seemed to settle on Jack. ‘You. Healer. Come to me.’

21
 Jack stepped away from Tamiel and walked stiff-backed over to Zev.
Octavia was impressed. She would not have been able to walk so
confidently towards him. But it was clear that this was not Jack’s first
interaction with demons.
Zev gestured with his hand.
With only a minor amount of hesitation, Jack kneeled down before
Zev. He remained there unmoving until Zev reached out and put a
hand under his chin, forcing his head up. Tamiel tensed and Octavia
found herself giving him a smile of reassurance. Jack might be human,
but he seemed to know what he was doing.
‘You are handsome,’ said Zev mildly, tilting Jack’s head first one way
and then the other. ‘I’m not sure you’re worth his sacrifice, but who
am I to judge?’
He shrugged and waved at Jack to return to them. ‘What is it you
need, Tamiel?’
‘My wings,’ said Tamiel. ‘They were cut from me.’
Zev made a tutting noise and shook his head. His eyes seemed to
crackle and his tattoos glowed purple. ‘You akero and your wings.
Nasty business, Tamiel. Nasty business indeed.’ His gaze turned to
Octavia. ‘And you? How do you enter into this strange little drama?’
‘I’m the designated driver.’
‘I bet you’re a wonderful drunk also.’
‘I wouldn’t know.’
He seemed amused by her responses and he held her gaze a beat
longer before looking at Tamiel. ‘You know the Irin come, Tamiel. I
can feel more angels in our little hamlet than I prefer.’
Tamiel bowed his head. ‘I have come to ask for your protection as
well as your help.’
‘You ask a lot.’
‘And I will repay you for it. I’ll take the job. I am no longer a
Watcher.’
Zev appraised him for a moment, expression indecipherable, before
he waved a hand; a book floated over to him. It settled on his lap and
its pages began to turn quickly before settling near the end. ‘I cannot
regrow your wings myself,’ he said. ‘But I do –’
There was a loud banging on the door behind them. Everyone
turned sharply to look at it.

22
 Zev waved his hand and for a moment the banging stopped, only to
renew with more gusto. He stood and strolled over to the door, purple
flames curling around his hands like vines.
‘Wait,’ said Tamiel. ‘It’s the Irin.’
‘They have no authority in Blood and Bone, Tamiel,’ said Zev before
yanking open the door and glaring at the loud intruders. ‘What?’
In the doorway stood three very intimidating angels, one male and
two females. The Watchers wore black trousers and boots, but no other
clothes. Their chests were covered in armour and each had multiple
weapons. But it was their wings Octavia stared at, only then
understanding the extent of what had been done to Tamiel.
Angel wings were stunning. There was nothing birdlike about them.
They were nearly reptilian. Sinewy. Feathers like satin and metal, bone
like armour made from earth. Weapons and transport, beautiful and
deadly. Two of the angels had grey wings, one had white. They were
also enormous.
A chill went down Octavia’s spine.
Zev closed the door behind them, his eyes flashing irritably at this
intrusion. Octavia got the feeling that they were only getting as far as
they were because he wanted to see exactly what it was they would do,
not because he couldn’t make them leave. He seemed to have a good
deal of power and she hoped he was on their side.
‘Tamiel, you are to come with us,’ said one. ‘You have broken the
law.’
Octavia, Caleb and Jack all moved closer to Tamiel. It wasn’t like
they could actually do much if the angels decided to take him, but there
was strength in solidarity, and Octavia felt more courageous with them
beside her. At least they were all equally as screwed.
Tamiel regarded the three angels with a look of disappointment. ‘I
didn’t think it would take you nearly so long, Hamon.’
The angel nearest them sneered. ‘How’s life without wings?’
Tamiel bristled. ‘I hope you never know.’
‘Come with us,’ said the second angel. ‘It’s better to go quietly,
Tam.’
‘I thought you were better than this, Peliel,’ said Tamiel softly.
‘Aren’t we friends?’
Peliel looked away, jaw clenched.

23
 Hamon, on the other hand, seemed to delight in being there. ‘Take
him,’ he said to Peliel and the other.
Before they could move, Zev’s eyes flashed, and the very air seemed
to shudder.
Everyone looked at him.
‘Blood and Bone is a haven for all species from all worlds, from all
planes, Watchers, and best you remember it,’ he snapped. ‘Tamiel is
under my protection and I will remove you all if you annoy me further.’
‘Take down the wards, Zev,’ said Hamon. ‘You are interfering in
business not of your understanding.’
‘Oh,’ mocked Zev, ‘do demons not understand angel business? You
do not have authority here. This is my home and I am the law. Blood
and Bone is a sanctuary.’
Hamon’s hand shot out, but if he expected that to do anything he
was sorely disappointed. He looked at Zev as if he would enjoy nothing
more than ripping his spine out through his chest. ‘Remove the wards,
filth.’
Zev looked at him with unmasked scorn. ‘I am far older than you,
Watcher. Don’t test me. I have signatures in blood from your betters
which will see you sent back to Parid if you choose to ignore their
truce.’
Octavia and Caleb exchanged looks of impressed approval. She
wondered what it must be like to have that sort of confidence in one’s
own abilities and powers.
It didn’t seem like Hamon particularly cared. He raised his sword.
Tamiel held up his hands. ‘There are humans amongst us – we must
all remember that.’
The third angel said, ‘Then best leave with us and avoid bloodshed.’
It was impressive how little fear Tamiel showed. His glare ought to
have levelled her. ‘I’m going nowhere, Sorush.’
‘Then you leave us no choice,’ said Hamon. ‘No one will miss one
Healer who’s broken the law.’
‘There are three humans here!’
‘The ends justify the means, Tamiel. That is our law. You have
broken our most sacred!’
Zev’s hands shot out, the tattoos on his fingers shimmering purple
before returning to black.

24
 The air felt like molasses and Octavia gagged, hardly able to draw
breath. In the blink of an eye, Zev was by her side. His slanted eyes
were narrowed with cunning and he moved with the sly grace of a fox.
‘My darling Octavia,’ he purred into her ear, his arm sliding around
her waist as he brushed his lips over the curve of her ear. A chill went
down her spine and her chest shuddered from his proximity. ‘Your
heart calls to help. I can feel how much you are willing to give for your
friends. I can save you all and no one need ever be hurt. What do you
say?’
She looked at him dubiously. ‘It sounds like a trap.’
Zev chuckled. ‘All pieces must play their part, little queen. I mean
to cross your path again. Helping will bring you no harm – nor anyone
else. I can make certain everyone leaves alive.’
Octavia swallowed hard. She hardly trusted Zev, yet it was he, not
the angels, who seemed to be helping Tamiel most. And all she had to
do was look at Tamiel’s back to be reminded of which side she
supported.
With trepidation, she nodded. Even if she didn’t know them well,
she already felt a growing sense of loyalty to Tamiel and Jack. She had
never really had friends; she wasn’t going to let anything happen to
her first.
‘Do you swear it?’
‘Yes.’
‘Good.’ He grinned as if he had just won a great victory and raised
his hand. There was a symbol of sorts glowing in the middle of his
palm. ‘Hold on tight, little queen.’
He slammed his hand into the centre of her chest.
Violet light exploded from where his hand touched her skin and
disappeared inside of her. A burning spread through her chest and she
cried out in pain, her legs threatening to give out. He held her upright
until the burn turned to a wave of comforting warmth and her head
spun like a top. It took all her focus to remain standing.
When the seasick feeling dissipated, time seemed to return to
normal.
She blinked. As if none of it had happened, Zev was standing by the
door, glaring at the angels. They moved towards Tamiel and she cried
out –

25
 And then a fifth angel appeared in the room.
He was tall, fearsome and commanding, with one sword sheathed
to his back and one at his side. His thick, slightly wavy hair was
impossibly black, the same as his wings, and he, too, seemed to be
made of stone. He was as beautiful as he was terrifying. And he did not
look amused at having to be there.
‘Oh fuck,’ said Jack, eyes going wide.
Octavia’s heart hammered.
The new angel looked from Tamiel to the other angels before taking
in Zev and the humans. ‘Where is Alyssa?’
Her chest throbbed beneath her shirt and she could only guess what
that meant. All she could do was hope it helped.
But what had Zev done?
‘Your henchmen ought to have better manners, Commander,’
drawled Zev. He regarded the new arrival with barely more than mild
interest. As if his patience with them all had long evaporated. ‘They
come into my place of business – my sanctuary which has been here
for three hundred years – and attempt to overrule my word. Your
soldiers run amuck, Raphael.’
Octavia didn’t have to know much about angelic mythology to
recognise the name. She and Caleb exchanged nervous glances.
‘This will be rectified, Zev,’ said Raphael. ‘Know that this is the first
I am hearing of any of this.’
‘Oh, of that I am certain,’ said Zev. ‘Which is why I will not file a
complaint should all parties leave promptly. Well, the humans can
stay. I quite like the look of one of them.’
He winked at Octavia.
Raphael ignored this and looked at Tamiel. ‘What have you done,
little brother?’ He did not seem to be looking for answers so much as
voicing his unhappiness. ‘The punishment for fornication with a
human is death, Tam. You of all of us know this. How could you be so
reckless?’
Tamiel bowed his head but said nothing.
Raphael’s gaze moved to Octavia and Caleb. ‘And who might you
two be?’
‘Humans,’ said Hamon.

26
 Raphael looked over at Hamon with disdain. ‘Thank you, Hamon. I
could not have deduced that myself.’ He looked back to them, black
eyes narrowed in confusion. ‘Where is Alyssa?’
Octavia raised an eyebrow. ‘Who?’
Zev’s lips twitched in wicked pleasure; a joke only he was in on.
‘My Healer,’ said Raphael before redirecting his focus to Tamiel. ‘I
am not here for you, brother. I was called here because she is in
trouble.’
Tamiel, Hamon, Peliel and Sorush all looked around, distracted
from their fight by this information.
Zev began to laugh, and Octavia had a very bad feeling in the pit of
her stomach that whatever had happened to Alyssa was directly her
fault.
Raphael looked at Zev. ‘What’s so funny?’
‘You angels and your humans,’ said Zev, lavender eyes glinting. ‘I
find it endlessly amusing that you have no say in the ancient binds
which bend to me. I mean, whatever would you do if you suddenly
found yourself with a new Healer? One who wasn’t brainwashed by
your texts and your laws. Whatever would you do then, archangel?’
Whatever that meant, whatever it was Zev had done to her, it
sincerely bothered Octavia to see looks of horror on the faces of the
angels there to kill Tamiel. If it was shocking to them, it could hardly
be good.
She couldn’t look away from Raphael as her apprehension
skyrocketed.
‘What did you do, Zev?’ he asked, voice a deadly whisper. ‘Where is
Alyssa?’
‘Alyssa is wherever she is.’ Zev waved his hand. ‘I doubt she will
concern you much longer.’
Raphael went very still. ‘Why’s that? What have you done?’
‘Do angels care about humans outside of their Healers? Funny,
you’ve never seemed to.’ Zev held Raphael’s gaze in amused challenge.
‘Enjoy your surprise, Raphael. Now get out of my establishment.’
A cloud of purple surrounded them and then they were outside in
the snowy street, as if the world had moved without waiting for them.
Zev was gone, but the five angels and three humans remained
unmoved.

27
 Raphael looked from Octavia to Caleb. ‘Which of you,’ he enquired,
lips a thin line of mystification, ‘made a deal with the demon?’
It had only taken Octavia a few seconds to realise the bargaining
chip Zev had now given them. The way they spoke of Healers, the way
the presence of the humans seemed to make them pause, the way they
had all looked for Alyssa, had given her an idea.
She stepped up beside Tamiel. Her legs felt like jelly and her
stomach was in knots. But she could feel it deep in her chest – a
presence. Another soul not her own. She glanced at Tamiel and smiled.
Tamiel eyes widened as he realised what had happened.
Raphael stared at her. ‘You?’
She cocked an eyebrow with as much bravado as she could muster
– immensely glad Tamiel was standing beside her – and said, ‘Me.’ Her
heart was pounding so hard her chest hurt.
The angels behind him were staring at her with astonishment.
Hamon looked like he was going to explode from rage at the entire
situation.
‘Impossible,’ said Peliel. ‘You cannot switch Healers. Alyssa has
been your Healer for thirty years.’
Raphael did not appear to hear her. He was scrutinising Octavia as
if he didn’t know what to make of her. ‘You are my Healer now.’
‘Lucky me.’
Unbothered by her reaction, Raphael held out his hand. There was
now no anger on his face at what had transpired without his
permission. He seemed resolute and determined, snapping into
proactivity in a way that spoke to years of being able to do everything
his way.
‘Will you come? I will keep you safe.’
‘Safe from what?’
‘Being my Healer puts your life at risk. I will protect you.’
A noise of derision left her. Octavia felt bizarrely responsible and
reliant on him in equal measure. But even still, she had no intention of
going anywhere. ‘Yeah, that’s not happening.’
Even without wings, even without weapons, Tamiel was brave
enough to laugh at his former comrades. ‘Somehow I doubt Octavia’s
going to enjoy the monastery like Alyssa does.’

28
 Octavia’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and astonishment. She held
up her hand and shook her head. ‘No, no definitely not.’
Not only had she never been religious, she knew she’d go mad being
hidden someplace. What kept her sane was knowing there was space
around her. That she could run. That there were no walls, no
boundaries, no fences. She would never agree to any less.
She remembered all too well the feeling of being locked up. The very
thought made her throat close.
With a firm nod, Tamiel squeezed her shoulder. ‘You’re not going
anywhere.’
‘That is not your decision, Tamiel,’ said Raphael. It was clear he was
losing his patience. It was also becoming clear that he didn’t like
Tamiel’s proximity to her in the slightest.
She noticed the same odd possessiveness in every one of Tamiel’s
moves towards Jack. She thought it was because of what happened,
but now she wondered. Raphael didn’t appear to like her much at all,
but he seemed more inclined to punch Tamiel for being near her than
for loving Jack. And if Watchers were possessive of their Healers, they
could use that.
Raphael added, ‘You are still under arrest.’
Octavia glanced over at Jack, who nodded once in solidarity. She
could feel Caleb at her side. With as much courage as she could muster,
she looked at Raphael and said, ‘Give him back his wings or I’ll never
help you.’
The angels stared at her. It was hard to gauge Raphael’s reaction,
but it seemed like he was completely caught off guard.
Octavia wondered if anyone had ever refused to help an angel
before; she wondered if she actually could. Having Caleb, Tamiel and
Jack beside her somehow made that seem like a possibility. She crossed
her arms over her chest and forced courage into her veins.
Hamon sneered at her in disgust. ‘That is not your right, human.’
‘It’s not? Funny, I thought Tamiel said that angels needed Healers.
How stupid of me.’ Octavia glanced at Caleb who looked like he was
trying not to laugh despite his terror. She grabbed his arm. ‘I was
wrong. Let’s go.’

29
 Before she could make it more than two steps, Raphael held up his
hand, his great black wings unfurling in what seemed a show of
exasperation. ‘Enough of this.’
Octavia’s heart was beating so quickly she thought she was going to
pass out.
Raphael snapped his fingers and Tamiel dropped to the ground.
From his back, great black wings, identical to Raphael’s not only in
colour, but in power and beauty and shape, burst out.
Octavia, Caleb and Jack all leapt back to keep from being knocked
out by their mass.
Tamiel let out a scream which was half-pain, half-delirious relief.
He stood on trembling legs, his new wings flapping multiple times, as
if anxious to reassure him of their existence.
Octavia breathed a deep sigh of relief and nodded to herself. She
hadn’t known until that moment just how badly she had hoped such
an outcome was possible.
When Raphael spoke next, it was not a chastisement so much as a
philosophical query. ‘Do you know what it is you have done, human?’
She didn’t. She hadn’t a clue. But with three angels behind him
looking at her like she was less welcome than the dirt on their boots
and one before her who she suddenly felt the need to prove worthy of,
she wasn’t about to tell any of them how terrified she was.
She crossed her arms and shrugged. ‘It looks like I helped a friend.’
Raphael’s lips twitched, and he glanced at Tamiel once before his
impossibly black eyes rested on her. ‘You do not even know Tamiel. I
can feel how new your friendship is.’
‘Maybe,’ she said coolly. ‘That doesn’t mean we’re not friends.’
Tamiel stepped up beside her. She glanced at him with a hopeful
smile. ‘Better?’
‘Better.’ He squeezed her shoulder in gratitude.
Octavia looked back at Raphael. ‘Whatever I did was worth it, then.’
Raphael pursed his lips, brow furrowed in thought.
‘He is still under arrest!’ spat Hamon. ‘He has broken the laws and
must face the punishment!’
‘Touch him and we’ll see how long your Commander lives,’ she
snarled at Hamon, sounding like she had any leg to stand on, which
she wasn’t sure she did. ‘I don’t have to help anyone I don’t want to.’

30
 ‘That is not your right!’
‘Watch me, fuckhead.’
‘There are no children,’ said Peliel carefully, drawing everyone’s
attention from their argument. ‘There can be no offspring.’
Raphael nodded at her words.
Octavia wasn’t sure why that mattered but Tamiel was now looking
at Raphael beseechingly, clutching Jack’s hand. Jack looked so
impossibly breakable surrounded by so many angels and Octavia tried
not to think about how easy it would be for them to squash him if they
wanted. If they dared disobey Raphael. If they were willing to give life
to their obvious and unbridled hatred of him.
And for what? Because they’d fallen in love?
It was all so bizarrely stupid to Octavia.
Raphael regarded them all for a moment. It was clear he had ten
times the authority of anyone there. At length, he said to Tamiel, ‘You
are banished. You are stripped of all titles and rights. The Irin will no
longer protect you. You are nothing. You cannot return to Parid, so you
will live out your days on Earth. Go. Jack is yours.’
This declaration was appalling to her, but Tamiel looked relieved
beyond belief. He tugged on Jack’s hand, cocking his head to Caleb and
Octavia in indication that they go.
As Octavia moved to follow them, Raphael caught her arm gently.
This time, when he spoke, there was no authority to it. No edge.
Only a genuine curiosity. Polite and respectful. ‘What is your name?’
There was no reason to lie. ‘Octavia Coal.’
Raphael smiled and bowed his head. ‘It is an honour to meet you,
Octavia Coal. I will see you soon.’
And then, with a great flap of his black wings, he was gone.
She had to take several deep breaths to remain standing as
everything inside her tilted slightly in whatever direction he had gone.
‘You get used to it,’ said Jack softly from behind her. ‘But it always
feels weird.’
Hamon looked like he very much wanted to beat Tamiel into the
ground, but after a moment, he vanished also. Peliel gazed sadly at
Tamiel before departing. Sorush shook her head and walked back
inside Blood and Bone.
Perhaps angels drank away their stresses, too.

31
 The street seemed impossibly empty and ominous without the
angels’ overwhelming presence. Small flurries of snow stuck to their
hair and eyelashes, landing on the beautiful feathers of Tamiel’s new
wings. Octavia wanted to ask if she could touch them, but she wasn’t
sure if that was polite.
‘I don’t know about the rest of you,’ said Caleb, ‘but I need a fucking
drink.’
‘Several, in fact,’ said Tamiel.
As they began to walk back towards the car, Octavia glanced over
her shoulder at Blood and Bone. Zev was standing in front of the door,
a wicked smile on his face. From a distance, the catlike nature was all
the more overwhelming.
She wavered, staring at him, and then suddenly he was gone again.
With a frown, she followed the others, knees shaking nervously with
the weight of the day’s events.

Without anything else to do – and not having much in the way of

coherent thought processes – the four of them went back to the
farmhouse. Caleb took care of Cleo, Octavia went to the bathroom to
shower, and Jack and Tamiel headed into the sitting room.
She had just pulled off her shirt when something in the mirror
caught her eye and she froze, staring at her reflection in shock. Where
Zev had put his hand against her chest there was a deep burn mark in
the shape of a hand.
Pain and heat laced through her fingers when she touched it and
Octavia hissed, shaking her hand. Showering quickly, she yanked on
pyjama bottoms and a tank top, and went to find Tamiel.
She found him on the sofa watching Jack, who was sleeping soundly
with his arms crossed over his chest, his glasses on the edge of his
nose.
She pointed to her sternum when he looked up. ‘Explain.’
Tamiel reached out and, at her nod, touched the mark. It was hard
to tell from his complete lack of an expression if something was wrong.
‘The Mark of the Demon,’ he murmured.
‘That sounds bad,’ she said, stomach in knots. ‘What is that?’

32
 Octavia grabbed a hoodie off the back of a chair and tugged it on.
She curled up on the sofa opposite Jack and waited for Tamiel to give
her some answers. It was hard not to stare at his wings, which were
pinned back. Sometimes they looked soft and sleek, sometimes they
looked shiny and scaly. It was hard to tell.
‘A sign to all that you have done a deal with a demon.’ He smiled
tightly, eyes filled with gratitude but mouth a thin line of worry. ‘I will
never be able to repay my debt to you, Octavia.’
‘Don’t worry about it.’
‘What you did –’
‘Anyone would have agreed to help.’
Tamiel shook his head. ‘No. Most would not have.’
Octavia looked out at the dark window where snow was piling up
against the sill. She could see her reflection perfectly but the world
outside was hidden.
‘When did Jack become your Healer?’ she asked, glancing back at
him.
‘Three years ago,’ said Tamiel, smiling at the memory. ‘My Healer
before him was a wonderful woman – Mei Lin. She was a devout
believer, but she was not curious. Jack was different from the start. He
wanted to know more than anything.’
Octavia glanced at Jack, a smile on her face. It seemed like such a
good love story. If only Tamiel had not been banished because of it.
She didn’t want to pry, but at this point it felt like they had passed any
awkward initial stage of friendship.
‘How did you two, you know, fall in love? Was it straight away?’
Tamiel reached out and brushed some of the thick hair from Jack’s
eyes. Jack shifted in his sleep, leaning instinctively into his touch.
‘It was for me, but I knew it was wrong. I tried everything to
prevent myself from thinking of him that way. From risking it. I was
able to for almost three years.’
‘So you’ve not been together for long.’
‘No. Only a few months.’
‘Am I prying?’
Tamiel shook his head. ‘I have wanted for so long to tell someone
of my feelings for him. But who could I tell? My siblings would have
all turned me in for it.’

33
 ‘That’s terrible.’
‘It is our law.’ A faraway look came into his black and white eyes.
His expression suddenly pained. ‘Over a millennium ago, one of my
comrades loved her Healer.’
‘What happened?’
‘She was killed. Her Healer was killed.’
Octavia’s lip curled. ‘It’s a really fucked up law.’
‘It is not that simple. It is the law. We do not do what we do because
God says so – not all angels are believers. Some believe; some do not.
Our laws are there because humans are our charges, our duty. Any
offspring we might have would be tainted or cursed. More than that –
it is a grave breach of trust. Can you imagine how truly wicked things
could become should an angel take advantage of their Healer? You are
not nearly so powerful as we are. It could go wrong very quickly. I
broke the law. I know this. Perhaps it’s arrogance, but I like to think of
Jack and I as the exception, not the rule. And I suppose we are lucky in
that we are male. Without the potentiality for children, we do not pose
a risk. Children are the biggest threat.’
‘To whom?’
‘The very order of our worlds, Octavia.’ He looked at her. ‘I’m sorry
I brought you into this. No one who does not want this life should have
to live it.’
Octavia frowned. ‘Healing an angel doesn’t seem so bad a
punishment for getting your wings back.’
Tamiel was quiet for a moment before he said, ‘All of Raphael’s
enemies will now no longer be hunting Alyssa. They will be hunting
you. He kept her safe in a warded convent.’
There was a choking noise from behind her and Octavia turned to
see Caleb staring at them, all the colour gone from his face. His voice
was hoarse when he said, ‘Tell Raphael to go back to Alyssa, then. If
Zev’s a demon, surely this isn’t what they want.’
‘It’s not,’ said Tamiel. ‘But a Healer cannot be changed.’
He snorted in disbelief. ‘Zev just proved that that is not true.’
‘Yes,’ said Tamiel. ‘And not one of us could tell you why. We don’t
know the extent of Zev’s power and have never been inclined to test it.
He is the Demon of Games and one of our few contacts to the demon
world. He helps.’

34
 Octavia’s eyebrows shot up. ‘He’s that powerful?’
‘He’s one of the oldest demons on Earth. He came from Kolos a long
time ago. Even the very worst of demons are disinclined to cross him.’
‘But he’s not one of the very worst?’
‘He’s the Demon of Games. If you play well, he appreciates that.
He’s a trickster.’
Caleb scratched the side of his face. ‘But … but …’
Tamiel shook his head. ‘Zev altered the bond. Raphael is tied to
Octavia. Likely he has gone to explain this to Alyssa and will be here
shortly.’
Octavia felt a bit bad. ‘I didn’t know this was what Zev would do.’
‘Zev loves his games. I’m sure there is an angle to this we don’t yet
see.’
She could feel a headache forming. It was difficult to process all of
this in so short a space of time.
Caleb walked over and dropped down beside her on the sofa. He
looked just as lost as she felt, and since she respected Caleb’s
intelligence more than just about anything, she felt a bit better.
‘So how do we fix this?’ he asked, clearly intent upon finding some
sort of solution for her predicament.
Tamiel shook his head. ‘He does not reverse curses unless he finds
a more amusing one to put in its place.’
‘Great.’
Tamiel started abruptly and stood. ‘We will be back,’ he said, lifting
Jack easily – not even disturbing his sleep – and, with a flap of his
wings, disappeared.
Before she had time to be confused, Raphael appeared in the centre
of the room.
In the middle of her grandparents’ hippie sitting room, Raphael
looked out of place with his swords and scowl. His wings,
extraordinarily, seemed at home amongst the oddities.
‘Caleb,’ he said. ‘Will you give us a moment alone?’
Octavia raised an eyebrow, wondering how he had suddenly
learned Caleb’s name.
Caleb crossed his arms and refused to move. ‘No.’
Raphael’s black eyes flickered in surprise. ‘No?’

35
 Octavia wondered if anyone had ever refused him before; perhaps
no human ever had.
‘I’m not going anywhere unless Tivs wants me to.’
Hesitant, Octavia glanced from her brother to Raphael. She would
never keep anything from Caleb, but asking her questions would be
easier without Caleb’s snide and protective remarks to Raphael on her
behalf.
‘Just chill in the kitchen?’ she asked.
Glowering, Caleb kissed her forehead and shot Raphael a dark look
before disappearing into the kitchen.
‘Your brother is protective.’
‘He’s all I have.’
‘Where are your parents?’
‘Gone.’
To her relief, Raphael didn’t press.
Now that they were alone she wasn’t sure where to start. She
clapped her hands together and tried to think of what to say when she
had a million things to say. The brand twinged, sufficiently distracting
her, and she pointed to her sternum. ‘Tamiel says I’ve got the Mark of
the Demon.’
Something flashed across Raphael’s face and he nodded. ‘I am not
surprised such a spell would leave a long-lasting mark. Does it hurt?’
She shrugged. ‘Don’t think brands ever feel like sunshine and
daisies.’
‘Would you like me to heal it?’
‘I thought I was supposed to heal you.’
Raphael moved to her side, his wings tucking neatly behind his
back. Now that the initial intimidation had worn off and apprehensive
curiosity swirled in its wake, Octavia could actually take the time to
appraise him. He was both recognisable as human-like but different
enough that it was impossible not to stare. He was darker than Tamiel,
his expression sharp and cunning. His skin looked like stone, his eyes
like coal, his wings greater and more powerful than any animal or bird
in existence. His black hair was the colour of ink in a bottle; to her
surprise, he did not appear to have any other body hair, much to her
disappointment. Angels with beards would have been awesome.
‘Perhaps aliens are really angels,’ she mused aloud.

36
 Raphael’s lips twitched. ‘Do you always say the first thing which
comes to mind?’
‘Yes. Especially when I’m nervous.’
‘I make you nervous?’
Octavia leaned back against the cushions and crossed her arms. The
movement caused the cloth to scrape across the burn and she hissed
in pain.
‘You can heal me,’ said Raphael, bringing the conversation back
around. ‘I am also able to heal you. If you allow it? Your life is tied to
mine. Were I to let anything happen to you, I would suffer. The Healers
are our tether to Earth. If you die, I die.’
She took off the hoodie and he appraised the mark with a scowl.
She watched, eyes wide, as Raphael placed his hand over the mark. It
did not disappear, nor did it lessen in its sharp severity, but it became
firm scar tissue and ached no longer.
‘Were it human-made, I could heal it entirely,’ said Raphael, glaring
at the hand print as if it was an affront to his abilities. ‘Most will
mistake it for a tattoo.’
Octavia let her fingers drop from where they had been tracing the
mark, still slightly shocked the pain was gone. She gave him a grateful
smile. ‘Thank you. That helped.’
Raphael sat back and regarded her thoughtfully. ‘Do you know what
it is you have invited upon yourself, Octavia?’
She figured he was being rhetorical and said nothing.
‘I have more than half the demons in the known universe after me,’
he said. ‘This is no life for one who doesn’t volunteer.’
‘I did volunteer.’
‘Without knowing the consequences?’
‘Tamiel needed help.’
Her words seemed to spin him in circles. At length, he let out a small
huff and bowed his head. ‘They say Healers are born even before they
are called. Perhaps we were always meant to be.’
She stared at him. It was far too easy to interpret those words
differently and she found, to her surprise, that she really wanted the
misinterpretation to be true. She bit her lip to keep from smiling.
‘Volunteer or not,’ he continued, ‘this life is not without risk. It is
the reason Alyssa hid away. It was the safest thing for her – for all my

37
Healers. As my enemies have increased, the safety of my Healer has
become difficult to ensure. But there are places under constant Irin
protection. Michael and Gabriel’s Healers both live in strongholds.’
Octavia shook her head. ‘I’m not hiding. I’m not going anywhere.’
Raphael had clearly been expecting this. He said, ‘You will be
putting everyone around you at risk. Your brother most of all.’
‘Octavia isn’t going anywhere with you, dickhead!’ called Caleb
from the kitchen. ‘Keep pushing and we’ll have a problem!’
She smiled fondly at Caleb’s words. Over the years, Caleb had
threatened any and all who tried to split them up. Being an adult hadn’t
changed the very real truth that the only reason Octavia could even
sleep at night was because she knew Caleb was looking out for her. It
was, she allowed silently, perhaps one of the reasons she didn’t care
for his girlfriend.
‘He’s right,’ she said. ‘And if I ever do it won’t be without him. And
Cleo.’
‘Cleo?’ he asked.
‘My dog.’
Cleo barked from the kitchen.
‘See,’ said Octavia. ‘I don’t come alone.’
Raphael looked thoroughly exasperated. ‘You will be hunted. I am
asking you to let me keep you safe. You know nothing of our worlds
and ways. It is not only your life you risk.’
‘I’ll be fine,’ said Caleb, appearing in the doorway, his hand in a
cereal box.
Raphael did not deign to give him so much as a glance. He looked
at Octavia imploringly. ‘My life is forfeit should I let anything befall
you.’
‘Look,’ she said carefully, ‘I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.
But I am not going to be locked away. Tell me enough to keep me alive.
I’ll listen. I don’t want to be demon food or angel fodder. But I won’t
hide.’
When Raphael sighed, his wings rustled. It was evident that he
didn’t want to agree, but after holding her gaze for several moments,
he bowed his head and nodded.
Silence fell between them for a time.
‘Did you believe?’ he enquired at length. ‘In anything?’

38
 The question seemed very important to him.
Relieved that he wasn’t going to drag her to some convent under
the pretence of protection as she’d half-feared he might, Octavia
nodded. ‘I’ve always believed in more. I think I just got lost somewhere
along the way with what form that belief comes in.’
His black eyes seemed to fill with approval. ‘Good,’ he said, more to
himself than to her. ‘That’s good.’
After a moment, he stood, insisting that if she was going to remain,
then he was going to put wards at the farmhouse, her apartment,
Caleb’s home, and anywhere else she might spend hours at a time. She
sat and watched him, captivated by his wings, and the odd language
that tripped from his tongue.
At last, well past midnight, Caleb called it a night, and Octavia found
herself truly alone with Raphael for the first time.
He sat down beside her. The white of his irises was so strange and
beautiful in the low light of the lamp. ‘You haven’t said anything for a
time.’
‘Most people say I talk too much.’
‘I have a feeling that you’re the sort of person one should only worry
about when they cease talking.’
A slightly edged laugh escaped her, and a look of concern changed
his stoic features. ‘Are you sure you’re all right?’
‘I’m scared,’ she whispered. ‘Don’t tell anyone.’
Whether he was frustrated or annoyed by her in general, in that
moment, Raphael seemed like her dearest friend in all the world. He
reached out and put his hand over hers. He said, in a voice filled with
the sort of conviction which comes not from arrogance but from
repetitive proof of one’s abilities, ‘In all my years, I have never let
anything happen to my Healers. You will not be the first. I will keep
you safe.’
Somehow Octavia had no trouble believing that. ‘Do you have to
go?’ she asked.
Raphael shook his head and sat on one of the Moroccan pouffes her
grandmother had brought back from one of her trips.
‘Will you tell me about your world?’
He smiled and nodded. ‘What do you want to know?’
‘Anything.’

39
 A soft chuckle left his lips. ‘We have cities; so high above the ground
you live amongst the clouds. Perhaps that’s where the legends come
from. It is a world for winged creatures like us, and great sea creatures
unlike any in your mythos.’
She nodded thoughtfully. ‘So it’s not an afterlife?’
‘Not quite. It is not of this time or place. The only way we can be
here is to tether our souls.’
‘Then it’s like another plane of existence?’
‘I’m not sure,’ he admitted. ‘I exist here, I existed there. I would
exist on Kolos. But it is also true that if you die here, you might be
reborn there. Perhaps it’s all connected and beyond our meagre
understanding.’
‘I kind of like that, though.’
‘What?’
‘Knowing there’s more but not knowing what. It makes life seem
like a story that’s constantly being written. And if things never really
stop, if there’s always something more, that’s not scary. That’s kind of
cool.’
Raphael gazed at her for a moment, a smile playing on his lips. ‘Yes,’
he said softly. ‘I suppose it is when you put it like that.’
Octavia wrapped her arms around her legs. ‘For the record, I wasn’t
trying to do any of this. I just wanted to help. If I really fucked things
up for you, I’m sorry.’
‘You haven’t,’ he assured her. ‘Alyssa is well, as are you. My brother
will not be put to death and sleeps at peace beside the one he loves.
This is a good day, Octavia.’
Something fluttered in her chest and she had to cast about for
something else to say. ‘So …’ She made a face. ‘What do Watchers, you
know, watch?’
‘The Gateways,’ he said. ‘Or what is left of them.’
‘The what?’
‘Former locations where the Gatekeeper may enter and exit Parid
and Kolos at will.’
Octavia raised both eyebrows. ‘Does that happen a lot?’
He shook his head. ‘Not in millennia. No one knows who the
Gatekeeper is. Each generation it changes. The akero of old wanted to
ensure that the daevas couldn’t have control over the Gateways for

40
long. Even if they manipulate and control one Gatekeeper, they won’t
know the next one coming.’
She was incredibly interested, and incredibly confused, and she
tried to think of a good question to ask. ‘When was the last time the
demons got through?’
‘Four thousand years,’ said Raphael.
‘I guess you guys aren’t doing a bad job, then.’
‘We do our best.’
Octavia smiled at him and cast about for another question. And then
another. It was only when she yawned five times in a row that Raphael
bid her goodnight.
She went to sleep that night with a smile on her face. She dreamed
of wings and marks and Gateways to other planes of existence.

41
 CHAPTER THREE
Lessons

The following morning, after bidding farewell to Caleb, Jack, and

Tamiel, Octavia set about cleaning the farmhouse from top to bottom
before locking up. It didn’t take long, and by midmorning she was on
her way back into the village.
When she pulled up in front of her apartment she saw a familiar
sight: Jax leaning against his car smoking absently. He smiled when he
saw her and stamped out the cigarette. He blew out a cloud of smoke
and finished the coffee he was drinking before walking over to her.
Octavia locked her car, glaring at him. ‘What do you want, Jax?’
He put his hands on her hips and cocked a smile. ‘I missed you,
baby. Didn’t you miss me?’
‘It’s hard to miss someone who’s a dick.’
‘I was drunk. I was stupid. It meant nothing.’
Octavia disentangled herself from his grip and stepped around him.
‘Caleb was right about you,’ she said acidly. ‘I never should have taken
you back after last time.’
Uncaring, Jax followed her and stepped between her and the door.
An old familiar flutter curled in her stomach and she felt herself
waver. Jax sensed it and leaned in. His hands moved up her back,
pressing her closer to him.
The air was like ice, but Octavia couldn’t move away.
She couldn’t remember life before Jax. He had been there in some
form or other since she was fifteen. He had been her first everything.
It was hard forcing him aside when he was right there in front of her.
‘Let’s go inside,’ he breathed against her ear, sending shivers down
her spine. ‘I’ll show you just how sorry I am.’
Octavia’s very fragile hold on the situation disintegrated. Her
apartment was the only one on the third storey and they were inside
and touching each other in seconds. They did not stop kissing as they
stumbled through the door and into the kitchen.
He pulled her shirt over her head and stared. ‘What the fuck is that?’
Just like that, the pull to him dissipated. Disgust and annoyance
swelled in the space between them.

42
 ‘Tattoo,’ she said, grabbing her shirt and yanking it back on. She
desperately wanted to be anywhere else in that moment.
And then she was.
Octavia spun around. She was standing on what appeared to be a
dried lava bed. In the distance there seemed to be a very active volcano,
but where she found herself was far from danger. Rain fell from the
sky and kissed her skin; it mixed with the ash in the air and dyed her
different shades of grey and black.
She was just wondering who or what had brought her there when
something caught her eye in the sky above her. There, flying out of the
thick smoke billowing from the volcano, was Raphael. He looked like
something out of time as he landed gracefully on the rock beside her.
Covered in ash and soot, both of his swords dripping bright blood, he
was an epic painting brought to life.
His stone-like skin was covered in deep wounds and lacerations, but
he seemed unbothered by them as he walked over to her. ‘What was it
you wished to be away from?’
Octavia gaped at him. ‘You can read my mind?’
‘I could,’ he allowed. ‘I don’t much care for it. Watchers can only
read the minds of their Healers, but most daevas can read minds in
general. The difference between being a guest and being an intruder,
if you will. But I’m glad of it. Everyone’s thoughts ought to be their
own. Had I not been in the midst of killing a demon when you called, I
would have come to you. I didn’t know if you were about to be harmed,
so I moved you here until I could finish.’ His black eyes roved over her.
‘Are you? All right?’
‘Jax saw the mark,’ she said, not bothering to explain who Jax was.
Raphael sighed and nodded. ‘I will see to it.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘I will erase the moment where he saw it.’
Octavia nodded with an air of nonchalance, but inside she was
deeply impressed. She also wasn’t sure it would be a bad thing if Jax
never remembered what had happened between them. She and Jax
were a terrible couple and they had been each and every time they
were together.
A wound on Raphael’s leg caught her eye and all thought of Jax left
her as she appraised it. ‘Is this the sort of thing I’d help you with?’

43
 Raphael eyed her. ‘If you were so inclined – it is not urgent.’ It was
clear he didn’t want to press her.
‘I want to,’ she said. ‘Show me how.’
Now that the threat to Tamiel was gone, she felt a rush of
excitement and anticipation knowing what all she knew now. She was
keen to try.
A pleased smile twitched his lips and he handed her a small blade.
‘You must do it,’ he said. ‘I can’t take what is not offered.’
The rain poured down even harder, soaking them to the bone. The
waves crashed against the black rocks, creating a booming orchestra.
Raphael somehow looked even more ethereal in the downpour.
Octavia took the blade. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
He waved his hand over the rock on the ground beside him. Fire
burst from a small tear in the rock and then the lava spread with
intent, forming a strange symbol. She stared at it until the glow
seemed tattooed to her vision.
‘It need only be small,’ he added. ‘My wounds are not severe.’
Octavia had never been particularly good at art, but a long period
of teenage depression had given her unfortunate insight into the ins
and outs of cutting skin, and after a moment’s hesitation, she pressed
the blade deeply into her forearm.
As best she could, she carved the symbol into her flesh, gritting her
teeth as she did so; pain laced up through her arm and into her
shoulder. The blood had barely covered the symbol when Raphael put
his hand over it. His skin was warm and his grip firm; the most
astonishing feeling of euphoria spread through her and light emanated
from her skin into his. She watched, mesmerised, as Raphael’s wounds
began to heal.
When his flesh looked like unblemished stone, Octavia collapsed
against him, exhausted in the most wonderful of ways.
‘Is that all?’ she asked, brushing wet hair out of her eyes. She
couldn’t stop staring at his leg where the wound had been.
‘Yes,’ he said, and she looked up. ‘Shall I take you home?’
She nodded.
Raphael lifted her easily and, with a great flap of his wings, shot
upwards.

44
 They flew over the waters of the ocean at an incredible speed. Then
they were over land. Then they were over snow. Little Hanover
appeared in seconds.
Octavia did not turn away from the view; her eyes stung from the
wind, but she did not shut them. She was captivated and wanted to
remember it all.
When Raphael landed on her balcony, he let her drop lightly to the
ground.
‘Can people see you?’ she asked, opening the door to her bedroom
and stepping inside. ‘Otherwise you’re quite brazen for one so lawful.’
‘I am unseen,’ he said as he followed her inside, brushing snow off
his bare shoulders. ‘More unnoticed than invisible. Most humans only
ever see something move out of the corner of their eye or feel a
presence. A few see us. The more perceptive ones. Those who believe.
You have likely heard stories.’
Octavia suddenly remembered Jax and moved towards the door.
‘Your guest realised he forgot something at home,’ said Raphael.
‘He remembers nothing.’
‘Thank you.’
Her words seem to bemuse Raphael. ‘For ensuring my existence is
not discovered?’
‘No, because I was about to do something truly stupid with him and
I’ve since thought better of it.’ She changed quickly into a dry shirt and
pyjama bottoms before sitting down heavily on her bed. ‘I thought it
was our secret?’
A smile twitched his lips. ‘Do you wish it to be?’
‘Do I have a choice?’ She was genuinely curious. Not that she would
refuse to help him, but it would be good to know if she had any say at
all.
Raphael sat down beside her. His wings, huge as they were, never
seemed too big to fit anywhere; he never bumped into anything or
seemed hindered. Like a bird, his wings were a natural extension of
himself. Which, Octavia figured, they were.
‘Of course you do,’ he replied. ‘You may be my Healer for this
lifetime, but I cannot force you to heal me. It would leave me without
a Healer, but it has happened.’
‘What would that mean for you?’

45
 Raphael scratched the side of his face, brow furrowed. ‘I have gone
ten generations of human lifetimes without being wounded to the
point of near-death. Had any of them refused, I would have survived.
I’ve never had a Healer refuse me. Others have not been so lucky.’
‘And demons?’ She made a face. ‘Or should I say daevas?’
‘Both are correct.’
‘Yeah, but I want to be accurate.’
‘They’re interchangeable at this point.’
‘Like akero?’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘You’re learning.’
‘Yeah.’
The smile finally broke out and he gazed at her in wonder for a
moment before continuing. ‘Demons have worshippers; slaves. Not
Healers.’
Octavia quickly added ‘worshippers’ to the long list of people she
had no desire to ever meet.
He added, ‘Demons either possess bodies, create forms to blend in,
or take the body of a willing worshipper. It’s different for akero. Our
forms manifest entirely from our bonds with our Healers.’
She mulled that over for a minute. ‘Humans aren’t exactly
invulnerable. Perhaps you should’ve gone for like, elephants or
something.’
‘Humanity cannot defend itself against the demons who would
overrun this plane in the hopes of reaching Parid. Much of the current
tension is the result of a select few.’
‘Like who?’ She was desperately curious.
He was silent for a time, as if debating whether or not to trust her
with this bit of information. But then he nodded to himself and said,
‘One of the reasons we tolerate Zev is because he is vital in stopping
the likes of Cain.’
‘As in Cain and Abel?’
‘There’s more to the story, but yes.’
‘There’s always more to the story.’
‘Cain, amongst others, has been trying to open the Gateways for
millennia.’
‘Why?’

46
 Raphael held up his hands. ‘You would have to ask one of them.
We’ve been fighting for so long, I’m not sure they even know why they
want in at this point.’
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. The loudest thing in
the room was her own heartbeat, which pounded against her ears.
At length, Raphael said, ‘Whilst I have never had a Healer who was
not called, I like your soul, Octavia. I will you teach you as best I can if
you are willing to learn.’
She grinned. ‘I’m in.’
It had been years since Octavia had felt comfortable with anyone
other than Caleb. She wasn’t particularly social, nor did she care much
for getting to know anyone. But somehow in the span of a few days,
she had made three new friends. With a small smile, she wrapped her
arms around him. At least he didn’t feel like stone.
When they broke apart, she was still smiling.
‘I should go,’ he said. ‘I will return soon.’
Octavia nodded. ‘Be careful and all that.’
Raphael bowed his head, and with a great flap of his wings,
disappeared.

47
 CHAPTER FOUR
Healers and Watchers

The following afternoon, Octavia had only just returned from walking
Cleo when Raphael appeared on her balcony. It was strange how the
sight of him was enough to brighten her day. He greeted her warmly,
as if they were already dear friends, and held out a necklace. It was a
small white stone on a silver chain. The contents of the stone seemed
to be swirling.
‘It will keep you safe from minor demons and curses,’ he explained.
‘I would suggest not taking it off.’
Octavia let him fasten it around her neck. It was oddly weightless.
‘Thanks,’ she said. ‘I appreciate the … gesture?’
She wasn’t sure what you called it when someone gave you
jewellery to keep from being kidnapped and tortured.
They gazed at each other for several long seconds before Raphael
nodded his head and announced that he had many things to do and
had only dropped by to bring her the necklace. Assuring her that he
would be by soon, he departed.
She was only just wondering what to do for the day when her phone
rang.
It was Jack. He said, ‘Tam and I were talking about everything and
we thought – if you wanted – you might come over. It’s safe here and
there’s wards. I can give you my books and journals on Healers. Just
so you don’t feel so lost. I’ve read them backwards and forwards. I
don’t need them.’
The prospect of seeing them again filled her with excitement, and
she was desperate to know more about Healers, Watchers and all the
rest of it.
Quickly agreeing, Octavia fed Cleo before setting off for Jack’s
apartment.
He buzzed her up and was standing in the doorway when she
reached the top of the stairs. He looked tired and stressed, his hair
messy in a way that suggested he spent far too much time pulling at it
in agitation. His glasses hid the circles beneath his bloodshot eyes but
did nothing to mask the strain in their depths.

48
 ‘You look good,’ she said with a laugh.
Jack chuckled and gestured for her to come in. ‘Things have not
been quiet.’
‘What do you mean?’
The apartment was exactly what she imagined from looking at Jack:
piles of books in every corner and on every surface; book shelves with
enough volumes that there was not one spare bit of space. He had
stacks of journals, piles of newspapers, and his wall was a collage of
clippings, pictures, articles, scans, print-outs and notes on torn paper.
There were a few plants, and a large white cat was stretched across a
pile of books, uncaring that one wrong purr might send everything
toppling over.
Octavia sat down at the table. There was a faint smell of tobacco,
mostly masked by incense burning in the corner. It was cosy. Unlike
Octavia’s bare apartment, Jack’s flat felt like a home. She didn’t see
Tamiel, but figured he was around somewhere.
Jack set about pouring cups of coffee. When he sat down across
from her, he said, ‘Tamiel is now being hunted by everyone. Before, at
least, he had the protection of the Irin. A place to return to. Like the
demons, they’ve got strongholds and safe havens which only they can
enter. Now he doesn’t. He can’t stay in one place for long.’
A shiver ran down her spine. ‘Are you safe? You can stay with me if
you’re worried.’
The offer came out before she could even process her words.
Octavia couldn’t remember the last time she’d invited anyone
anywhere. But she had a feeling about Jack. As if they were meant to
be friends. She also felt an unfounded responsibility to him and
Tamiel.
Jack nodded and opened a pack of cigarettes. ‘Do you mind?’
‘No.’
‘Stress,’ he said ruefully, opening the kitchen window as wide as it
would go before lighting the cigarette. He leaned against the sink and
sipped his coffee, politely trying to keep the smoke away from her. He
waved his hand around the apartment. ‘Angels source their strength
from the Irin. The only reason this place is secure is because Zev is
protecting it.’
‘Zev? Really?’

49
 Jack nodded and blew out a cloud of smoke. ‘He’s not typical. If you
can play his games, he’ll help. Our situation is many things – boring
isn’t one of them. Zev appreciates that.’
‘I’ve never met another demon and I have no trouble believing that.’
Octavia frowned. ‘Raphael told me all of his enemies are going to start
coming after me.’
She showed him the necklace Raphael had put on her and he pulled
a similar one from inside his shirt. The stone of his was blue but it
looked more or less the same.
‘Two years ago, worshippers found me at college,’ he said, stamping
out the cigarette. He rubbed his temple in a way that suggested his
head was pounding. ‘Tam was dealing with an exorcism at the time
and wasn’t nearby. I was cursed before I could feel any fear and he was
unaware of it for almost a day. The curse then hid me from him
completely. It took him almost three days to find me.’ Jack’s face
darkened and he tucked the necklace back into his shirt. ‘Worshippers
don’t usually have direct ties to the demons they serve. Most of the
time they have to summon them. Only a few are close to their demons.
I was lucky. The ones who took me were good at spells but the one
they served was hard to summon. Tamiel found me just in time.’
Octavia put her empty cup down and drew her legs into her chest.
She found she wasn’t remotely surprised to learn people could be vile
enough to sacrifice another human simply for gain.
‘What happened?’
Jack smiled mercilessly at the memory and scratched the side of his
head. ‘I’d never seen his true power before that day. He, Ramiel and
Qaspiel came. It was, to this day, the most terrifying and amazing thing
he has ever done for me – they ever did for me.’ His face screwed up
with emotion. ‘I miss them. How stupid. Angels I hardly knew, Healers
I’ve met only once or twice, and I miss them.’
‘It’s not stupid at all. This whole rule is bogus.’
Jack smiled at her words but shook his head. ‘When you hear what
could happen, it makes sense.’
‘Still …’
‘Still,’ he agreed. ‘Fucking Isra.’
Octavia looked up at him. ‘Is that who did it?’
He nodded. There was pain alight in his blue eyes.

50
 Although she had little doubt that Jack would take Tamiel over
everything in a second, it was clear that he had lost a great deal as well.
A second family. A future they had assumed they would have.
‘Karma will get him,’ she promised.
She stood and began making more coffee. ‘So, how many angels
have you met?’
Jack frowned in thought. ‘Ah – ten? Not more than a dozen …’
‘How many are there?’
He shrugged. ‘On Earth only a few thousand. On Parid? Millions.’
‘Whoa.’
‘Yep.’ Jack rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, smiling
tiredly at her. ‘I never did thank you for what you did for Tam – for us.
It – you are amazing.’
‘I’m glad I could help.’
They smiled at each other for a few moments before Jack decided it
was time for breakfast. He put on some music and Octavia sat on the
table drinking coffee and watched him cook, asking him every question
which came to mind.
The afternoon passed easily. They had a great deal in common
outside of being Healers, and they talked about their favourite
television shows and movies, books and bands, local pubs and
favourite hikes. He loved camping as much as she did and jumped on
the suggestion that he and Tamiel join her and Caleb some weekend in
the mountains.
Only when it was time for work and she could put it off no longer
did she bid him goodnight, promising to come over in the next couple
of days to hang out again. Jack seemed eager for the company, and if
Octavia was honest, so was she. A new friend for a new stage of life.
The thought made her smile.

She felt heavy with trepidation when she walked into the pub that
night for work, but nothing of note happened. Nothing, that was, until
half past two in the morning, when she stepped outside and locked the
door, and saw Raphael leaning against the wall. His skin seemed
almost luminescent in the dark, and his wings rustled majestically in
the wind.

51
 ‘You’re like the epitome of a guardian angel cliché,’ she said,
grinning at him.
He laughed. ‘Is that good?’
‘Oh, definitely.’ She cocked her head towards her car and he fell into
step beside her, his wings folding neatly behind his back. ‘So, how are
you?’
Raphael bowed his head. ‘I performed a particularly difficult
exorcism today on a young boy in the Caucuses. It was successful and
he’s safe. I’m pleased. How are you?’
Slightly thrown by his words, Octavia laughed and said, ‘I’m good.
I spent the day with Jack. Work was boring but it’s work, so …’
‘How is Jack?’
She raised an eyebrow. ‘Do you care?’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I harbour no ill will towards either Tamiel or
Jack. They were foolish and broke the law, but I do not hate them for
it. Love is … a mystery to all creatures.’
Octavia nodded, finding herself utterly relieved by his answer and
liking him more by the second. She leaned against her car and
regarded him with open curiosity. ‘Why are you here, Raphael? Surely
walking me to my car doesn’t rank high on a Watcher’s list of
priorities.’
Raphael shook his head and kicked at the snow with his boot. ‘I
wanted to check on you.’
His words made her heart skip. She crossed her arms, the chill of
the night settling into her bones.
Raphael stepped forwards, his hand going to her shoulder. In the
blink of an eye they were in her apartment.
She let out a low whistle. ‘You know I’ll have to walk back to my car
in the morning,’ she said, mildly amused. ‘But thank you. That was so
cool.’
Raphael let out a small chuckle. ‘Did you want to go to sleep?’
The thought of going to sleep was incredibly appealing, especially
after scrubbing beer and gum off tables for hours and having three
patrons refuse to stop hitting on her no matter how many times she
asked, but she didn’t want Raphael to leave.
‘Not yet,’ she said. ‘Unless you’ve somewhere to be?’
‘Not at present.’

52
 He sat on the bed – it seemed to be the most comfortable location
for his wings – and looked away politely as she changed into pyjamas.
She drew the necklace out and touched it thoughtfully. ‘Thank you for
this,’ she said, sitting down beside him and crossing her legs. ‘So who
all is going to come after me?’
Raphael sighed. ‘Will you not let me hide you? I will keep you alive
and safe. You will live a good life.’
Octavia shook her head. ‘Hiding is no life.’
Her words seemed to physically pain him. ‘There is a reason only
volunteers – only those who wanted to make this their life – become
Healers. This is not something we wish to inflict on anyone. Demons
are cruel, Octavia. They are violent and manipulative. Perhaps we are
just as violent, perhaps we have as much wrath, but it is not inflicted
upon humans. It is not torture and blood and rape. Demons revel in
that. It is not worth freedom. Their parties make your wars look nice.’
‘Of course it’s worth it,’ she whispered, trying to conceal her panic.
‘Life and freedom are always worth it.’ She looked at him. ‘Would you?
Would you hide away in the shadows just because everything could go
wrong?’
His silence was answer enough.
Octavia forced a smile. ‘I’m not worried. I have you and I have
Caleb. I now have Tamiel and Jack. What more could a lady need?’
Raphael scowled. ‘And the man who won’t leave you be?’
Octavia glanced over at her phone which beeped with five unread
messages and four missed calls. She rolled her eyes and shrugged. ‘Jax?
What about him?’
‘Is he part of your life?’
‘I have no idea at this point.’
‘Isn’t that something you ought to know?’
‘Probably.’ She caught his eye and laughed. Moving over to him, she
crawled beneath the blankets and patted the area beside her. ‘You like
movies?’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve never seen one.’
‘You’ve never seen a movie?’
‘My Healers have lived in convents for centuries,’ said Raphael
mildly. ‘The only time I’ve even been near a television is if it happened
to be on nearby. As exorcisms destroy electricity, that rarely happens.’

53
 Octavia stared at him for a moment, completely baffled, before she
grabbed her laptop and opened it. ‘Can you stay for two hours?’
He hesitated.
‘Come on,’ she urged, chest shuddering slightly with nerves. She
wanted him to stay. She wanted to get to know him as much as she
wanted to be near him. ‘Unless there’s a war or exorcism or something
going on?’
Raphael chuckled lowly. ‘No,’ he allowed. ‘My watch isn’t for a few
hours.’
‘Will you stay? Lose your movie virginity, as it were.’
With a nod, he moved to sit beside her, his wings spreading out
behind them.
Octavia had more downloaded movies than she had time to watch,
but she picked a classic, figuring Raphael probably wouldn’t be a fan
of modern cinema, and they sat quietly, side by side, as the night crept
on around them. He smelled of iron and leather and incense and she
decided it was her new favourite smell.
At some point, when her eyes began to close, she curled up against
him without thought and rested her head on his shoulder. It didn’t
occur to her that this was strange thing to do – curl up beside a
creature she hadn’t known existed a week ago, trusting him completely
with her life and the lives of her friends without a moment’s hesitation.
But then Raphael wrapped an arm around her and her worries
dispelled.
When the movie finished, neither of them moved.
‘Did you like it?’ she murmured.
‘I did,’ he said. ‘But I feel that I may have enjoyed your company
more than the film.’
Octavia blushed and she was terribly glad it was dark in the room
and he couldn’t see her face. ‘Do angels have hearts?’ she asked
suddenly, only then realising she couldn’t hear one. ‘Like actual ones?’
Raphael’s laugh rumbled deeply in his stone-like chest. ‘Of course
we have hearts. We are living things.’
‘Yeah?’
‘All creatures have life spans, Octavia. Simply because ours is longer
does not mean we are beyond life and death. We eat, we breathe, we
sleep, we die.’

54
 ‘We’re not so different at all, then.’
‘No, not so very different.’
She fell asleep trying to listen for his heartbeat, a smile on her face,
warmed by his wing around her body, and his arm around her
shoulders.

When Octavia awoke, there was a note beside her bed from Raphael
saying that the Irin needed him and he would be back soon. After a
morning of cleaning her apartment and shopping, Octavia was just
leaving to walk Cleo when Raphael appeared.
He was a mess.
Octavia darted over to him. He had a deep gash across his stomach.
As if someone had cut upwards with a sword. Blood was coming out of
the wound at an alarming rate.
‘Jesus Christ,’ she said in horror. ‘What do I do?’
Suddenly they were in her bedroom.
Too in pain to speak, Raphael raised a bloodied hand and drew a
symbol in blood on the mirror.
Octavia took the knife he had given her last time out of her boot and
glanced at the symbol. It was too big for her forearm. ‘Does it matter
where?’
He nodded and gestured vaguely at her torso. After a beat, she
raised her shirt and quickly carved the mark into her hip. Raphael’s
hand covered the symbol and light spread between them.
When the light faded, the mark remained; a light scar, white but
not raised. She pulled her shirt down and breathed deeply. Her head
was spinning; she felt more tired than if she had just spent an entire
day running a marathon.
‘What happened?’ she asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed as
her legs trembled and threatened to give out beneath her.
Raphael sat beside her. His expression was grave and it was clear
there was more than physical pain affecting him. ‘There was a ritual
sacrifice in Madrid. Two of my comrades were killed.’
Octavia stilled. ‘Oh, Raph.’
He nodded, looking away as his hard expression crumpled with
grief. Octavia wrapped her arms around him.

55
 ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said.
He held her tightly, burying his face in her neck. For a long time,
neither moved.
‘I have to meet with some of my family,’ he said at length. ‘We have
to bury the dead.’
Octavia nodded and drew back. ‘You can come by after if you want.’
He seemed disinclined to move. ‘Would you – would you like to
meet them?’
‘Your family?’
‘Yes.’
‘As in more angels?’
‘As opposed to what?’
Octavia felt a flutter of excitement and terror. ‘Sure,’ she said. ‘But
don’t they hate me?’
‘Why would you think that?’
‘Well, I’m not supposed to be a Healer and I helped Tamiel. Hamon
and that other one clearly want me in the ground.’
Raphael’s lip curled in anger and he shook his head. ‘Few are like
him. And you are mine. You will be welcomed.’ He kissed her forehead
tenderly before drawing back, a small smile playing on his lips.
Octavia let him pull her to her feet and he picked her up. His wings
rustled as he carried her to the window and took flight. There was
something too impossible, too wondrous, too unreal, about flying over
cities, valleys, lakes, hills, forests and ocean with nothing between her
and the fall but his arms.
When Raphael landed lightly on the ground, they were on one side
of a great river. There already were several Watchers and Healers
there.
None of the Watchers were sporting wounds, but all bore fresh
signs of battle. Each of the angels was striking in their own way.
Brown, grey, white, black and bay wings jutted out of their muscular
backs; their skin glowed in the pale light and their armour glinted. In
comparison, the humans all looked tired and plain.
Two angels and their Healers approached them immediately. One
embraced Raphael, the other approached Octavia.
‘Are you the one who saved Tamiel?’ the angel enquired.

56
 ‘If doing deals with demons counts as saving,’ said Sorush nastily
from a little distance away.
The angel glared at Sorush before smiling at Octavia. ‘I am Qaspiel.
If you need anything from me, do not hesitate. And this is Seth.’
The man beside her was tall and tanned, with sun-lightened hair
and an easy smile. When he spoke, it was in a thick Australian accent.
‘Qaspiel’s Healer,’ he said. ‘Nice to meet you.’
‘Hi,’ she said, shaking his hand. ‘Octavia.’
The other pair introduced themselves as Ramiel and Isabelle, a
Healer from Brazil. Ramiel also thanked her for saving Tamiel, and
asked her how he was.
‘You haven’t seen him?’ she asked in surprise.
‘It’s against the law,’ said Raphael. ‘We are not allowed to associate
with banished Irin.’
Octavia’s irritation with their laws was only growing and she tried
to remind herself that she was new, that she didn’t know anything
about their ways, that perhaps she was judgemental only because she
was an outsider. All the same it bothered her. She couldn’t understand
why it mattered if everyone had consented.
‘Is Tamiel the first angel who wasn’t executed for loving his
Healer?’ she whispered to Raphael.
He nodded.
Octavia felt like she’d been punched.
The conversation was put on hold as a group of angels appeared,
carrying two bodies between them. The angels were regal and
beautiful even in death.
They brought the bodies to the riverside where two rafts were
waiting. As the rafts slid across the water, the angels lifted their
Healers into the air and flew towards the far shore.
The air smelled sweet and impossibly clean. They landed on a cliff
and watched the rafts propel the bodies towards a distant waterfall.
Raphael and several others raised their bows into the air and fired
burning arrows at the rafts. From a distance, they looked like falling
stars.
The rafts went up in flames and they watched them burn in sombre
silence.

57
 It was a long time after the rafts had vanished when one of the
angels began recounting what had happened for those who weren’t
there.
A cult of demon worshippers had summoned the demon High Lords
Andras and Bael from Kolos. The demons had already begun wreaking
havoc by the time Raphael, Sidriel, Michael and several others arrived.
The demons brought dozens with them. It was a mess. The
worshippers had sacrificed over twenty innocent victims to bring them
forth and the angels obliterated them for it. Zev, apparently, was the
middle man trying to waylay retaliation.
She wondered what it was that made Zev so different from all the
other demons. Why he helped where others hurt.
As everyone branched off, Raphael was called over by a few of the
angels, and Octavia meandered over to Seth, not feeling particularly
comfortable being alone with the angels.
He introduced her to Chloë, Sariel’s Healer, before asking, ‘Have
you heard from Jack? He’s okay, yeah?’
Slightly surprised, she nodded. ‘Yeah, he’s hanging in there.’
Seth held out a piece of paper. ‘Tell him to text me?’
‘You two friends?’
He nodded. Chloë, too, offered her number.
‘He broke the law,’ said Isabelle. ‘We shouldn’t associate with him.’
Octavia, Seth and Chloë all rolled their eyes.
‘I’ll tell him,’ said Octavia, smiling at the pair and choosing not to
reply to Isabelle. ‘Thank you. It’ll mean a lot to him.’
‘We don’t stop talking to our mates because they break the law,’
said Seth. ‘And tell him to add me online.’
‘Online where?’
‘He’ll know what I mean.’
‘Okay.’
‘Octavia.’ A new angel with dark brown wings and several lethal
looking blades strapped to his chest was standing beside her. He held
out his hand. ‘Might I have a word?’
‘Sure …’ Octavia took his hand and let him steer her away, sharing
confused looks with Seth and Chloë.
He walked her over to the edge of the cliff and gestured out over
the water. ‘What did you think?’

58
 ‘It was sad.’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. He turned to her and held out his hand. ‘I’m
Gabriel.’
‘Oh,’ she said, recognising the name. She shook his hand and gave
him a small smile. ‘Cool. Nice to meet you.’
‘I wanted to assure you that not everyone is displeased you are
amongst us. Whatever the reason for your appointment as a Healer,
you are one of our family now. I wanted to say that if you are ever in
danger, please call for me. Raphael is a dear comrade. I would do
anything for him and the same goes for you.’
Touched, Octavia smiled and nodded. ‘Thanks, Gabriel. That’s really
nice.’
Gabriel gestured her for to walk back over to the others with him.
At this point Raphael appeared at her side and told her it was time to
go. She bid farewell to Seth and Chloë and let Raphael lift her into his
arms.
Mere minutes later she was back in her kitchen. As she let Cleo out
to stretch her legs in the complex’s enclosed garden, Octavia leaned
against the doorframe, feeling sad and introspective.
‘Raphael?’
He looked over at her. He had made no move to leave yet. Like her,
he seemed to be glad of their proximity to each other. She wondered if
he was fearful of another attack. Then again, she supposed he would
be. If she died, he was dead, too. It seemed a poor investment choice
on the part of the Irin. She was much more breakable than their
enemies.
‘Are you disappointed I’m your Healer?’ she asked, stomach
twisting with anxiety. She suddenly had to know.
Raphael turned to face her completely and put his hands on her
upper arms. ‘Not for one moment.’
He said it so forcefully it was impossible to doubt his words. Relief
seeped through her and she stood on her toes to hug him.
‘Good. Because this feels like the best stupid decision I’ve ever
made.’
His laugh made her heart flutter.

59
 CHAPTER FIVE
Poison and Lust

The next day, Caleb came over for breakfast. Although he didn’t seem
to want to say it, she could tell that he was feeling overly protective.
Enough had happened in their life that Caleb had only been
comfortable moving out that year, and only after excessive pestering
from Alisa. This latest turn of events hadn’t done much to make him
feel secure about her safety.
‘I was thinking we should try and get a jump on it,’ he said as he
made crêpes. ‘This whole angels and demons thing.’
‘Get a jump on it how?’
‘Let’s figure them out before there’s even a problem.’
Octavia nodded thoughtfully. Caleb had never been proactive as a
child. It was a recent change, and one she found she liked.
‘Okay,’ she agreed. ‘Where do you want to start?’
For a man who hated reading anything that wasn’t a comic book or
something virtual, Caleb leapt at the prospect of perusing Jack’s books.
He wanted to learn all there was to know about Parid and Kolos, about
the Watchers and Healers, about the demons and their worshippers.
‘It’s like a real-life video game,’ he said gleefully at one point.
His enthusiasm was infectious, and they spent hours reading and
discussing everything they came across.
The next few days passed without any visit from Raphael and in
quiet moments she thought of him and where he was, what sort of
demons he was facing and the trouble he might be in. It was hard not
to imagine him ending up like the two dead angels she had seen, and
it became increasingly harder to fall asleep every night as her worry
spun her thoughts.
She read more of Jack’s books and journals, learning the different
symbols and what they meant. They were more effective depending on
where you carved them, how deep or large you made them, and how
much you felt like healing the angel in question. Intent and
determination seemed a strangely important aspect of it.
When she went to Jack’s again the following week, she gave him the
paper with the other Healers’ information.

60
 ‘They’re worried about you,’ she said. ‘And you have to text Chloë
and add Seth online, apparently.’
‘Video games,’ he said with a laugh.
‘That makes more sense,’ she said. ‘Add Caleb, too.’
Jack smiled and took the paper. ‘Thanks, Tivs.’
Tamiel stepped out of the bedroom.
‘Ramiel and Qaspiel were asking after you, too,’ she said, suddenly
remembering.
Tamiel stared at her. ‘You’ve met them? Where? What happened?’
It felt awkward and uncomfortable to tell Tamiel news of his former
comrades, his friends, and Octavia did it as quickly and as kindly as
possible.
He took the news hard and after she finished, he excused himself
and disappeared into the other room.
‘You go,’ said Octavia, feeling truly bad. ‘I’ll leave.’
Jack, who had been staring after Tamiel, looked at her belatedly.
‘Don’t be silly.’
‘It’s fine,’ she insisted, standing and donning her coat. ‘If Caleb had
died, and if I wasn’t even invited to the funeral, I wouldn’t want people
around I didn’t know well. Text me later?’
‘I will. We could do something this week if you want?’
She grinned. ‘Yeah, that’d be awesome.’
She left Jack and Tamiel alone and began the now familiar drive
home. Winter was still clinging to the world and the days were always
short and grey. She was rounding a bend when something inside her
constricted and she straightened up.
Halfway up the road, Raphael stepped out of the forest. She pulled
over and stepped out. He was shaking badly and covered in a strange
black substance and copious amounts of blood.
‘What happened?’ she cried in horror. ‘What – what – what?’
Raphael’s legs gave out and he opened his hands. They were turning
grey and there were angry black veins spiking up from his palms. He
was drenched in sweat and couldn’t seem to speak.
‘Is it poison?’ Octavia examined them critically. ‘I don’t know what
to do for poison!’
Raphael’s eyes glazed over and he didn’t reply.
True terror coursed through her.

61
 ‘Tamiel!’ she yelled. ‘Tamiel, help!’
There was a great ripple in the air around her and then Tamiel was
bending down beside them.
‘It’s not poison,’ he said at length. ‘It’s a curse.’
‘How do we fix it?’
Raphael was barely moving; he was drenched in sweat and terribly
cold. He had never felt so much like marble.
She swallowed hard, trying desperately to keep her throat from
closing. ‘What do I do? Tell me what to do.’
Tamiel scowled as he appraised the black substance that seemed to
have gone into Raphael’s skin and was spreading up his arms. ‘Only
the demon who cast it can reverse it.’
Octavia tore her gaze away from Raphael. ‘How do we find out who
cast it?’
‘We don’t. I am not bringing a demon to you.’
‘He’s going to die!’
‘He would prefer to die.’
‘Tam, please!’ Her voice broke. ‘I don’t care. I’m not scared. Just
help me fix this!’
Tamiel clenched his jaw, but it was clear he couldn’t stand by either.
He nodded, and relief shot through her. ‘We’ll find out who it is and
whether anything can be done will be decided then. And only then,
Octavia.’
‘Fine,’ she agreed. ‘Do it.’
‘Promise me.’
‘I promise, I promise. Hurry!’
With a furrowed brow, Tamiel moved his hand over the black veins
and said something in a language Octavia couldn’t hope to interpret.
She wondered if angels even spoke Enochian, but the thought was
shoved aside almost immediately.
From out of a black cloud walked one of the most frighteningly
beautiful men she had ever seen.
‘Æshma.’ His name sounded like a curse on Tamiel’s tongue and he
stood, positioning himself in front of Octavia.
Æshma donned a wicked grin at the sight before him.
‘My dear Octavia,’ he said. ‘I knew I would be seeing you soon. I
cannot begin to convey my delight that Raphael has at last found

62
himself one who isn’t so pious. Even the allure of that becomes old
after a few centuries. You’re positively … new.’
‘What did you do to Raphael?’ Despite her fear, the words came out
biting.
Æshma shrugged and his eyes flashed. ‘He’s going to die. Unless,
that is, you are inclined to save him.’
Tamiel hissed. ‘Get out of here, demon.’
‘Was I speaking to you, Tamiel?’ He waved a hand and Tamiel was
suddenly gone. Æshma turned his solid blue eyes on Octavia. ‘The
choice is yours, my sweet.’
Octavia’s eyes slid back to Raphael. He seemed very close to death.
She had never been so scared in all her life. ‘What do you want?’ she
asked.
Æshma held out his hand. ‘Come to me.’
She hesitated.
‘It’s now or never, my sweet. Two minutes more and your Watcher
is dead.’
Octavia stood, shaking with fear, and walked over to Æshma. He
reached out and tore the necklace from around her neck. He closed his
fist and smashed it to pieces. The air flickered and everything around
them went silent and still.
‘If you agree to my demands, I will heal him,’ said Æshma. ‘If you
do not, or disobey, the curse will return.’
Octavia stared at him. ‘What do you want?’
He smiled. ‘Whatever I want.’
‘Fine,’ she said through gritted teeth. It was a disgusting choice, but
it was the only choice. She could not let Raphael die. ‘Heal him.’
‘And you cannot tell anyone,’ he said, pulling her close and running
a finger down the side of her face, down her neck, and brushing her
breast. She cringed in revulsion. ‘Agree and I will save him now.’
‘I agree,’ she sibilated. ‘Do it.’
Æshma grabbed her and kissed her roughly. She tried to push him
away, but his hands closed around her arms and she cried out against
his mouth as his grip burned into her flesh.
‘Break your oath and Raphael dies,’ he said before vanishing.
The air returned to normal and Raphael sat up.

63
 Octavia scrambled over to him. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked, grabbing
his hands and checking them over thoroughly. ‘Are you all right?’
Raphael nodded slowly, confusion marring his face. ‘What
happened? What did you do?’
Tamiel reappeared at that instant. He whipped around. ‘Where did
Æshma go?’
‘Æshma was here?’ Raphael’s expression turned to one of rage.
‘What happened? What did he do?’
They both looked at her expectantly.
Octavia swallowed hard. Her oath to Æshma rang in her ears. ‘He
made me promise him a favour,’ she said vaguely. ‘He wasn’t specific.’
Raphael’s brow furrowed. ‘Octavia –’
‘You were dying,’ she said. ‘It wasn’t a choice.’
‘He would have preferred death to his Healer making a deal with a
demon,’ said Tamiel.
She crossed her arms. ‘I’m his Healer because I made a deal with a
demon.’
‘And I thank you.’ Raphael wrapped his arms around her and held
her close. ‘I will rectify this, Octavia. I swear to you. He will get nothing
from you.’
Octavia buried her face in his neck and closed her eyes as they
burned hot with tears. She wanted to scream.
When Raphael sat back, his gaze returned to Tamiel. ‘Little brother,’
he said. ‘Why are you here?’
‘Octavia called for me,’ he said. ‘You were hurt. I could not leave.’
To her delight, they then embraced. Banished or not, there was a
love between them not even the law could erase, and when Tamiel
vanished, his eyes were shining with happiness.
Raphael assured her that he would see her car safely back to her
place as he lifted her into his arms and deposited her moments later
on her bed.
Cleo ran in from the other room. She seemed to have taken to
Raphael, which was only further proof that he was good.
‘You have had quite an introduction to being a Healer,’ he said
ruefully. ‘I’m sorry for that. The demons have discovered the strange
events surrounding our meeting and are intrigued. Æshma more than

64
most. We had a run in ten years ago and he swore he would find Alyssa.
He never did.’
Octavia swallowed hard and drew her legs into her chest. She could
still taste Æshma on her lips and she wanted to choke. She ran a hand
through her hair and gripped at the roots, trying to clear her head.
‘Would you like me to stay?’ said Raphael. ‘I don’t mind.’
In that moment, she wanted nothing else. She wanted to curl up
with her head on his chest and tell him how scared she was. But she
couldn’t. There was a vice around her now, and invisible or not, she
could feel it with every breath. She also wanted to shower in boiling
water.
Perhaps bleach.
‘I’ll be all right,’ she said. ‘I think I just need to sleep for like ten
hours.’
Raphael looked almost disappointed, but he nodded and smiled.
As Octavia pulled the blankets up to her chest, he leaned down and
kissed her forehead. ‘Thank you for everything, O.’
The nickname tugged at something deep in her chest and she smiled
crookedly at Raphael as he straightened up. He bowed his head once
and then, with a flap of his wings, disappeared.
She was alone for all of thirty seconds when the air crackled and
Æshma stepped out of a cloud of black. She sat up abruptly, heart
hammering with fear.
‘Are you ready, my sweet?’ he purred, holding his hand out. ‘I want
to show you my home.’
Octavia wanted to throw up. On trembling legs, she walked over to
him. It took everything in her not to scream for help. Raphael’s life was
still on the line. She took several deep breaths. Caleb would help her
find a way out of this.
She kept repeating that to herself as she held Æshma’s gaze.
He grabbed her when she was nearly to him and yanked her close
to his side. ‘Hold on, dear one.’
And then everything spun like a kaleidoscope.

Raban was entirely underground. Whether that was the name of his
house or the name of a city was not made clear.

65
 The first thing that Octavia noticed was the coldness of the air. She
shivered and Æshma let out a bark of laughter.
‘If it were any warmer, we would all bake to death,’ he said,
gesturing at the walls.
It took Octavia a moment to realise there were people in the walls,
writhing and gesticulating, devouring each other with every breath.
All lost in a trace.
They were zombies, moving without thought or direction. Bloody
and bruised. And thin. So very thin. She could count bones on them all.
A chill ran through her. Raban was not far off how she imagined
Hell. According to Dante, the humans there were all scared and pained
and writhing, too. Perhaps Virgil had been a demon who could take
humans back to his world. Perhaps painting the other world as an
afterlife was the only way to avoid the label of heretic. Perhaps this
was all a nightmare and she would wake up soon.
She tore her eyes from the distressing sight, a lump in her throat
and tears in her eyes. She wanted to help them. She wanted to save
them. But there was nothing she could do. She was powerless
compared to the demon at her side.
Æshma took her down a brightly lit corridor. The doors at the end
opened automatically and they were suddenly in a room filled with
some of the most terrifying creatures Octavia had ever seen.
Demons. All of them.
Æshma looked her over critically. ‘You can’t wear that.’
In an instant, Octavia found herself wearing a completely see-
through dress. Crossing her arms over her chest, she forced herself not
to look around and notice others noticing her.
Æshma led her to the centre of the room where there was a large
chair. He sat down and pulled her onto his lap.
Her urge to bathe in bleach turned into an urge to drink it.
‘Lord Prince,’ said a demon with orange eyes and talons for hands,
‘what news from above?’
Æshma grinned with wicked delight. ‘Before you is the Healer of
the archangel Raphael. When was the last time we were blessed with
such an offering? And now I’ve brought her here for us all to enjoy.’

66
 There was a murmur of approval and pleasure. Æshma wrapped a
hand around her neck and kissed her violently, cutting her lips and
bruising her mouth. She stayed completely frozen, immobile with fear.
‘Lord Prince,’ said a loud voice, drawing Æshma’s attention away
from her.
It was Zev.
Octavia almost cried in relief.
Dressed all in black, his lavender eyes narrowed, ash-grey hair
slicked back neatly, he looked strangely out of place in Æshma’s court.
His smile had an edge, a warning, and he looked anything but amused.
Æshma regarded him coolly. ‘What are you doing here? I thought
you didn’t care for my city.’
Purple electricity coiled around Zev’s hands. ‘Lord Prince, you have
broken the law.’ He spoke loudly, attracting the attention of those who
had not already been watching.
The demons around the room all looked sharply at Zev, their eyes
hungry for scandal and a fight.
Æshma’s grip tightened painfully around Octavia.
‘The Healer is mine,’ said Zev. ‘She bears my mark.’
All eyes looked to the handprint in the centre of her chest.
‘The Healer made the oath of her own volition,’ said Æshma. ‘She
was not stolen.’
Zev scoffed. Several others copied him. ‘Since when have we put
human choice over our own desires? I claimed her weeks ago. I will
ask you once, politely, to return her to me and reverse the oath. If I
have to repeat myself, I’m going to lose my patience. You know what
happens when I lose my patience, Lord Prince.’
Æshma pulled Octavia closer to him and kissed her again.
The air suddenly seemed to sizzle and Æshma was slammed back
against his chair. Zev was all but vibrating with power. ‘I’m sorry,’ he
hissed, ‘was I unclear?’
‘Since when are you a friend of akero and humans, Zev?’ gasped
Æshma, unable to break out of Zev’s hold.
‘The archangel’s Healer is no mere human, Lord Prince. And I saw
her first.’
‘She’s now mine.’

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 Zev moved closer. He looked like a panther playing with his meal
and electricity sizzled in his eyes and around his fists. ‘You broke the
law by taking her without paying me tribute. If you don’t give her to
me, I will see to it that Raban falls to filth and ruin. I will strip your
city of its wealth, of its power, of its very foundation. Do I make myself
clear, Lord Prince? Remove your hands from what is mine or
everything your hands touch will turn to ash. Your quarrel with
Raphael will not be won using what is mine.’
‘My quarrel with Raphael is none of your concern.’
‘You will release your hold over them both before I bring your city
to its knees.’
There was true evil in Æshma’s eyes as he glared at Zev. And then,
at length, he put his hands on Octavia’s upper arms.
It felt like he was extracting something from inside of her with
needles.
Octavia screamed in pain and when he let go, she fell to the floor.
She stood on trembling legs and moved to Zev’s side, trying not to look
at the walls. Trying not to vomit and cry. Trying not to do something
stupid like find acid and pour it on Æshma.
‘Touch my things again and I will erase you, Æshma,’ said Zev,
wrapping an arm around her waist.
They disappeared in a crack of lightning and energy.
Octavia did not recognise the new room they reappeared in. She
looked out the window. There was a river outside; the moon’s rays
glinted off the water.
‘Where are we?’ she whispered, crossing her arms protectively over
her chest.
‘My home.’ Zev pulled a robe off the back of a chair and held it out
to her.
Octavia put it on quickly. ‘I thought you lived at Blood and Bone.’
He shook his head. ‘I would not live where I work. Do you need
anything?’
‘Water.’
With a nod, he disappeared into the kitchen. She ripped off the
dress and left it in a pile on the floor. She then tightened the robe
around her and sat down, drawing her legs into her chest as the shock
finally wore off and the horrors of the night sank in. All she could hear

68
were the sounds of pain and anguish as demons tortured humans on
all sides; all she could feel were Æshma’s fingers touching her without
permission, his tongue in her mouth.
She gagged and tried not to cry. She wanted Caleb. She wanted
Raphael.
Zev returned and sat beside her, silently holding out a glass of
water. He said nothing as she forced herself to drink in a fruitless
attempt at calming down.
When at last she could take a full breath, she said, ‘Why did you
help me?’
Zev raised an eyebrow. ‘What makes you think I didn’t do all of that
so I could turn you into my own slave?’
Octavia snorted and leaned back against the cushions. ‘Did you?’
‘No.’
‘Well, then.’
Zev snapped his fingers and suddenly the table was covered in food
and drink. He held out a glass of wine to her. ‘It’s stronger than any
you’ve tried,’ he warned, ‘but it will make the night seem less real.’
Octavia eyed the contents of the glass dubiously. ‘I know you were
kidding, but now I’m sort of worried about the whole changing hands
of kidnappers thing.’
‘If I wanted you, I would not have to be nice about it,’ he said plainly.
‘I have been on Earth four thousand years and am more powerful than
your angel. I have no desire to take by force. That is cheating. I aim to
play this game without breaking any rules. How else could I claim
victory?’
‘I don’t drink alcohol.’
Zev looked surprised. ‘Ever?’
‘No.’
‘Okay.’ He snapped his fingers and the wine was suddenly water.
She snorted. ‘I’m sure there’s a biblical joke in here somewhere.’
‘I adore irony.’
The fire warmed her and she managed to take a few deep breaths.
She was safe. It was going to be all right. Still, she couldn’t forget the
people in the walls. Her throat tightened again and her eyes burned.
‘So,’ she said, waving a hand around in a poor attempt at distracting
herself, ‘what am I doing here?’

69
 ‘I thought we could discuss something,’ he said before lighting a
blunt and blowing out a perfect ring of smoke.
‘What do you want?’
He smirked. ‘I want many things, but if you mean what do I want
from you, the answer is merely your company.’
She didn’t believe him for a second. ‘Why?’
‘Do you think I grant favours to everyone who walks through my
door?’ he asked in amusement. ‘I like you, Octavia. I helped because
you asked. I don’t help most unless they can offer me something in
return. I didn’t have to do it. Tamiel isn’t worth the wrath of the Irin.’
‘Am I?’
‘You interest me.’
‘I suppose you wouldn’t be much of a Demon of Games if you didn’t
like to play everyone.’
He winked but his expression turned serious a second later.
‘Precisely. Unfortunately, in so doing, you are now at risk from not
only Raphael’s enemies, but mine.’
She stared at him. She had gone from complete obscurity to being
hunted by creatures she barely understood. And for what? Just
existing?
‘Please tell me you’re kidding.’
‘I’m not,’ he said. ‘But I can offer you something. If you wish
complete protection, the Mark of the Demon is not enough. You would
need my seal.’
Octavia let out a noise of exasperation. Of course she did. ‘Does that
mean doing anything more than what I’ve done?’
‘It involves changing the mark somewhat,’ he allowed. ‘The one you
bear says that we have done a deal. It’s why Æshma tried at all.
Loopholes. If I change it, all will know that touching you means
crossing me. Most of the demons wouldn’t dare – even one like
Æshma. I’m … not one to be trifled with, if I do say so myself.’
‘Could you really bring a city to the ground?’
‘Yes.’
She eyed him. ‘You don’t look that scary.’
‘Looks are deceiving.’
‘That’s very true.’

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 ‘Nor does one need size to be in power. I have no city, no throne, no
minions. I have clubs and homes and venues. Still … I am the one
daevas and akero turn to for aid. I have more power than Æshma could
ever hope to have. I’m just not tacky in my displays of it.’
‘Is this another trick?’ she asked, desperately hoping it wasn’t. She
was too tired and too frightened to handle another hurdle.
‘The trick, my darling, has only just begun,’ he drawled. ‘Do you
know the strongest piece on the chess board, Octavia?’
‘The queen.’
‘Exactly.’ He raised his hand and let it hover over the mark on her
chest. ‘To win at chess, one must protect its most valuable pieces – the
queen and the king. But first one must have a queen. A strong,
invaluable player.’
‘You’ll keep the demons away from me?’
‘I swear.’
‘I’m not fucking you for favours, Zev.’
‘I wasn’t asking.’ His eyes glittered with electricity. ‘Not that I’d be
disinclined, but when you do bed me, it’s going to be entirely because
you want to.’
‘You sound very sure of yourself.’
‘I have millennia to back up my arrogance.’
A laugh escaped her, but the thought of Æshma ever touching her
again turned her insides. It was her fear – as it had been the first time
she’d agreed to such an offer – that made her decision in the end.
Octavia nodded once. After what had just happened, she trusted Zev
far more than she otherwise would have.
He pressed his hand over the mark and purple light danced out of
his fingers and into her skin. The sensation was rather like a being hit
in the chest by a tidal wave and not having anywhere to fall back
against. Only his grip kept her from collapsing.
When Zev lowered his hand and she felt only a slightly dizzied
feeling, Octavia inspected her chest. Where the burn mark had been
there was now a purple tattoo of a hand with a logograph on the palm
she couldn’t identify.
‘What language is it?’
‘Aroi.’
‘Well, sure, why didn’t I guess that?’

71
 He chuckled. ‘One of many from our world.’
‘Cool.’
‘Do you want to go home?’
She nodded.
Zev snapped his fingers and Octavia was suddenly back in her
bedroom.
Cleo trotted over to her and Octavia went to get her food and water
before curling up beside her on the sofa to watch mindless television.

Octavia awoke to Caleb shaking her and repeating her name over and
over. The memories from the night before came flooding back to her
and she doubled over, vomiting into the blanket on her lap.
Caleb leapt back. ‘Jesus! Are you okay?’
Octavia wiped a shaking hand across her mouth.
And that’s when she began to cry.
Caleb drew the blanket carefully away and sat beside her, pulling
her into his arms. He kept asking her what was wrong, what had
happened, what could he do. But she didn’t want to tell him about the
people in Raban. Or about Æshma.
When she had cried herself out, she stumbled into the shower as
Caleb cleaned up the mess.
As the water heated up, she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
There was a handprint on her chest and two Healing marks – one on
her forearm, one on her hipbone. There was no indication that she had
spent half the night in the clutches of a demon.
Octavia put a hand to her mouth and closed her eyes, trying not to
remember.
It took her another twenty minutes to source the strength to get out
of the shower.
Caleb had made her a cup of coffee when she stepped into the
kitchen.
‘You don’t have any cigarettes, do you?’ she croaked.
Caleb’s brows shot up. ‘You’re smoking again?’
‘Cale, please.’
With a sigh, Caleb handed her a cigarette and opened the window
above the sink. ‘What’s up with you, sis?’ he asked. ‘You look terrible.

72
I could hardly wake you up this morning. And then everything since
you’ve opened your eyes has been, well, less than reassuring. I know
you don’t drink, so what gives?’
Octavia shrugged and squeezed the bridge of her nose. ‘There’s just
a lot more to this angels and demons bullshit than I had anticipated.’
Concern shadowed his tired expression. ‘What happened, Tivs?’
‘I’ve seen another demon. It’s – it’s more than I thought it would
be.’
Caleb nodded understandingly. ‘Is Raphael looking after you?’
‘Of course he is,’ she said before taking another drag. She finished
the cigarette and made herself another cup of coffee. She wanted to
tell him, but it was hard to find the words.
She passed through the day in a haze, jumping at shadows and
creaks.
That night, the nightmares came. Filled with demons and violation
and writhing bodies. She awoke drenched in sweat, shaking and
clammy. Three showers didn’t make her feel clean and she went about
the day with numb detachment. She wanted to tell Caleb, she wanted
to tell Raphael. Yet she didn’t want to burden either of them and she
knew both would be upset.
Just as Octavia was getting dressed for work, Raphael appeared. He
smiled broadly when their eyes met.
Something in her chest fluttered and the fear which had hung over
her like a shroud all day finally seemed to lessen. His presence made
her feel safe and she managed a smile for the first time since Raban.
‘Would you like to see an exorcism?’ he asked with a mischievous
grin. ‘I thought I’d offer.’
‘Sounds more interesting than serving drunks,’ she said gamely.
‘Let me call in and we can go.’
Raphael walked over to her and held out his hand. ‘It’s done.’
She took his hand, intertwining their fingers. ‘That’s so handy.’
He lifted her into his arms and shot into the sky. Octavia kept her
eyes fixed on the ground as they flew.
When they landed, they were in another house and the room was
filled with the heady smells of incense and cooking meats.
She looked around. ‘Where are we?’
‘Sri Lanka.’

73
 ‘Holy shit.’
He led her into the next room. A woman sat praying at the bedside
of a boy.
The boy was strapped to the bed and was hissing at the woman in
Tamil. His eyes were yellow and his tongue flicked out, forked and
disturbing.
Octavia shivered and kept her distance.
Raphael moved over to the bed and put a hand on the woman’s
shoulder. He spoke softly to her, reassuring and firm, and she stood
and walked over to Octavia.
They watched as Raphael placed a hand on the boy’s chest and
began to speak in harsh, commanding tones.
It was the strangest thing Octavia had ever seen. Like extracting
thick fog from inside someone.
The demon possessing the boy seemed to be clinging to him with
every bit of its strength, but Raphael was too powerful. The language
he spoke sounded like it could move mountains and summon tornados.
After less than five minutes, the boy lay still, and then, with the
sound of clapping thunder, a wave of energy hurtled out of the boy and
shattered the windows.
Octavia stepped back automatically but there was no need. Without
form, the demon was mist and disappeared.
Raphael straightened up and waved his hand. The binds holding the
boy vanished and he blinked several times. Raphael said something
which made the boy smile before he walked over to Octavia and the
woman.
He spoke to the woman first. She let out a cry of delight and she ran
over to the boy and pulled him into her chest.
The sight made Octavia smile, but something inside her constricted
and her mind wandered back in time. She had no memory of her
mother, and no good memories of her father. She wondered what it
would be like to have someone like the boy’s mother around to care
when shit went south. But the thought then made her feel immensely
guilty, because she had Caleb, and she knew how lucky that made her.
When they returned to her apartment, Octavia made tea before they
went to her bedroom.
‘What did you think?’ asked Raphael.

74
 She nodded several times and sat on the bed, drawing her legs into
her chest. ‘Is it uncouth to call an exorcism cool?’
The laugh which escaped him caused his wings to rustle. ‘It’s
certainly something to remember.’
Octavia stared at her cup, wondering if she ought to tell him what
was bothering her. What was making her skin crawl. She wanted to.
She hated that he didn’t know. And she was so utterly terrified that it
would happen again she could barely breathe.
‘O?’ Raphael caught her gaze, concern bright in his black eyes. ‘Is
something the matter?’
After a pregnant pause, she nodded. ‘Æshma,’ she muttered.
‘There’s something I haven’t told you …’
As quickly as possible – and with as little detail as she could get
away with – she relayed to him what had happened in Raban. When
she finished, he was looking at her in horror.
‘I had to save your life,’ she croaked. ‘What was I supposed to do?’
Raphael’s jaw visibly clenched and he looked away. He kept shaking
his head and he stood, wings rustling in fury.
‘What?’
‘I didn’t come to you for saving,’ he said through clenched teeth. ‘No
one is closer to a Watcher than their Healer. I came to you so that I
could die beside a friend.’
‘That’s ridiculous.’
‘All Watchers try to die at their Healer’s side. I didn’t mean for you
to make another deal. Stop making deals!’
A feeling of absolute aversion and fear spiralled through her and
before she could stop herself she stood and smacked him upside the
head.
He glowered her. ‘What was that for?’
‘You don’t get to say shit like that,’ she snapped. ‘If there’s a way to
live, you take it.’
‘Not if it means that sort of thing happens to you – to anyone.’
Octavia shook her head, still fuming. ‘You’re worth the sacrifice.’
‘No, I am not.’
‘Well, luckily you didn’t get to make that choice. I did. And you’re
alive. I’m alive. It’s … it’ll be okay. I think. I’m hoping.’

75
 Raphael ran a hand through his hair and watched her for a moment,
clearly unsure of what to say to her. Then, with a heavy sigh, he said,
‘I will kill him for this.’
‘Good,’ said Octavia. ‘He fucking deserves it.’
Silence fell between them and Raphael flexed and unflexed his
hand, as if he wanted to move or say something or do anything to make
it better. ‘Are you all right?’ he asked at length. ‘Did – did he do –’
‘Only what I told you,’ she said. ‘Nothing else.’
Raphael swallowed hard. This seemed to only bring him minor
amounts of relief. His body was trembling; it took her a few seconds
to realise it was with rage. She reached out and took his hand.
‘I’m okay,’ she said. ‘I’ll be okay.’
It was apparent that he didn’t believe her. He sat down and she
curled up beside him. His wings wrapped around her and for the first
time she realised that they smelled sweet, like honeysuckle, and
warmth radiated from them.
‘Do you have to leave?’ she asked, hoping that he didn’t.
‘Not for a while.’
‘I don’t think I’d be able to sleep if you left.’
‘I doubt I will sleep at all tonight.’
She scowled into the darkness. ‘I keep watching the shadows.’
‘I’ll watch them for you.’
‘Will you be here when I wake up?’
‘I won’t leave without saying goodbye.’
They held each other’s gazes for a moment before Octavia turned
away and stared at the wall. It was hard to focus on anything, hard to
relax or breathe properly. But the hours dragged on and Raphael
stayed still, and at last her mind found some quiet.
She awoke to Raphael gently shaking her. It was still dark out.
‘I’m being summoned,’ he whispered. ‘Will you be all right?’
She nodded, eyes heavy and hard to open. ‘Thanks for staying. I
know you have more important things to do.’
‘You are important.’ He disentangled himself and pulled the blanket
over her. She missed the warmth of his wings immediately. He said,
‘I’ll be back tomorrow. Please call me if anything – anyone – gives you
pause.’
‘I will.’

76
 ‘Promise?’
‘I promise.’
He put a hand on her cheek, smiled, and disappeared with a flap of
his wings.
It took her almost an hour to fall back to sleep, and when she awoke
the next time, there was a note written in elegant handwriting on the
bedside table.

O,

I didn’t want to wake you as I know you need the

sleep. This necklace will hide you from all save the
Irin. It’s more powerful than the last. Please wear
it.
I will return as soon as I’m able.
Be safe.

Raphael

Octavia smiled to herself and fastened the necklace around her

neck. The stone was black this time, with flecks of white that
contrasted starkly. It reminded her of his eyes.
She held it, a smile playing on her lips, before she turned and began
to get dressed.
If there was one thing she had mastered over the years, it was how
to put one foot in front of the other and carry on.

77
 CHAPTER SIX
The Demon of Games

After a blessedly uneventful few days which saw Octavia spending

more time with Jack, showing Raphael her favourite movies in every
genre, going to the park with Caleb and catching him up on everything
he missed between visits, the relative serenity ended when Jax came
into the pub.
He sat at the bar and smiled at her. ‘Beer?’
Octavia glared at him as she filled the pint glass and passed it to
him. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I wanted to talk to you.’
‘I’m working.’
‘I can wait.’
Octavia rolled her eyes and walked away to clear more tables. When
she had returned the empty glasses to the kitchen, she stepped back
out and saw that not only was Jax still at the bar, but Zev had arrived.
He slid into a seat and smiled wickedly at her. ‘Good evening,
Octavia,’ he drawled. ‘How are you?’
‘Delighted by life,’ she said dryly. ‘Want something to drink?’
Zev glanced at the selection behind the bar. ‘Do you make more if
you sell more expensive drinks?’
She grinned and looked over her shoulder at the selection. ‘Yeah,
the boss is pretty good about that.’
‘Then I’ll have your finest whiskey,’ he said, winking. ‘The whole
bottle.’
Octavia laughed and stood on her toes to grab the bottle from the
top shelf. She slid it towards him with a glass of ice. ‘You know it’s two
hundred?’
‘I’ve paid fifty once.’
‘Fifty?’
‘Thousand.’
She almost dropped the glass she had picked up. ‘Jesus Christ.’
He laughed. ‘Money is hardly an object when you play the stock
market like I do.’
‘Is there money where you’re from?’

78
 ‘Not the way there is here.’
From the corner of her eye, she could see Jax watching the entire
exchange.
Zev leaned close. ‘Your ex is watching us. Shall I show him he’s not
wanted?’
Octavia raised an eyebrow. ‘How would you do that?’
Zev dipped his head and captured her in a kiss. It caught her
completely off guard and for a moment guilt rose in her chest as she
thought of Raphael, but she pushed it aside as Zev deepened the kiss.
When he drew back, Jax was gone. Relief sank into her bones and
she nodded to Zev.
‘Nice.’
‘I’ve been wanting to do that,’ said Zev, voice low and husky. ‘What
time are you off?’
‘Two.’
‘Would you like to go somewhere with me?’
Octavia appraised him. There was something exciting about Zev. He
was handsome, cunning, intelligent. And it was the reality of her
burgeoning feelings for Raphael which made her choice in the end.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘I’ll see you at two.’
Zev grinned and put a few notes on the bar with a wink before he
disappeared. She picked them up and let out a small noise of surprise.
For the rest of her shift, Octavia tried not to think of either angel or
demon with little success.
By two o’clock, as she stepped out after the stragglers, she found
Zev leaning back against the wall waiting for her.
She walked over to him, wondering if the whole thing was a stupid
idea. ‘Where do you want to go at two in the morning?’
‘Breakfast,’ he said. ‘Would you like to come to my house? I may be
a demon but I’m a good cook.’
‘Okay.’
Zev put an arm around her waist and in a second they were in his
warm house. The smell of lingering incense and smoke filled her nose
as purple electricity fizzled off her skin harmlessly. Octavia kicked off
her boots and dropped into one of the chairs. Now that she wasn’t
being rescued it was easier to appreciate the architecture of the

79
building, the paintings and sculptures and artefacts which filled the
space.
She eyed a scroll that was encased on a podium. ‘What’s that?’
‘One of the original manuscripts for the Torah.’
‘Whoa.’
‘I like souvenirs.’
Impressed, Octavia let her eyes take in the rest of the artefacts. ‘So
did you collect most of these or are they actually yours that you’ve kept
preserved?’
‘Most of them are mine.’
‘What about the broadsword I saw at Blood and Bone?’
‘Mine.’
‘Can you use it?’
‘Yes.’
‘Okay, now that’s cool.’ Her grin turned into a yawn. She rubbed
her eyes and huffed. ‘Sorry.’
‘Tired?’ he asked, walking into the kitchen and going to the
refrigerator.
‘I haven’t been able to sleep since Raban,’ she muttered, taking off
her coat and putting it on the back of the chair. She slept well when
Raphael was around, but she wasn’t going to say that.
Zev looked over at her. ‘Has anything else happened?’
‘No.’
‘If you feel unsafe, you are welcome to stay here.’
‘I’m not hiding.’
‘I never hide, beautiful.’ Zev winked at her before he rolled up his
sleeves and set about cooking. ‘I’m presuming you like eggs?’
‘Eggs are good.’
‘Excellent.’
She wondered if he meant it. If he was sincere or just using her.
After all, humans and angels seemed as cruel as each other. Why would
the demons be the exception?
‘We’re not,’ he said, glancing over at her. ‘But I am sincere.’
‘Zev, are you reading my mind?’
Silence.
‘I don’t suppose if I ask you not to, you would stop?’
‘Of course I would. Games are no fun if the rules are easy.’

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 ‘Okay. Please don’t read my mind.’
‘Done. Anything else?’
She raised an eyebrow. ‘Why am I here? Why do you even like me?
There must be a million demons out there that are far more
interesting. I don’t see how a twenty-three-year-old compares to
someone who’s got thousands of years of stories to tell.’
‘Trust me, age does not make for wisdom.’
‘I’ll bear that in mind.’
Zev leaned against the sink and crossed his arms. The tattoos on his
hands went up his arms and disappeared beneath his sleeves. ‘Do you
like total honesty, Octavia? Most humans do not.’
She shrugged. ‘What’s the point of a lie? Everyone ought to know
where everyone else stands. It’s just easier that way. Although that
stance hasn’t served to win me friends.’
Zev nodded a few times, lips pursed in thoughtful approval. ‘I quite
agree. And because I agree – and I rarely agree with humans – I will
tell you. Lies are my trade and games are my currency but I crave truth.
I seek those who have nothing to hide. Who want nothing from me. I
want a partner. Someone who can be trusted. Who will gain nothing
from my demise, who does not want it, and who would perhaps even
care if I did die. I want you, Octavia. And since you are so attached to
the truth, I want you to know that I intend to do everything to win
your affection. Demon I may be, but all things want a match. I have a
feeling you are such a match.’
She stared at him, completely at a loss for words. That was far and
away from anything remotely close to what she had imagined he would
say. She crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow. ‘The world is not in
want of honest women to give you a run for your money.’
‘Honestly?’ He chuckled. ‘What better game to play than winning
the heart of Raphael’s Healer? It would make for a wonderful story.
And it’s been a while since I’ve played any new games. Things start to
become dull after four thousand years.’
Octavia snorted. ‘I’m sure there’s a compliment in there
somewhere.’
‘There is.’

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 Zev walked over to her and held out his hand. When she took it, he
drew her to her feet and captured her in another kiss. He was a much
better kisser than Jax and she felt herself leaning into him.
His hands went to her waist and pulled her flush against his body.
He grabbed her thighs and hoisted her onto the table, stepping
between her legs.
As his lips moved from her mouth, trailing down her neck, she
pushed him away gently. ‘Wait,’ she said. ‘I – I don’t want to rush …’
Zev nodded and ran a hand through his ashy hair. ‘I have all the
time in the world.’
He returned to cooking and she sat down in the chair and pulled
her legs into her chest. She rested her head on her knees and was close
to nodding off when Zev put a plate in front of her.
She blinked and rubbed her eyes. ‘Sorry. I’m totally falling asleep
on you.’
‘Eat and then sleep,’ said Zev. ‘You can stay here if you want. I have
more than one room.’
Octavia considered it for a moment, but she thought of Cleo, and
then she thought of Raphael coming to Zev’s, and she shook her head.
‘Nah. Maybe next time.’
Zev nodded and gestured to her plate. ‘Once you eat, I’ll take you
home. I’m starting to worry about your ability to feed yourself.’
Octavia stuck out her tongue. ‘I feed myself fine.’
‘You look like you’ve not eaten since the first day you came into my
club.’
Slightly taken aback, Octavia glanced over at the mirror on the wall
and appraised herself. She looked more exhausted and underweight
than she had in a while. There were deep circles under her eyes and
her skin was too pale. Her hair looked limp and her eyes weary. First
breaking up with Jax, then meeting Tamiel, then all the rest of it; she
hadn’t had a break in a long time and she looked it.
She glanced back at him. ‘It’s been a long introduction to the
preternatural.’
‘It could be worse. You’re a human on a human world suddenly
learning that there are demons in the shadows and angels in the air.
Imagine being from a demon world and waking up here and realising
that you must keep to the shadows. This is not our world. We can be

82
nothing here. A mockery of what we should be. Here we are unwanted.
Here we are hunted. Here we are weak.’
‘No demon I’ve seen is weak.’
‘You see only fragments of true power.’
‘Well, that’s comforting.’
‘It is like all things – both comforting and terrifying, depending on
how you look at it. The power that threatens you now is great, but my
power is greater. And your archangel is the Commander General of the
Irin.’
Octavia mulled that over as she forced herself to eat what was in
front of her. She wasn’t hungry, but she knew she looked like shit and
Zev seemed determined to make the effort.
When she finished eating, he took her back to her truck at the pub
and started it with a wave of his hand. They stood outside in the snow.
It fell into Zev’s hair and mixed in almost invisibly with the ash colour.
His slanted purple eyes glinted from the streetlight above.
‘May I see you again?’ he asked. ‘When you’re not falling asleep.’
‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘That’d be fun.’
Zev bowed his head and disappeared in a crack of violet lightning.
Octavia let out a rattling breath and clambered into her truck. She
was halfway to her apartment when she turned and made for Caleb’s
house instead. She pulled to a stop outside and dialled his number.
At four in the morning, she was hardly surprised it took over a
minute for the phone to be answered. She also wasn’t entirely
surprised when she heard Alisa complaining about her on the other
side.
‘Go back to sleep,’ said Caleb quietly. ‘I’ll just see what she needs.’
‘It’s the middle of the night!’
Octavia rolled her eyes. ‘Tell her I’m glad she can finally tell time.’
He laughed and she heard Alisa ask him what she’d said.
‘She said she hopes she didn’t wake you,’ he fibbed. ‘What’s up,
Tivs?’
‘I’m outside,’ she said. ‘Come out.’
‘It’s fucking freezing,’ he grumbled, but she heard him yanking on
his boots and the light over the front door burst to life. A second later,
he stepped outside and walked carefully through the snow over to her
car.

83
 ‘What couldn’t wait until morning?’ he asked, closing the door
behind him.
Octavia took a deep breath and then told him what he, like Raphael,
had not known. When she finished, Caleb’s hands were curled into fists
in rage. He seemed to be clenching his jaw so tightly it was a wonder
his teeth didn’t shatter.
‘Fucking Hell,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘Jesus Christ, Tivs.’
‘At least it didn’t go far,’ she murmured.
He stared at her. ‘That in no way makes it better. Thank fuck, yes,
but still.’
Octavia nodded and leaned back, rubbing her temples. ‘You know I
love you?’
‘Not as much as I love you, baby sis.’ He scratched his cheek
absently. ‘Maybe I should move back in.’
She ran a hand through her hair and pursed her lips. ‘I never
wanted you to move out. How is dear old Alisa?’
‘Fine,’ said Caleb. ‘Living together’s not as much fun as I thought it
would be.’
‘Why not?’
‘You know how we can ignore each other for eight hours and not
have to fill the silence?’
Octavia nodded. It was one of the best things about Caleb. She could
exist in total harmony with him. They could ignore each other for
hours and spend time in their own company as easily as they could
watch a six-hour movie marathon or have an intense debate about the
government. Caleb was the only person she never tired of. That said,
Raphael was fast rising to the top of the list.
‘Yeah, well, it’s not like that with Alisa.’ He shrugged. ‘I just always
feel like I have to be on. Does that make sense?’
She nodded. ‘If you can’t relax, there’s no use sticking it out.’
‘My lease would disagree with you.’
They both laughed humourlessly.
‘So more demons will be coming after you?’ he asked.
‘Apparently so.’
Caleb looked at her with dead seriousness. ‘Don’t keep me out of
the loop. I need to know you’re safe. You’re all I’ve got.’
‘You’ve got Alisa.’

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 ‘You come first. You always come first.’
She squeezed his arm. ‘You too, bro.’
He ran a hand over his head. ‘I heard from the lawyer today.’
‘Oh?’
‘He’s going before the judge again.’
Octavia swallowed hard. If it wasn’t demons, it was monsters. ‘He
won’t get out.’
‘I’d ask Jax to help again, but something tells me that port of call is
no good anymore.’ Caleb sighed. ‘I suppose having an angel looking
after you is better than a thug.’
‘I’d like to think so.’
‘Are you going to tell Raphael?’
‘Not unless I have to.’
His phone beeped and he glanced at it. ‘Alisa wants to know what’s
taking so long.’
Octavia rolled her eyes. ‘She really hates me.’
‘As if you’ve ever liked her.’
‘No, she’s as interesting as crackers.’
Caleb snorted. ‘Dinner soon?’
‘Yep.’
They smiled at each other for a moment, both wondering what to
do next, before he nodded and left the car.
Octavia drove off, wishing not for the first time, that Caleb had
never moved out.

The following afternoon, when Octavia was in the middle of walking

Cleo, her phone rang.
With a wry smile, she answered. ‘Hello, Zev.’
‘Octavia, my darling, are you busy tomorrow night?’
‘I have work at eight.’
‘Until when?’
‘Two.’ Octavia sat on a bench in the park, eyes fixed on Cleo who
was sniffing something in the grass. ‘Why?’
‘I am attending a small party of sorts,’ he explained, ‘and I was
hoping you would accompany me. I need a date who will cause a
sensation. A Healer would certainly achieve that.’

85
 Octavia grimaced. ‘The last demon get-together I went to involved
me naked on the lap of a demon,’ she said, stomach twisting at her
words. ‘I’m not particularly keen to go to another.’
The air crackled and Zev appeared before her. He was dressed in a
black suit, his ashy hair styled neatly.
Octavia slid her phone back into her pocket and looked up at him.
‘Yo.’
Zev sat down beside her. ‘I promise you nothing untoward will
happen – to you.’
She snorted. ‘That’s reassuring.’
‘Well, what is a demon party without a little bloodletting and
sacrifice?’ he said with a chuckle. ‘But nothing will happen to you. And
there will be no slaves. No blood. No screams – at least not human
ones. Sometimes the partygoers fight amongst themselves, but I’m
afraid there’s little help for that.’
‘Same goes for people, I guess.’
‘Precisely.’
Octavia crossed her arms. ‘Why do you even want me there?’
Zev leaned forwards, elbows on his knees, lavender eyes narrowed
intently. ‘How will you ever fall in love with me if you do not see my
world?’
‘You’re very confident.’
‘I aim to win every game I play, Octavia.’ He nudged her playfully.
‘Will you join me? I’m certain I could persuade your employer to give
you the night off.’
Octavia whistled to Cleo. Clipping the leash back on, she
straightened up and regarded Zev for a long moment before nodding.
Much as she would have preferred an evening with Raphael, he was a
Watcher. He was one of the Irin. He had banished Tamiel for having
feelings. He would never fall in love with her. Pretending that they had
a future would only break her heart. The best, the safest choice, was
to end it before she felt any more.
‘You promise nothing will happen?’
‘I swear it.’
‘No rape or murder?’
‘I swear,’ he said again.
She took a deep breath and nodded. ‘Okay. What should I wear?’

86
 ‘Something … black,’ he said. ‘All the better if my mark is on display.
Word will spread that you are off limits. And I do like looking at you.’
She cocked an eyebrow in challenge. ‘I will if you will.’
‘Done,’ he said before kissing her. ‘I love showing off.’

The following evening, Octavia found herself too anxious to sit still.
She was undeniably nervous.
As she had never been very keen on dresses, she wore a low-cut
black top which showed off her bellybutton and the tattoo in the
middle of her chest, jeans, and her favourite boots.
Zev had not specified whether it was formal or not, but she had little
time to worry about that. He arrived at exactly eight o’clock wearing
black trousers and a black waistcoat that was unbuttoned and
displayed his tattoos. His eyes raked over her. ‘Beautiful,’ he said. ‘Are
you ready?’
Cleo came up behind Zev and sniffed his hand. When Cleo licked his
fingers, he scratched her head.
‘If she likes you, you can’t be all bad,’ said Octavia, pleased by Cleo’s
acceptance. ‘She hates everyone I do – or should. She hates my ex-
boyfriend.’
‘As do I.’ Zev held out his hand. ‘Shall we?’
With rising hesitation, Octavia took his hand. The air crackled and
she stepped involuntarily closer to him.
A moment later they were standing in a large marble entrance hall.
There was a staircase before them and they walked down it.
At the bottom was a man with bloodstained teeth and solid orange
eyes. His flesh was veiny and discoloured, and an odd orange mist rose
from his skin. He stepped aside when they reached the bottom stair
and let them pass without a word.
Zev glanced at her. ‘I know that given your time with Æshma you
might not be inclined, but if doesn’t bother you, I would like to keep
you close.’
‘How close?’
‘At my side.’
‘Don’t touch anything a gentleman wouldn’t,’ she warned. ‘I will eat
your hand.’

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 Zev bowed his head and placed an arm around her waist.
They reached the end of the corridor and walked through a set of
enormous stone doors.
A great room spread out before them. It was full of demons. Some
were humanlike but with strange eyes or wings or talons; several
looked more terrifying and entirely alien.
A few of the demons stared at her but most looked at her and looked
away quickly. The first to approach them was a demon with red eyes.
He seemed almost skinless, as if the top layer had been taken; his veins
thrummed visibly over his raw, wet flesh. It was hard to look at but
harder to look away from.
‘Zev,’ said the demon, bowing his head. ‘Welcome to my party.’
‘Haures,’ said Zev. ‘You look well.’
‘You want to know the secret? The blood –’
‘I know the secret, Haures,’ said Zev loudly. ‘Allow me to introduce
Octavia.’
Haures appraised her. ‘You are human.’
‘Yep,’ said Octavia. ‘What gave it away?’
‘She is Raphael’s Healer,’ said Zev. ‘And my vesleka.’
Octavia had no idea what a vesleka was, but the second he said it,
all eyes fixed on them. She cringed internally.
Haures’ brow furrowed and he stepped closer. His movements
seemed jarring, as if he flickered in the air. As if he wasn’t fully real. ‘I
never knew you to have toys, Zev. Glad to see you’ve changed.’
‘Go fuck yourself,’ said Octavia before she could stop herself.
Zev let out a bark of laughter and several of the others joined in.
‘The Healer bites,’ said another demon, sidling over. She had shock-
red hair and white eyes. ‘Good to know. I do so hate humans who
cower.’
‘Ah, Nybbas,’ said Zev. ‘How fair the husbands?’
Nybbas grinned widely, revealing teeth which sent a chill through
Octavia; there looked to be around five hundred, all tiny and sharp.
‘Good,’ she sibilated. ‘Your Healer is striking.’
‘Undeniably.’
Another demon appeared at her side. ‘I heard she was Æshma’s
slave.’
‘You were misinformed,’ said Zev. ‘Æshma stole her from me.’

88
 The demon’s eyes flickered and his snakelike tongue darted out to
moisten his lips. ‘If he tasted her, perhaps we –’
Zev’s hand shot out and purple electricity wrapped around the
demon’s neck. ‘Octavia,’ he said casually, ‘would you like to tell Raum
what you think of his suggestion that I pass you around?’
A flash of rage tore through her violently and she punched Raum in
the teeth before her mind completely caught up with her.
‘I think her answer’s clear, Raum,’ said Zev, releasing his hold on
the other demon. ‘Do not disrespect my guest again.’
Octavia glared at Raum until he disappeared.
‘Might I say that you wear anger well?’ said Zev. ‘I find myself
entranced.’
She sighed, chest shuddering with nerves. ‘Are you doing this to
prove a point to me?’
‘Would it matter? Would it change the fact that I did it? That it felt
good? That I will let no one near you and am letting it be known to
all?’
Octavia didn’t know what to say to that. The demons frightened her,
but she found Zev intriguing and, bizarrely, charming. It was hard not
to feel drawn to him. His openness about his manipulative tendencies
was almost endearing, and her chest shook with flutters of excitement
and nervous energy whenever he looked at her.
The run in with Raum was not the last that night, but after the third
demon said something snide, Zev lost his patience and sent him flying
into the chandelier in the ceiling. It speared him through the chest. It
didn’t kill him, but he seemed fairly stuck. The other demons laughed
and no one helped him down.
Some of the demons were less abrasive and crude, with many
expressing pleasure at meeting her and their desire to work with the
angels. Like humans and angels, few of the demons seemed to hold the
same point of view and all debated. Even if the debates were terrifying
to behold.
‘I don’t get it,’ she said to Zev at one point. ‘I thought demons could
only be on Earth by, like, possessing people or being brought over from
Kolos? None of these demons look remotely like people. Except four.
Including you.’

89
 Zev smirked. ‘Most here have been here since before the Gateway
was closed. The three you see that look like humans do so because
they’re possessing humans.’
That bothered her on multiple levels. She looked over at Zev
dubiously. ‘And you?’
‘I made my body myself.’
She stared at him. ‘What?’
He laughed loudly. ‘When I came over, I looked as I did on Kolos.
It’s no way to succeed on the human world. It took a great deal of
power, but I changed my shape.’
‘So you’re just you? No creepy body-snatching?’
‘None whatsoever.’
‘Thank Christ.’
Several demons hissed.
Zev chuckled and kissed her cheek. ‘Thank someone else down here,
perhaps.’
‘Something tells me you can take them.’
Her words seemed to please him and he led her over to another
group of demons.
A debate formed in the corner of the party and Octavia found herself
fascinated by the discourse of the demons. Piro, Melcha and Kobal
were amongst Zev’s most fervent supporters. Nybbas was off-putting
but she seemed fond of Zev and kept drawing Octavia into
conversation, asking her opinion on this or that. They were merciless
in their mockery and sarcasm, but when she started replying in kind,
they tittered and howled, delighted by her spine, and Zev smiled with
unabashed approval.
As the night wore on, Zev became more amorous until at one point
he pressed her against a pillar, kissing her desperately, his hands
moving up her back, his touch electric on her skin.
‘Do you want me to take you home?’ he asked when they broke
apart, gasping for breath. ‘Demon gatherings can last for days.’
Octavia nodded, head heavy and thoughts foggy. ‘Probably.’
Without another word, Zev wrapped his arm around her and they
disappeared in a crack of violet light.
Back in her bedroom, his mouth claimed hers again and he
manoeuvred her to the bed, lowering her onto her back. His hands

90
were expert and her body hummed under his touch. She had no
memory of ever being so turned on by Jax.
He paused, a finger on her zipper. ‘Shall I stop?’
‘No.’
With a sly grin, he finished removing her clothes before quickly
taking off his own.
She put a hand on his chest. ‘You clean?’
He chuckled. ‘Yes.’
Octavia nodded and kissed him again. She’d been on birth control
since her second pregnancy scare with Jax.
Zev took his time, running his tongue and lips over her and coaxing
an orgasm out of her with his fingers before he finished. He stayed
inside of her for a moment and kissed her languidly. His tattoos and
eyes glowered purple briefly before he pulled away and rolled over.
He glanced back at her as he got dressed. ‘Did you enjoy yourself
tonight?’
‘I didn’t hate it,’ she allowed. ‘Kobal and the rest are interesting.
The lack of rape and human torture certainly helped make the evening
an improvement on the last. Once you overlook the ones who think
people are chew toys, it wasn’t so bad.’
Zev grinned. In the shadows, he looked more catlike than ever.
‘Perhaps we have more in common than you think.’
‘I never thought we were so different.’
He smiled to himself and then leaned close, kissing her cheek.
‘Pleasant dreams, little queen.’
He disappeared and Octavia stared into the darkness of her
bedroom, not sure what to make of any of it.

91
 CHAPTER SEVEN
Progression

Morning brought harsh and bitter winds and Octavia donned several
layers before taking Cleo out for a walk. She meandered aimlessly
through the town, letting her feet wander as much as her mind. There
was nothing she liked more than disappearing into nowhere and
learning that it was somewhere no one was likely to find her.
She missed Raphael and wondered what he was up to. Her chest
felt hollow and heavy whenever he was gone for long periods of time.
And this was longer than any before. She had a feeling she was
becoming addicted to his proximity and she missed him so much it felt
like someone had shovelled out a hole in her stomach.
As she walked by the cemetery, a figure stepped out from inside the
small church and walked over to her.
Octavia stopped. She now second-guessed every stranger.
The woman was short and her head was completely shaven, but she
didn’t seem demonic. ‘I have a message for you,’ she rasped. ‘Will you
hear it?’
Octavia looked around. Surely hearing something couldn’t hurt. She
nodded, heart hammering. ‘Okay.’
‘When the only way out is up, take the door to your right.’
Octavia stared at her. ‘What?’
‘Death is only the beginning, Octavia.’ The woman smiled eerily at
her before she turned and walked towards the gravestones.
‘Hey!’
But the woman vanished into thin air as if she had never been there
at all.
Completely nonplussed, and somewhat shaken, Octavia turned and
headed back to her apartment, mulling over what the woman had said.
Death is only the beginning didn’t sound very comforting.

A few nights later, after Caleb’s insistence that she not reschedule
again, Octavia found herself at his door.

92
 ‘At least attempt a smile,’ he said with a laugh when she stepped
inside.
‘I am,’ she muttered. ‘Attempts are hard.’
He rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair.
To her annoyance, the interior of the house bore few signs of
Caleb’s touch. It was all Alisa. They walked into the kitchen and he
handed her a glass of water.
‘We have wine,’ said Alisa, looking up from whatever she was
cooking.
‘Tivs doesn’t drink,’ said Caleb. ‘You know that.’
‘Oh, I forgot.’ Alisa clapped her hands together. ‘So, how are you,
Octavia?’
Octavia nodded. ‘Fine, yeah. Busy. You?’
‘Busy,’ said Alisa. ‘Any men?’
Octavia scratched the side of her face, utterly annoyed by the
question. ‘Sort of? I’m seeing this club owner.’
Alisa’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Which club?’
‘Blood and Bone.’
‘Never heard of it.’ Alisa shrugged and turned back to the saucepan.
‘Is it serious?’
‘No, not really.’
Alisa scoffed. ‘You’re not getting any younger, Octavia. You should
look for someone to settle down with. You have to plan for children,
you know?’
Caleb clamped a hand over Octavia’s mouth before she could reply.
‘Please,’ he mouthed.
She glared at him but swallowed the retort she longed to fling at
Alisa. ‘I don’t want kids,’ she said instead.
Alisa snorted. ‘You’re too young to know what you want.’
Mutinous, Octavia dodged Caleb’s next attempt and said, ‘Cale
doesn’t either.’
Alisa turned around. ‘People change.’
‘They really don’t.’ Octavia looked at Caleb, daring him to deny it.
‘Who needs a smoke?’ said Caleb, disappearing out the back.
Octavia shook her head and walked into the sitting room. She
stayed there for another twenty minutes, trying not to listen to their
argument.

93
 Caleb appeared after a while and told her dinner was ready.
‘I’m sorry,’ she mumbled.
‘It’s fine,’ he said, giving her a half-hug. ‘It’s true.’
Octavia nodded and said nothing else. She spent most of the dinner
answering politely and trying not to laugh every time Caleb caught her
eye.
‘Could have gone worse,’ he said when he walked her out to her car
an hour later. ‘You could have stabbed her.’
‘She’s less interesting than bread, Cale.’
‘I love bread, sis.’
‘Gross.’ Octavia laughed and hugged him goodnight. ‘I hate people
who act like they know better. We’re all as confused as each other.’
‘I know. Text me when you’re home,’ he said as she clambered into
her truck. ‘And I want updates if more demonic or angelic shit occurs.’
‘I promise,’ she said. Waving to him, she drove off, mind already far
away.
When Octavia returned home, she crawled into bed and held the
necklace tightly. She missed Raphael so much but there was no sign of
him that night, or the one after that.
Things seemed almost back to normal – so much so that finding Jax
at her front door several nights later seemed par for the course. A
reminder that even when everything else changed, some things never
did.
Octavia leaned against the doorframe and crossed her arms. ‘What
are you doing here?’
‘I thought we could hang out,’ he said. ‘I miss you.’
She shook her head. ‘Go away, Jax.’
A hand suddenly wrapped around her stomach. She started in
surprise, but caught herself before she shrieked. Zev had materialised
behind her, and the look he was directing at Jax was not welcoming.
‘You should go, little boy,’ he said. ‘You’re not wanted.’
Jax’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘Who the fuck are you?’
‘Zev,’ said Zev. ‘Her boyfriend.’
A look of irate indignation flashed across Jax’s face. ‘You picked him
over me?’
‘Jealous?’

94
 Throwing her a look of contempt, Jax turned on his heel and
stormed off without another word.
She closed the door and heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Thanks for that.’
‘My pleasure,’ said Zev.
He leaned in to kiss her but suddenly there was a ripple in the air
and Raphael was standing in the kitchen. He looked from her to Zev
with a furrowed brow.
Octavia stepped away from Zev instantly and walked over to
Raphael. She hadn’t seen him in almost two weeks and she had missed
him so much more than she thought she would. Everything inside her
quickened and she hugged him before she could doubt it.
He wrapped his arms around her hesitantly, but then he drew her
close. ‘How have you been?’ he asked. ‘I felt nothing from you.’
Octavia smiled and shook her head. ‘No, mostly boring.’
Raphael looked relieved. His black eyes moved to Zev who was
watching their exchange with a curious eye. ‘Hello, Zev,’ he said. Polite,
but cool.
‘Raphael.’ Zev nodded to him. ‘I see you have come to appreciate my
gift after all.’
‘Octavia is singular,’ said Raphael. ‘I have no quarrel with your
trick.’
Zev’s eyes moved to her. ‘She is that.’
Octavia desperately did not want them both there. The
uncomfortable awkwardness of it all made her want to burrow into
the ground. She wanted Zev to leave so she could catch up with
Raphael, but there was no good way to go about saying as much.
‘I was hoping for a moment with my Healer,’ said Raphael. ‘If you
don’t mind?’
It was abundantly clear that Zev did mind, but he did not argue with
Raphael. He looked at Octavia and cocked his head towards the door.
‘A moment, little queen, before I leave?’
Octavia stepped away from Raphael with a small smile, and
followed Zev out of the room and down the small hallway to the front
door.
‘Will you go for dinner with me?’ he asked when they were alone.
‘Tomorrow night?’

95
 Taken aback, she found that she couldn’t think of a reason to say
no. ‘Sure,’ she said after a beat. ‘Where do you want to go?’
Zev kissed her cheek, said, ‘It’s a surprise,’ and disappeared with a
crack of purple lightning.
Perplexed, but too eager to see Raphael to give it much thought,
Octavia returned to the sitting room. Raphael was still standing there,
and her heart skipped a beat as she walked over to him.
‘I missed you,’ she said. ‘Busy?’
‘No more so than usual,’ he said. ‘I had a few issues which needed
to be rectified.’
‘Do you want to stay for dinner?’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘Angels do
eat dinner, right?’
Raphael laughed. ‘Yes and yes.’
Giddy and excited, Octavia ordered Chinese food and then
wandered back into the bedroom. She had moved her bed from the
corner to the centre of the room the week before and when he sat
down, his wings had plenty of space.
‘Thank you,’ he said, nodding to the bed. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘I want you to be comfortable,’ she said, sitting beside him and
drawing her legs into her chest. ‘I want you to feel like you’re welcome
here. Which you are.’
He matched her smile but it morphed to a frown a second later. ‘Zev
wants you,’ he said suddenly. ‘The akero all speak of his declaration to
you.’
Octavia nodded. ‘I know.’
‘He told you?’
‘Yes. He asked me out to dinner tomorrow.’
When she didn’t elaborate, Raphael prompted, ‘And what did you
say?’
Octavia shrugged. She wasn’t sure she wanted to have this
conversation with Raphael. ‘I said I’d go.’
It was clear this answer didn’t please him. ‘You can’t trust him.’
‘Because he’s a demon?’
‘He’s played you once already,’ said Raphael. ‘No matter how much
I have come to love the outcome, you are now in great danger. Please
be careful. Zev never does anything without a scheme.’
Love.

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 Her breath caught in her throat and Octavia reached out and put a
hand on his arm. ‘Hey, if you don’t want me to go, I won’t.’
‘I wouldn’t ask that of you.’ He looked away and swallowed. ‘I’m
only asking you to be careful. Zev’s not the worst of demons, but he’s
still a demon. It’s my duty to keep you safe. I have never let daevas
near my Healers before. It’s unsettling.’
A strange, unpleasant feeling curled in her stomach and her eyes
stung. She knew all she could be was his duty, but it didn’t stop her
from wishing she was more. She wanted to kick herself for even
hoping. She knew better. It was why she’d even contemplated the idea
of Zev.
‘Oh – okay, then.’
He motioned to her laptop. ‘Did you want to watch another film?’
Still stung, Octavia sat down a noticeable distance from him and put
the movie on.
The food arrived shortly thereafter and they ate in silence. But
when the cartons were empty, Raphael’s wings rustled and he lifted
his arm in invitation. Hope swelled unbidden and she curled up next
to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Everything about him
comforted and awoke her in equal, dizzying measure.
‘Do you prefer me to come to you only when I need to be healed?’
he murmured when the film reached a quiet moment. ‘I don’t want to
intrude on your life more than I have.’
‘I missed you,’ she replied. ‘I want you around. Unless, you know,
you only want to come around when you need me.’
‘I always need you.’
Her heart fluttered. ‘I wonder if Qaspiel goes to Seth’s for movie
night.’
Raphael said nothing. His wings enveloped her and when she curled
further into his side, she closed her eyes, listening to his steady
breathing.
He traced his fingers over her arm and she stayed very still, fearful
he would stop and leave if she did. She let her breathing even and
pretended to be asleep. She ached to lean into him, to tell him to do
more, to ask him if he felt it.
He leaned down and kissed her forehead.
She managed not to say anything.

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The next few days passed uneventfully. Octavia pulled extra shifts at
the pub to make some side money and she had dinner with Jack and
Tamiel. It was clear the strain was getting to them both, but they
seemed as in love as ever, and she was glad they were weathering the
storm.
After she told Raphael she was spending more time with them, he
started asking about Tamiel without prompting. It was clear he loved
all his comrades and he seemed to have a soft spot for Tamiel. She
wondered, even if it was stupidly silly, if it was because they looked so
alike. Perhaps they were actually brothers.
She asked Raphael this one night and to her surprise he nodded.
‘Raziel and Qaspiel, too.’
He said nothing else on the matter and she didn’t press. It made
even more sense, then, why he had saved Tamiel when it went against
everything he believed in.
For his part, Raphael began coming by more frequently, spending
an hour or two with her, telling her of the demons he had seen or the
exorcisms he had performed; he told her about the Watchers and the
politics at play amongst those who wished to be more powerful coming
up against those who were innately more powerful and therefore
disinclined to be trifled with; he told her about Parid and what he knew
of Kolos.
‘Do you like Earth more than Parid?’ she asked one night after he
finished telling her of a sea monster called a kalark which had tentacles
long enough to reach out of the sea and grab creatures from the sky.
‘There’s something to love about both,’ he murmured. ‘But my
home is here.’
Her next words came out before she could stop herself. ‘Have you
ever been in love, Raphael?’
Raphael’s expression did not change as he said, ‘Yes.’
Octavia tried not to feel jealous about that. ‘Well?’ she prompted.
‘Is that all I’m getting?’
‘The Irin do not marry,’ he said. ‘We cannot have our priorities
compromised. If we live long enough to be released from duty and

98
return to Parid, we are allowed to love and live as we wish. My last
lover was many years ago.’
‘So before you became a Watcher?’ Octavia’s eyebrows shot up.
‘How long ago was that?’
Raphael didn’t elaborate. Instead, he asked, ‘What about you? Were
you in love with Jax?’
She nodded and made a face. ‘I was. First love and all that. I just
don’t think I’ve been in love with him for a while. It was – well,
comfortable doesn’t sound great but I suppose it’s accurate. I met him
when I was fifteen.’
‘How old was he?’
‘Twenty-one.’
Raphael raised an eyebrow. ‘I thought humans frowned upon that.’
‘Some do,’ she said. ‘Jax didn’t.’
It was apparent this answer didn’t please him. ‘And you’ve never
loved another?’
She said nothing, only holding his gaze, a smile on her face.
Raphael regarded her for a moment before he looked away. Perhaps
it was the shadows cast by the dim lighting, but she thought he was
smiling, too.
‘Can humans go to Parid?’ she wondered aloud. ‘Have any humans
ever gone?’
‘A very long time ago.’
They spent hours on her bed discussing the shared histories of
angels, demons and humans. They talked about everything and never
lacked for words.
When she began to drift off, he closed the laptop and raised his arm
and wing. She curled up beside him and he turned the light off.
He shifted down a little and her leg slipped over his. His breath
caught and she held still.
‘I should go,’ he said, disentangling himself and bidding her an
abrupt goodnight before disappearing.
Octavia dropped her head back against the wall and groaned.

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 CHAPTER EIGHT
The Witch’s Secrets

A few nights later, Caleb knocked on her door. He had a bag over his
shoulder and he looked exhausted and irritated.
‘Can I stay here tonight?’
Octavia stepped aside. ‘What happened?’
‘Alisa and I broke up.’
Surprised, she closed the door behind him and began making a pot
of coffee. ‘Why?’
‘Wasn’t working.’
Octavia nodded. With a poorly suppressed grin, she leaned back
against the counter. ‘Wanna move back in?’
Caleb heaved a sigh and smiled. ‘Bless you. Any news?’
‘Oh, yeah.’
As Octavia began filling him in on everything, he suggested she
invite Jack over, and a few hours later they were in the sitting room
talking about the time Jack and Seth were cornered by demons in an
alley and Tamiel and Qaspiel saved them.
It sounded like a movie and even Caleb seemed completely
bewitched, asking question after question.
The way Jack talked about Tamiel felt so familiar to her own
feelings for Raphael, and she listened with a wistful smile.
Despite everything, and feeling like a fool, she was almost jealous
of their story. Of its ending.
That it was a story at all.
Jack left a few hours later, wanting to check in on Tamiel, and Caleb
headed to bed shortly thereafter.
It felt like she’d only just closed her eyes when Octavia woke up to
the incessant ringing of her phone.
She frowned at the screen. It was three o’clock in the morning.
‘Jack?’ she answered. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Tam’s missing. Something’s wrong. I can feel it.’ Jack sounded
absolutely shredded. ‘I’m on my way to you. Will you help me?’

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 She was out of bed in seconds, scrambling to get dressed. Promising
Jack that she would meet him out front, she bundled up in multiple
layers and jammed her feet into her boots.
Jack was already parked outside when she trotted down the steps a
few minutes later.
‘What happened?’ she asked, clambering in.
Jack rubbed his jaw and began to drive. ‘He was supposed to be
home. He wouldn’t be late. Not now. He promised.’
Octavia stared at him. ‘Is it the angels? Hamon?’
‘Hamon,’ said Jack, ‘Sorush, Suriel, Ansiel …’
‘Jesus Christ.’ She wanted to be sick. ‘Does Raphael know?’
‘He came by the other day and warned Tam to keep a low profile.’
‘Fuck.’
Jack nodded grimly. ‘The demons have come in droves, too. I don’t
know who took him. I’m going to Zev.’
‘We don’t need to go to Zev,’ said Octavia. ‘I can bring him to us.’
She placed a hand on her chest and over the mark. He had told her
doing so would summon him. There was a flash of lavender and Zev
was sitting in the backseat. He looked between them, mildly intrigued.
‘Road trip?’ he asked. ‘Excellent. I should have brought showtunes.’
‘Tamiel’s missing,’ said Octavia. ‘We don’t know by who.’
Zev nodded and disappeared.
‘Where’d he go?’ asked Jack, glancing over his shoulder.
‘I have no idea.’ Octavia glared out into the night. ‘Where do we go?’
‘The Witch was my next port of call. Here’s hoping she’s in a
benevolent mood.’
A shiver went through her. ‘Who’s the Witch?’
According to Jack, the Witch was a demon who had been dealing
with all three species for millennia. She lived in the mountains an
eight-hour drive away, and as the sun came up and they made their
way further and further north – and through ever increasing snow –
Jack told Octavia all the stories of the Witch he knew. She sounded
powerful, and undeniably dodgy.
It was late in the day when Jack pulled over on the side of the road
after double-checking the coordinates. The snow was deep and the
river looked half-frozen; icicles hung off the rocks and dripped into the
icy water below.

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 They began the ascent, their breath making white clouds in the air
around them. They’d only just rounded a bend when the air crackled
and Zev appeared. Where both Octavia and Jack were frozen to the
bone and shivering, Zev was wearing only a black shirt and trousers,
unbothered by the crisp wintery air.
‘Anything?’ asked Jack.
Zev shook his head. ‘Going to see Niu, I take it?’
‘The Witch?’
‘She does prefer her name.’ Zev glanced between them, eyebrow
raised. ‘Do either of you know anything about Niu?’
Octavia shook her head; Jack shrugged.
‘Do you know what she uses as payment?’
Jack said, ‘Yes.’
Zev glanced at Octavia. ‘Do you?’
‘No,’ she admitted.
‘She extracts truths,’ said Zev. ‘Sometimes the enquirers don’t know
the value of their truths. None want them shared. Sometimes she tells
you truths you don’t yet know about. Only go if you’re certain.’
‘If Tamiel was worth it last time, he’s more than worth it this time,’
said Octavia firmly. ‘Secrets be damned.’
A deep pulling in her chest gave her a split second heads-up that
Raphael was on his way, and Octavia felt a rush of relief at the sight of
him. His wings flapped powerfully in the roaring wind and sent snow
everywhere.
‘Tamiel’s missing,’ she said as she hugged him.
‘I know.’
She stepped back and looked at him hopefully. ‘Do you have any
information?’
‘No.’ Raphael shook his head. ‘I spent several hours speaking to the
Irin. I am certain it was not one of them. Hamon was with Michael all
morning. He could not have done it. Unfortunately, no one has seen
Isra.’
‘Shit,’ she said. ‘But – but wouldn’t Jack know if he was dead? If we
feel the connection at all times, surely death would erase it.’
Raphael nodded. ‘For now, at least, we can be assured he lives.’ He
glanced at Zev in surprise. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Helping,’ said Zev. ‘You?’

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 ‘Likewise.’
Zev sighed and gestured for them to follow him. They started the
long walk through the forest, crunching on snow and dead branches
and leaves. The light became strange, the temperature dropped, and
her teeth clanged together; and despite being soaked in sweat from the
walk, Octavia was frozen to the bone.
At last they came out in a small circle of trees. The snow in the
centre was entirely unblemished.
Octavia glanced at Zev. He seemed to be glowing slightly, lavender
light emanating from his skin; his eyes danced with purple fire.
‘Stay close,’ he said to them. ‘And do not lie. That will be your last
mistake.’
Before Octavia could ask what would happen if they did, a woman
appeared in the circle of trees. She had no eyes in the sockets of her
skull and her nails and teeth were yellow and rotten. It was unnerving
to say the least.
‘You seem to go through rather a lot for your angel,’ said Niu to
Jack. ‘And yet the troubles are only just beginning.’
Jack’s lips were bloodless with cold and fear. ‘Meaning what?’
Her smile was eerie beyond all reckoning. ‘Yours is a story for the
ages, Jack Cohen. And sweet stories never endure.’
Jack swallowed hard but did not let it rattle him. ‘Where’s Tamiel?’
‘I do not give answers for free, Jack.’ Niu turned her head to the rest
of them.
Octavia was standing between Zev and Raphael, who could not have
looked more different even in the darkness. Raphael was stone and
muscle, wings and strength; Zev was lithe and cunning, sleek and
powerful. They were a hodgepodge group of rescuers.
‘Two hundred years it’s been since you’ve come to me, Zev. I was
starting to take it personally.’
‘Not at all, Niu. I’m sure you’ve seen how busy I’ve been.’
Niu laughed. It sounded like bones clattering on wood. She said,
‘The shadows may be frightened, Zev, but the universe has only just
started with you. You do your trade well.’
‘Good to know,’ said Zev.
‘And you, Octavia?’ Even without eyes, Niu seemed to stare at her
with great interest. ‘One who belongs to an angel and a demon. You’re

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not the first, but I can count on my hand how many of you there have
been since the dawn of humans.’
Octavia’s stomach twisted with nerves. ‘None of it was intentional.’
‘And yet none of it is regrettable.’
‘No.’
Niu gazed at Raphael for a long time before speaking. ‘For one so
lawful you have a great deal of doubt in your heart, Raphael of the
Irin.’
‘All beings have doubt,’ he replied. ‘There is no shame in it.’
‘Perhaps not,’ she allowed. ‘It’s all down to interpretation.’
Octavia raised her eyebrow at Raphael, but he shook his head at her
and she let the matter go for now.
Niu nodded and clapped her hands together. ‘I cannot sense your
angel which means it will take great power to find him. You must all
give me something.’
They nodded warily.
‘And I want no explanations. I care not the reasons. I want only the
truth.’ Niu looked at Jack first. ‘Tell me your darkest secret, Jack
Cohen.’
Everyone looked at Jack. Whether it was out of desperation for
Tamiel, the fact that he nothing to hide, or both, he didn’t hesitate.
‘I killed Isra.’
‘How –’
Niu cut Octavia off with a wave of her hand. She nodded and looked
at Zev. ‘What is it you fear most in all the world, Demon of Games?’
‘Failure.’
Niu turned to Raphael next. ‘What is your greatest desire, Raphael
of the Irin?’
It was clear that Raphael did not want to reveal this information
but at length he nodded, shoulders squared, wings pinned in agitation,
and said, ‘To be as brave as my brother.’
Niu looked at Octavia. Her smile widened, displaying all her rotten
teeth. ‘Shall I tell you a secret?’
Octavia hesitated. ‘I thought that was what you wanted from me.’
‘This is not your last, Octavia.’ Niu’s laugh was a disjointed shriek.
‘Well?’

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 Somehow being told a secret about herself sounded worse than
giving one away.
‘You share your body, little Healer.’
Octavia stared at her, utterly confused. ‘What?’
Niu merely laughed, and a horrible realisation took hold. A flood of
anxiety went through Octavia and she stared at Niu unhappily.
Niu nodded, and then looked up at the heavens above them. She
began to chant in the most chilling language Octavia had ever heard.
It was like something was ripping through the air.
‘Is this normal?’ asked Jack, looking from Zev to Raphael, eyes wide
behind his glasses.
Zev shrugged. ‘I have no idea.’
‘Aren’t you friends with her?’
‘If you think Niu looks and acts the same every time you see her,
you really are misinformed,’ said Zev drolly. ‘In four thousand years I
think I’ve seen her look like this on two other occasions. Once she was
a tree.’
Octavia couldn’t take her eyes off Niu. She seemed to be standing in
a ray of light; blood and foam were spluttering from her mouth. It was
a truly repulsive and mesmerising sight.
Niu’s head snapped down and she turned towards Jack. ‘He has
been taken by Ahriman. They hold him in Altarf.’
Zev bowed low before he put his hands on Octavia and Jack’s
shoulders and everything went violet. A moment later they were
standing beside the car at the base of the mountain. Raphael landed on
the ground, his great wings flapping in the strong wind.
Jack doubled over and vomited. Octavia leapt out of the way just in
time, and then returned to rub his back soothingly. He was shaking
like a leaf and seemed to be staving off a panic attack.
‘We’ll find him,’ she said. ‘We won’t let anything happen to him.’
‘If he’s in Altarf, it’s worse than I feared,’ said Raphael grimly.
Zev nodded. ‘The Opening.’
Octavia looked away from Jack, eyes wide. ‘What the fuck is that?
What’s Altarf?’
‘The Opening is one chance in five hundred years to open a one-way
door from Kolos. Demons may come to Earth. Altarf, unfortunately, is
like Raban.’

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 Jack let out a choking noise and Octavia kept her hand on his back
even as fear coursed through her unchecked.
‘What can we do?’ she asked. ‘What can be done?’
Raphael ran a hand through his hair. ‘No angel can access Altarf.
Not for millennia.’
‘There has to be something!’
He was silent, face pained and thoughtful. He did not seem
particularly confident about their chances.
Jack stood up and wiped his mouth. His eyes and nose were wet and
he looked furious. ‘We are not leaving him there, Raphael!’
‘The Opening can only be done once every five hundred years,’ said
Zev, drawing everyone’s attention away from the impending
argument. ‘The next one is not for months. Tamiel will not be executed
before then. We have time. Likely they got the jump on him and seized
the opportunity.’
Octavia wanted to cry with relief. ‘You think we can save him?’
‘I don’t know,’ he admitted.
Raphael was glaring at Jack. ‘You killed Isra?’
The look Jack returned was full of defiance. ‘He would have killed
Tamiel had he not been able to escape! He tore out his fucking wings!’
Raphael simply looked at him. It was hard to tell what he was
thinking. ‘Do you know what the Irin will do to you if they discover the
truth?’
‘Nothing,’ said Octavia, and everyone turned to her. ‘They’re not
going to find out because no one here is going to say anything.’
The wind whipped a flurry of snow over them and Octavia crossed
her arms, shivering. Wolves howled in the distance, lonely in the night,
and owls hooted to each other as they hunted. The world seemed so
empty and peaceful out here. It was hard to remember in places it was
all going up in flames.
Octavia looked to Raphael. If anyone could fix this, surely it was
him.
‘Please, Raph. I know you’re mad. But if one of the Irin did that to
you …’ She swallowed the lump in her throat at the mere possibility.
‘Death is nothing compared to what I would do. Isra wouldn’t have let
Tamiel live. He was hunting him. Whatever Jack did, it was for your
brother.’

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 Raphael’s expression softened and after a worryingly long pause,
he bowed his head. ‘They will not learn it from me. In this, I
understand.’
Jack’s shoulders sagged in relief. ‘Thank you.’
He nodded once.
‘Will the angels help?’ she wondered aloud, her voice sounding frail,
white clouds billowing from her lips as she spoke.
Raphael did not look entirely reassuring when he said, ‘I intend to
speak with them immediately. But …’ He stepped closer to Octavia and
put an arm around her, walking her a short distance from the others.
‘What did Niu mean?’
Octavia felt an entirely different sort of ill now. ‘It can wait, Raph.
Tamiel can’t.’
‘Please,’ he said urgently. ‘I wish to know.’
She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. Raphael was the very
last person she wanted to have this conversation with.
‘O?’
‘I think I’m pregnant.’
Raphael went stiffer than a statue. ‘Jax?’ he said at length.
Octavia grimaced towards Zev and squeezed the roots of her hair.
‘You and Zev?’
‘I’m on birth control,’ she said, trying to fight rising panic. ‘What
the fuck?’
Raphael’s brow furrowed, but instead of chastising her, he stepped
closer still. ‘Birth control doesn’t work on demons or angels. Didn’t he
tell you that?’
Cold seeped into her bones. ‘No.’
Raphael looked furious. ‘I’d say not to tell him, but I think he’s been
informed. But later, when Tamiel is safe, will you hear me out? Before
you make a decision either way? Do not let him make this choice for
you, O. I’m begging you. Do not let him sway you.’
‘Of course,’ she said, wondering what he had to say on the matter.
‘Am I safe? I’m not – I’m not going to die or anything? Because in the
movies the one pregnant with the demon baby is like the first to end
up dead.’
Raphael shook his head firmly. ‘Nothing will happen to you. I
swear.’

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 She hadn’t known how much she needed those words until that
moment. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered. ‘This is a fucking nightmare.’
Raphael nodded, a strange expression on his face. ‘I want you to do
something for me,’ he added. ‘You cannot tell anyone else. No one.’
Octavia frowned. ‘What? Why?’
‘Do you trust me?’
‘Of course.’
‘Then tell no one,’ he pressed. ‘I will explain more when I have time.
Until then, not a word.’
‘Why?’
‘I will explain later. Promise me, O.’
‘I promise.’
‘Call me if anything else happens. Otherwise I shall return as soon
as possible.’
‘Okay.’
Raphael kissed her forehead, his arms locked around her, and then
he stepped back and shot into the air.
Her heart hammering, Octavia tucked the necklace under her coat
and walked back over to the others. She wished Raphael could have
stayed longer, but she loved him for wasting no time in going to the
angels to appeal on Tamiel’s behalf.
‘He’ll come back when he has something,’ she said to Jack,
squeezing his arm. ‘Do you want to stay at my place?’
Jack’s mouth twisted and he looked like he was trying not to lose
his composure all over again. ‘My place is safer.’
‘They are equally safe,’ said Zev mildly. ‘I have both locations under
my protection. It won’t matter where you stay. Perhaps there is
strength in numbers, though.’
Jack nodded and walked over to the car and turned it on, letting the
heat fill the car and giving them the air of privacy.
‘You’re pregnant?’ said Zev, looking at her intently.
‘Heard that, did you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Got an explanation?’
He shook his head. ‘In truth, I forgot. It’s been a long time since I’ve
been with anyone who could.’
Octavia looked away. She wasn’t sure if she was angry or not.

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 Zev reached out and put a finger under her chin. He turned her head
until their eyes met. The expression on his face was hard to gauge. He
put his other hand on her stomach. Even though she was wearing
several layers his touch felt intimate. His entirely lavender eyes
seemed to soften.
‘Daevas cannot have children amongst themselves,’ he murmured.
‘Not on Earth. To have children we must look outside our species. I am
the Demon of Games – rape has never been my forte and I have no
desire to lay with a worshipper. I am not that desperate. My prior
attachments have all been of my own kind. In the four thousand years
I have been on Earth, I have had no children.’
Octavia’s chest fluttered with anxiety and foreboding. ‘Zev, we’re
not even dating. I’ve never wanted kids before. I don’t like kids. I didn’t
like being a kid. It’s … it’s not something I wanted. I don’t – I don’t
know how I feel, okay? I haven’t made my decision.’
Zev’s eyes flashed but he nodded. ‘Will you grant me one thing?’
‘What?’ Octavia found that she was shaking with cold as much as
nerves. The last time she’d had a pregnancy scare had been with Jax
four years before. They had sat in the bathroom holding hands, trying
not to panic as they waited for the stick to tell them what their future
held. This was ten thousand times more stressful. She wasn’t sure
which made for a better punchline: a child by the drug dealer who put
her father in prison, or a child by the demon who turned her into a
Healer.
‘Whether with daeva or with akero, humans remain pregnant far
longer than they otherwise would,’ he explained with an almost
academic air. ‘The child will not be born for two years and even then
that is a long shot. Most demon-human pregnancies never take. It’s
hard to cross species. All I ask is that you take some time before
deciding not to keep it.’
Octavia appraised him. That seemed fair. ‘Can you –’ She swallowed
hard. ‘Can you even abort demon pregnancies?’
Zev looked pained, yet he put a hand on the side of her face and
said, ‘If you think it over and still feel the same, I will do it myself. I
promise. I will not force this upon you. I only ask that you wait.’
His words surprised her and she searched his face for any sign of a
lie. He was the Demons of Games, of lies and tricks and spies and

109
manipulations, but even tricksters could be genuine. And Zev couldn’t
gain much from her. She had little to give.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘I’ll think it over. But for like a month, Zev.’
‘A month is enough,’ he assured her. ‘I just don’t want you to rush
into it.’
‘Like rushing into sex with a demon?’
He sighed heavily. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I was caught up in the
moment. I’ve done many nefarious things, little queen. This isn’t one
of them.’
‘Fine.’ She began walking again and he fell into step beside her.
‘May I come by tonight?’ he asked when they’d reached the car. ‘I
have a few things to take care of first.’
‘Sure.’
‘And Octavia?’
She looked at him, more surprised by his use of her full name than
by the tone of his voice.
‘Tell no one,’ he advised.
Octavia’s stomach twisted but before she could enquire further, Zev
disappeared in a crack of purple lightning. Perplexed and worried,
Octavia stepped into the car and looked over at Jack.
‘Apparently we’re not supposed to tell people I’m pregnant,’ she
murmured. ‘Both Raph and Zev were clear on that.’
Jack’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Why?’
‘I have no idea.’
‘Perhaps we should find out,’ he said. ‘I’m really tired of being six
hundred and sixty-six steps behind everyone else.’
Octavia drove back onto the main road slowly, careful of the ice.
‘Yeah,’ she agreed. ‘I could do with more answers than Evasive Angel
and Scheming Demon are giving me.’
‘Best superheroes ever,’ said Jack sardonically.
It took almost ten hours to get home due to traffic. Exhausted and
depressed, Octavia and Jack showered in turns, ordered pizza, and
curled up in her bed to watch bad comedies to distract themselves.
Jack seemed frayed at all ends and appeared to be barely holding it
together, so Octavia rolled them joints and they smoked until Jack fell
asleep, exhausted by his fear for Tamiel. Octavia crawled out of the
bed, hazy and relaxed, and walked into the sitting room. Cleo was

110
sleeping on the sofa. She looked up when Octavia sat down beside her
and rested her head on her lap.
‘Hey girl.’ Octavia scratched her back absently. ‘What would you do
about a demon baby?’
Cleo’s eyes darted around sympathetically but entirely unhelpfully.
‘Yeah,’ said Octavia. ‘Same.’
She put on an old movie and had only just pressed play when Zev
appeared. He was wearing a t-shirt and jeans and his normally styled
hair looked tousled from a recent shower. He sat down beside Octavia
and pulled her feet into his lap.
‘What are we watching?’ he asked, looking at the screen. ‘Oh, the
Pre-Code ones are the best. I’ll never forgive Hollywood for buckling
to censorship. You’re lucky you weren’t alive yet.’
She laughed and rolled her eyes.
‘What?’ he asked, grinning at her.
‘You’re just … very normal sometimes.’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Demons can’t like movies?’
‘No, of course you can, I just – I always expect you to be spookier.’
Octavia blushed at her own words.
Zev let out a bark of laughter. ‘I don’t think being spooky would help
me win your heart, do you?’
Octavia snorted and looked at the movie as the opening credits
finished.
‘I love the original,’ said Zev. ‘The remake was terrible. I’d half a
mind to kill the lead for ruining it.’
‘Did you, like, curse him?’ She eyed him with scepticism. It was hard
to tell the lengths Zev was actually willing to go and she found herself
afraid to ask at times.
‘No,’ he allowed to her relief. ‘Although I may have let his fortunes
change a bit in his next few films.’
Octavia looked at him, half-appalled, half-amused. ‘Didn’t his most
recent movie get panned?’
‘He ruined a classic. I don’t know why he would be surprised.’
‘That’s so mean,’ she said, laughing despite herself.
‘If he picks a good role, perhaps I’ll let his fortune change,’ said Zev
airily. ‘However, I have it on good authority he refuses to pay child
support and enjoys underage parties.’

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 Octavia grimaced in disgust. ‘No, best let him rot then.’
‘You surprise me, little queen.’
‘Good. I hate being predictable.’
She turned back to the television and let her mind wander, hardly
paying attention to the movie.
She wanted answers. She just wasn’t going to get them from him.

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 CHAPTER NINE
An Exercise in Understanding Angels and Demons

The thunderstorms and harsh winds which whistled around outside

the house created a cacophonous orchestra in the background. Octavia
awoke in Zev’s bed after a particularly loud clap of thunder.
Her hand went absently to the black stone necklace and she held it,
wondering how Raphael was getting on convincing the angels to help
them free Tamiel. He had been gone for a couple of days and she had
a very bad feeling that simply asking wouldn’t cut it.
Feeling morose, she stood and grabbed the robe at the end of the
bed. She had only just tied it around her waist when Zev walked in. He
was holding coffee in two large paper cups and a bag of food. She
glanced out the window, impressed that the food actually looked dry.
‘It’s from Rome,’ said Zev, holding out the coffee.
Octavia raised her eyebrows. ‘You just went to Rome for breakfast?’
‘If you prefer Amsterdam or Paris, tell me next time. It only takes
me a second to get there and I like the variation. I was in Rabat for
lunch the other day. Lovely weather.’
There was something both incredibly cool and incredibly annoying
about the ease of that statement.
Octavia tried the coffee and gave him a thumbs-up. Pleased, Zev
passed her the bag and watched her pull out the food.
‘Definitely the best morning after breakfast I’ve ever had,’ she said
between bites. ‘Thank you.’
Zev caught her in a deep kiss, his hand cradling the side of her head.
When he sat back, his lavender eyes were bright. ‘I want you to know
that I am serious about this. About us. All of it.’
‘I thought we were just having fun,’ she said with a light-
heartedness she didn’t feel.
‘Have all the fun you want, little queen,’ he replied. ‘I want you at
my side, with my child. I will not deny that.’
Octavia pulled one of the pastries out of the box, eating it instead of
answering. ‘Where are we?’ she asked between bites. ‘I’ve been trying
to guess.’

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 They’d arrived last night after Zev took her out for dinner and she
still didn’t know.
‘Canada.’
She gaped at him, pastry halfway to her mouth. ‘Canada? The
Demon of Games lives in Canada?’
‘Plenty of demons live in Canada.’ Zev’s lips twitched. ‘The quiet
and the peace are enticing even to us. The lack of people is another
draw.’
Octavia thought about that, amused. ‘So where in the great white
north are we?’
‘Newfoundland,’ he said.
‘You really don’t want to be found.’
Zev chuckled and stood, drawing the curtains back wider, revealing
one of the most gorgeous views Octavia had ever seen.
He nodded out the window. ‘No one can see this house unless they
have my permission. To humans, this is simply an empty field beside
a lake.’
Octavia walked over to his side and gazed out over the grounds.
Mountains loomed in the distance. Everything was thickly blanketed
in snow even as the rain melted sections, but the trees were dense and
lush and beautiful despite the winter’s harshness; the lake was half-
frozen, the rain hammering down with such gusto it seemed almost
impossible that any ice remained.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she said.
‘The black bears are my favourite,’ he noted with a smile. ‘We have
animals on Kolos, but I think of all animals, on any planet or plane,
black bears are my favourite.’
‘Is that because they’re black?’ she teased.
Zev laughed and shrugged. ‘What about you?’
‘I like my dog.’
He laughed again.
Octavia went back to the bed and grabbed her coffee, sitting on the
edge and drawing one leg into her chest. ‘I should head back to Jack
soon. I don’t think he should be alone.’
‘He’s still sleeping,’ said Zev, sitting beside her. ‘I checked in on him
ten minutes ago. Your brother, too.’
Octavia snorted, slightly impressed, and took another sip of coffee.

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 ‘I have several leads to follow in the next few days regarding the
Opening,’ said Zev. ‘I may be gone for a little while.’
‘I think Raphael’s going to stop by soon,’ she said. ‘We’ll be fine.’
Zev took her hands and turned her palms over, his fingers tracing
the lines. She wondered if he could read palms and tea leaves. She
supposed it would make sense for the Demon of Games to tell fortunes.
‘Zev?’ she asked. ‘Why can’t I tell anyone?’
He let go of her hands. ‘What did Raphael say?’
‘Nothing,’ she said irritably. ‘Just like you.’
‘What did Raphael have to say about us?’
‘He’s concerned.’
‘Are you?’
‘What? Concerned?’ Octavia shook her head and shrugged. ‘No, not
particularly. I’m sure you’re manipulating me. I’m not stupid.’
Her words seemed to make Zev start. Frowning, he said, ‘Do you
think nothing I do genuine?’
‘I do,’ she said carefully. ‘I also think everything you do serves some
purpose. I don’t think you’re in love with me. I think you want to win
the Healer of Raphael to prove a point.’
‘Why do they have to be mutually exclusive?’ he queried. ‘Why can
I not love winning the game and winning your heart as ardently as I
love your soul? I like games, Octavia, but I don’t play games unless I
like them. And you are by far the best game I’ve played in centuries.’
‘Demons don’t have souls. Why would you care about capturing
mine?’
He scoffed. ‘Whoever told you that?’
No one, she realised belatedly. She had always just assumed from
books – mostly scripture – and movies.
Zev brushed his ashen hair back from his eyes and looked at her
with slight disappointment. ‘Our morality is different from yours. We
come from a place where everything is different. We feel things which,
to you, would seem extreme. Our emotions bring down cities and start
wars unlike any humankind has ever conjured – not even your beloved
Trojan tale. We feel far more dangerously than any human can hope
to imagine. Perhaps many of my kind see humans as no better than
humans see animals, but that does not mean we cannot love. It does
not mean we cannot hope and grieve. It doesn’t mean we are soulless.

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Do you think lions or wolves cannot feel simply because they prey on
gazelles or hart? No, Octavia. We are more powerful. We are not
soulless.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, hoping he believed her. ‘I shouldn’t’ve
presumed.’
‘It’s understandable, given Æshma,’ he muttered. ‘Yet even Æshma
has things he cares for. As with all humans, the truly frightening thing
is that kindness can turn to vileness in an instant. We simply cause
more destruction when crossed. Much of that to do with the fact that
our ways are not your ways; our feelings are not extreme on Kolos.
Yours would be laughably inadequate. A date? No, my darling. On my
world such a show of insignificance would be an insult.’
‘I’m sorry,’ she said again. ‘I believe you when you say you care.’
Zev looked at her with an urgency she wasn’t sure she could handle.
‘I do not care, Octavia. Care does not begin to cover it. And I will keep
saying it until you believe it.’
Octavia’s throat felt tight. While she fervently hoped he was jesting,
she had little doubt that he wasn’t. ‘I’ve known you less than two
months, Zev,’ she said, twisting her hands together. ‘Can we just – can
it be calm? Chill? I don’t know what I want.’
‘I don’t know how to do that,’ he said bluntly. ‘It’s getting more and
more difficult to leave you alone. To leave you with Raphael.’
‘With Raphael? He’s the safest one you could leave me with.’
Octavia scowled at her own words. ‘For the record, it’s no fun being
the weakest species in the argument. Jack and I are so screwed.’
Zev stared at her.
‘What?’
‘Nothing,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘You’re right – this is all very
new. May I ask you something?’
‘Sure.’
‘Whatever we are – whatever we become – I am disinclined to
share.’ Zev hissed after he said this. ‘I suppose what I am asking is that
you don’t.’
It was very hard not to scoff. She raised both eyebrows instead.
‘Who do you think I am? You’re the second person in my life I’ve had
sex with.’
Zev’s face displayed his disbelief.

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 ‘Do I seem like I have sex with loads of people?’ she asked in
amusement, not sure if she should take that as a compliment or not.
‘It seems strange to me that you haven’t had more suitors,’ he
admitted. ‘Only Jax?’
Octavia nodded. ‘I think, until about a year ago, I always wanted us
to end up together,’ she mused aloud. ‘Things got so bad, though. We
weren’t happy. It was easy and comfortable even when it wasn’t. But
the last time we broke up I meant it.’
Zev’s lips twitched in amusement. ‘I can’t say I didn’t enjoy
pretending to be your boyfriend.’
Octavia let out a huff of breath, finding him as endearing as she
found him callous.
‘I want to be your boyfriend,’ he continued seriously. ‘It’s an
obnoxiously human notion, but for what it is, for what it means to you,
I want that.’
Putting aside for the moment his request, she asked, ‘Demons don’t
date?’
Her words seemed to amuse him. His lips twisted wickedly and he
nodded once. ‘I don’t imagine humans would think well of our
methods,’ he mused. ‘So, instead, I’m opting for the human method.
But no, demons do not date.’
Octavia thought about it for a moment, lips pursed. Perhaps she
wasn’t in love with him yet, but most people starting out were not
madly in love. She was pregnant with his child – whether she kept it
or not was a question for another day when the whole thing didn’t
make her feel horribly overwhelmed – and he had done nothing but
try to act human for her sake.
Zev might be a demon, he might be manipulative – she would bet
good money he had killed more than she wanted to know about – but
he could be kind, and he had saved them all at some time or another.
He adored her, that much was clear, and he was fighting to keep Earth
from being overrun by demons just as Raphael was. He was
devastatingly handsome and she had never enjoyed being touched by
anyone, not even Jax, the way she enjoyed it when he touched her.
There were only two things which held her back: the fact that he was
a demon, firstly, and Raphael. The latter reason being far more
important to her than the former.

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 Perhaps she had been wrong about the demon aspect. Perhaps he
could love. Perhaps he could feel remorse and guilt and empathy.
If demons had souls, and if Zev had enough awareness to realise
that their races worked very differently and was making the effort to
treat her in a way she would understand, then surely he was innately
different from demons like Æshma. As long as that division existed,
she knew she could love him.
Which left Raphael.
Raphael who would never break the laws. Raphael who was good
and dutiful and stoic. Raphael who undoubtedly had far more on his
mind than romance. He would see her as his Healer always. A love
beyond any and all reckoning, it was true, but devoid of romance all
the same. And even if there were a chance, even if there were some
hope, she could never risk letting what had happened to Tamiel
happen to Raphael.
The thought of Raphael losing his wings permanently … Octavia
wanted to be sick at the mere thought. Tamiel had been saved by
Raphael’s status amongst the Irin. But Raphael could hardly hope to be
so lucky. He was an example and leader to all, and she wasn’t Jack. She
could have kids. Which was apparently a very bad thing.
She had never been one to wait around for wishes and hopes.
Things that weren’t going to happen would only cause heartbreak if
waited around for.
‘All right,’ she said at length, watching him carefully for his
reaction. ‘I’ll be your girlfriend.’
The expression on his face was one of extreme joy, almost violent
relief and excitement, and there was a victorious glint in his bright
purple eyes that spoke to how greatly he had wanted this. And then he
was kissing her. As if he fully intended to take advantage of this next
step by ensuring that she never came to doubt her choice.
When they broke apart, Octavia began picking up her clothes from
the previous night. She dressed quickly, anxious to get back to check
on Jack.
‘How long will you be gone?’ she asked Zev as she finished pulling
on her boots.
‘No more than two weeks,’ he said, picking at a loose thread on his
trousers. ‘Some of the demons I’m meeting are tricky and take time.

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Some also refuse to speak until after rituals have been completed. If
you need me, call for me. Wherever I am, I will come.’
‘I’ll see you soon, then,’ she said. ‘Be safe.’
Zev bent his head and kissed her, his hand moving to bring her
closer to his body – and then with a bright flash of purple, Octavia
found herself in her kitchen.
Jack was cooking breakfast. He looked over at her, the circles under
his bloodshot eyes like craters. The bottle of whiskey on the worktop
gave her pause, but she said nothing.
Octavia made them both large cups of coffee and stood beside him,
watching him cook. To break the strained silence, she said, ‘Zev asked
me out this morning.’
Jack looked over at her, surprised out of his terrors. ‘Seriously?’
‘Yep,’ she said, taking a sip of coffee. ‘Somehow I’ve gone from
being the girl with a shit job and a shit boyfriend to a girl with an angel
and a demon at her side – and a potential secret demon child. God,
that’s fucking strange.’
‘Try going from being a lonely college student with barely any
friends and a future about as interesting as dry toast to being hunted
for who you love for weeks until he’s kidnapped, leaving you stuck
trying to figure out how to break him out of some sort of hellhole
before he’s sacrificed.’
Octavia and Jack looked at each other before bursting into
humourless laughter. If they didn’t laugh, they were both going to cry.
‘I need more coffee,’ said Octavia, rubbing her eyes. ‘And then I say
we go find some answers.’
‘Amen.’
They clinked mugs.
As they were waiting to hear back from Raphael and Zev with
information on what to do about Tamiel, Octavia and Jack instead
threw themselves into researching the Opening. She had never heard
of it before and Jack’s knowledge was scant at best.
They spent hours combing through books and scouring websites.
The only time they weren’t studying was when they left for work or
school, or when Cleo needed to go outside.

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 Several days later, in the midst of browsing the shelves of an occult
bookshop five towns over, a woman walked over to Octavia and
squatted down beside her.
‘Can I help you two with anything in particular?’ she asked. ‘You’ve
been here almost three hours.’
Jack took his glasses off to clean and pinched his nose to restore
feeling. ‘We’re looking for anything you might have on Ahriman, Altarf
or the Opening.’
The woman looked impressed. ‘Students?’
‘Studying theology at the college,’ said Jack. ‘I’m doing my paper on
cults and demon worship.’
‘Interesting.’
‘Enlightening.’
‘If you’re really curious, go talk to Deacon MacTavish up the old
fishing trail,’ said the woman. ‘Most people say he’s out of his mind,
but half the books in here are his donation. He’s got hundreds more up
at his house. He was a professor and author back in the day.’
Octavia and Jack thanked her and set about returning the unhelpful
books to the shelves. Mythology and history and fantasy – they all had
traces of the truth.
When they stepped back into the chilly air, Octavia said, ‘So, do we
risk the creepy demonologist on our own or wait for celestial backup?’
Jack scratched his head and shrugged. ‘I’m game if you are.’
‘Let’s go,’ she said, nudging him and smiling.
As they walked up the deserted country road in the direction of the
fishing trail a few locals pointed them towards, Jack finally brought up
the pregnancy. He hadn’t asked about it since Niu had, just as she
hadn’t mentioned Isra.
‘Aren’t you worried about him betraying you? Or using you?’
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘Jax could turn on me just as easily, though. Or
an angel. Look at Hamon and Isra.’
Jack’s expression darkened.
‘How did you kill him?’ she wondered. ‘How is that even possible?’
‘Zev helped me.’
Octavia stared at him. ‘What?’

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 ‘Can we not talk about this now?’ he asked, not unkindly. ‘I’ll tell
you later – I promise. I can’t think about it right now. I need – I need
Tam back first and then I’ll deal with my sins.’
She nodded, mind spinning. ‘Still, like, whoa.’
He looked over at her. ‘Angels may be far more powerful than us,
Tivs, but they can die like anything else. What would you have done if
someone did that to Raphael?’
She said nothing to that, only frowned and crossed her arms to
ward against the icy bite of the air. She didn’t have to think. She knew
that if someone tortured Raphael, if someone tried to kill him, her
desire to always help and protect would very quickly turn into a desire
to cut and burn.
‘Are you scared of what you’ll do for him?’ she asked a few minutes
later.
‘I’m scared of what I’ve done for him,’ he whispered. ‘But I will
never apologise.’
‘I bandaged his back. Don’t apologise for anything.’
By this point they had reached the house. It was secluded, hidden
by evergreens and thickets. Exchanging nervous but determined nods,
they walked up and knocked on the door.
‘Who is it?’ an angry voice barked from the other side of the door.
‘Hello!’ called Jack. ‘My name’s Jack and my friend is Octavia. We’re
students from the local college. The bookshop said you’d have better
books on angels and demons?’
There was a long pause before the door opened, revealing a very
old, very wizened man who looked like he had become far too intimate
with liquor throughout his life. There were burst blood vessels in his
cheeks and nose.
‘What are you looking into?’ he grunted.
‘The Opening,’ said Octavia. ‘Ever heard of it?’
Deacon glared at them for a moment before he stepped back and
waved them inside. The house smelled disgustingly of stale beer,
cigarette smoke, food cartons and aught else, but through the mess
and down a hall, they were suddenly in a much cleaner room; a library
with hundreds of volumes. This room, at least, seemed maintained,
and smelled of books and leather.
‘Holy shit,’ said Octavia.

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 Deacon shook his head. ‘Haven’t you heard? I’m the town loony.’
Jack shrugged. ‘I grew up the town gay.’
Deacon cracked a smile and gestured for them to sit down. ‘What is
it you want to know about the Opening?’
‘Everything,’ said Jack. ‘What can you tell us?’
Deacon nodded. ‘From what I remember, the Opening requires so
much power it depletes the power of those who attempt it,’ he
explained. ‘Throughout recorded – believable is up to you – history,
the Opening has been successful a handful of times and each has
brought rack and ruin to Earth. Each time the angels fought them back.
The last time was about four thousand years ago – where most of our
current stories start. But my research differs from the popular one.
People think I’m mad for believing, but I do. And what I’ve found says
that the angels guard Earth to keep the demons from reaching their
home world through so-called “Gateways”. It’s said that at all points
in history, the power to open the Gateways has been given to one who
would not abuse the gift. But it changes every generation and there is
no way to know who the next one will be. The Opening is an
alternative.’
Octavia’s eyebrows shot up. ‘How is it possible that all of this is only
legend?’
‘Because it was far more dangerous when people knew. When
people with their greed and their wrath and their lust would follow the
demons who offered them immeasurable power. Most died, but still
more would offer themselves.’
Jack snorted. ‘Why even bother?’
‘Power,’ said Deacon simply. ‘Fear. Hope. Even after the Gateways
were lost to them, demons realised they could gain power other ways.
The Opening is one way to let demons through. Sacrifice. Worship. The
demons began having children with their worshippers. Angels, too. It
was a bloody mess.’
Octavia’s heart hammered. ‘What, ah, supposedly does happen
when angels and demons have children with humans?’
‘Sometimes nothing,’ said Deacon. ‘Sometimes miracles.
Sometimes the most frightening beings in all of creation.’
She and Jack exchanged looks of rising trepidation. ‘How can you
know?’

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 Deacon shook his head. ‘You can’t. Sometimes things aren’t meant
to be. Demons and humans were creating as many monstrosities as
they were miracles; angels and humans proved no better.’
Octavia’s head was spinning and she was suddenly far more
terrified of what was growing inside of her than she had been an hour
ago. She swallowed hard and glanced at Jack.
He held her gaze for a second before looking back to Deacon. ‘And
the off-spring of the demons and angels with the humans? The
Nephilim, right? What happened to them?’
Deacon grimaced and walked over to one of the bookshelves. ‘The
angels believed them abominations and destroyed them – for the most
part they were right to do it. The offspring were too powerful for this
world. Dangerous. Corrupted by the power.’
Octavia wanted to be sick. She put her hands in her lap to hide their
trembling. ‘And the angels who did this,’ she asked, heart hammering
so fast she thought she was going to vomit, ‘is there any mention of
their names?’
Deacon nodded and pulled out a large book, flipping through it
expertly – the way someone only can when they have read a book so
many times its more for show than for necessity to look at the words
on the page or even the numbers. Had he known a Healer, she
wondered, or was he someone who believed so much, he’d caught
glimpses himself?
‘It lists Uriel, Raguel, Michael, Gabriel, Suriel, Tamiel, Hamon,
Sorush, Raphael, Qaspiel and about a dozen others who hunted them
down.’
Octavia and Jack both stared at him in sheer horror. Bile rose in her
throat and she breathed forcefully out of her nose.
‘You two seem as obsessed with this as I used to be,’ said Deacon.
There was something almost fond and wistful about his tone. He closed
the book and held it out to Octavia. ‘Don’t get too obsessed. Seeking
angels and demons can drive you mad.’
Octavia took the book, feeling completely sick. Making an excuse to
leave, they promised Deacon they would let him know how their paper
came along, and left his house as quickly as possible. The day had
turned overcast and a bitter wind nipped at their exposed skin.

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 Halfway down the footpath, Octavia turned to Jack. ‘What the fuck
am I supposed to do now?’
Jack’s face was colourless with shock and disgust. ‘I’m going to have
some questions for Tamiel when we get him back,’ he said darkly. ‘As
for …’ He glanced at Octavia’s stomach and took his glasses off to rub
his face. ‘Christ, Tivs, I don’t know. Tam told me just after Raphael
banished him that if I had been a woman, they would have killed us
all. Even Caleb.’
Octavia’s throat threatened to close. ‘What – what –’ She gripped
the roots of her hair, trying to figure it out. Feeling too overwhelmed
to walk any further, she stopped on the side of the road and took
several deep breaths in a futile attempt at keeping calm.
She wanted it out. She wanted it gone. This was too much.
Jack put a hand on her back. ‘No wonder they didn’t want to tell
anyone.’
‘Jesus Christ.’ Octavia put her hand over her mouth as panic set in.
They set off again, slowly this time.
‘Do you even want this baby, Tivs? Because if you don’t, we can go
now and get rid of it. Zev and Raphael are going to be gone for a while
but not for long. We can deal with this before anyone finds out.
Because – because they will. I didn’t tell anyone. Nor did Tamiel. Look
at what happened to us. They’ve spies and mind readers and other shit.
I don’t even know if Zev can hold back the Irin for long. If they know,
they’ll come after you. They will hunt Zev. Probably lock Raphael away,
too, just for knowing.’
They had reached the car by this point and clambered in.
‘I told Zev I would think it over,’ she said when the doors were
closed.
‘I’m sorry, but fuck Zev,’ he snapped. ‘This isn’t some game we’re
playing. This is your life. Zev’s desire for children can fucking wait for
someone who signs up for it. Not someone who wasn’t even told
human birth control wouldn’t work.’
Octavia slammed her hand against the steering wheel. None of it
was fair.
‘Will you still help Tamiel?’ he croaked. He sounded like he very
much did not want to ask his question, but he seemed to have

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concluded that he couldn’t sit on it any longer. ‘I’ll understand if you
don’t –’
‘I will,’ she said. ‘But he can’t know.’
Jack nodded.
‘So, what? We tell them I lost it?’
‘I can’t come up with anything else but that or abortion and you’re
being way too nice about not picking the latter without telling Zev.’
‘When I can figure out who I trust, I’ll come up with what to do
then.’
Jack reached over and squeezed her leg in solidarity. ‘I’ll back you
up. I’ve been at this long enough to keep my thoughts spinning around
those who want to jailbreak my brain. Also, spinning thoughts are just
sort of par for the course with my brain. It’s a hindrance when you’re
alone and trying to sleep, but it helps keep creepers out.’
She smiled at him with overwhelming gratitude.
When they got back to her apartment, Caleb was cooking dinner. As
Jack branched off to shower, she filled Caleb in on everything. Like
Jack, he wanted her to deal with it immediately, but despite herself,
Octavia couldn’t forget the look in Zev’s eyes. She doubted she would
keep the baby, but she’d promised him a month.
And she kept her word.

Two nights later, as rain hammered away the snow from the streets,
Raphael returned.
He landed in the middle of Octavia’s sitting room and smiled in
stark relief when he saw her. The anger and disgust she had felt at
learning what he had done dissolved into dizzying relief as she ran
over to him and threw her arms around his neck. He smelled like
woodlands and mountain air and he felt like home as he lifted her up
in a powerful embrace.
‘I was worried,’ he said against her neck. ‘Has anything happened?’
The guilt she felt at lying to Raphael was trumped by the fear of
what would happen if his laws required him to hand her child over –
or her. They might even lock her away.
‘I, ah –’ Her throat closed as she drew back and she looked away,
not wanting to do it. She didn’t want to lie to Raphael. She wanted to

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trust him more than she wanted anything else. It felt wrong to lie to
him.
‘She had a miscarriage,’ said Jack from the doorway. ‘Two days ago.’
Raphael looked at her with utter sympathy and she wanted to
scream. He wrapped his arms around her, whispering words of
comfort. None of which helped.
‘What’s wrong?’ said a familiar silky voice from behind her. ‘What’s
happened?’
Octavia heard Jack repeat his words to Zev. The noise Zev made
broke something inside her and she turned around, looking at him
through blurry eyes.
He moved towards her, stricken, mouth twisted in anguish, and he
pulled her away from Raphael and into his arms.
Octavia met Jack’s gaze over Zev’s shoulder. He was doing his best
to give nothing away, but the sympathy on his face did not extinguish
the necessity in his eyes, reminding her of what they had learned, of
what now threatened her.
‘How?’ asked Zev, leaning back and cradling her face in his hands.
‘What happened?’
‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘We didn’t – we didn’t know if I could go to
a doctor. Jack took care of it.’
Zev blanched and he looked over at Jack who nodded grimly, lips
turned down in sorrow.
‘I’m so sorry, Zev,’ he said.
It was hard to believe it wasn’t real.
Zev’s hands were crackling with purple lightning and he looked
ready to explode. Octavia took his hand – the magic felt like heat from
a candle and sent waves through her bones – and she pulled him back
into her arms. The guilt of what she had done threatened to overwhelm
her and she was close to telling him the truth.
Zev looked from Raphael to Jack. ‘Can we have a minute?’ he asked,
voice brokering no room for refusal.
Raphael nodded respectfully and walked over to Jack. He wrapped
an arm around his shoulders and they disappeared.
The expression on Zev’s face when he looked at her left her feeling
like someone had punched through her chest. ‘Are you okay?’ he
rasped. ‘You’re okay, aren’t you?’

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 ‘Not really,’ she said. ‘Not at all, actually.’
Zev reached out and put a hand on her cheek, stroking gently with
his thumb. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
‘Don’t hate me,’ she whispered. He wouldn’t know what she was
talking about now, but one day, when he looked back on it, he would
know. She hoped he would realise just how much this was killing her.
How sorry she was. ‘Please.’
‘Never,’ he said. ‘Impossible.’
She grimaced, tears falling faster from her eyes. ‘I’m so sorry, Zev.’
‘Oh, my little queen,’ he said, lifting her head to so that their eyes
met, ‘you have nothing to be sorry for. This changes nothing.’
She was starting to wish it had. It would be so much easier if he left.
But she cared about him, and she didn’t know how to balance any of
it.
He leaned close and brushed his lips over hers, hesitantly at first,
questioning her own desires amidst her grief, but then she wrapped
her arms around him and kissed him with bruising force, pouring all
her anger and her fear and her guilt into the action, trying to convey
everything to him she couldn’t say.
They broke apart when both needed air, and Octavia was just
wiping her eyes when Raphael returned with Jack. She forced a smile.
‘What did you two learn?’ asked Jack at last.
Octavia sat on one chair, Jack on the other. Raphael sat on the sofa.
Zev stood beside Octavia, not inclined to sit anywhere. He seemed far
from all right and her mind kept returning to his words about volatile
demon emotions. Electricity coiled around his hands and his fingers
twitched. It was mildly worrying.
‘The Opening will occur in July,’ said Raphael. ‘At Altarf, as Niu
said.’
‘They’ve been planning this for centuries,’ added Zev, blowing out
a cloud of smoke from the joint she hadn’t seen him light. ‘They require
a hundred human sacrifices, thirty demon sacrifices and three angel
souls. The humans they have. The demons are volunteers.’
Octavia looked up at him sharply. ‘Three? Do they have more than
Tamiel?’
Zev looked at Raphael, eyebrows raised. ‘Are you missing anyone of
late, angel?’

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 ‘Aside from Isra, you mean?’ said Raphael, expression unreadable.
‘No one has been able to locate Sariel for almost a week.’
Octavia closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. This was so much
worse than she had thought. ‘Text Chloë,’ she muttered to Jack. ‘Tell
her what we know. She’s probably losing her shit.’
‘And the humans?’ asked Jack, taking out his phone.
‘Virgins,’ said Zev.
‘Of course,’ said Octavia in disgust.
‘Fifty men, fifty women.’
‘Well, at least there’s that.’
Zev lit another joint, his fingers tapping on the top of her chair in
agitation.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked concernedly.
Raphael and Jack stopped talking about virgin sacrifices to look at
Zev.
‘No,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘Excuse me.’
With a flash of purple lightning, he was gone.
Octavia looked over at Raphael, confused and worried.
Raphael said, ‘Likely he’s resisting the urge to blow up the entire
street.’
Octavia felt another stab of guilt and leaned back in her chair. ‘I’m
trying to see how this could get worse and I’m failing.’
‘They could get the third angel,’ said Jack.
Raphael’s expression was hard to gauge. ‘I have been trying with no
success to bring Tamiel’s case to the Irin. If I tell them of Sariel and
another, they may perhaps be swayed.’ He stood, his wings unfurling
slowly in the room. He looked at Jack. ‘Can you –’
‘I’m going, I’m going.’ Jack smiled at Octavia before disappearing
into his room.
Raphael moved to her side and took her hands. ‘I’m truly sorry, O.’
She felt another wave of nauseating guilt.
‘Is there anything I can do?’
She wanted to ask him if it was true. If he had really done something
so wretched. But even outside of Deacon’s tale, the Torah and Bible
both spoke of angels and violence and the dangers of the Nephilim.
And for the first time since she’d met him, she doubted him.
She shook her head. ‘I’ll be fine.’

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 It seemed there was more he wanted to say, and his black and white
eyes were filled with a meaning she couldn’t decipher, but then he
kissed her forehead, and, with a flap of his wings, disappeared.
Exhausted and depressed, Octavia called goodnight to Jack and
Caleb, and crawled into bed. She had barely closed her eyes when the
world around her went purple and she found herself in Zev’s bedroom.
He was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out of the window
without moving.
Octavia moved over to him and put an arm around his shoulders.
‘Zev?’ she said. ‘You okay?’
‘I had a son,’ he whispered. ‘A wife. Both were killed.’
Everything inside her that had felt close to breaking completely
shattered, and she wrapped her arms around him. ‘I’m so sorry.’
A sob tore out of him and he put his head in his hands. She ran her
hand over his back, murmuring useless words of comfort.
At some point, they curled up beside each other and sleep claimed
them both.
She dreamed of a mountain, snow and ice all around.
She was falling through the air.
Down, down, down.
She woke with a start, heart pounding. The bed was empty and she
found Zev in the kitchen again glaring out the window, lost in thought.
‘Will you spend the day here?’ he asked when she walked in.
‘I don’t want to leave Jack alone too long.’
‘Jack can come over,’ he said, turning on the coffee machine and
grabbing a few things out of the fridge. ‘I can bring him here if you
want?’
Octavia had the distinct feeling that Zev was doing his level best not
to let her out of his sight as his fear over what else might happen grew,
so she nodded. If demons could level cities in their grief, giving Zev a
few days of being over protective was hardly much.
Within ten minutes Zev had returned with Jack and the three of
them were soon cooking breakfast. Or rather, Zev and Jack cooked as
Octavia watched. She had a tendency to ruin anything that wasn’t
instant soup or coffee no matter how many times over the years Caleb
had shown her how to cook.

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 After they had eaten, Octavia suggested they do more research on
the Opening, and the three of them curled up in Zev’s ornate and
enviable library and read.
Rain hammered continuously outside the window, but a fire burned
merrily in the hearth; with increasing frequency Zev left the room with
an excuse about making more coffee or sourcing some food.
‘He doesn’t seem okay,’ said Jack after the sixth or seventh time Zev
left the room.
Octavia shook her head, heart heavy. ‘No.’
Jack sighed and rubbed his eyes. ‘It’s the only thing we can do. He’ll
understand.’
‘Would you?’
‘Understand that you lied because you were frightened the truth
might involve death and avenging angels and monstrous demon
babies? Yes.’
Octavia was still unsure. Zev returned a few minutes later looking
slightly less on the verge of tearing all the books apart and he walked
over to her and kissed her before sitting back down in the large chair
he had vacated and floating a book onto his lap.
She eyed him a moment longer before looking back at the book. She
had never known what to do less.

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 CHAPTER TEN
Gather the Healers

She stayed at Zev’s for three days before insisting he send her home so
she could spend time with Caleb and Cleo and go back to work. Zev
was clearly unhappy about it, but he agreed begrudgingly and sent
them home.
Caleb looked up from the sofa when they appeared. ‘Fucking finally!
How’s demon dude?’
Octavia nudged him to move over and sat down. ‘Not great. How’s
my dog?’
‘Fat.’ Caleb whistled to Cleo who trotted in and jumped up between
them. He scratched her head. ‘She yells much less than Alisa, though.’
Octavia snorted. ‘Hungry?’
‘Yes,’ said Caleb. ‘I’m going to shower. Order something to eat.’
When he was gone, Jack took the vacated spot and rubbed his eyes.
‘Can you feel it?’ she whispered. ‘What they’re doing to Tamiel?’
Jack looked at his hands, jaw clenching, and nodded. ‘Every second.
Raphael said he could dim it. Take it away. I refused.’
She would have done the same, but she felt obligated to ask
anyways, curious if his reasons were the same as hers would be.
‘As long as I feel him in pain, I know he’s alive,’ he said brokenly.
‘The second I stop feeling anything is the moment I’ll lose hope.’
Octavia squeezed his arm. ‘We’re going to get him back. We’re going
to get him back and you’re going to heal him and all of this is just going
to be a bad fucking memory.’
Jack’s eyes filled with tears and he stared resolutely at the
television.
It was some animated movie she had never got around to seeing. It
had been weeks since she had felt like doing anything as normal as
going to the cinema. She found she didn’t miss her boring, insignificant
life, but she could do with less trauma.
Caleb returned and they watched television until the food came.
When eight o’clock rolled around, she left them to whatever
videogame they were playing and headed into the frigid night.

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 She was halfway to her car when the air changed and Raphael was
suddenly standing before her. He was bleeding severely and his arm
was broken.
Octavia quickly stepped into the cover of the trees and pulled out
her knife. She was too heavily bundled to cut anywhere but her lower
abdomen.
Raphael pressed his hand against her stomach. His hand lingered
even after the light vanished and a wave of longing surged through
her. He dropped his hand and nodded to the road.
‘Would you like some company?’ he asked. ‘I can walk with you?’
Tucking her knife and keys back into her bag, she led him down the
road. It would take three times as long to walk to work, but she found
she didn’t mind.
‘Do I look like I’m talking to myself?’ she asked, glancing around to
see if there were others on the road.
‘No one will notice us.’
‘Cool.’ She glanced at him nervously. ‘Any luck with getting them to
help?’
‘They will lay siege to prevent the Opening but they will not risk the
Irin to save a purported traitor,’ he said angrily. ‘As they cannot
confirm Sariel’s disappearance yet, they refuse to intervene for Tamiel.
Hence the fight.’
A sudden idea occurred to her. ‘Do any of the other angels listen to
their Healers? Like advice and such.’
‘Of course. There is no one a Watcher trusts more than their
Healer.’
Octavia smiled at that and nudged him affectionately. There was a
spark in his black eyes and he smiled back.
‘What is your thought?’ he asked at length.
‘I could talk to some of the Healers,’ she said. ‘Maybe human to
human would work. Chloë will help. Seth.’
They turned onto another street and Octavia slowed her pace. She
didn’t want to get to work and have to leave him. She hated his absence
more and more these days. Even if she was sickened by what she had
learned, even if she was terrified of what the other angels might do if
they discovered she was pregnant, she trusted him more than she

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could put into words, and she longed for him so much she found
herself missing him before he had even left.
‘It could work,’ he allowed. ‘But you would have to meet them
without their angels’ knowledge. I can name fifty who would not be
amused or agree.’
Octavia mulled that over. ‘Can you help me? I wouldn’t even know
where to start looking.’
‘I can come for you first thing in the morning,’ he said, glancing at
her. There was uncertainty in his gaze. ‘If you wish?’
‘Okay. What time?’
‘Eight?’
They had reached the pub by this point and Octavia felt a surge of
excitement at the prospect of spending all of the next day with
Raphael. ‘I’ll call for you then.’
Raphael grinned and bowed his head before disappearing with a
great flap of his wings.
Octavia smiled to herself and stepped inside. The air was heavy with
the smell of beer and the weight of salt.
Even though several of the patrons proved obnoxious that evening,
Octavia was in a good mood by the time she stepped outside and locked
the doors.
Zev was leaning against the wall, smoking idly. ‘How was work?’ he
asked, flicking the cigarette into the bin and walking over to her.
Perhaps it was a demon thing, but he tasted only of cinnamon and
wine. She was still kissing him when the world around them changed
and he was backing her onto his bed.
When he pulled her shirt to the side, a hiss left him and he stilled.
‘Was Raphael injured tonight?’
Octavia glanced down at the scar, aroused and not in the mood for
conversation. ‘Yeah. He and the angels got into a fight. Why?’
‘You have a new scar.’
‘Ah.’
Zev let out a slow breath and she wondered if he was going to say
something else, but then he slammed his mouth against hers with
bruising force, and carried on as if the exchange had never happened.
It was that little moment, however, which made her feel slightly
awkward the following morning when she awoke at seven and told Zev

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that Raphael was coming to get her at eight so they could speak to the
other Healers.
‘I’ll come,’ said Zev. ‘I’m very persuasive.’
‘Zev, no,’ she said, sipping at her coffee. ‘If we’re trying to convince
them to help on the grounds of there being an angel in danger, I don’t
think having a demon at our side is really going to seal the deal. I’m
problematic enough.’
Purple electricity flashed around his hands and she frowned.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing,’ he ground out.
‘Zev, come on.’
He shook his head. ‘You’re not a demon, little queen. You don’t
know how hard it is to contain myself of late.’
‘Why?’
Zev seemed to be working his jaw to the brink of snapping and his
fists clenched and unclenched, magic still shimmering around them.
After several minutes, he whispered, ‘Demons are possessive, Octavia.
We’re jealous and obsessive and we do not compromise. So please
allow me a moment to remember that you are a human and would not
understand if I acted like a demon about this.’
‘I don’t break my word, Zev,’ she reassured him. ‘And if anything
ever happened without my word, then you have my full permission to
be as jealous as you wish.’
This didn’t seem like an answer that particularly pleased him. Not
sure what else to say, Octavia went to the bedroom and grabbed clean
clothes from her bag.
‘I know that I have no right to ask you not to be Raphael’s Healer
when it was I who orchestrated it in the first place,’ said Zev from the
doorway, ‘but would you consider moving in with me?’
Octavia looked up at him, completely taken aback.
It was enough for Zev’s face to fall.
‘It’s not that I don’t want to,’ she said, even though it was. ‘It’s just
that this is all so new, Zev. It’s all so fucking new. And I like having a
place where I can decompress from all things angels and demons. I
need my own place. I need my … human place.’
He sighed heavily and nodded. ‘Would you then, perhaps, take a job
at Blood and Bone? I haven’t been able to work for days. I’m distracted

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at all times. I need – I need to know that you’re all right. If you – if you
take the job – I’d be able to focus. You can go off with Raphael, you can
live with whomever, but allow me this. Please.’
He seemed worried beyond sense or human understanding.
How had his wife and son been killed, she wondered, and why?
‘Okay,’ she said at length. ‘I’ll work at Blood and Bone.’
Zev’s whole body seemed to deflate in relief and he kissed her.
When Octavia broke away, she said, ‘I’ll give my two weeks’ notice
tonight.’
‘Come to Blood and Bone tonight,’ he pressed. ‘I’ll deal with your
boss.’
‘You know it worries me a little every time you say things like that?’
‘I’m going to make him think you quit two weeks ago, not kill him.’
Octavia sighed. ‘All right. I’ll have Raphael bring me there when
we’re done.’
Zev nodded several times. Not wanting to drag out the
uncomfortable situation and feeling guiltier by the second, Octavia
called for Raphael.
There was a deep pull in her chest and he appeared in the middle
of Zev’s sitting room, his beautiful wings folding in with a rustling
sound.
‘Good morning,’ he greeted. ‘Ready?’
Heart fluttering, Octavia grabbed her bag, more than ready to go.
She went to Zev before she left and kissed him goodbye.
Only Zev did not let her ago. He kissed her passionately, pulling her
close against his body. Whether it was because he was worried about
her or because Raphael was there, or both, Octavia wasn’t entirely
sure. She kissed him a moment longer before gently pushing him back.
‘I’ll see you tonight,’ she said. ‘Try not to worry.’
‘Call for me if anything happens,’ he requested.
‘I will.’
His eyes were flashing and the air around him crackled with heavy
electric energy. With a nod, he turned and walked out of the room
before he lost all control.
Raphael’s expression was hard to decipher. ‘Am I interrupting
something?’

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 ‘Let’s just go,’ she said, walking over to him. The second his arm
wrapped around her waist Zev’s apartment vanished.
Rather than appearing somewhere else, Octavia suddenly found
herself in mid-air. Raphael swung her easily into his arms and flapped
his wings, slowing their descent.
Octavia let out a laugh of delighted surprise and tightened her grip
around Raphael’s neck as she looked down at the world flying by below
them. Everything was so beautiful from afar.
‘I think this is my favourite way to travel!’ she yelled over the roar
of the wind.
Raphael grinned and dove, flying low over a forest. It was the most
beautiful and incredible thing she had ever experienced. She stared
with wide eyes at the trees and fields and valleys and lakes and
mountains and canyons below them.
At last buildings began to appear, and Raphael slowed and landed
on a path in front of a small house surrounded by countryside. He held
her for a moment. His head was close to hers and his wings encircled
her.
He said, ‘Do you feel better?’
The guilt which had weighed heavy on her for days had been
banished by the flight and she felt breathless and giddy. ‘Yes. Thank
you.’
They gazed at each other for several seconds longer. It was hard not
to wonder what he was thinking.
Far too soon, Raphael put her down and they walked up the path to
the door.
The house was small but cosy, modest but colourful. The number of
flowers and plants – the warmth of the sun – told her they were
nowhere near Little Hanover. Everything was arid and airy. She took
off her coat and inhaled deeply, basking in the heat.
‘Where are we?’ she asked.
‘Australia,’ he said. ‘The home of Qaspiel’s Healer, Seth Browning.’
Octavia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, still not raising her
hand to knock. ‘Do you think Qaspiel might help?’
‘She loves Tamiel,’ he replied. ‘She trained him personally. I trained
Raziel. It’s the best place to start.’

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 ‘Great.’ Octavia raised her fist and knocked twice, suddenly very
nervous about this.
The door opened and Seth appeared. Tanned, tall and amiable, he
looked from Octavia to Raphael in surprise. ‘Is Qaspiel okay?’ he asked
worriedly.
‘She is well,’ said Raphael. ‘We had another matter to discuss with
you if you will hear us out.’
Seth nodded in surprise and stepped aside to let them in. He led
them into a sunlit kitchen. There was a cat lounging in the open
doorway, fast asleep in a patch of sunlight, and two large dogs were
curled up on the sofa. They raised their heads in interest when they
noticed Raphael’s wings, but they didn’t budge.
‘Lazy fuckers,’ he said affectionately. ‘Useless watchdogs.’
She laughed. ‘My dog’s like that.’
‘So what’s this about?’ asked Seth, leaning back against the sink.
‘It’s not usual – or, ever – for an angel who’s not mine to show up at
my doorstep when it doesn’t concern Qas.’
Octavia took a deep breath, decided there was nothing for it, and
told him everything. Well, everything to do with Tamiel, Jack and the
Opening. She left out Zev for the most part. Somehow she knew it
would only hinder her cause.
When she finished, Seth rubbed his face, trying to digest all of this.
‘Coffee?’ he said. ‘Whiskey? Vodka? Fuck it, all in one?’
Octavia snorted in agreement. ‘Coffee.’
Seth made them all coffee and they moved outside, sitting on the
warm grass. After several minutes of listening to the wind ruffle the
leaves on the trees, Seth finally spoke. ‘You’re telling me that because
Jack and Tamiel fell in love, there are angels refusing to go help him?’
‘Pretty much,’ said Octavia.
‘That’s fucked up.’
‘See, I keep saying this. No one will help Raphael.’
Raphael scowled in agreement.
Seth face twisted in anger. ‘I know if they refused to help Qas, I’d
lose my shit.’ He looked over at Octavia, frowning suddenly. ‘You’re
here because of that, aren’t you? She’s not helping.’
‘She’s wavering,’ said Raphael.

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 Seth looked thoroughly appalled. Setting his cup aside, he stood and
yelled, ‘Qaspiel!’
Octavia and Raphael exchanged surprised glances.
Qaspiel landed on the ground a second later, her great black wings
truly mesmerising. She looked from Seth to Octavia to Raphael and
rolled her eyes.
‘You went to my Healer? Really?’
Seth cleared his throat. ‘Is it true? That they’re refusing to help
Tamiel because he fell in love with a human?’
Qaspiel looked away from Raphael, still scowling. ‘It is against our
laws, Seth. You know this.’
‘I know that love’s a bitch and you don’t get to disown someone
because they fell in love with someone on accident,’ said Seth acidly.
‘You’re better than this, Qas. At least I thought you were.’
Qaspiel flinched and walked over to him, leading him away from
them to discuss the matter in private.
Octavia glanced at Raphael. ‘If I said that to you –’
‘I would be beyond ashamed.’
‘Same.’
They grimaced at each other and tried not listen to the argument
occurring only a few paces away.
Octavia didn’t know much about Qaspiel, and tried not to get her
hopes up, but then Seth said something which made her deflate and
she nodded, jaw clenched, and pressed her forehead against his.
Octavia smiled to herself. The connection between Watchers and
Healers was impossibly strong no matter how platonic it was meant to
be.
‘All right,’ said Qaspiel when she and Seth re-joined them. ‘We’ll
help.’
Octavia squealed and hugged Qaspiel before she could second-guess
herself. Raphael thanked his sister quietly and embraced her once
Octavia let go.
With Seth and Qaspiel now helping, they were able to cover more
ground. They went to Brazil next, where Ramiel’s Healer lived, whilst
Seth and Qaspiel went to Russia to talk with Uriel’s Healer.
Isabelle was not nearly as easy to persuade as Seth, and Octavia and
Raphael spent two hours trying to talk her around before she finally

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agreed and called Ramiel to her side. Unlike his Healer, Ramiel leapt
at the chance and clapped Raphael on the back for his efforts.
An hour later Seth texted to say that Alexei and Uriel were going to
help. Raziel and Rasham agreed instantly. Gabriel and Amira wavered
but agreed if the majority voted to go, they would go; Ansiel and Bai
said much the same.
Michael and his Healer Rachel were the first to refuse. They were
followed by Sorush and Magnus, and Hamon and Saoirse.
Peliel, to Octavia and Raphael’s mutual surprise, and her Healer
Clémence, both agreed to help. And two hours after they agreed, Seth
swayed Darian and Suriel, and Octavia convinced Priya and Raguel.
By the evening, they had at least twelve angels to their cause. It
wasn’t the majority, but it was a good start. Octavia and Seth
exchanged information with all the Healers and by the time Raphael
brought her to Blood and Bone, she felt thoroughly satisfied with the
day’s outcome.
‘Will you come by later?’ she asked, dallying outside the club.
‘I will try,’ he said, ‘but I have other duties which cannot be
neglected, for even small evils are of import.’
Octavia sighed and nodded, understanding even if she was
disappointed.
‘I’ll try,’ he said again, more seriously. ‘It may be late.’
‘I’ll be home.’
‘Alone?’
‘I can be.’
He didn’t succeed in hiding his smile. ‘Then I shall try.’
‘I’ll wait up.’
They walked into Blood and Bone and looked around. It was already
decently full, and she could see Zev in the corner speaking to Nybbas.
He winked at her when she caught his eye and led Nybbas over.
‘Hello, little queen,’ he said, kissing her before turning to Raphael.
‘How goes the quest for helpful angels?’
Raphael nodded. ‘Well enough. We have more to our side.’
Nybbas was noticeably surprised. ‘The angels mean to help?’
‘Yes,’ said Raphael. ‘Despite our differences, we can all agree that
Earth ought to remain in the hands of the humans.’

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 ‘Precisely,’ said Zev. ‘There are enough of us as it is. Any more
would simply overcrowd this small world. And I do so hate to share.’
Raphael glanced at Octavia. ‘I will see you soon,’ he said before
nodding to Zev and Nybbas and vanishing.
Zev returned his attention to Octavia. ‘Successful outing, then?’
‘I’ll tell you after work,’ she said, glancing around. ‘For that matter,
what is my work?’
‘I presumed you wanted to be a bartender,’ said Zev, ‘but you can
take your pick.’
She had been able to bartend since she was sixteen and used the
fake identification card Caleb procured from one of his college friends.
It was something she could do without paying attention. She could also
jump start a car, pick a lock, throw a knife which would stick the
target, and perform CPR. But none of those seemed to apply. And she
loathed waitressing.
Zev introduced her to Cressida, who seemed to be the manager, and
left her to go attend to something in his office.
To her amusement and relief, their uniforms were black jeans and
black shirts and they got more than double the minimum wage.
She changed in the large bathroom and examined her reflection
critically. Her stomach looked the same. She could only hope demon
pregnancies didn’t come with morning sickness, but she thought that
might be asking for too much.
Zev’s mark stood out on her chest, slightly covered by the necklace
Raphael had given her. Tugging her brown hair back from her face and
tying it into a knot, she took a deep breath and headed back out.
The last time Octavia had been inside Blood and Bone was when
Tamiel was injured; she hadn’t looked around much. It shouldn’t have
surprised her that the Demon of Games was wealthy – judging by his
house, he was far from struggling – but Blood and Bone was
exceptionally well furnished.
The furniture was black, the floor burgundy; the lighting was dim
and came from lamps and candles and the fireplace. The air smelled
lightly of incense and was cool and clean. There were enormous
paintings and portraits and tapestries on the walls of demons and
landscapes and wars and lovers.

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 Outside of how terrified she was for Tamiel and what a successful
Opening might rue, she was endlessly fascinated by everything she
didn’t know. Everything she could learn. She slowed her pace
whenever she passed by a new painting and drank in the details.
Perhaps she had hated school, but she loved learning.
Cressida proved hilarious. She was human, and she learned about
demons the way most humans seemed to – possession. It was her little
brother who was possessed, and it was Tamiel who had performed the
exorcism and recommended her for the job at Blood and Bone.
This bit of information surprised Octavia, and she wondered just
how much business Tamiel and Zev had done together over the years.
Perhaps that was why Zev had helped Tamiel get his wings back.
Octavia was still trying to figure out how she factored into all of it.
She knew she was missing something. Somehow she doubted Zev had
picked her at random.
These thoughts and many others filled her mind as she threw
herself into the tasks at hand and the next several hours passed
without incident. Most of the customers were polite and gracious, and
even the ones who didn’t seem to approve of her existence at least left
generous tips.
As Blood and Bone never actually closed, at two o’clock Cressida
told her to go home and come back the following evening.
‘If you want to go see a movie or something later in the week, let
me know,’ she said as Octavia loaded the last of her pint glasses into
the dishwasher. ‘It’s been a while since Zev’s hired someone normal.’
‘I’m not that normal,’ said Octavia with a laugh, but she agreed,
eager to spend more time with the other woman.
Even if Cressida worked at Blood and Bone, she seemed far more
removed from the drama of recent events than even Caleb. And
Octavia wanted someone with no connection to it at all. Someone who
didn’t have a cloud hanging over them.
Octavia bade her goodnight and grabbed her bag before heading
over to Zev’s office. She knocked once and the door opened
automatically.
He looked up. Nybbas, Piro, Melcha and Kobal were sitting around
the room, in the midst of discussing something. There was something
both unnerving – and yet slightly amusing – about seeing the demons

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in one room, looking as if they had just spent hours in deep discourse
and wanted to drink their irritations away. It was so normal it was
hard not to laugh.
She waved awkwardly. ‘I’m heading home. Came to say goodnight.’
Zev nodded to the others. ‘My friends, I’m going to call it a night.
We will pick this up tomorrow.’
One by one the demons vanished.
Zev stood and cracked his neck. ‘I’m glad you showed up,’ he said,
walking over to her. ‘I couldn’t handle another minute of planning. My
mind is mud.’
Octavia laughed and kissed him. ‘Tell me about it tomorrow?’
‘Not tonight?’
‘Kind of want a quiet night, if that’s cool?’
Clearly disappointed, he nodded and reached out, looping a finger
through her belt loop. ‘Shall I come for breakfast?’
‘Perfect.’
‘Any requests?’
She tried to think of some place she’d never had food from. ‘I’ve
always wanted Turkish cuisine.’
He winked and kissed her. ‘Done.’
It was a cold walk home, and the snow was coming down with
relentless determination, but she was glad of the fresh air.
When she stepped inside, Jack looked over at her from the sitting
room. ‘You’ve been gone a while.’
Octavia dropped down beside him and snagged a piece of pizza from
the open box. ‘Morning with Raphael. Evening at work.’
‘Are they going to help?’
‘More and more.’
Jack let out a slightly broken sound of relief and she squeezed his
hand. ‘We’ll have him home soon, Jack. I promise.’
Long after he had fallen into a sleep aided by drink and weed,
Octavia crawled into her bed and found that despite her exhaustion,
she couldn’t sleep. She couldn’t relax. Hope that Raphael would come
kept her from sleeping and she tossed and turned for over an hour
before she felt a familiar tugging in her chest.
She sat up and saw Raphael stepping in through the open door to
the balcony.

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 ‘Hi.’
‘You should be sleeping.’
‘I told you I’d wait.’
‘I’m glad you did.’
‘Yeah?’
Raphael moved into the room and sat down beside her. ‘Did you
want to watch something? You said it helps you sleep.’
‘That’s not what’s keeping me awake.’
‘Are you frightened?’
‘I’m always frightened.’
He frowned. ‘I’m sorry. If I knew how much this was –’
‘It’s nothing to do with you, Raph. I’ve been frightened my whole
life. I live in perpetual anxiety. Usually the only way I can sleep is by
smoking.’
Raphael’s black and white eyes surveyed her. ‘What troubles you?’
‘Will you stay?’ she said instead. ‘If you don’t mind?’
He nodded and leaned back against the wall, his wings rustling.
‘I really love your wings,’ she whispered as she pulled her laptop
towards her and clicked on another movie.
‘Oh?’ He looked pleased. ‘Why?’
‘I don’t think anything so beautiful has ever made me feel so safe.’
They gazed at each other for several seconds; she felt his wing wrap
around her and her body shook.
‘Are you cold?’
‘No. I always shake when I’m nervous.’
‘Why are you nervous?’
‘Because,’ she mumbled, and didn’t bother to finish.
Raphael kissed her forehead and pulled her close with his arm. He
held her as the movie began.
There were dozens of reasons why she was nervous. Mostly because
everything she wanted twisted her stomach into knots. She wanted
Raphael to never have to leave. She wanted Tamiel home. She wanted
Zev happy.
She wanted to tell Raphael how much she loved him, and more than
anything, she wanted it not to be against the law for him to say it back.

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 CHAPTER ELEVEN
Shadows and Wrath

Octavia stood under the hot spray of the shower for ten minutes longer
than she needed to. She didn’t feel like moving. She didn’t feel like
much of anything. She was exhausted, and worried about Tamiel.
It had been nearly a week since she and Raphael had started to
gather the Healers and Watchers to their cause. Zev was gathering aid
amongst the demons with the help of Nybbas, Piro, Melcha and Kobal.
She had fallen into the swing of working at Blood and Bone and had
gone to the cinema with Cressida. But it felt wrong to let life carry on
with Tamiel captive.
A sudden pull in the pit of her stomach forced all mental
meanderings away and she darted out of the shower. She had only just
wrapped a towel around her torso when Raphael appeared.
He was a bloody mess but there was a smile of satisfaction on his
face that gave her pause.
‘What are you smiling about?’ she asked, already fetching her knife.
Seeing him hurt always made her skin crawl, but she was getting
better at handling his vicious wounds.
‘The Irin have all agreed to help,’ he relayed in stark relief. ‘They’re
deciding when to go to Altarf.’
Relief and hope coursed through her. ‘They are?’
He was grinning broadly, and walked over to her.
‘Did they do this?’ she asked.
‘No, a demon I came across on the way.’ He reached out and
brushed a strand of hair back from her face. His skin set her heartbeat
racing and she smiled against his hand. ‘How are you doing?’ he asked,
unbothered by his wounds.
‘Better now,’ she replied, turning away as her distraction grew,
raising the blade to her skin. From what all she had read, the best way
to heal torn flesh was to draw a chakrav symbol, but it was too difficult
with her absolute lack of artistry skills. She sighed. ‘It’d be handy if
angels could do the whole cutting thing, you know? You could just do
it on my back. I’m not nearly that flexible.’

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 Raphael opened his mouth, seemed to think better of it, and closed
it again.
‘What?’
‘It’s no matter.’
She glared at him, which was hard to do considering how beaten up
he was. ‘Raph.’
With a sigh, he said, ‘If your will flows through me, I can do it.’
Octavia thought about that for a moment, came up with nothing,
and grunted, ‘Heh?’
With a fond smile distorted by blood, Raphael took her hand and
led her to the bed. They were so close to each other and she was very
aware of his body and how little she was wearing. She looked at his
face instead; it only made it harder.
Raphael intertwined their fingers. ‘If you wish it and your skin
touches mine, I may do it.’
‘Do it?’
‘A Watcher may mark with their Healer’s consent.’
Intrigued, Octavia untangled their fingers and leaned forwards,
letting the towel loosen around her back. Raphael’s hands were warm,
but she shivered when his fingers brushed across her skin.
‘Are you certain?’ he murmured. ‘You must be certain or this will
cause me great pain. We cannot take what is not offered. Ever.’
Octavia leaned instinctively towards him. The very blood in her
veins was humming, bursting to life, and her next words came out a
fragile murmur. ‘I’m sure.’
They held each other’s gazes for a long moment. Then, with a nod,
Raphael cut the symbol quickly and cleanly into the skin between her
shoulder blades. When he pressed his hand over the mark, she turned
slowly, wrapping herself in his arms, and watched his face return to
its usual striking handsomeness, albeit slightly stained and dirtied
from the fight.
His hand was spread out across her back between her shoulder
blades.
Octavia could not tear away from him. She reached out and put a
hand on the side of his face, feeling nothing but warm, unblemished
skin. Raphael sighed contentedly and leaned into her hand. He kissed

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the inside of her wrist. A jolt of longing went through her and her
breath hitched.
They both froze.
‘Raph …’ she breathed, her heart hammering.
He looked at her, his breathing heavy and fast. His black eyes
seemed somehow blacker. ‘I should go,’ he said. ‘Now.’
‘Don’t,’ she said. Her wrist was still in his grip and she spread her
hand across his cheek. He leaned into her touch.
‘I can’t stay,’ he said, but he didn’t move. ‘This is foolish.’
Octavia took a deep breath. She knew that Raphael’s honour, his
duty, meant everything to him. She knew she could not be the reason
that was taken from him. She would not give him the future Tamiel
was banished to. She loved Raphael too much to want that for him. But
pulling away felt like a crime.
Her mind went, oddly, to Alyssa, and she felt a sense of true guilt
and grief for stealing such a gift from her. But she could not grieve
much, for she had never loved anyone as she loved Raphael.
‘Maybe one day,’ she whispered. ‘Maybe one day the laws will be
different.’
Raphael nodded, although he did not look like he believed her
words; his face was dark with a desire he refused to let himself indulge
in.
‘I ought to go,’ he reiterated, taking her hand from his face. With a
shuddering sigh, he kissed the inside of her wrist again. ‘I’ll return
when I have more news.’
As he stood, Octavia followed suit belatedly and wrapped her arms
around his neck. He hugged her then, burying his face in her neck,
saying everything with the smallest of gestures. When he drew back,
his lips ghosted over her cheek and he pressed his forehead to hers.
Everything inside of her trembled.
‘Better to have you like this than to not have you at all,’ he
murmured, and then with a flap of his wings, disappeared.
Octavia put a hand over her mouth and stood there for several
seconds. The sob tore out of her throat unbidden and a ripple of shame
went through her. None of this was fair to Zev; none of it was fair to
any of them. Not Zev or Raphael or Jack or Tamiel or any of the other
Healers who had undoubtedly fallen in love but either refrained and

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stayed heartbroken, or indulged and were killed for it. How could you
join two souls and expect it to be less than everything?
Mind spinning, she pulled on clothes before she crossed the short
distance of the room to the door and walked the few steps to the study
they’d turned into a temporary bedroom for Jack. The two room
apartment had been perfect for her and Caleb, but with the three of
them it was definitely feeling small.
He was sitting on the floor attempting to meditate. By the way his
face was screwed up and the laboured edge to his breathing, something
was happening to Tamiel.
It suddenly seemed callous to bring her problems to him, and she
turned to go when he called her name.
‘Distract me,’ he said beseechingly. ‘If I think about what’s
happening to him any longer I’ll lose my mind.’
Octavia sat down in front of him and crossed her legs. ‘I’m fairly
sure I’m in love with Raphael,’ she said.
His jaw dropped. ‘That’ll work.’
‘And I’m fairly certain he’s in love with me.’ She wondered if she
had imagined it, but no. He had definitely wanted to kiss her.
‘Okay,’ said Jack. ‘Now I think we need some fucking weed.’
Caleb stepped out of his room to join them and she relayed what
had happened to them both.
‘I think you should break up with Zev,’ said Caleb, passing her the
joint and leaning back in his chair.
Jack nodded. ‘I agree. If – if something happens, Zev will lose his
mind.’
Octavia’s stomach twisted. ‘I don’t think he’ll handle a breakup
particularly well, either.’
‘So are you going to tell him?’ It was clear from his tone Caleb
thought this a fundamentally stupid course of action. ‘Just break up
with him and then sort out how you feel.’
Octavia held up her hands. ‘I’m hiding a pregnancy which will likely
either get me or it killed if I end up keeping it, I’m in love with my
Healer and I’m dating a demon who wants me to move in with him
and have little demon babies. If anyone has any bright ideas – please,
voice them. I’m a million ears.’
‘All ears.’

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 ‘Nope. I’m listening with a million. Give me one course of action
and I’m listening.’
He laughed but offered no advice.
‘Exactly,’ she muttered.
‘Maybe you should just have an abortion,’ said Caleb with a frown.
‘It’s the safest thing to do at this point.’
Jack pointed to Caleb. ‘I like his plan.’
‘I don’t want to do it because I have to,’ she admitted. ‘It’s my choice.
No one else’s.’
So many of her choices had been made for her over the years that
she rebelled against doing anything anyone impressed upon her even
when it was exactly what she wanted. It wasn’t the most mature course
of action, but she wanted to wait until everyone stopped suggesting
ideas before doing anything.
Jack grimaced. ‘Sometimes I’m really glad I’m a man.’
Caleb held up the rolling paper he was holding and pointed at him.
‘Amen, brother. Every time I think about kids coming out of vaginas,
my dick clenches in sympathy.’
‘You guys are so helpful,’ she said with a snort. ‘Fuck you oh so very
much.’
Caleb sniggered.
‘Deacon’s books say that you can’t even tell someone’s pregnant
with a demon child until a year in,’ said Jack. ‘The year’s like the cut-
off point. You can’t abort after that. I think it’s meant to ensure, like,
maximum survival. Most don’t even know they’re pregnant and by the
time they do there’s nothing that can be done.’
‘So that’s where horror movies come from,’ said Caleb.
‘The Omen or The Ring?’
‘Dude, The Grudge.’
‘Kids in horror, I swear.’
Octavia raised her eyebrows, trying not to think of possessed and
creepy children. ‘Back to the point, how can you not know you’re
pregnant for a whole fucking year? That’s twelve missed periods.’
Jack shrugged. ‘I’m just telling you what the old and dusty volumes
are telling me, baby cakes. Perhaps thousands of years ago, women
didn’t pay attention to their periods.’

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 ‘That I’ll believe,’ she said, rubbing her eyes. ‘So, by this time next
year I’ll have no say in this?’
‘Pretty much.’
‘I suppose it’s longer than most people get to decide on an
unplanned pregnancy,’ she muttered. ‘Lucky me.’
‘You really going to leave it that long? It’s been over a month by this
point, Tivs.’
Octavia ground her teeth together. ‘Zev’s son was murdered. I just
… I just feel bad.’
‘Guilt is the absolute worst reason to have a child, Octavia,’ said
Caleb with a stern, brotherly air.
‘Amen,’ said Jack, pointing to him.
Octavia heaved a sigh. ‘All right. Let’s just – let’s get Tamiel home.
I’ll talk to Zev then and you both can hold my hand as I have my
exorcism-slash-abortion.’
‘An abortionism.’
This time, at least, she didn’t have to force her laugh.

The week which followed was filled with a steady stream of updates
from Zev on the demon side of things. Where the angels had been slow
to move, Zev seemed eager to seize the opportunity, and several days
later, opportunity presented itself.
Zev arrived halfway through breakfast to tell them they would be
going to Altarf that night.
Jack let out a choked noise of relief. He opted to go straight to Blood
and Bone with Zev and Octavia promised to meet them later.
She had a feeling Raphael was going to come by and sure enough,
around mid-afternoon, Raphael landed on her balcony.
Octavia was in the middle of a book on angels and set it aside, a
smile breaking across her face. Her stomach fluttered and her bones
felt jittery inside her skin.
Raphael, too, seemed nervous. ‘The Irin are going to work with the
demons. Zev is speaking with Gabriel.’
‘Well, I didn’t expect that,’ she said in surprise.

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 ‘I’m glad of it. We should work more closely with the demons. We’ve
made little progress fighting them on all fronts.’ He appraised her.
‘How are you?’
She shrugged. ‘After what happened and how long you stayed away,
I’m worried you’re going to tell me you won’t come around anymore
except when you need to be healed.’
Something flickered in the depths of his inverted eyes. ‘I thought
about it. To my shame, I’m not as strong as I believed.’
She wasn’t sure how to take that. ‘Being with me makes you feel
weak?’
‘No,’ he said vehemently. ‘That’s not what I meant at all.’
‘What did you mean?’
Raphael moved towards her and he reached out, tucking a strand
of hair behind her ear. His hand lingered, cradling her face. ‘It has been
a very long time since I have wanted, O. Since my need for a Healer
and the friendship which accompanies that has been superseded by
something far more dangerous and uncertain and terrifying.’
‘What?’
He did not elaborate. Instead, he said, ‘Jack has requested to go
along to Altarf and Zev has agreed to bring him. I found out about an
hour ago. Did you know Jack was there?’
‘Tam works for Zev. He’s been helping Jack deal with all of this.’
She looked at him pointedly. ‘I’m going also.’
Raphael clenched his jaw and nodded. ‘I presumed as much. You
know most Healers do not leap into the fray?’
‘I’m not most Healers. I’m shiny and new.’
He chuckled ruefully. ‘Will you promise to stay by my side?’
Octavia couldn’t help but grin at him. ‘Aren’t I always by your side?’
His eyes seemed to bore into her and he stepped closer. ‘Altarf is
one of the worst places on Earth, O. Not only will I not be able to stand
it if anything is done to you, I will die if you are slain.’
‘I won’t do anything stupid.’
‘That’s not my concern.’
‘What is?’
‘We’ve known each other less than a year and I’ve never been so
terrified. I don’t know what to do about any of this. The thought of
anything being done to you …’

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 She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck. ‘I
don’t know what do, either.’
He held her and breathed in deeply. ‘You smell good.’
‘Do I?’
Raphael didn’t reply, but his grip tightened and she shifted as close
to him as possible. Their bodies felt fused together. When they finally
broke apart, he promised he would see her later and took flight.
Unable to distract herself from what the evening would bring – and
all which would come after – Octavia drove to Blood and Bone and
found it already filled with angels and demons. Slipping through the
milling bodies, Octavia went over to Zev. Jack was at his side, arms
crossed anxiously, eyes bloodshot and hooded.
She took his hand and they stood in the corner, silent observers of
the gathering army. As the hours passed, more and more walked in.
Around midnight, Zev held up his hand and the air rippled; all eyes
turned to him as silence fell. ‘My friends,’ he said, ‘are you ready for
some revelry?’
The roar was deafening.
Zev appeared beside her and held out his hand. ‘Shall we descend
into Hell, my darling?’
Octavia took his hand, still holding onto Jack, and the world around
them turned violet.
When the light disappeared, Octavia found herself standing on a
road in the middle of what looked to be a desert. Before her were two
impossibly large iron doors; great walls spread out from them as far
as the eye could see in either direction.
Altarf.
Zev raised his hand. The logographs on his fingers glowed so darkly
purple they were almost black and lightning shot out. It zig-zagged and
spider-webbed across the gates, forming a much larger version of the
seal on her chest. A grumbling roar preceded the gates’ opening.
The air seemed to explode, and with a rumbling like thunder and –
the wards now broken – the Watchers of the Irin landed beside the
demons and drew their swords. As one, they flooded through the gates
into the city.
The demon city was unlike any she had ever seen. Rising out of the
sand and dust defiantly, it looked like both a ghost town and a roiling

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pit. The architecture was crude and garish, distorted and rotted. A
corpse city with black bones.
They moved through the streets like wraiths; the angels above, the
demons below.
Nybbas looked around, mouth twisting unhappily. ‘Guard your
mind,’ she said to the others. ‘Ahriman will be listening.’
Octavia and Jack exchanged looks of trepidation.
‘Nervous?’ asked Kobal, his orange eyes flickering eerily as he
threw a blade at a demon not ten feet away.
‘If you’re not nervous, you’re a moron,’ she muttered, scanning the
roofs of the buildings where the angels were slaying demons
mercilessly.
Kobal snickered. ‘I can burn the air, human.’
‘Well, when you put it that way, I have no reason to be worried,’
she said sarcastically, looking away as the buildings began to surround
them. She wondered what all the rest of them could do.
As they move through the city, she realised there were as many
truly wretched things as there were mundane ones.
It was a city like any other. Only now it was on fire.
She saw three demons grab another and pin him against the wall
and she turned away, wanting to be ill. They followed Zev and his
hordes up a side street towards a large red building which might as
easily have been made of blood and dust as stone and iron.
‘We’re here,’ hissed Melcha.
‘Guard your mind,’ said Zev.
The mark on her chest flared with purple light and remained
glowing. She glanced at him with a raised eyebrow.
‘In case anyone’s having a particularly hard time seeing,’ he said.
He raised his palms; the doors blew off their hinges.
The demons spread out like a wave.
Octavia’s heart slammed in her chest as she and Jack followed them
inside. When they rounded the corner, fifty odd demons appeared
from nowhere.
‘You should have known better, Ahriman,’ said Zev to the one in the
front.
The air rippled with his magic and angels appeared on all sides.

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 Octavia felt a wave of courage and relief at the sight of Raphael
beside Qaspiel, Ramiel and Peliel.
‘Altarf is mine,’ said Ahriman. ‘Not yours.’
‘Try again,’ said Zev. ‘I’ve decided I’m going to keep it.’
Octavia stared at him, stunned; she was not the only one.
‘Kill them!’ bellowed Ahriman.
Zev looked to the demons and angels at his side. ‘Burn them all,’ he
said. ‘Take what you win.’
The din was deafening. It sounded like a thunderstorm of bones.
Jack grabbed Octavia’s hand and they sprinted through the fray.
Raphael sliced the demon before him in half and darted after them.
Through a side door and down a stairwell they ran, Jack following
the feeling in his chest more than any real directions.
The stairs went down, down, down. Everything became dark;
before panic could set in, the stones around their necks glowed dimly
to life. It wasn’t much, but the glow was enough to keep from missing
a step and falling to their deaths.
‘He’s close,’ said Jack.
When at last they reached the bottom, they found a sealed door
before them.
No matter how much Raphael pulled or pushed, it would not budge.
He shook his head. ‘It’s warded.’
‘Look,’ said Octavia, holding the necklace up high. Its meagre light
barely illuminated a series of characters similar to the ones on Zev’s
hands. ‘Can you read it?’
Raphael glared at it for a moment before translating: ‘Enter those
with bloodied hands and dark hearts. / Enter those who seek revenge
and dream of death. / Enter those who walk with shadows and the
shadows will guide you.’
When he finished speaking, three cups appeared on the ground
before the door. Each was filled with a different colour liquid.
‘I’m betting we have to drink those,’ said Octavia, eyeing them
dubiously. ‘Awesome.’
Raphael kneeled to examine each carefully. ‘This door was meant
to keep out Ahriman’s enemies. Only he can grant entry without a test.’
‘Lucky us,’ said Jack. ‘Which one do I drink?’

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 ‘Each one will take something,’ said Raphael. He nodded to the one
with blue liquid. ‘That one will blind – although we could heal that.’
Octavia swallowed. ‘And the other two?’
‘I’m not sure,’ he said hesitantly. ‘I believe the green will drive you
to madness.’
‘And the red?’
Raphael shook his head. ‘I’m uncertain. Nothing good.’
‘Can the madness be cured?’ asked Jack.
‘I don’t know.’
Octavia bent down and picked up the red cup. She had no desire to
drink it, either, but she didn’t want to risk Raphael drinking it. Before
he could stop her, she downed its contents.
It tasted like metal and blood and she gagged, dropping the cup.
Raphael straightened up. ‘O?’
She grimaced and nodded. She felt fine.
That somehow worried her more.
With matching grimaces, Raphael picked up the blue cup and Jack
picked up the green.
‘What’s the symbol for blindness?’ she asked Jack.
He pulled a pen out of his back pocket and drew it quickly on her
hand.
‘To madness,’ he said, raising the cup and downing it in one go.
Raphael drank his next. He dropped to his knees, his hands going
to his eyes, screaming in pain.
Octavia didn’t hesitate. She carved the symbol deep into the flesh of
her arm and grabbed Raphael’s hand, wrapping his fingers around her
forearm. Light spread between them and within minutes she was
completely drained but his eyes looked their normal black and white.
Raphael nodded that he was well and she redirected her attention
to Jack. It wasn’t going to be so easy with Jack; he was slack-jawed and
staring at the wall fearfully. As if he thought the shadows would
manifest.
‘Jack?’ she asked, touching his shoulder lightly. ‘Jack, you okay?’
He flinched away from her. The noise he made was immensely
unsettling.
‘The door’s open,’ said Raphael from behind her. ‘Come.’

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 The room beyond held light. That way lay Tamiel and Sariel. There
was no choice.
Octavia grabbed Jack. He baulked and cried out, pulling away from
her; it took all her strength to propel him through.
The whole room spun and suddenly they were in a great chamber.
Torches on the walls filled it with gloomy light. The air was thick and
heavy. Everything smelled of fire and burned hair.
‘There’s something evil in here,’ said Raphael.
Jack shied away from everything and Octavia had to tighten her grip
to keep him from bolting off down one of the various doorways which
now surrounded them. Her fingers began to ache from the effort.
‘This whole city is evil,’ she muttered.
‘No,’ said Raphael. ‘Something worse.’
And then, from smoke and shadow, appeared Æshma. Behind him,
nailed on crudely carved crucifixes, were Tamiel and Sariel.
Jack screamed and Raphael grabbed him as he wrenched himself
out of Octavia’s grip. Tamiel twitched and raised his head. He seemed
to register Jack’s presence, if distantly. Sariel remained immobile.
‘You’re early,’ said Æshma. ‘The Opening’s not for months. You’re
interrupting all the wonderful games I’ve planned for the three of us.
Then again, we do need a third angel. Care to volunteer, Raphael? Your
brothers here refused to give you up.’
Raphael put a hand to Jack’s head and he went limp. Carefully laying
him on the ground, Raphael drew his swords. ‘You and I have much to
discuss, Æshma.’
Æshma leered at him. ‘Still angry about your little Healer? I can see
why. She does taste so sweet.’
Lightning shot out of Raphael’s sword but Æshma deflected it into
a pillar with a lazy wave of his hand.
He looked at Octavia and her insides tightened in disgust. ‘I knew
you would pick the red cup,’ he said slyly. ‘You who volunteers to save
everyone. You who it was foretold would come. We all know why Zev
picked you.’
Even Raphael looked perplexed.
‘My sweet,’ purred Æshma, ‘I think you’re bleeding.’
Octavia looked down. As if from nowhere, blood began to soak her
jeans, dripping down her legs and pooling on the floor around her.

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Pain coiled through her and she put a hand to her stomach, realising a
second later what was happening.
Raphael grabbed her, attempting to heal her, but there was nothing
wrong with her.
It was not from her.
She wished then that Raphael knew. That Zev knew. That she was
more powerful so she didn’t have to ask for help.
‘Kill him,’ she hissed through gritted teeth, trying not to scream
from pain and anger. ‘Kill him painfully.’
Raphael did not need to be told twice. He flew towards Æshma and
they collided in mid-air. The sound echoed deafeningly around the
room.
Pain like nothing she had ever felt threatened to consume her, and
it took every ounce of strength within her to stumble over to the
angels.
With the knife she used to heal Raphael, she cut Tamiel’s binds. He
fell against her, his wings sad tatters of what they had been when
Raphael restored them.
‘Can you walk?’ she said, putting a hand on either side of his face
and trying to rouse consciousness in him. ‘Tam! Can you walk?’
He nodded after a very long moment.
‘Jack,’ she said. The one word she knew would make it through the
haze of agony and disconnect. ‘Get Jack and go.’
Tamiel turned, his eyes cloudy, his skin in ruins, covered in blood
and burns, only just managing to stand and trip towards his Healer.
Octavia turned to Sariel and cut him loose. She had lugged Tamiel
down a mountain, but lifting Sariel was impossible. He was larger than
Tamiel and twice as heavy.
Tamiel wouldn’t be any help; Raphael was locked in battle with
Æshma.
Octavia rested Sariel gently on the ground. ‘Gabriel!’ she bellowed.
He’d told her yell for him if she needed to.
Gabriel appeared with a great gust of wind, Chloë in his arms.
Gabriel let her run to Sariel as he drew his swords and went to help
Raphael fight Æshma.
‘Sariel!’ cried Chloë, leaning over him and checking him for signs of
life.

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 ‘He’s breathing,’ said Octavia, holding out her knife. ‘Hurry.’
Chloë cut quickly and cleanly across her abdomen and Octavia
pressed Sariel’s hand to her stomach. For a moment, nothing seemed
to happen. And then, to their overwhelming relief, Sariel’s skin began
to regrow.
His eyes slowly blinked open and fixed on Chloë. Utter joy flashed
across his face and he embraced her. ‘Thank you,’ he murmured.
‘Thank you.’
Octavia stood, the blood soaking her jeans now cold. She felt empty
and sick and so stunned all thought was impossible outside of escape.
Her movement spurred Sariel and Chloë to their feet and as they
lifted Tamiel’s arms over their shoulders, Octavia pulled Jack’s arm
around her.
With a flap of his wings, Sariel disappeared with Tamiel and Chloë.
Octavia was just wondering how she was going to get out when
Raphael swooped down and landed in front of her.
‘Go,’ he said. ‘I will be with you soon.’
Before she could reply, the chamber disappeared, and Raphael with
it.
She and Jack reappeared in a large room she didn’t recognise.
A female angel appeared at her side and smiled. She had black hair
and wings and looked remarkably like Raphael. ‘I’ll take him,’ she said.
‘Jack, isn’t it?’
‘Tamiel’s Healer,’ said Octavia, not loosening her grip. ‘Where are
you taking him?’
‘I won’t hurt him,’ the angel promised. ‘He is under our protection.
As are you.’
Octavia glanced around, heart hammering. ‘What is this?’
‘A safe place,’ said the angel. ‘I am Raziel.’
She sighed in relief. Raphael and Tamiel’s sister. She relaxed just a
fraction. ‘Octavia.’
‘You are Raphael’s.’
She nodded.
Raziel lifted Jack and carried him over to an empty bed beside
Tamiel. His eyes moved rapidly beneath his lids. Two more angels
stepped forwards to tend to him.
‘They will sleep until they are well,’ promised Raziel. ‘And you?’

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 Octavia glanced down at her legs which were stained in blood. ‘Stab
wound,’ she said. ‘Raphael healed me in the chamber.’
Raziel didn’t question it. She said, ‘Would you like a bath instead?’
There was nothing which sounded more appealing in that moment.
Wherever they were was warm and quiet and smelled fresh and
soothing, and Octavia didn’t want to think. Or feel. Or function.
Raziel led Octavia down one corridor and then another until they
reached a small room. There was a clean bed in the centre of the room
and there was no wall on the right side. It was an open balcony
overlooking mountains and valleys.
A breeze wafted in and she inhaled, trying not to choke on the lump
in her throat.
‘A haven,’ said Raziel. ‘Bathe and rest. Raphael will return soon.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘He will not be defeated.’
Octavia nodded and looked away, relieved when she heard the door
close.
For a very long time, she did not move. Likely the battle at Altarf
would rage for hours yet. She prayed for Raphael, she prayed for Zev,
but mostly she stared at the wall as numb detachment filled her like
poison. She was sick of the ache in her stomach and the fear in her
heart and the constant spinning of her thoughts.
She pulled her phone out of her pocket. There was no signal or
connection; calling Caleb wasn’t an option.
With nothing to do but wait, she took a long bath and changed into
the clothes left out for her. They were warm, snug and comfortable.
They smelled like Raphael’s wings, and at last she was able to sleep.

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 CHAPTER TWELVE
Contemplations and Explanations

Octavia stayed in the room for the rest of the night and most of the
following day. Around early evening, there was a gentle knock at the
door and she opened it to find Chloë standing before her.
She looked infinitely better than she had. Her thick black curls fell
in gorgeous tendrils around her heart-shaped face and she smiled
broadly at Octavia.
‘The battle’s over,’ she said. ‘Raphael’s asking for you. Will you
come down?’
Octavia sighed and let Chloë into the room. She had felt Raphael’s
pull for most of the morning but had resisted. Whether because he
could feel her resistance or was too busy to come looking for her, she
had not yet seen him. There had also been nothing from Zev. For that
she was grateful. Her lie, at least, was done.
‘Who won?’ she asked, closing the door and leading Chloë onto
balcony.
She leaned back against the railing and crossed her arms. She
wasn’t sure how she was feeling. She was only sure she wasn’t okay.
Not about any of it. She could feel blood on her skin, smell Altarf, hear
the screams.
None of it was okay.
Chloë said, ‘We did. Technically.’
‘Did we lose anyone?’
She nodded sombrely. ‘The Irin have Ahriman, at least.’
‘And Æshma?’
‘They say the Demon of Games has him.’
Relief threatened her with collapse. Octavia’s voice shook when she
managed to find it. ‘And where is the Demon of Games now?’
‘I’m not sure.’ Chloë hesitated before she added, ‘According to
Qaspiel, he’s not happy you’re here.’
Octavia wasn’t surprised in the least about that. But still she
prompted, ‘Oh?’
‘This is a haven for the Irin and their Healers,’ said Chloë. ‘Demons
cannot enter. Apparently he made his feelings known to Raphael, but

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as you’re not being held against your will, there’s little he can do unless
he himself wants to break the law.’
A stab of guilt went through her. ‘Thank you for telling me.’
Chloë jerked a thumb over her shoulder. ‘Won’t you come down?
Raphael’s really worried. He wanted to come himself, but I said it
would be better if I came.’
‘You don’t even know me.’
‘No,’ she agreed, ‘but I know what it’s like not to want to talk to
anyone.’
Octavia regarded her thoughtfully. ‘What makes you think I don’t
want to talk to anyone? I’m talking to you.’
Chloë snorted. ‘And so well.’
Octavia finally cracked a smile.
‘See,’ said Chloë, ‘that wasn’t so hard. Won’t you come? Jack and
Tamiel are asking also.’
Her heart leapt. ‘Jack’s okay?’
Chloë nodded and held out her hand. ‘Come on.’
Despite her reservations, Octavia let Chloë pull her out of the
bedroom and down the corridor.
‘Where are we?’ said Octavia as they walked. The mountains capped
in snow and the valleys below were breath-taking. ‘The mountains
look like –’
‘The Himalayas,’ said Chloë. ‘One of the safest places for the Irin to
hide.’
And one of the most beautiful. Octavia inhaled deeply before asking,
‘How long have you been Sariel’s Healer?’
‘Fifteen years.’
Octavia raised an eyebrow. ‘How old are you?’
‘Thirty-three.’
‘You were young.’
‘Sariel came to me at my synagogue. I was praying for a sign. I
wanted purpose. Sariel gave it to me.’
The simple, matter-of-fact way she said it made Octavia smile.
Chloë led her around another corner and Octavia found herself in
one of the most beautiful gardens she had ever seen. Flowers spilled
from all sides, trees with fruits dotted the perimeter, and butterflies,
bees and hummingbirds flew about.

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 It was tranquil and calming. Water spilled from a fountain into a
creek full of colourful and vibrant fish. Milling about in larger numbers
than she could have imagined were the Watchers and their Healers.
From across the garden, Raphael looked up, and his face split into
a wide grin. His wings looked even blacker in the bright light of the
afternoon. He stepped away from Tamiel – who, Octavia realised with
a shock, stood amongst his brothers and sisters with his head held high
– and moved towards her.
Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him.
All her anger, all her guilt and grief, vanished in a second as she ran
to him. She threw her arms around him as his locked tightly around
her and held her close.
Octavia had to force herself to break away from him after several
seconds and put distance between them. Before she could speak,
Tamiel was there, embracing her also and telling her how grateful he
was. That he loved her. That she could not know how much.
But what she knew of both of them came rushing back now that
everyone was safe.
Fury and outrage warred with love and relief inside her and she lost
her voice.
When Jack reached her, she saw that the circles under his eyes were
even deeper, the strain in his handsome face the only real sign that he
had been locked inside the madness of his mind long enough for it to
leave a lasting scar, and she burst into tears. She clung to him, crying
unrestrainedly, not entirely sure why it was Jack who finally made her
break. Perhaps it was because he was the only one who knew it all.
Perhaps because he was the only one there she felt no fear towards. In
the end, she thought perhaps it was because the one she most wanted
to be with neither knew the true cause of her anguish, nor could ever
be the recipient of her affections, and realising that made her chest
ache.
Jack led her to a quiet corner of the garden away from the Watchers
and Healers, and they sat down on an empty bench.
Raphael made to follow her, but when she shook her head at his
questioning gaze, he stayed with Tamiel, Raziel and Qaspiel. Rasham
and Seth were with them, too, and both offered understanding smiles.

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 ‘We can go,’ said Jack quietly when they were alone. ‘We don’t have
to stay.’
Much as Octavia wanted Caleb, she wanted to stay away from Little
Hanover just as much. There were too many around for Octavia to
properly explain her confusion, but Jack knew already, and he
remained beside her in solidarity.
‘How are you?’ she asked.
‘A little fucked up, I’m not gonna lie.’
They both laughed without humour.
Tamiel and Raphael at last wandered over, eyes questioning and
concerned.
Octavia forced everything to the back of her mind where it would
sit and rot until she had time to take it out and sort through the rubble.
Raphael kneeled down in front of her. ‘Are you well?’
‘Fine,’ she croaked. ‘Tired.’
He was openly concerned. ‘What did the potion do to you?’
‘I don’t know.’
It was clear he didn’t believe her, but he left the matter alone for
the time being. They walked back over to the others and he introduced
her to those she didn’t know. Those she did know, bar Hamon and
Sorush, greeted her warmly.
While most of the Healers mingled well and the angels seemed
relaxed and at ease in the wake of their victory, Octavia had trouble
making small talk. Her mind wasn’t quiet.
She stayed with Raphael, Jack and Tamiel mostly, but Chloë brought
Sariel over after a while, and then Seth and Qaspiel joined them.
Raziel’s Healer, Rasham, proved lovely, and by the evening, Octavia
felt a bit better.
When the moon was high in the sky, the gathering lulled to a gentle
murmur as pairs branched off for sleep or home or duty, and Octavia
found herself lying on the grass between Raphael and Chloë, staring at
the stars above.
‘What’s Parid like at night?’ she wondered aloud. ‘Are the stars
different?’
‘To a human, Parid seems impossible,’ said Sariel from Chloë’s
other side. ‘As does Kolos. It’s … so much larger than Earth. The skies
are indescribable.’

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 ‘That good?’
‘Better.’
‘Do you miss it?’
‘It is our homeland,’ said Raphael, ‘but it has not been home in
millennia.’
The world was so dark and quiet; deceptively safe. Octavia reached
out and felt for Raphael’s hand. He moved his hand towards hers
discreetly and their fingers intertwined. Her heart raced in her chest
and she wondered if she really hated herself enough to entertain
certain heartache.
Rasham said, ‘Do you think of Earth as home now?’
The angels were all quiet for a moment.
Raphael spoke first. ‘The Healers are our home. The Irin.’
The others voiced their agreement and a rattling feeling spread
through Octavia’s chest. She sat up, pulling her hand from Raphael’s
grasp, and stood. ‘Think I’m going to get some sleep,’ she said.
‘Goodnight guys.’
‘Sweet dreams,’ called Seth.
‘You too. Night all.’
Jack and Chloë echoed the sentiment.
Raphael stood and followed her up the path back towards the large
building. ‘What is it you are not telling me?’ he murmured as they
turned down a deserted corner of the garden. ‘Something’s wrong.
Raziel said that you told her I healed you. I didn’t. What happened?’
‘I don’t know what to do,’ she said instead. It wasn’t a lie.
‘About …’
‘You. Me. All of it.’
Raphael glanced around furtively before taking her hand and
pulling her into a small corner of the garden. The trees felt like a
fortress and gave the illusion of being alone. He walked on until they
were deep in the grove and their breaths and steps were the only
sound. ‘What is it that gives you pause?’ he prompted.
Octavia wanted to know if she could trust him. She wanted to know
if she would come first before duty. She wanted to know that if she’d
had the child that he would have protected it, not hunted it down for
simply being born. She wanted to know if he loved her the way she

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loved him; which was unexplainable and unending, and consumed her
every thought.
It had never felt like this with Jax. Nor Zev.
‘I need to ask you something,’ she said at length. She felt sick with
nerves and Raphael’s proximity was making all of it harder.
He reached out and cradled her face; her heart skipped, and she
leaned into his touch automatically. ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘What’s
troubling you?’
Octavia knew if she didn’t ask him now she never would. She could
feel how much he loved her even if he couldn’t say it. But she could
bear none of it until she knew the truth. Now, at last, with nothing and
no one at risk, she could ask.
Taking a deep breath, she put her hand over Raphael’s where he
touched her face and said, ‘You told me before that no one could ever
know that I was pregnant with Zev’s child. But you didn’t tell me
everything. Did you really hunt your friends and innocent fucking
humans? You wouldn’t do that, right? You and Tamiel are better than
that.’
Please, she wanted to add. Please be better than that.
Raphael’s hand dropped. Although she had always thought him
stone-like, when the colour drained from his face, he looked like a
ghost. He stepped away from her, his hand tugging at his hair in
agitation as he fought with himself over what to say.
That was answer in and of itself.
Her eyes burned as anger and disgust filled her. It didn’t seem
possible. It didn’t seem real.
‘Yes,’ he said at length. ‘Yes. Tamiel and I helped hunt them down.’
Octavia felt like the world was crumbling beneath her. She stepped
back, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘I didn’t want it to be real,’ she
rasped. ‘Christ, why did it have to be real?’
Raphael’s lip curled and though he scoffed, he was clearly stricken.
‘It was the law, O. I obey the law. Always. It’s what keeps the worlds
from darkness and war.’
For the first time, she felt something akin to fear towards him. That
alone made her want to retch. She took another step back, but she kept
her voice low.

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 ‘You banished Tamiel. You could have banished them! You didn’t
have to kill them.’
‘Tamiel had no children.’
She made a choking noise. ‘And me? Would you have let them kill
me?’
The look on his face threatened to shatter her. ‘Of course not!’ he
cried, only remembering at the last second to keep his voice down. He
closed the distance between them until they were sharing the same air.
Octavia’s head was spinning. ‘Right, I forgot, if anything happens to
me, you die. Perhaps they’d just lock me away. Perhaps you’d let them.
Duty, right?’
‘Is that what you truly think?’ he whispered, desperation rising.
‘That I could do anything to hurt you? That I would let them lock you
up?’
When she blinked, a legion of tears trailed down her face. Raphael,
too, looked close to the breaking point.
‘I thought you always followed the law,’ she retorted. ‘What would
make me any different from one of your comrades? Your friends? Your
brothers and sisters?’
Raphael stared at her with bitter regret. ‘You think it didn’t break
my heart? You think I did not grieve them? That I still don’t? That I
have not heard their pleas in my mind every day for the last four
thousand years? You think any amount of atonement is enough? I was
doing my duty, Octavia. That doesn’t mean it didn’t blacken my soul
irrevocably.’
She stared at him, trembling from rage as much as anguish. ‘Why
should I believe you would treat me better than your own family? Don’t
play me like Zev does. Just be honest.’
Raphael’s black eyes were filled with unshed tears.
Angels, she realised, had silver tears.
He said, ‘I am not the same now as I was then.’
A cold wind picked up and she shivered. ‘What’s changed?’ she
challenged. She was beyond angry, beyond heartbroken, beyond
disgusted. She wanted his absence as much as she wanted him to make
it all better.
He looked at her beseechingly. ‘Do you really not know?’

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 And then he reached out and cupped her face between his hands.
His wings wrapped protectively around them both, a barrier between
them and the rest of the world. His breath smelled sweet when mixed
with hers. He did not kiss her, yet his lips hovered the smallest of
distances from hers.
‘You are all I think of,’ he breathed. ‘All I dream of.’
But it wasn’t enough.
Octavia’s lip quivered and she turned her head away from him.
‘Send me home,’ she whispered. It was the hardest thing she had ever
said.
‘O –’
‘Send me home, Raphael.’
Just like that, she was in her apartment.
Light filtered in through the windows; on this side of the world it
was still daytime. She dragged herself to her bedroom and plugged in
her phone. Once it could turn on, she dialled Caleb’s work number with
fingers that didn’t seem to function quite right.
Caleb answered instantly. ‘Tivs! I’ve been so worried! How’d it go?’
‘We won,’ she said numbly. ‘I’m not pregnant, Raphael’s in love
with me, Jack’s gone a bit mad, and everything fucking sucks. Oh – and
I sort of want to put my face through a wall.’
Caleb said, ‘I’ll be there in ten minutes,’ and hung up.
Octavia changed into her most worn and comfortable clothes and
crawled under the blankets. She was only there for a minute when she
was back on her feet, redressing, and was outside waiting when
Caleb’s car pulled up. Cleo was in the backseat panting happily and
barked with excitement when she caught sight of Octavia.
Caleb’s eyes flicked over her as she climbed into the front seat, but
to her relief he didn’t enquire further. She knew he wouldn’t. If there
was one person who knew her mind better than she did, it was Caleb.
‘Where to, sis?’
‘Anywhere that isn’t here.’
‘Excellent.’
They drove north towards the forest and Caleb played calming
piano music.
‘Jax called,’ he said. ‘Paul’s been released.’

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 Octavia clenched her jaw, heart pounding and blood thrumming. ‘If
it’s not one fucking thing, it’s another.’
‘He said he’d take care of it and you shouldn’t worry.’
‘That worries me.’
‘Yeah, me too. But he paid the lawyer again.’
Octavia sighed heavily. It was hard to believe that six months ago
the biggest problems in their lives were Alisa and Jax.
An hour later, Caleb declared he was starving and pulled into a
small roadside pub. There were tables outside and they dropped down
heavily into one as Cleo scampered about, delighted to roam.
‘Smoke?’ she asked, rubbing her forehead.
Caleb held one out to her. ‘So, I didn’t wanna say, but Zev came by.’
Octavia raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh?’
‘He wanted to know if you were angry with him. He seems to think
you are because he didn’t fill you in on the plan. What plan?’
‘He seized Altarf – though I don’t know why he thinks I’d care.’
Octavia picked at her burger, not feeling particularly hungry.
Caleb sipped at his beer. ‘He’s in love with you.’
‘Yeah, he’s said that.’
Caleb lit a cigarette and blew out a cloud of smoke. ‘Perhaps Zev
was the better choice, Tivs.’
Octavia lit her own and said, ‘Raphael isn’t a choice. Whether I have
feelings or not, he’s my Watcher. I’m his Healer. I’m his for life.’
Caleb made a face. ‘Does it seem at all ironic to you that it was Zev
who made you Raphael’s in the first place?’
‘Every fucking day.’ Octavia snorted. ‘I just want to run away.’
‘Okay,’ he said without hesitation. ‘Where to?’
They were still grinning at each other when Octavia’s phone rang.
She glanced at the screen and held it up.
‘Answer it,’ said Caleb. ‘He deserves that much.’
With a sigh, Octavia answered the call. ‘Hey.’
‘Octavia! Where are you?’
‘A roadside diner with Caleb.’
The air suddenly crackled and in a flash of violet light, Zev
appeared. Dressed all in black, ash-white hair brushed back, he looked
good, if agitated.

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 ‘Where have you been?’ he asked. ‘What happened? You vanished
from Altarf and Raphael refused to tell me anything.’
Caleb picked up his plate and stood, whistling to Cleo to follow him
over to the car.
Zev grabbed his chair and pulled it up beside Octavia’s and took her
hands. His hands were warm and certain and reassuring. Not for the
first time, she wished she returned his feelings. It was laughable that
a demon was the safer choice, but he did seem to be.
Octavia let go of his hands and sat back in her chair and lit another
of Caleb’s cigarettes. There was something undeniable about Zev. A
goodness despite his manipulations, loyalty despite his cunning. But it
didn’t change the fact that she didn’t feel much like being with anyone.
She was too sad, too tired, too angry. And she was bitterly in love with
Raphael. There was no help for that.
‘Zev,’ she murmured, ‘I think I need some time.’
Shock and hurt flashed in his violet eyes and he stared at her for
several seconds before he seemed to find his voice. ‘You disappear and
when you return you no longer want me,’ he ground out. The tattoos
on his fingers glowed purple. ‘Why?’
‘I don’t want anyone. I don’t want anything. I just want to go to
work and go to sleep and not think for a while.’
He reached out and took her hands. ‘Octavia, I know things have
been difficult –’
‘Difficult?’ It was hard not to laugh. ‘Zev, in less than six months
I’ve gone from a girl trying to make ends meet, to a girl who’s a Healer
to an archangel, dating a demon and being targeted and harangued
from all fucking sides because apparently just knowing you all is
dangerous.’ It came out harsher than she had intended and she
grimaced. ‘I’m sorry. That’s not fair.’ She squeezed his hand and tried
to smile even as her lips trembled and seemed to go slightly numb with
anxiety. ‘I’m not okay, Zev. I’m far from okay. And I don’t want to be
with anyone. Not right now. Just give me some time. Please.’
‘And Raphael?’
‘I’m taking a break from Raphael, too, trust me.’ The thought of
seeing him filled her with a stomach-churning mixture of longing and
fury.

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 Zev’s eyes narrowed and electricity crackled in their depths. ‘How
come?’
‘Because I don’t trust him,’ she said truthfully. ‘I don’t trust the Irin.’
‘And me?’
‘I trust that you mean it when you say you want me around.’
‘Is that all?’
Octavia looked away from him, past the car where Caleb stood with
Cleo, scrolling through something on his phone, towards the distant
mountains and forests beyond. ‘I just need space. Time.’
He sighed. ‘Time I have.’
Octavia glanced back at him, relief flooding her. ‘You’re not angry?’
Zev ran a hand through his ashy hair. His face was strained and
tired. ‘I’m not happy,’ he allowed. ‘I’ve been at this far longer than you.
It makes sense that we are on very different pages.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Will you do one thing for me?’
She raised an eyebrow.
‘Don’t quit your job,’ he said. ‘I know that there is nothing gallant
amongst humans in admitting possessiveness and I’m aware that it’s
frowned upon. I don’t care – no demon cares much for human laws –
but I assume you do. And what you care about matters to me. So I’m
asking you to stay where I can protect you. Where I can be assured of
your safety. At least if your home is protected and I know you’re safe
at work, the only times I’ll have to worry are when you’re with
Raphael.’
‘I doubt that’s going to be an issue for a while, regardless.’
This served only to intrigue him. ‘What happened?’
There was no reason now to worry about broaching the subject.
‘Did you know the Irin hunted their own kind? The children of the
angels and the humans, too?’
Comprehension dawned on his face. ‘Yes. I knew.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘It would have looked like I was driving a wedge between you and
Raphael. That’s no way to win your heart.’
She didn’t know what to say to that.
Zev stood and bent down to kiss her cheek. ‘I’ll see you later,’ he
said. ‘And I love you.’

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 Octavia watched him disappear. She wished she could say it back.
But she had lied to him enough already.
After a beat, Caleb sat back down. ‘You okay?’
‘Nope.’
‘Want to get baked?’
Octavia let out a choked laugh. ‘You’re the best brother ever.’
‘Don’t I know it.’

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 CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Friends and Enemies

Little Hanover was much more cheerful in spring, and no one was sad
to feel the last of the bitter winds and bone-deep cold which couldn’t
be shaken so far into the mountains.
Rain gave way to sunshine and soon the world seemed to come to
life again. The flowers bloomed and the trees flourished and the sun
warmed the world. Spring, as it so often did, brought new chances and
perspectives.
Jack and Tamiel left for an extended holiday. Jack told Octavia
before they left that he wasn’t sure when they would be coming back.
He hadn’t said much, but the strain in his eyes was clue enough as to
what was wrong. Both of them needed to heal after the horrendous
year they’d had.
Work at Blood and Bone began to feel comfortable and Octavia’s
burgeoning friendship with Cressida made it that much easier.
True to his word, Zev did not press her. When he saw her at work
he would smile and wink and ask her how she was before heading into
his office to deal with one of the many visitors who trailed in from the
streets seeking fortune and favours.
As the days went by and the calm held, made easier to enjoy by the
warm sunshine and monotony, Octavia slowly began to heal. She
missed Raphael more than ever, but she refrained from calling him
and he didn’t drop in.
She read book after book and went back to Deacon for more
volumes. He seemed to delight in passing along his research to another
generation and they talked for hours about angels and demons.
She also began to receive a steady stream of messages from Seth,
Chloë and Rasham. It was wonderful and strange, she found, having
friends all over the world. Her small life in Little Hanover had been
torn apart and rearranged by the chaos of others, yet the friendships
coming out of it all made it seem somehow worth it. They all had
radically different lives, but the different directions gave Octavia
insights into the Watchers and Healers that she’d never had before.

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 Seth’s life in the countryside was starting to feel too small, and he
talked often of wanting to move someplace new and start his own
business. It didn’t help that he had broken up with his girlfriend after
one too many disappearances to help Qaspiel.
Chloë was in love with a girl who refused to believe in angels or
anything out of the ordinary, and her lack of open-mindedness was
apparently starting to wear thin. That, coupled with Sariel’s continual
mentions of moving Chloë to one of the strongholds, meant that she
was considering it now more than ever.
Rasham, on the other hand, wanted to leave her home and go to
college abroad, but her family wouldn’t hear of it and she was
constantly fighting with them. Raziel thought she should be a doctor
and had even offered to fly her to whichever college she picked.
Everyone’s story gave Octavia a little bit more perspective, and the
hollow empty feeling turned into a dull ache, and then one morning
she woke up and realised she was all right. This new version of her
had deep circles under the eyes and had lost weight and smoked a bit
too much, but she was all right. And that was a start.
The only thing missing was Raphael.
Things were quite calm, in fact, for nearly two months. As the days
began to stay brighter for longer, it was almost like the winter had
never happened. Like she had never found Tamiel or made a deal with
Zev or met Raphael. But of course it was real.
And then one night, as Octavia was just about to drift off, she felt a
familiar pull in her chest and sat bolt upright as Raphael appeared in
her room. She turned on the light and gasped at the sight that greeted
her.
Half his torso was burned beyond belief.
Octavia scrambled out of her bed and pulled her knife from her
bedside table. For a moment she hesitated, then, flipping it over in her
hand, she held it out handle-first to him. He was foggy with pain, but
he reached out a shaking hand and grasped it with remarkable
strength.
Octavia took off her shirt and pulled her hair to one side. She
reached back and touched his skin carefully where there were no
burns.

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 The blade cut deeply into her back, but Raphael was an expert even
whilst injured and in seconds his hand was pressed to the mark.
The injuries were so extensive that it drained everything in her to
heal him, and when he moved his hand, her legs gave out. Catching
her easily, he carried her back to the bed and set her down.
He sat beside her and brushed the stray hair back from her face.
‘I’ve missed you,’ he murmured. ‘And I am so sorry. Please believe
that.’
She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. ‘Yeah. Me too.’
As he made to stand, she grabbed his arm. ‘Stay.’
‘Are you certain?’
‘Yes.’
Raphael let out a shaking breath of relief and moved to her side. His
wings folded behind his back, and he drew her into his arms.
She fell into the lovely sort of deep sleep where the darkness is
comforting and quiet, and she awoke with the dawn, Raphael’s arms
still locked around her. Not wanting to let the moment go, not wanting
him to leave, she stayed very still.
‘I ought to go,’ he whispered, clearly having been awake for a while.
‘It’s early.’
Octavia rolled over in his arms. Her chest ached at the thought of
his departure. She felt like they had been robbed of so much already.
‘I broke up with Zev,’ she whispered. ‘I know – I know that doesn’t
mean anything –’
‘It does.’ Raphael closed his eyes as he took a deep breath, a small
smile spreading across his lips unbidden. When he opened his eyes, it
was hard not to get lost in the black and white depths. ‘You must know
that I beg forgiveness for my actions every day. I can never undo what
I did. Was it right? I fear I don’t know the answer to that. Angels make
mistakes the same way humans do. But God, O, I am sorry. I would
never, never let anyone take you from me. I will be better than I was.
I swear it.’
Octavia’s heart fluttered. ‘Please don’t go away again, okay? These
last couple of months were awful.’
‘They were awful for me also.’ Raphael’s grip tightened around her
waist and she moved until their bodies were perfectly aligned.
She wanted so badly to kiss him.

173
 ‘I know I cannot ask you to neglect your happiness for me,’ he
continued. ‘But I wish more than anything that the rules were
different.’
She smiled sadly and leaned in, kissing his cheek, her lips ghosting
over his skin, and when she drew back ever so, he tilted his head. Their
lips were barely a hair’s width apart. Everything inside her hummed
and burned, encouraging and wanting and needing.
He pulled back. ‘If I kiss you, I know I won’t be able to stop. If I kiss
you, I will fall. I can’t.’
Octavia nodded in what was perhaps the worst performance of
being understanding she had ever put on. ‘Sure.’
‘I should go,’ he said, but he didn’t move.
‘Have you ever felt like this?’ she asked before she could stop
herself. ‘With another Healer?’
The thought of it made jealousy curl in the pit of her stomach.
Raphael shook his head. ‘The feelings between Watcher and Healer
are always beyond reckoning. We are tied together. From the moment
that happens, it is not just our health which is contingent upon the
Healer, it is our happiness. I have loved dearly all who have been my
Healers. As to whether or not I have ever considered leaving my post
and risking my position for my Healer – of that there has only been
one. You. From the moment I saw you, my thoughts have been
consumed by you.’
Octavia nodded, a wave of bizarre relief flooding her.
‘I love you,’ he said vehemently. ‘I love you so much I don’t know
what to do.’
‘Go,’ she said with a small smile. ‘I’ll be here.’
Raphael kissed her forehead and held her close for a very long time
before drawing back. ‘I will return soon,’ he promised. ‘Be safe.’
And then he was gone.
Too wired to sleep, she found Caleb in the kitchen and told him
everything as they drank coffee and passed a joint back and forth
between them.
‘I miss Jack and Tamiel,’ she said when she finished. ‘At least with
Jack I didn’t feel like I was stupid.’
Caleb looked thoroughly affronted. ‘I make you feel like you’re
stupid for liking Raphael?’

174
 ‘No, of course not,’ she said quickly. ‘I just meant that with Jack – I
don’t know. He and Tamiel were willing to risk it all and now they’re
together. But it doesn’t always happen like that. Things working out.
Things could just as easily go to Hell. Because he risked it, it just feels
less like I’m a complete idiot for feeling like I do.’
Caleb grimaced in agreement. ‘Is he worth it?’
‘On my end, I’d say yes. But it would ruin his life.’
‘I’d say that’s being dramatic, but I remember Tam’s back.’
Her phone suddenly beeped and she pulled it out.
Seth’s name flashed across the screen. The message read: Hey babe!
Birthday party at my house this weekend. Qas says she can bring you
if you want. Stay the weekend and I’ll show ya around! What do you
say? Chlo and Rasha are coming!
Octavia grinned to herself and held her phone up for Caleb to see.
‘There you go,’ he said. ‘Go to Australia – fuck, that sounds
amazing.’
She sent a quick reply to Seth that she would be there and put her
phone away. It sounded like the perfect distraction.
‘I’ve got to get to work,’ said Caleb. ‘Are you going to be okay?’
‘I’ll be fine.’
Caleb winked at her before kissing her cheek and heading for the
door, promising that he would bring dinner back for them later.
With no desire to linger around the apartment, Octavia whistled to
Cleo and they set off on a walk. It was a grey, windy day and the air
smelled of rain. They made for the trailhead and walked until the sun
began to set.
Octavia stood at the top of a hill and watched it sink behind the hills.
Not for the first time, she wished she had the power to be what she
wanted. To be with who she wanted.

A few days later, Qaspiel arrived on Octavia’s balcony and stepped

inside, her wings tucking behind her back.
‘It’s good to see you,’ she said with a smile. ‘How have you been?’
‘Busy but good,’ said Octavia. ‘You?’
‘Much the same.’
‘Have you seen Raphael?’

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 Qaspiel smiled. ‘He’s on watch but he’s well. Do not fret.’
Octavia breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Seth worries also. It’s normal.’
Octavia somehow doubted it was the same sort of worry, but she
smiled and nodded. Taking Qaspiel’s hand and putting her bag over
her shoulder, she called goodbye to Caleb and Cleo.
Qaspiel lifted her easily and took flight.
The trip to Australia ended with them flying over the ocean and
Octavia gazed at the view with open wonderment. There was such
freedom to a life with wings.
When Qaspiel landed outside Seth’s house, Seth, Chloë, Rasham,
and Bai, Ansiel’s Healer, were already there. Octavia hugged them each
in turn and was just catching up with them when a familiar voice called
her name and she whipped around.
Her heart leapt. ‘Jack!’
He looked infinitely better than when she’d last seen him and he
smiled broadly at her.
‘Hey you,’ he said, hugging her. ‘I’ve missed you.’
‘I’ve missed you, too,’ she said. When she drew back, she held his
gaze. ‘You good?’
‘I’m good.’
‘Good.’
They both laughed and she turned to Tamiel, embracing him with
equal fondness.
‘Where have you guys been?’
‘Asia,’ said Jack with a smile. ‘We decided to go backpacking.’
Octavia laughed. ‘Sounds like a good time.’
‘It was,’ said Tamiel. ‘But we didn’t want to miss Seth’s birthday.’
‘I insisted,’ said Jack, nudging her.
‘Good man!’ called Seth. ‘Oh, wicked! The others are here!’
Octavia glanced over her shoulder to see Peliel and Clémence,
Ramiel and Isabelle, and Sidriel and Anjali.
Ramiel and Peliel went over to Tamiel’s side as Ansiel and Sidriel
departed, assuring their Healers that they would be back the following
day. Tamiel looked at ease, his normally drawn face content and light-
hearted as Ramiel said something in their language and Tamiel let out
a bark of laughter.

176
 ‘That’s nice to see,’ she whispered to Jack.
He nodded several times. ‘I’m always worried shit’s going to go
south.’
Octavia wrapped an arm around his shoulders. ‘Come on. Let’s give
the angels some space.’
Once everyone was settled, all the angels but Tamiel left, and Seth
passed everyone drinks. Octavia cradled a glass of iced tea and smoked
a joint. Rasham didn’t drink either and seemed relieved to have
someone else not partake.
‘Why don’t you drink?’ she asked, taking the joint from Octavia.
‘My father drank,’ said Octavia. ‘He wasn’t a nice person.’
Rasham nodded. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Shit happens.’
Rasham held out the joint. ‘It shouldn’t.’
‘Tell us about your girlfriend,’ said Seth, drawing their attention
away from painful topics, nodding to Chloë. ‘She still giving ya grief?’
Chloë made a face. ‘She’s an atheist. She won’t believe in anything
without proof.’
‘We can’t give her proof,’ said Anjali. ‘No one’s allowed to know.’
‘I know that,’ said Chloë. ‘But no matter how much I try, she insists
that there’s nothing to believe in. It used to be depressing. Now it’s just
frustrating.’
‘But not even all the angels believe,’ said Rasham, looking at Tamiel.
‘Isn’t that so?’
He nodded.
‘Perhaps we don’t know the truth about the afterlife, but we know
there’s more to this life than what most people believe,’ said Chloë.
‘It’s like arguing with someone over the existence of aliens. Anyone
refusing to believe in the possibility of more confuses me. It’s so
arrogant to assume the only life we know of is the life we’ve been
allowed to see.’
‘That’s how I always felt,’ said Octavia. ‘The day I found Tamiel, I
suddenly felt vindicated. Like I wasn’t crazy to believe.’
The Healers nodded their agreement.
‘So what are you going to do?’ asked Bai. ‘It seems wrong to break
up with someone because they don’t believe. It’s not their fault they
don’t have proof.’

177
 ‘Atheists take a lot on faith,’ joked Rasham, and everyone laughed.
‘Who believes in God?’ asked Octavia.
Seth shrugged. ‘Maybe not God. Something, though.’
‘I believe,’ said Bai. Rasham nodded.
Chloë shook her head.
‘Then how can you be mad at your girlfriend?’ asked Seth, laughing.
‘I believe in aliens!’
‘Good to see we’re all on the same page,’ he teased. ‘More beer?’
‘More beer!’ the others echoed.
As the rest of the party began drinking games, Octavia wandered
around Seth’s house and grounds. It was all so beautiful. So open and
free.
She had been swinging on the hammock for almost an hour when
Jack and Seth found her. They dropped down beside her and Jack
pushed them off again.
‘This was a good birthday,’ said Seth. ‘It’s nice to see everyone.’
‘Yeah,’ said Jack. ‘I never thought it would happen.’
Seth chuckled. ‘I’m not a wanker, Jack.’
‘No, but sometimes it’s hard to think things can get better after
going so wrong.’
‘Don’t I know it,’ said Octavia.
‘Everyone okay?’ asked Seth.
‘I don’t know,’ she admitted. ‘But don’t worry about it.’
‘Don’t be stupid,’ said Seth. ‘Come on. What’s wrong?’
‘Sometimes it’s just hard not to be sad about how fleeting we are in
their lives.’
Jack and Seth both nodded, faces darkening with shadow.
She instantly regretted saying anything. ‘I’m sorry. Fuck. Ignore
me. Let’s party.’
When they returned to the house, everyone quickly agreed on pizza
and beer and the bad mood lifted immediately.
They were just trying to decide on what toppings they wanted when
the air went cold. A loud cracking sound preceded the arrival of
multiple demons.
The air snapped.

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 Tamiel stepped between the Healers and the demons. ‘What are you
doing here, Shriya?’ he asked the nearest demon, disdain dripping
from his normally mild-mannered voice.
‘We took a look at the menu tonight,’ said Shriya, grinning evilly,
displaying sharp, thin teeth which curled in. It was so much worse
than Nybbas’ smile and fear blazed through Octavia. ‘Five Healers and
a fallen angel. Cain will be ecstatic.’
Tamiel drew his sword. ‘Cain will be sorely disappointed.’
Octavia opened her mouth and tried to call Raphael’s name only to
find she had no voice.
No sound would come out.
Tamiel was a skilled warrior but against at least a dozen or more,
the odds weren’t good.
A demon materialised behind her. He had neon green eyes and a
frog-like tongue that flicked out, making her cringe. He seized her and
his teeth sank into the flesh of her shoulder.
Blood warmed her skin, soaking her clothes.
Her mouth opened in a soundless scream.
Suddenly the air crackled with purple lightning, and Zev appeared.
Furious did not even begin to describe the expression on his dark face.
He was vibrating with frightening power. As if the air itself was
trembling before his wrath.
‘Enough!’ Electricity crackled around his tattooed fingers in
warning.
Everyone stilled instantly.
Zev turned hateful eyes on the demon who still held her. ‘Ennis,’ he
purred, stepping towards them like a panther advancing on its prey.
‘You should know better than to touch what is mine.’
Ennis let go of her and dropped to the ground, writhing in pain, a
horrible scream tearing from his lips.
When he stopped moving, Zev looked around at the remaining
demons. ‘If I see you again, your deaths will be slow,’ he hissed. ‘Go.’
They vanished without protest, and he moved to Octavia’s side and
examined her shoulder. ‘Are you hurt anywhere else?’
Octavia opened her mouth but still no sound came out.
Zev rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. ‘Shriya’s powers silence
human sound.’

179
 She tried again, and this time found her voice. ‘Just the shoulder.
Raphael!’
With a great gust of wind, Raphael appeared instantly. Her shout
was followed by the cries of the other Healers and their Watchers
appeared in quick succession.
As Tamiel filled them in on who had been there and what, precisely,
had transpired, the Watchers mended their Healers and exchanged
weighted looks.
‘What is it?’ asked Octavia, catching Raphael’s eye when he looked
away from his soldiers.
It was apparent they were having a silent conversation of some kind
and being left out was infuriating.
‘Zev,’ said Raphael abruptly. ‘Will you excuse us? This is a matter
for the Irin.’
Zev snorted. ‘It was I who intervened; I who saved your Healers.’
Raphael bowed his head graciously. ‘And for that I am indebted to
you. But this is a private matter. Please.’
Zev looked at Octavia and his eyes flashed. ‘Are you coming back?’
She nodded. ‘I’ll let you know when I’m home.’
Clearly displeased with her answer but having no argument to
rebut with, Zev disappeared in a flash of violet lightning. She didn’t
miss the way his hands closed into fists.
‘This is too frequent,’ said Raziel the instant he was gone. ‘Too many
times of late our Healers have been threatened. We need to be honest,
this is not working. Our Healers are not safe.’
‘Cain’s becoming too bold,’ said Sariel. ‘Especially now that the
Opening failed.’
Octavia glanced at Rasham, eyebrows raised. She made a face in
return and shrugged.
‘You must go somewhere safe,’ said Qaspiel, looking at Seth. ‘This
is not a request. Had Zev not come, we might have been too late. It has
been centuries since the demons have so brazenly gone after the
Healers. They’re growing bolder. There have been attacks on Healers
around the world.’
‘You must have some idea why,’ said Rasham.

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 Raziel sighed. ‘They are looking for the Gatekeeper. The demons
believe this time one of the Healers has the power. Cain is determined
to find the Gatekeeper first.’
The Healers exchanged looks of confusion. All but Jack and Octavia.
They held each other’s gazes, their minds going back to Deacon.
‘The what?’ said Seth.
‘A human who can go to Kolos and Parid at will,’ said Raziel. ‘Any
who go with the Gatekeeper can pass freely.’
‘What’s Cain’s problem?’ asked Octavia. ‘Like, specifically?’
‘He is barred from entering either Kolos and Parid,’ said Raphael.
‘It has driven him to madness. For years his descendants and
worshippers have tried to find the Gatekeepers. The last time he got
close enough was when his son seized control of Kolos and he had the
Gatekeeper.’
‘What happened?’
‘The Gatekeeper was killed and the Gateway closed. We don’t know
what became of Kolos after his son’s slaughter. The demons don’t like
to talk about it.’
‘The death toll was in the millions before the Gateway closed,’ said
Tamiel, and everyone looked over at him. ‘Asura’s forces crippled
Kolos.’
‘How do you know that?’ asked Seth.
Tamiel shrugged.
Octavia figured he learned it working for Zev – or from Zev himself
– and asked instead, ‘Why does he want in?’
‘If Cain ever controlled Kolos, he would be strong enough to
overwhelm Earth and reach Parid. It would doom us all. Earth keeps
him weak.’
Octavia scratched her cheek as she tried to imagine Cain. ‘Is he
more powerful than Zev?’
All of the angels exchanged long looks before Raphael said, ‘We
don’t know.’
Chloë looked at Sariel and nodded. ‘All right. I’ll go to one of the
strongholds.’
Sariel sighed in relief. ‘Thank you, Chlo.’
‘What?’ Octavia stared Chloë. ‘Come on! We’re not hiding. That’s
bullshit!’

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 Raphael gestured for them to carry on and he led Octavia away from
the others and back into Seth’s house.
They didn’t say a word until they were in the bedroom and Raphael
had closed the door behind them.
‘O –’
‘I’m not hiding,’ she reiterated. ‘You promised you wouldn’t lock me
away.’
He glared in unmasked exasperation. ‘How many attempts on your
life must it take for you to listen to me?’
She crossed her arms. ‘I’m listening to you. I just don’t agree with
you. I am not hiding.’
‘Then move.’
‘Move where?’
‘We have safe havens.’
Octavia rolled her eyes. ‘That’s hiding, Raphael.’
‘Why are you so stubborn?’ Raphael closed the distance between
them and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Do you not know what my
enemies will do to you? Do you not know the risks you face only
increase by the day? Do you – do you –’ He stopped short and took
several forced breaths.
‘Do I what?’
He shook his head.
‘What?’
‘Do you know how close I am to not caring what the law says? To
breaking the first oath I ever took? This is madness and torture, O.’
She swallowed hard. ‘No.’
‘You could be taken! Again!’
She didn’t mean to let slip the next words which left her lips. ‘Raph,
my father … he used to lock me in the closet whenever I pissed him off.
He’d leave me in there for days. Caleb had to pry the hinges off once. I
can’t – I can’t hide. I can’t.’
For the first time since they’d met, Raphael was truly speechless.
‘It’s fine,’ she added. ‘I’m fine. He’s a drunk and a psychopath. Jax
kept me safe, and Caleb and I moved in with my grandparents. But I
can’t –’
‘All right,’ he said, drawing her into his arms. ‘I’m so sorry, O. I
didn’t know.’

182
 ‘I’ll be careful,’ she promised. ‘But I won’t hide. I just … can’t.’
‘I won’t ask again.’
When they returned to the others, Rasham and Seth were arguing
with Raziel and Qaspiel. Jack was beside Tamiel, brow furrowed as he
took in the scene unfolding before them. The others were gone.
No one was in the mood to resume the festivities and so, after
exchanging promises to keep updated, the Healers bid each other
farewell. Jack promised to be home soon and hugged her before
disappearing with Tamiel.
Raphael brought her home, but he was on watch and couldn’t stay.

As was bound to happen, Raphael’s visits slowed for a time. With

exorcisms and worshippers to take care of, his watch, and contending
with the variety of complications that came from commanding the Irin,
he was gone more often than not.
True to his word, it was only a few weeks before they saw Jack
again. Halfway through telling them that he was searching for a new
apartment, Octavia and Caleb both asked him to stay. They set up a
third bedroom in the study – properly this time – and spent two days
helping him put it together.
Tamiel was back working for Zev, and she realised then that she
still didn’t know what it was Zev wanted him to do and posed the
question to Jack one night.
‘Fight demons,’ said Jack much to Octavia’s amusement. ‘Zev has
demon problems, too, and fighting demons is all Tamiel knows. At
least this gives him something to do. Some sense of purpose. And he
feels – I think it feels a bit like being a Watcher. Like he never really
left the Irin if he’s still doing mostly the same thing.’
Octavia could understand that. ‘How do he and Zev even know each
other? They seem like old buddies or something.’
‘They go back millennia,’ said Jack. ‘Tamiel was the first to broach
a union between the Irin and Zev. He’s the only reason Zev works with
the angels.’
Not sure what to say to that, she let the subject drop. They spent
the rest of the night catching up. Jack showed them his photographs
from Asia and it was well past midnight when they all stumbled to bed.

183
 It was a routine which kept up. Jack fell into their lives as if he’d
always been there. And Tamiel began coming by when he was done
working and the four of them fell into a rhythm.
They were an odd little family, but one Octavia found she loved
more than anything.
And perhaps the calm respite should have been a clue that
something else was going to go wrong. Given how the previous months
had been, it only made sense.
A few weeks after Jack and Tamiel’s return, Octavia, Jack and Caleb
headed out to one of the clubs in the city.
Warm weather made the evening enjoyable and they danced until
their feet and sides ached. Jack proved an excellent wingman for Caleb,
and Octavia left them to it, moving slowly through the jostling bodies
to the bar. She didn’t often enjoy going out and being the only one
sober, but Caleb and Jack made it fun.
The last thing she remembered was turning a corner, and then
everything went black.

184
 CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The Takers and the Taken

Octavia awoke shivering with cold, head pounding and skin dry and
too tight. She scrambled to her feet. She was in a room – well, more a
chamber than a room. It was made entirely of stone and bitterly cold.
Her breath came out in clouds.
‘Raphael!’
Raphael! Raphael! Raphael!
Her voice echoed back to her and she winced.
Raphael did not appear.
She tried again to no avail. She tried Zev next, but still nothing.
‘Okay,’ she said with a shaking breath. ‘Okay, don’t panic.’
That was much easier said than done.
‘Fucking demons,’ she muttered. ‘Where are you, Raphael?’
She walked the perimeter of the room, searching for any way out.
She found nothing.
Just as panic began to set in, two doors materialised out of nowhere.
She stared at them, and something stirred in her mind. She
deliberated, wondering if she was a complete idiot for even
considering it.
Take the door to your right.
The woman might’ve been creepy and off-putting, but Octavia had
a feeling that listening was wiser than ignoring. With a deep breath,
Octavia moved towards the door and stepped through.
The door led into a long passageway lit by lanterns. It was,
blessedly, somewhat warmer.
She moved slowly through the passage, wondering what the point
of this latest trick was.
At the end of the passage was a staircase that led up, up, up and
disappeared into darkness.
Octavia grimaced and was about to turn around when something
else stirred in the back of her mind.
When she was little and couldn’t sleep at night, Caleb used to read
her whatever book he found around their grandparents’ house. The

185
stories of Greek, Roman and Norse gods had been her favourite and
she remembered them well. Especially Eurydice and Orpheus.
It was such a silly thing to spring to mind but for some reason
Octavia refused to turn around. It just seemed like testing fate. And
she’d kick herself in the teeth if she got stuck in a hellhole forever
because she failed to listen to fables.
Stories were stories for a reason, after all.
She took one step and then another. She counted fifty steps, and
then a hundred, and then she gave up counting.
There seemed to be no end to the stairs and she stopped hours later
and sat on the step, resolutely looking upwards, even if she had no
reason to do so.
She wished Raphael was there. Or Caleb. Or Zev.
When her legs stopped seizing, she stood and kept going. She
started counting again just to give herself something to do. She
reached five thousand, and then ten, and then gave up again.
It was becoming harder and harder not to panic. She was
exhausted, dehydrated, soaked in sweat and scared. Her legs were
shaking with exhaustion and she was having trouble standing. But still
she pressed on. And then, just when she thought it couldn’t possibly
go on, the stairs turned a corner and she stepped out into a brightly lit
chamber.
In the middle of the room was a large pool. She walked over to it
and stared down into the waters.
The water gave her no reflection.
Intrigued, she kneeled down and lowered her hand tentatively to
the surface of the water.
The room flipped and she was on a great field. The pool was now a
small pond. There were things at the bottom. Statues, trinkets, chests,
coins and aught else.
‘Everything a dragon would want,’ she muttered, staring at them
curiously.
‘Octavia.’
She shot to her feet and whirled around.
Before her stood Niu. This time she wasn’t terrifying. She was
beautiful. Comforting. A wave of relief and confusion went through
Octavia.

186
 ‘Where am I?’ she asked. ‘What is this?’
‘Destiny is a fickle thing,’ said Niu, ignoring her question. ‘There
was no reason it should have been you rather than your brother. Zev
ensured it would be you.’
Octavia had more or less guessed that Zev was playing her. ‘Why?’
‘It’s been a long time since a human was wanted by both the angels
and the demons,’ Niu continued. ‘So long that a little destiny had to be
made.’
‘I feel so special.’
‘You should.’ Niu moved so that there was barely any space between
them. ‘I’m going to give you a gift. A gift that will save you before the
end.’
‘My last gift had some caveats.’
‘All gifts do.’
‘Yeah, but still. I was told not to make more deals with demons.’
‘I’m not a demon.’
‘You’re not human, either.’
‘Are humans really so much better?’
‘Well, no. But still.’
Niu smiled. ‘Do you know the Game of Games, Octavia?’
‘Should I?’
‘You will.’
Before Octavia could say anything, Niu leaned in and kissed her.
Too startled to move, Octavia stayed motionless as images began to
pour into her mind as if she was recalling the most vivid of dreams.
When Niu drew back, she was still smiling. ‘You will know what it
means one day. Tell no one until you are sure the time is right. The
first to know is the one who can save you.’
Octavia was still staring at her when the world around her shifted
and she was back in the chamber she had left.
Before she could be annoyed, a demon walked back in. He was
human-like, and she wondered if he was possessing someone or had
made his form like Zev.
‘Who are you?’ she asked.
‘Cain,’ he said.
Fear coursed through her and she clenched her jaw to keep from
pleading for her life.

187
 ‘How are you finding your new home?’ he asked mockingly.
‘Comfortable?’
‘As welcoming as any demon shithole I’ve been in so far,’ she
replied. ‘Not as bad as Raban, though, I’ll give you that.’
Cain gestured for her to follow him. ‘Come. I want to show you
something.’
‘You’re going to prove me wrong, aren’t you?’
He smirked.
There was no use refusing.
Octavia followed him unenthusiastically out of the chamber. This
time she didn’t come out in the passageway. This time they came out
on a balcony. The sky was black and starless, and the air smelled
strange.
‘Where are we?’
‘The Mist,’ said Cain.
Octavia walked to the railing and looked out. There were rolling
fields below, although there didn’t seem to be anything else. No trees,
no buildings, no demons.
Nothing. Empty. Cold.
‘Why are you showing me this?’ she asked. ‘You have a threat in
here somewhere?’
‘Zev has been trying to overthrow me for the last four millennia,’
he replied, glancing over at her pointedly. ‘And I’ve had enough.’
‘I’m not Zev’s anymore,’ she said. ‘We’re nothing to each other.’
‘Oh, Octavia,’ he said with a laugh. ‘How very little you know.’
She leaned against the railing and crossed her arms. ‘I know fucking
nothing. I was thrown into this without an instruction manual and
now everyone wants me dead. It’s not fun, let me tell you.’
‘Zev was once the most powerful demon on Kolos,’ said Cain. ‘He’s
a shadow of what he was. But even now he is almost a match for me.’
‘Almost?’
Cain stepped in front of her, much too close for it not to be entirely
disquieting, and he reached out, opening the front of her shirt.
When she tried to push him back he caught her hands and held her
without difficulty. With her shirt open, Zev’s seal was on clear display.
He placed his hand over the tattoo, covering it almost perfectly.

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 ‘He can feel me now,’ said Cain, eyes hungry with anticipation.
‘Shall I tell him to come?’
‘Don’t.’
‘Do you care for him?’
‘Of course.’
That seemed to intrigue him. ‘I didn’t think a demon could be loved
by a human. Worshipped, yes. Reviled. Never loved.’
‘He’s unique.’
‘That’s unfortunate.’
Her heart sank. ‘Why?’
‘If you love Zev, I cannot let you leave,’ he said. ‘You might be
inclined to help him. I cannot have that.’
‘What? Why?’
‘It’s a long story, little human. I won’t bore you with the details.’ He
appraised her critically, searching her mind. ‘You love the archangel
more,’ he said at length, an evil smirk twisting his mouth. ‘What if I
gave him to you? What if I told you that he was yours? Would you help
me instead?’
Octavia ignored the longing in her chest and glared at him.
‘Raphael’s already mine and I’m not betraying Zev.’
‘Wrong answer.’ He snapped his fingers and dark red marks, like
blood inside her skin, wrapped around her wrists.
The mark on her chest from Zev seared with cold and then
disappeared entirely. Octavia felt a strangely disconnected sensation.
Fear spiralled through her.
If he could erase Zev’s hold so easily, what did that mean for
Raphael?
Cain smirked. ‘I cannot break the bond between Healer and
Watcher. Like Zev, I could only switch it, and I have little desire to do
that.’
She felt a heady rush of relief which was quickly stifled by the fact
that she was now well and truly trapped. ‘Are you going to kill me?’
‘I haven’t decided yet.’
‘Are you going to torture me?’
‘Most likely.’

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 Octavia swallowed hard and looked out over the strange,
disappearing fields. ‘I don’t suppose if I asked you not to it would make
a difference?’
‘It would amuse me.’
Her lip curled in disgust. ‘Then what are you going to do with me?’
Cain winked in an utterly disconcerting way and snapped his
fingers. They were suddenly in what appeared to be a throne room of
sorts. There was still no sign of anyone else. As if Cain reigned over
the Mist alone.
He steered her into a chair and sat down beside her. He waved his
hand at the doors.
The moment they opened both Zev and Raphael strode inside.
Octavia tried to stand and found that she was locked in place.
‘Well, well, well,’ said Cain smugly. ‘If it isn’t my lucky day – a visit
from my oldest friend and one of the leaders of the Irin. I do feel
privileged.’
‘Your quarrel is with me.’ Zev eyes flashed in warning and purple
fire covered his fists. ‘Release her, Cain.’
‘No.’
Octavia dearly wanted to ask why everyone’s quarrel included her.
Raphael’s expression brokered little room for argument. ‘You have
stolen one of the Healers of the Irin, Cain. If she is not returned to us,
you will bring war.’
Cain didn’t look very intimidated by his threat. ‘The Irin have tried
and failed to best me many times before. I like my new pet.’
Octavia glowered at him. ‘Go fuck yourself, Cain. Seriously.’
Pain ignited from the tattoos and she gasped at the sensation which
was not unlike a thousand fire ants biting into her flesh.
‘Leave her alone!’ roared Raphael, moving towards them and
drawing his sword.
The pain subsided, and Octavia slumped in her chair, gasping and
shaking.
‘The girl is mine,’ said Cain. ‘And we all know there is little either
of you can do to change that fact.’
The look on Raphael’s face was the most frightening she had seen
in her entire life. No demon fury could compare. Zev had said once that

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demons in love brought cities to their knees. Octavia had little doubt
that Raphael in that instant could fell kingdoms.
‘This is your only chance, Cain.’ His voice was chilling. ‘Give her to
me or you will wish you had.’
Cain snorted. ‘I do not fear you, Raphael.’
‘You should.’ Raphael looked over his shoulder as Tamiel, Qaspiel,
Raziel, Gabriel and a dozen others appeared in the doorway.
The Watchers of the Irin were a truly intimidating sight to behold.
They strode into the room in unison, the metal of their blades and
armour glinting, their wings folded and beautiful.
Warriors of the air.
‘Release the Healer, Cain,’ said Gabriel coldly. ‘We will not ask
again.’
‘I didn’t think the Watchers cared so much for one little human,’
said Cain with a dry laugh. ‘And no, Gabriel, I will not release her. We
both know you will not start a war over a Healer. Not even an
archangel’s.’
‘Would you care to put that to the test?’
Cain smiled and pain exploded in Octavia’s head.
As she screamed, she heard a sound like enraged thunder, and then
she knew nothing.

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 CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Unmasked

Octavia’s dreams went on and on in a blur of vibrant colour. She was

standing on a night world. Its cities glinted in the darkness and seven
moons shone in the heavens; this was a world of unknown strength,
filled with creatures of the shadows and the depths. Creatures of fire
and fury.
Suddenly the night world turned into a bright one. One filled with
great structures and mountains, the wind so strong she was lifted off
her feet. This was a land of air and might.
When she looked down, three worlds spread out beneath her feet.
A night world, a bright one, and one stuck in between them, a mixture
of the two. Muddled and messy. Trying to make two worlds one.
She woke with a start, heart hammering. But the fear vanished
when she realised she was in her room and Raphael was beside her.
The bedside lamp was on, its orange light casting the room in a
comforting glow.
‘You’re safe,’ he said softly. ‘I promise.’
Not wanting to ask about Cain, Octavia sat up and let Raphael draw
her into his arms. She leaned against him and closed her eyes. ‘This
kidnapping thing is really getting old.’
He held her a second longer before letting go. ‘I can’t stay, but I
didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.’
She forced a smile. ‘Be careful.’
‘I will.’
‘I love you,’ she said softly.
Raphael smiled and reached out to brush her cheek. ‘I love you, too.’
He left shortly thereafter and she drifted back to sleep, too tired to
be afraid.
This time she didn’t dream, and it felt like only minutes later when
the sound of someone hammering on the door pulled her out of bed
and into the hallway.
She was still rubbing sleep from her eyes as she opened the door
and everything inside her went cold.
It was like that horror story told to children.

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 Say his name enough times and he appears.
‘Dad.’ She stared at him. ‘What are you doing here?’
He looked much the same as he had ten years ago, and the
resemblance made her throat close. She heard movement behind her
and a second later Caleb was standing between them.
He grabbed their father by the collar and shoved him out of the
doorway and onto the footpath.
‘Come here again and I will shoot you,’ Caleb snarled, pushing him
back again before slamming the door.
His eyes then went to Octavia and she could see his pulse racing in
his throat.
Her fragile hold on her composure fractured, and she burst into
tears.
Caleb drew her into his arms. ‘He won’t touch you, Tivs. I swear to
God, I won’t let him.’
Despite the conviction of his words, neither of them could relax
enough, not even to have coffee. And as Caleb didn’t feel remotely
comfortable leaving her alone, Octavia got dressed and went into work
with him less than an hour later.
While the auto shop was owned by Maggie Olivier, Caleb had been
working there since he was fifteen and running it since he was twenty.
Maggie mostly dealt with refurbishing old cars that she then resold.
She wasn’t a people person and appreciated Caleb fielding the bulk of
the customers. It also meant she was never around, and no one
bothered Octavia throughout the day.
She sat outside on the bench and read, or just watched Caleb work,
not much in the mood to do anything.
Several hours passed before she finally plucked up the courage to
dial an old familiar number. It felt like only yesterday that she was
busted for shoplifting and, in the midst of stuttering an apology, Jax
walked in and paid the bill. He shook the shopkeeper’s hand and with
a pointed look asked if there would be any problems. The shopkeeper
knew him by reputation and assured him that no authorities would be
involved. With a nod, Jax steered her out of the shop.
Her father was sitting in the front of his car, glaring drunkenly
through the window.

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 Jax had looked at her, eyes narrowed. ‘Are you Caleb Coal’s little
sister?’
She nodded.
‘That your dad?’
‘Yes.’
Jax hadn’t said anything else then, but later that night he and
several of his thugs jumped Paul. He was caught with enough drugs to
be put away, and Octavia and Caleb moved in with her grandparents.
Just like that, Jax slipped into her life – a new monster for an old one.
But Jax was a monster she didn’t fear.
‘If it isn’t my best girl,’ he answered. ‘What’s new?’
‘My father came by this morning.’
There was a long stretch of silence.
‘Where are you?’
‘At Caleb’s shop.’
‘I’m on my way.’
Octavia put the phone down and squeezed the bridge of her nose.
Her chest wouldn’t stop shaking and she felt desperately ill.
When the familiar truck pulled up, she stood.
Jax stepped out and walked over to her. Rather than looking smug
or angry, he looked concerned. His short blonde hair was gelled back
and he seemed healthier than he usually did. ‘When did he come by?’
‘Around eight this morning. Probably just out.’
‘I’ll call the lawyer and see what can be done about getting him sent
back.’
‘I don’t have any money.’
‘I know.’
She looked up at him, unable to swallow the lump in her throat.
He squeezed her shoulder. ‘Are you okay?’
‘No.’
‘I’ll deal with your father. He won’t touch you. That was always the
deal.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I’m always here. Whatever we are, I’m always here.’
Octavia wrapped her arms around him without thinking about it.
‘Thank you,’ she said again.

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 That was the good thing about Jax. He was slimy and creepy and
cruel, yes, but he never forgot those he considered friends.
She could handle the devils on her side.

When she reached Blood and Bone that evening, she was beyond
exhausted from the day’s events.
Work passed in a haze and she was so out of it that when Zev called
her name he had to do it three times before she heard him.
Grabbing her bag, she stumbled after him into his office.
It looked the same as ever. A hundred shades and textures of black.
There was something immensely comforting about the onslaught of
black, the heady smell of incense, and the way Zev sat in the centre of
it all, a king without a crown.
‘Are you hurt?’ he asked when the door was closed. ‘You don’t look
well.’
‘No, I’m not hurt.’
‘Are you sick?’
‘Probably.’
Zev’s slanted eyes narrowed. ‘What happened?’
‘My father came by this morning.’
‘And that bothers you?’
‘I don’t have a good relationship with him.’
‘Would you like somewhere else to stay?’
She shook her head. ‘Caleb and Jack are there. I’ll be okay.’
It was clear this answer didn’t delight him. His eyes narrowed
further and his fingers tapped on the table. ‘It seems I have to worry
about you on all fronts. Human, daeva and akero.’
‘My life is hopping.’
He fixed her with a pointed look. ‘I can deal with your father if you’ll
let me.’
‘No,’ she said. ‘This is my issue.’
‘I don’t mind.’
‘I’m serious, Zev. No. Was there something you wanted?’
He clenched his jaw and looked away.
Octavia stood and headed for the door. She wasn’t in the mood for
games.

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 ‘Why do you never let me help you?’ he asked when she was at the
door. ‘Why do I have to work so hard with you?’
Octavia lingered by the door and glanced over her shoulder. ‘Why
do even you like me?’
‘I told you, I find you interesting. I admire your courage. I think
you’re stunning. There are multiple reasons, Octavia. Why don’t you
like me?’
‘I do like you.’
‘But you don’t love me.’
‘I don’t know if I trust you.’
His frown deepened. ‘After everything I have done for you? Is this
because I’m a demon? I didn’t think you, of all your kind, would hold
such prejudices.’
She appraised him for a minute, slightly offended by his
assumption. The problem was, that was one of the problems. But only
one. ‘If you answer me honestly, then I’ll tell you something you don’t
know.’
He nodded, lavender eyes searching her face. ‘All right.’
‘Is there something you’re not telling me?’
‘Yes.’
‘But you won’t tell me?’
‘Not yet.’
‘You want me to figure it out?’
‘I do.’
She nodded and her eyes locked with his. She took a deep breath. ‘I
didn’t have a miscarriage. Jack and I found out about the angels and
demons hunting down the offspring of humans. You walked in when I
was lying to Raphael. I was going to tell you when I was sure
everything was safe again, but Æshma fed me poison in Altarf and did
it anyways. That’s what you don’t know. And that’s only half the shit
going around in my head. So I’m done. With all of it. I quit. Goodbye,
Zev.’
Zev stared at her. The black tattoos turned blindingly violet.
She nodded once, turned, and left Blood and Bone without looking
back.

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Come daybreak, she sent Cressida a text to say that she had quit but
still wanted to hang out, and then spent the afternoon with Cleo in the
mountains. For the first time in a long time, there was no one waiting
on her and no place she had to be. If everything with her father
resolved itself, she might at last be able to breathe.
The air around her quickened and Raphael landed on the mountain
trail beside her. The sun shone around him, casting him in a warm
glow. The black wings and black hair contrasted so perfectly with his
pale skin.
She had never seen anything so captivating.
‘Hello,’ he said, a smile playing on his lips.
‘Hey you,’ she bantered.
‘Want company?’
She nodded, butterflies in her chest.
They walked up the trail and he told her about his latest exorcism.
They walked until the sun set, and then Raphael brought her and Cleo
back to the apartment.
‘May I show you something tonight?’ he asked.
‘What?’ She couldn’t stop the smile which spread across her face.
‘My home,’ he said. ‘Not to move. I just wanted you to see where I
live for a change.’
Octavia nodded eagerly. ‘Okay.’
He lifted her into his arms and, with a great flap of his wings, soared
above Little Hanover.
After a long flight, a large, ornate structure appeared. It was jutting
out of the side of a mountain. Raphael flew to a balcony on the left side
and landed.
Octavia stared at the beautiful room they found themselves in.
She glanced over at Raphael. ‘This is Eryseth?’
‘Only my room.’ He leaned against the railing, a smile plastered on
his face and nodded to the room behind her. ‘What do you think?’
It was a room fit for an angel. There were no bedposts or high-
backed chairs or anything which might obstruct his wings. The bed
was large, made of simple, elegant wood; the furniture was the same.
The walls were covered in paintings and portraits from at least a
dozen centuries. There were shelves upon shelves of books in a

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hundred languages on one wall; weapons of all shapes and sizes and
uses adorned the other.
‘It’s beautiful,’ she murmured. ‘It’s very you.’
Raphael ran a hand through his hair, almost bashful. ‘I’ve been
wanting to bring you here for months. Somehow it never seemed the
right time.’
Octavia sat down on the end of his bed and looked up at him. ‘I lied,
you know?’ she said suddenly. ‘When I told you I had a miscarriage –
that was a lie. Jack and I found out about the angel and demon children
and decided that no one should know. But Æshma knew. That’s what
the potion did in Altarf. It wasn’t a miscarriage. It was demon poison.
I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I was scared.’
Raphael regarded her with deep, compassionate sadness for a
moment before he walked over and sat beside her. ‘I’m ashamed of it.’
‘I believe you.’
‘Do you still doubt me?’
She shook her head, lips pursed in thought.
‘Do you trust me?’
‘I’m in love with you,’ she said. ‘Trust should come, shouldn’t it?’
Raphael took her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers.
‘Tamiel’s love for Jack may have brought him to ruin and isolation but
it certainly brought him enough love and hope to balance the outcome.’
‘Would the same not be possible for us?’
‘No,’ he whispered. ‘With Jack there is no fear of children.’
‘Why doesn’t birth control work?’
‘There is none between species,’ said Raphael. ‘That is how you
became pregnant so easily with Zev.’
‘You guys should come with a disclaimer, honestly.’ Octavia sighed
and rested her head on Raphael’s shoulder. ‘People love tragic
romances,’ she mused aloud. ‘People are stupid.’
He wrapped an arm around her. ‘Do you want to stay for a while?’
‘Isn’t that against the law?’
‘No.’
‘Did you check?’ There was a long stretch of silence and she looked
at him, thoroughly amused. ‘You did, didn’t you?’
He rolled his eyes and kissed her forehead.

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 Still giggling, Octavia curled up beside him, her head resting on his
chest, his wing around her like a blanket, warm and secure, and after
a few minutes she fell asleep listening to music that was playing
somewhere in the mountain.
She woke up in the middle of the night to find Raphael’s arms
around her.
A gentle breeze wafted in from outside and she realised the breeze
smelled the same as Raphael’s wings. She smiled at the thought and
looked over at him.
He opened his eyes a second later.
‘Were you sleeping?’ she whispered.
‘I’m counting the seconds.’
She brushed his hair back from his eyes. ‘Do angels get, like, really
frustrated?’
Raphael looked at her for a second before he burst into quiet
laughter.
‘What? It’s a legitimate question!’
He nodded and ducked his head close to hers; his lips brushed
against the curve of her ear and a shiver of desire went through her.
His words came out a whisper, a breath, a kiss. ‘It requires all my
strength to resist you. Have no doubt.’
He drew back slightly, but his face lingered near hers.
Octavia reached out and brushed her fingers over his lips,
imagining them on her. He kissed her fingers, and then her palm, and
then her forearm.
‘I love you,’ he whispered. ‘Whatever happens, I love you.’
‘I love you, too.’
She fell back to sleep in his arms, dreaming of all the things she
wished they could do.

Although he had as much to do as ever, Raphael began appearing more

frequently than before. Octavia woke up multiple nights in a row as he
landed on the balcony, a smile on his face. Sometimes he smelled of
battle, sometimes he looked exhausted and drained from keeping
watch, sometimes he came straight from an exorcism and would tell
her about it as she drifted off to sleep in his arms.

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 It was a perfect little stretch of time. In the safety of her room, they
counted the seconds, and both pretended that such a dream could last
forever.
The only major change in routine came when her grandparents
called her to say that they were back from Thailand and wanted a
family dinner.
Octavia was just getting ready when there was a familiar tugging in
her chest and Raphael appeared.
He was uninjured and smiling. ‘I was wondering if you were free?’
he asked, eyes flicking over her with unguarded appreciation.
They had done nothing else, but he was less reserved with his
affections now.
‘I’m actually going to my grandparents’,’ she said. ‘I’d invite you but
I think your wings might be a little conspicuous.’
He smirked. ‘That wouldn’t necessarily be a problem.’
‘You mean a mask?’
His grin broadened. ‘I do.’
‘Do you want to?’
‘I’d be honoured. I will meet you there.’ He kissed her cheek before
departing.
Octavia’s chest fluttered and she was practically skipping as she
finished getting ready.
Caleb rolled his eyes at her when she told him, but he looked happy
for her and didn’t mock her too mercilessly.
‘You seem better, Tivs,’ he said as they drove through the country
roads.
‘I feel better.’
When they reached her grandparents’ house, her gaze went to the
figure leaning against a large tree in the driveway.
It was Raphael, only it wasn’t.
Not only did he look human, he still somehow looked like a soldier.
He was completely straight-backed, wearing a high collared coat and
neat shirt; the fitted trousers he was wearing were unwrinkled, and
his boots were clean.
‘My mask,’ said Raphael when they approached. ‘What do you
think?’

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 Octavia opened and closed her mouth twice before her brain
managed to catch up with itself. ‘I think you look just as gorgeous,’ she
said. ‘I miss your wings, though.’
He smiled at her before gesturing to the door.
Caleb rolled his eyes. ‘Get a room, you two.’
Raphael chuckled and placed a hand on Octavia’s lower back.
Surprised, she walked beside him, a smile refusing to be suppressed
on her face. Here in their little corner of the world, it seemed safe to
be in love.
Henrietta and Harrison Stone were her mother’s parents. Good,
caring people, they had raised her and Caleb after their father was
arrested. They were lovely and kind-hearted, but in truth they were
useless parents and Caleb had raised Octavia more than they had. Still,
they maintained a good relationship and Octavia cared about their
opinion. Nerves fluttered in her chest.
‘You make a better impression than Jax ever did,’ said Caleb as he
knocked. ‘You still look really weird, though.’
Raphael nodded. ‘I don’t disagree.’
‘Too short,’ said Caleb.
Harrison answered the door and greeted them all warmly and led
them into the sitting room. Henrietta was there already and embraced
them each in turn before gesturing for them to sit down.
‘Raphael,’ said Harrison, eyeing him curiously. ‘Raphael what?’
‘Irin.’
Caleb choked on the cup of tea Henrietta had just passed him.
‘Well, Raphael Irin,’ said Harrison, ‘how did you meet our Tivs?’
‘Harry,’ reprimanded Henrietta, ‘don’t overwhelm the man.’
‘I’m not overwhelming him,’ said Harrison. ‘I’m just curious. Tivs
never brings anyone around except that twitchy little shit. I want to
know what makes Raphael so different.’
Raphael smirked. To her astonishment, he took her hand, his
fingers slipping between hers, and smiled. ‘I met Octavia at a club
downtown. A mutual acquaintance introduced us. We’ve been
inseparable ever since.’
Octavia was stunned by how none of that was a lie.
‘Do you work, son?’
‘I’m a soldier.’

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 Harrison seemed surprised by this and nodded approvingly to
Octavia. ‘I never thought you’d find yourself someone so upstanding.’
She grinned. ‘Well, Raph was unexpected.’
Henrietta leaned over and whispered conspiratorially, ‘The best
ones always are.’
Harrison glanced to Caleb. ‘Where’s Alisa?’
‘We broke up. I’m back at Tiv’s.’
‘Good,’ said Harrison. ‘She was annoying.’
Octavia and Henrietta both failed to stifle their laughs.
The conversation turned to work and how things were going. No
one mentioned Paul. There was no point.
Henrietta and Harrison never knew what to do with their druggie
daughter and less what to do with her choice of boyfriends. And as a
general rule, Octavia and Caleb never went to them with upsetting
topics. They went to each other.
The night passed easily and before long the three of them were back
in the apartment. Jack and Tamiel were already in bed; Caleb
disappeared into his bedroom with Cleo and Raphael followed Octavia.
‘Thank you for tonight,’ she said, closing the door behind them.
‘That meant so much to them.’
‘And you?’
‘Yeah,’ she said happily. ‘And me.’
Raphael walked over and cupped her cheek, tracing her lips with
his thumb. ‘For the first time in my life, Octavia Coal, I think falling
might be worth it.’
Octavia grabbed his hand and pulled it back. ‘Don’t say that,’ she
said. ‘That’s not going to happen. We’re going to find a way to make
this work. This is the modern world, Raphael, even for angels. I refuse
to just agree to archaic bullshit.’
He smiled. ‘God, I love you.’
His words sent a pulse through her body and her chest hurt.
‘Is it strange?’ she asked, trying to distract herself. ‘Wearing a mask
like that?’
He shrugged. ‘I’m used to it. When I have to be seen by humans,
this is what I look like.’
‘Why haven’t I seen it before?’
‘Because I prefer you to see me as I am.’

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 She smiled and walked over to her dresser, pulling out a long shirt
and changing. As she reached back to unlatch her bra, she felt him
behind her and suddenly his hands were on her hips.
A jolt went through her and her breath caught in her throat.
He pressed his forehead against the nape of her neck. ‘Don’t turn
around,’ he murmured.
‘Why?’
‘If you do, I will lose all restraint.’
Her breath hitched. ‘Raph?’
‘Yes?’
‘Close your eyes.’
It was so foolish, but the ache was too consuming to fight. Want
became need.
There was long moment of silence and, with a shaking breath, she
turned in his arms. His eyes were shut and his brow was furrowed.
She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck.
His hands went up automatically; his touch electric on her bare back.
‘Tell me not to and I’ll stop,’ she whispered.
‘O, it’s against the law.’
Crushed, she nodded and lowered her arms.
A sound of desperation left him and then, ever so hesitantly, he
tilted his head and captured her in a kiss. Everything inside of her
seemed to come to life and she gasped against his mouth, moving
closer without thinking, and pressing into the contours of his body.
He growled and deepened the kiss, his hands holding her with
inhuman strength.
‘Be you,’ she said against his lips, holding his gaze. ‘I prefer you as
yourself.’
The very air seemed to ripple, and suddenly he was an angel again,
and his wings rustled as if glad to be free of confinement.
Octavia’s hands gripped his hair and she was kissing him again.
He turned them to the bed and then he was lowering her onto the
blankets. Her hands moved up his back and spread between his wings.
He moaned into her mouth, but not a second later he broke away,
breathing rapidly through his nose.

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 ‘We should stop,’ he said, stepping away from her and running his
hands over his head, trying to source restraint. ‘There is no way to
prevent pregnancy. And a child is a death sentence.’
Octavia raised an eyebrow. ‘I’ve got condoms.’
‘You have human condoms.’
‘Are you saying your parts are …’ She eyed his trousers.
‘My parts are not the issue,’ he said with a bemused look. ‘It
wouldn’t work. Humans are not akero.’
‘Oh.’ She blushed. ‘Right. Well. Okay. We don’t have to have sex
tonight. We can find a way around that later.’ She took his hand. ‘I’ll
take you any way I can get you.’
The words brought a smile to his face and he leaned in to kiss her
again.
She tried not to wonder if it was too good to be true.

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 CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The Archangel’s Warning

Despite her newfound happiness with Raphael, Octavia knew quiet

nights and kisses exchanged in shadows could only go on so long.
Indeed, the brief reprieve lasted less than a week.
One morning, after Raphael had departed, Octavia was in the midst
of cleaning up the mess that was her bedroom, when she turned
around to see Gabriel standing on her balcony.
She started. ‘Jesus! What are you doing here? Is Raphael okay?’
Gabriel moved into her bedroom, his sharp eyes taking in
everything with obvious disdain. ‘Michael and Hamon both warned me
about you. They said Raphael was too taken with you. This small little
human girl who does deals with demons.’
Octavia had a feeling this was going nowhere good.
‘Raphael is one of the best of us,’ he continued. ‘You will not be his
downfall.’
Her heart slammed in her chest. ‘I don’t plan to be.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Nor will I allow it. I lost one brother to human folly. I
will not lose another.’
She watched him warily. It took all her courage not to back up. ‘If
you do anything to me, Raphael suffers.’
‘I’m not going to do anything to you.’ Gabriel’s black and white eyes
glinted in the morning light. ‘You know Raphael’s heart. You know
what his duty and his purpose mean to him. Did you also know that he
fights for the Irin because the daevas slaughtered his family? His
friends? That was the day he became a soldier. And he is our best.’
Octavia stared at him, horror rising inside her like a sickness. ‘No,
I didn’t know that.’
‘It’s understandable to be tempted. At some point we are all
tempted. But it is against the law. It is wrong. It is …’ His lip curled.
‘Unnatural.’
She crossed her arms, thoroughly offended. ‘It’s not unnatural.’
‘Your children would be an abomination. You would reduce Raphael
to nothing. He has everything. He is the Commander of the Irin. He is
one of our greatest fighters. We cannot fight the daevas without him.

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And he would risk it all for a little human who won’t last the century.
It’s … tacky.’
She wanted to punch him, but she had a feeling it would break her
fingers. Guilt and uncertainty swelled inside her.
‘Do you love him, Octavia Coal?’
She nodded, unable to source her voice.
‘Would you do anything for him?’
Again, she nodded.
Gabriel held out what looked like solid metal bracelets. ‘There is no
way of severing the bond between Watcher and Healer. But this will
cut off his access to you.’
She took a step back. ‘If something happens to him –’
‘Should the worst happen, I will find you.’ He held them out to her
with a pointed look. ‘I thought you helped those who needed it,
Octavia? Not brought innocents to disgrace.’
‘I haven’t done anything wrong! Neither has Raphael!’
‘Not,’ he said, offering them to her again, ‘yet.’
She didn’t move.
Gabriel hissed in frustration. ‘If they learn the truth, he’s dead.
You’re dead. You are lucky it was I who discovered you two. Had it
been another there would be no warning.’
Octavia felt like her skeleton was shaking in her skin. Nothing felt
sturdy. Nothing felt solid.
‘If you do this, I will keep your secret,’ he promised. ‘I will take you
far from here and Raphael will never fall or be disgraced; he will never
be put to death for loving you.’
‘But Tamiel –’
‘He escaped on Raphael’s goodwill and the fact that there can never
be children between them. He was also not the Commander. They will
make an example of Raphael. They will torture him before they kill
him. Please, Octavia. Do not reduce him to that.’
She glanced at the door, biting her lip.
‘You can bring your brother,’ he added. ‘I’m not evil, Octavia. I’m
trying to save you both. No matter how careful you are, you will be
discovered. I found out. The rest will soon follow if you do not leave.’
‘How did you find out?’
He didn’t answer.

206
 Octavia felt like glass as tears filled her eyes and she held out her
wrists. Much as she wanted to fight, much as she wanted to somehow
surmount it all, she knew she had no way of combatting all of the Irin.
She had no power.
He fastened the bracelets around her wrists and she watched them
glow gold before fading back to shiny metal.
‘I will leave you to gather your things.’
Octavia watched him disappear before dropping onto the edge of
her bed, numb and detached.
There was a knock at the door and Caleb stuck his head in. ‘Hey
Tivs, you want to go to the shop?’
She didn’t reply.
Caleb stepped inside. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Gabriel came by,’ she croaked. ‘He told me that he knows about
Raphael’s feelings for me. About my feelings for him. He said – he said
that if I don’t leave, Raphael will fall, and they will hunt him down and
kill him. And me.’
‘Then we go.’
She looked at him. ‘Just like that?’
Caleb nodded, expression serious. ‘I can barely protect you against
human problems, Tivs. I can’t fight an army of angels.’
Jack appeared in the doorway. ‘Who’s fighting what?’
With detached hesitation, Octavia relayed everything to Jack.
Furious empathy twisted his amiable features, but his reaction was
much the same as Caleb’s.
They sat on the floor of her room and went over everything again
and again.
Yet as they talked, Octavia realised there was something she knew
that no one else did.
And then she formed a plan.
It didn’t take her and Caleb long to pack, and in less than an hour
they were ready to go.
Octavia held out the letter to Jack. ‘Just make sure Raphael gets it.
Okay?’
He took it. ‘But there is a plan?’
She nodded.

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 He ran a hand through his hair. ‘Okay. Okay. Just don’t …
disappear.’
Octavia hugged him. ‘I’ll be back. Fuck the Irin.’
Jack tightened his grip. ‘Fuck them all.’
A few minutes after Jack returned to his room, anxious for Tamiel
to come back from wherever Zev had sent him, Gabriel appeared on
the balcony.
‘What do you plan on telling Raphael?’ she asked. ‘He’s going to look
for me. He always has.’
Gabriel shook his head. ‘He won’t be able to find you. When you die
and a new Healer is given your gifts, he will once again be able to find
them.’
The thought of anyone else healing Raphael the way she did made
her feel profoundly jealous and possessive.
‘Where would you like to go?’ asked Gabriel. ‘I will take you
anywhere.’
Octavia kissed Cleo’s forehead and scratched her ears before
straightening up and taking Caleb’s hand.
‘Canada,’ she said. ‘Take us to Canada.’

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 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The Gateway

Being away from Octavia was near maddening. Raphael hadn’t been
able to stop pacing for hours. He had to stay at the post until Raziel
came to relieve him, but it was becoming more and more difficult not
to leave.
A long-restrained feeling of desire coursed through him and he
clenched his fists. He too easily imagined Octavia’s soft lips, her
delicate fingers; he thought of her body, which felt so breakable in his
hands, so perfect. Everything inside of him ached for her. She had been
so close, so eager. He felt himself starting to become aroused and
locked the thoughts away.
Not a moment too soon, either, as Raziel flew up and landed beside
him. ‘Anything of merit?’ she asked.
‘No,’ said Raphael. ‘Quiet.’
‘Are you well, brother?’
‘I’m preoccupied.’
‘How is Octavia?’
Raphael glanced over at her. ‘After which kidnapping? Which
attack?’
He was angry at himself for not knowing about her father. He
remembered well the day Ansiel learned his Healer was being beaten.
None of them reproached Ansiel for his actions regarding that matter.
Raziel let out a rueful noise and crossed her arms, glaring out into
the night. ‘Your Healer has had a rough time of late. Rasha’s still
shaken. I’m glad she let me hide her.’
Frustration reared its ugly head and Raphael glared out into the
darkness. ‘Octavia will never consent to hiding.’
Raziel’s next question drew his thoughts from dark places. ‘Do you
miss Alyssa? She was much easier to sway.’
Raphael frowned. He had gone to see Alyssa the day Zev tore them
apart. She had been as devastated as he, and he had visited her several
times since to ensure that she was all right, and he missed her in the
way that he missed all his Healers when they were gone. Alyssa was

209
the first he had not been parted from naturally. It would always feel
like an unfinished friendship.
‘Yes,’ he said at length. ‘But Octavia is a dedicated Healer. She’s
been reading all of Jack’s books. She learns fast.’ He feared if he said
more, he would say too much.
‘Have you told her?’
‘What?’
‘Why you fight?’ Raziel looked at him. ‘Why we all fight?’
‘No.’
‘Do you not think she would understand your fear of the wrath of
demons if she did?’
‘I will not use my tragedies to sway her.’
Raziel nodded slowly. ‘If you told Octavia that we fight the daevas
because the last time they reached Parid from Earth, they slaughtered
our entire family, our parents, burned our home and city, and enslaved
our kin for years, she would not be so hesitant to be protected. She
would not go near Zev.’
Raphael shook his head. ‘I’m not manipulating her, sister. Zev had
nothing to do with that attack. Octavia would not agree with such an
argument. She doesn’t blame anyone for their kind. Only for their
actions.’
Raziel smiled wryly. ‘Her arrival has certainly made Rasham more
curious.’
‘I’m sure our comrades are delighted.’
‘Forget them,’ said Raziel. ‘Questions should be raised. That’s how
we stayed true to our course.’
His sister’s words sent a wave of relief through him. She and
Qaspiel had forgiven Tamiel. Would they forgive him?
Raziel’s thoughts had also drifted to their brother. ‘It’s strange not
having Tamiel around.’
‘Yes.’
‘I miss him.’
‘As do I.’
‘Did you hear what Peliel said?’
‘That she saw him at Blood and Bone?’
‘I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised he’s working with Zev.’ Raziel
scowled. ‘I don’t trust him, Raphael. No matter how helpful he’s been.

210
The Demon of Games cannot be trusted. He’s going to get Tam into
trouble.’
They held each other’s gazes for a moment before looking ahead.
The world was still as silent, still as dark. Raphael didn’t know why he
felt such a sense of foreboding. But he couldn’t shake it.
He hadn’t felt right since he and Octavia parted ways. Every time
he parted from her was harder than the last. He had not known such
an ache possible.
With a nod to Raziel, Raphael took flight.
Much as he knew he ought to wait until it was actually necessary to
go visit Octavia, he couldn’t leave it any longer.
He had to see her.
It took only moments to reach Octavia’s apartment. The feeling of
a demon put him on alert instantly, but it was merely Zev.
‘Where’s Octavia?’ said Zev when he landed.
It was as he stared at Zev that Raphael realised why he felt so
wrong. Why everything in him felt taut and strained and tainted.
He couldn’t feel her at all.
‘I have no idea,’ he said in horror. It was impossible. ‘Where is
Caleb?’
‘They’re gone,’ said Jack, appearing in the doorway. He was wearing
his bed clothes and looked tired. ‘They left hours ago.’
Raphael stared at him, uncomprehending. ‘Where did they go?’
Jack took a letter out of his pocket and handed it to Raphael. ‘For
your eyes only.’
Fear coursed through Raphael as he took the letter from Jack and
opened it. He recognised Octavia’s handwriting and his chest clenched.
At least it wasn’t from someone else.

Raph,
The Irin know.
I’ll be back. I have an idea. A play they haven’t
thought of. Zev would be proud.
You should go see about a witch.
Just … don’t forget about me.
I love you. I’ll be back. I promise.
O

211
 Raphael stared at the words for several seconds before he stowed
the letter into his pocket. He looked at Jack. ‘Who took her?’
‘She didn’t say?’
‘No.’
Jack opened his mouth, frowned, and then said, ‘I don’t know.’
‘They wiped his thoughts,’ said Zev, clearly having just read Jack’s.
‘If they hurt her –’
‘They won’t,’ said Raphael, and that one bit of reassurance allowed
for clear thought. ‘I would be harmed.’
But which of his comrades had found out? And why wasn’t he
arrested? It made no sense.
‘The next time someone tells me akero are better than daevas, I’m
going to spit on them,’ said Zev contemptuously. He disappeared in a
crack of purple lightning.
‘Tamiel!’ shouted Raphael.
His brother landed on the balcony railing a few seconds later and
dropped into the apartment. He looked from Jack to Raphael. ‘What’s
the matter?’
‘One of our comrades took Octavia.’
Tamiel stared at him. ‘For what possible reason?’
‘They discovered our relationship was much closer than it lawfully
should have been.’
This confession was met with stunned silence.
Raphael sighed. ‘We don’t have time for shock, brother.’
‘You’re in love with her?’ Tamiel couldn’t seem to believe what he
was hearing. ‘Since when?’
‘Since the day we met,’ said Raphael.
Jack looked surprised by Tamiel’s surprise. ‘You really didn’t know?
Tivs is not subtle.’
‘How long?’ said Tamiel, looking back to Raphael.
‘How long what?’
‘How long have you been breaking the law?’
‘It’s been mere weeks. Who could have known?’
Raphael flicked through his mind, carefully examining every
moment since he and Octavia first let their feelings take hold. He had
been so careful not to think of her around his comrades.

212
 ‘We’ll find her,’ said Tamiel, putting a hand on Raphael’s shoulder.
‘I promise.’
‘Who could have known?’ said Jack, repeating his question. ‘Tivs
didn’t tell anyone. She’s not stupid.’
‘Caleb might have,’ said Tamiel. ‘An accident. Fooled by a demon.’
‘Angel,’ corrected Jack. ‘It was your side that took her, remember?’
‘We don’t know anything for certain save that somehow the Irin
found out,’ said Raphael. When he found out who took her, he was
going to make his feelings very clear. One of his soldiers had crossed
him.
He pulled the letter back out.
Niu, it seemed, was his first stop.

_________________

The snow swirling around them made it hard to get any sense of their
bearings. For hours Octavia had been going on pure instinct. Her face
ached from the cold and her ears burned.
‘Where are we?’ Caleb had to shout be heard over the wind. ‘And
don’t you dare say “Canada” again.’
‘We are in Canada.’
‘We’re in the fucking mountains, Tivs. Why are we in the
mountains?’
Octavia didn’t answer. She pressed on through the snow, trudging
higher and higher into the mountains, following a map she’d never
seen, to a place she’d never gone.
When they rounded the bend, a great cliff spread out before them.
The wind was stronger than ever. A place for creatures with wings.
She looked at Caleb. ‘You still up for adventure?’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Why? What’s going on?’
‘You remember me telling you about the Witch?’
‘Yeah.’
‘She showed me something in Cain’s stronghold. There are always
two places on Earth where the Gateways to Kolos and Parid are open.’
She nodded to the cliff. ‘This is one of them.’
Caleb looked at her dubiously. ‘Why aren’t the angels guarding it?’
213
 ‘They don’t know where it is. It moves when a Gatekeeper dies.
Safest way to go about it, don’t you think? Keeps everyone from being
invaded.’
‘So, what? We jump?’
Octavia thumbed over her shoulder at the parachute she’d bought
in the city. ‘We fly.’
‘Oh dear God.’ Caleb scratched his beard, slightly bug-eyed. ‘Why
do you want to go to Parid?’
Octavia heaved a sigh. ‘The Irin are the army on Earth. But there’s
more than we know of on Parid. Perhaps – perhaps there’s something
there that could fix all this bullshit. To change the rules of this game.
Maybe being reckless for love is stupid. But it’s not stupid to me. I love
Raphael. I want to find something.’
Caleb sighed. ‘That’s not much to go on, Tivs.’
Octavia swallowed hard. ‘I know. But I want to try. I want to make
sense of all this. Niu showed me this place for a reason. I can’t go back
until I have something. I can’t sit around and never see Raphael again.
I love him, Cale. I want a solution.’
‘Okay,’ said Caleb, taking her hand. ‘Let’s go.’
They secured their parachutes as the wind picked up and the snow
swirled, obscuring everything in sight.
‘Are you sure about this?’ he yelled over the wind. ‘This is a really
poorly planned adventure!’
‘Not even a little bit! Three!’
Caleb groaned. ‘Two!’
They readied themselves to jump and exchanged weighted looks.
‘One!’
They jumped and fell through the air, the world went blindingly
bright, and then they were on a beach.
The sand beneath their feet was white, and an ocean was
shimmering beneath the bright sun. The air smelled like sulphur.
‘Guess we didn’t need these,’ she said, gesturing to the parachutes.
‘Is this Parid?’ asked Caleb, looking around. ‘Or are we just really
dead?’
‘I have no idea,’ said Octavia. She was thrumming with adrenaline.
‘I think so?’
‘Thank Jesus.’

214
 She laughed.
‘Come on. I don’t want to stand around in the open.’
They moved off the beach and up the bank. When they crested the
rise, a large open field stretched out before them; in the distance, she
could see great structures. It took a second to register what she was
seeing. A world with three suns, and somehow she knew it had seven
moons. The images came back to her in a rush.
‘Oh shit.’
‘What?’
She bit her lip.
Caleb was still staring at the oddities before them. ‘Are those …
floating castles?’
‘I think so,’ she said, equally as awestruck.
Before they could take another step, they were surrounded by
several armed figures. It was their eyes, not their appearance, which
confirmed her suspicion.
‘This isn’t Parid,’ she said, holding up her hands. ‘This is Kolos.’
‘Human,’ said one.
‘The Gateway!’ cried another.
The figure nearest to her cocked his head. ‘And who might you be?’
‘Look, I don’t know who you are,’ she said loudly, ‘but if you touch
either one of us, the Demon of Games is going to kill you.’
Hesitation appeared in his bright orange eyes and Octavia’s heart
leapt. She hoped Zev’s name was a boon, not a death sentence.
Caleb gaped at her. ‘What fucking language is that?’
Octavia looked at him. ‘What?’
‘You’re not speaking English.’
Her eyebrows shot up.
‘Where is the king?’ asked one of the demons. ‘Why isn’t he with
you?’
Octavia opened and closed her mouth several times as she digested
this next bit of information. ‘The Irin are hunting us because I’m the
Gatekeeper and I sided with Zev over them. He sent me here to tell you
to get ready.’ She held up her wrists as proof.
A look of horrified embarrassment flashed across the guard’s face
and he immediately bowed. ‘My queen, forgive me.’

215
 Another walked forwards and with a small whispered spell, the
cuffs unlocked and fell to the ground. He smiled and bowed to her.
‘Thank you,’ she said before glancing at Caleb, eyebrows raised.
‘They called me “queen”.’
His scratched the back of his head. ‘Is that a good thing?’
She shrugged.
‘Shall I escort you back to the palace, my queen?’ asked the guard,
not raising his head. ‘Cervin will want to see you. All of us have been
awaiting King Zeven’s return. Wolstran has prayed for this.’
Never more confused, not even when she had found a naked man
on a mountain side with gouges in his back where wings had been,
Octavia nodded mutely. The guard introduced himself as Daav, a
captain of some kind, and he led the way through a side trail into a
forest with trees twenty times her size.
Octavia could hardly retain anything he was saying as she stared at
the majestic and striking sights which passed them as they moved
towards Wolstran, which was apparently the name of a city.
The daevas asked no personal questions, which, she realised
belatedly, was due to the respect and deference they had for Zev. This
was a place loyal to him. His power centre.
She didn’t know what to think.
When they reached a fortress, Daav showed them to a room, bowed,
and then departed.
‘So,’ said Caleb at length. ‘Zev’s a fucking king.’
She nodded. ‘Looks that way.’
‘Why the fuck were they expecting you? And when did you learn to
speak Demonic?’
‘Aroi.’
‘Bless you.’
‘It’s Zev’s language. I think Niu did it when she gave me this. I mean,
it’d be stupid to have a Gatekeeper who couldn’t talk to anyone.’
Caleb pursed his lips and nodded. ‘Cool.’
She walked over to the window and stared out over the city. It was
stunning. ‘I always knew there was something he wasn’t saying. I
never thought it was a kingdom.’
Caleb frowned dubiously. ‘These demons seem to like us. They’ve
been nicer than the Irin.’

216
 ‘They haven’t,’ she argued. ‘Gabriel’s trying to keep Raphael alive. I
can’t condemn him for that. It was my mistake. A line I shouldn’t have
crossed.’
‘But you love him.’
‘Yes.’
‘Then you should have crossed it. That law is bogus.’
Octavia felt like crying and shook her head several times. It took a
minute to feel calm enough to reply. ‘I wonder why I thought this was
Parid. I was convinced this was where I was supposed to go. I thought
my answers were here.’
‘Maybe they are.’
‘I had a plan for Parid, not Kolos.’ She looked around, thinking
quickly. ‘How badly do you think Zev wants to be here?’
‘Probably pretty badly.’ Caleb frowned. ‘Trade?’
‘Why not? If I offer him a trip home, surely he can do something?
Overpower the Irin. He has before. In exchange for his kingdom, he’d
have to. Wouldn’t he?’
‘He’s in love with you.’
‘That’s what he says. That doesn’t make it true. And I think he’ll
pick Kolos over me.’
Caleb nodded and clapped his hands together. ‘Worth a try, I
suppose.’

_________________

Raphael walked into Blood and Bone and went straight to Zev’s office.
Several other demons were there already, but Tamiel and Jack were
there also.
‘I’ve sent out my best trackers, but they’ve found nothing,’ said Zev.
‘No spells, no enchantments are working.’
‘She’ll be well hidden if she’s being hidden by the Irin,’ said Tamiel.
‘I can’t believe she didn’t come to me.’
Raphael scowled. ‘I doubt she was given much choice.’
‘Then why was Caleb brought along? She had enough time to grab
her brother and leave a note.’
‘If you’re not going to help –’
217
 Zev stood and purple electricity crackled through the air around
him. ‘I didn’t say that,’ he hissed. ‘As you well know, I have protected
her from the moment she walked into my office. I could have protected
her from them had she not run off with you.’
‘Mind yourself,’ warned Raphael. ‘You’re beginning to cross
boundaries.’
‘As if I would talk poorly of her.’ Zev’s lip curled. ‘I think poorly of
you, but that’s a matter for another day.’
‘We do not have time for this,’ said Tamiel.
‘Let’s go to Niu,’ said Jack. ‘Isn’t that why we’re here?’
Raphael nodded.
When they reached the mountains a few minutes later, Raziel and
Qaspiel joined them. It was good to know, at least, that it was not any
of them. Zev led the way to the Witch’s grove. She materialised before
them and cocked her head to the side mockingly.
‘We need to find the Healer,’ said Raziel. ‘Please. She’s in trouble.’
Niu’s smile was mocking. ‘Did you never hear the Game of Games,
archangel?’
Raphael glanced at Raziel, who looked just as confused as he.
‘The Game of Games begins when a fallen angel is accompanied by
a Healer and two humans – a brother and a sister. One will become the
Healer of an archangel. And as a reward for selflessness, this sibling
will be given a gift unlike any other.’ Niu smirked. ‘That’s the part most
don’t know – what the gift is. Shall I tell you? It seems only fair.’
Raphael’s fear for Octavia felt like it was going to drown him. ‘Tell
us.’
‘I made her the Gatekeeper.’
A smile spread across Zev’s lips. In a flash of violet, he was gone.
Raphael stared at her, horror struck. ‘You turned her into a target.’
‘No. Zev did that. It could just as easily have been Caleb.’
‘Did Zev know of this prophecy?’
‘Yes.’
Fury burned through him. Before he could decide what to do, he felt
the most blessed rush of emotion inside his chest.
Octavia.
_________________

218
Much as both Octavia and Caleb wanted to linger on Kolos and explore
the strange new world, her fears over what her absence might do to
Raphael meant that in less than a day, she was pressing Zev’s demons
into bringing them back to the Gateway. As they wanted their king
returned to them, and they had no reason to doubt Octavia, they were
surprisingly receptive.
It made her wonder what sort of ruler Zev had been, and who he
could have offended to be permanently barred from his own kingdom.
It was curious, but her curiosity was trampled by her eagerness to
return home and find Raphael.
Although they agreed to see her back to the Gateway, the caveat was
that they would have to wait until it was safe.
‘Safe?’ Caleb looked at Daav nervously when she translated this to
him. ‘Safe from what?’
‘Asura,’ said Daav when she asked. ‘Across the mountains. Did King
Zeven not warn you of his enemies?’
Octavia shook her head. ‘Zev likes to … keep me removed from the
fray.’
They nodded as if this made perfect sense.
‘I was attacked by Æshma,’ she added.
This revelation made several of the guards hiss.
‘Æshma yet lives?’ asked Daav.
‘Not anymore,’ she said. ‘Zev took care of him.’
This made them all grin.
‘Tell us of our king while we wait,’ said Eavax.
Slightly intimidated, but more curious than afraid, Octavia told
them as much as she could about Zev without being too upfront with
the truth. But Zev’s guards seemed eager to hear of the king they had
not seen in four thousand years, and they listened with rapt attention.
Before long, the suns had set and the sky was a deep, captivating
red. Two demons returned to say that the coast was clear, and they set
off through the city and into the forest, back the way they’d come.
Octavia was sorry to say goodbye to the world she had barely caught
a glimpse of, but she longed for home. She longed for Raphael. The
more she walked, the more she wondered if that wasn’t how
Gatekeepers were chosen in the first place. If that’s why Niu had given

219
it to her. Because she wouldn’t use it much. Because she didn’t thirst
for more. Because, when it came right down to it, she didn’t care if she
was the Gatekeeper.
When they reached the cliffs, the party stopped and the demons
turned to them with expectant, hopeful expressions.
‘We await King Zeven,’ said Daav. ‘How long will you be?’
‘I’ll go straight to him,’ she promised. ‘Hours.’
Daav bowed. ‘Then we will wait.’
Eavax flew her and Caleb into the air. When she felt the Gateway,
she took Caleb’s hand and yelled at Eavax to drop them.
Suddenly she was falling.
There was nothing between her and the mountains below her.
And then arms encircled her. Raphael’s arms.
They landed lightly on the mountainside and Octavia watched with
relief as Raziel landed with Caleb.
‘Who was it?’ he asked immediately. ‘Who threatened you?’
‘They were trying to save your life, Raph.’
His face darkened. For someone so stoic, anger was terrifying
coming from him. She was glad it wasn’t directed at her. He said, ‘We
both could have died. Who?’
‘Gabriel.’
Raphael looked physically pained by her words, but he nodded and
did not question it. Instead he lowered her slowly onto the ground, his
hands not leaving her. ‘I missed you.’
‘I’ve missed you, too.’
Raphael pressed his forehead against hers but did nothing more as
Raziel and Caleb joined them.
‘It’s good to see you, Octavia,’ said Raziel. ‘How was Kolos?’
‘Interesting.’ Octavia looked at Raphael. ‘I have a lot to tell you.’
‘Tell me tonight.’
When they arrived in Eryseth, Tamiel and Jack were there already.
Jack raced towards her and caught her in a bear hug.
‘I was so fucking worried, Tivs!’
‘I was a bit worried, too,’ she admitted, squeezing him just as tightly
before drawing away to embrace Tamiel.
‘It’s good to see you, Octavia,’ he said, kissing her cheek. ‘I, too, was
worried.’

220
 Octavia glanced over at Raphael.
He nodded to Tamiel. ‘Tamiel’s agreed to watch over you and Caleb
until I return.’
Octavia caught his arm before he could move. ‘Where are you
going?’
‘I have a few things I want to discuss with Gabriel.’
‘He meant well, Raph.’
It was clear he didn’t care. Raphael kissed her forehead and held
her close for a second before stepping back. ‘I will be back soon.’
And then he left with a great flap of his black wings.
Trying not to worry too much, Octavia turned to Tamiel. ‘Take me
to Zev.’
‘Raphael just said –’
‘Tam. Please.’
With a groan of exasperation, Tamiel lifted her into his arms and
they made for Blood and Bone.
Zev was at the bar when she walked in. He straightened up and
hurried over to her. ‘Octavia! Are you all right? Where have you been?’
‘We need to talk,’ she said. ‘Now.’
Zev put a hand on her lower back and steered her into his office.
Tamiel remained behind. When the door was closed and they were
both seated, Zev waved at her to speak. ‘What’s troubling you, little
queen?’
‘That,’ she said bluntly.
‘My nickname?’
‘Your game. I know you’re the King of Kolos. I know you’re using
me to get home.’
Zev sat back in his chair and put the tips of his fingers together.
‘And how did you deduce that?’
‘I was there,’ she said. ‘Kolos.’
It was the first time since they’d met that she’d seen him look
utterly floored. ‘You’ve been there?’
‘Yes.’
‘When?’
‘I was there about an hour ago.’
Zev’s catlike eyes widened.

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 ‘I’ll get you home if you do something for me,’ she continued. ‘You
like games so much? Here’s a game: I want to be with Raphael. Make
it happen and I’ll take you home.’
He stared at her. ‘That’s a brazen request for an ex.’
‘Demons don’t date.’
‘We did.’
‘Did we? It seemed like a game.’
‘It wasn’t.’
‘Says the demon who’s been using me from minute one.’
‘I never lied about that.’
She crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow in disbelief.
Zev stood and, in a flash of purple light, was in front of her. ‘I love
my games, Octavia, my tricks and schemes. But know that I meant
every word to you I said. You are my strongest piece. My queen. I never
lied about that.’
‘I was a pawn, not a queen.’
‘No, you are my only way to win this particular game.’
She glared at him for a long moment before she nodded. ‘Give me a
way to be with the angel I love that doesn’t see us both fucked. Do that
and we’re square. You can have Kolos. I want Raphael.’
A smile played on his lips. ‘All right. But only because you’re
adorable.’
Octavia rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t flirt.’
‘Around you? Impossible, my darling.’
There was a great rush of air and Octavia drew back to see Raphael
standing in the centre of the room.
‘O,’ he said, taken aback. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I came to ask for help. What are you doing here?’
He moved towards them. ‘Zev lied to me. I wanted to know why.’
‘To get home,’ she said. ‘He’s the King of Kolos.’
Raphael stared at Zev. ‘What?’
Zev nodded. ‘Octavia has promised to see me home if I ensure your
future together.’
Raphael’s black eyes narrowed. ‘I should have known this was your
endgame.’
‘How could you? I didn’t even know. I thought she’d fall in love with
me and want to rule at my side.’

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 Angel and demon appraised each other for a few tense moments
before Raphael walked over and Octavia went to his side and took his
hand.
‘What do you propose?’ said Raphael, watching Zev with less than
no trust.
‘I’ll need more than five minutes to think of a solution,’ said Zev. He
looked at Octavia. ‘I’ll find you when I have something?’
She nodded. ‘Thank you, Zev.’
He smiled, catlike and sly.
And then she knew.
Octavia stared at Zev, the pieces clicking into place in her brain.
She knew him well enough by now to know when he was amused
and when he was playing, when he was proud of his achievements or
genuinely surprised. And the thing she knew in that moment was that
Zev had been playing the game of returning since he first arrived.
Four thousand years to plan how to get home. Four thousand years
to orchestrate all of it. Four thousand years to set it up. To find an
angel willing to fall. To find a volunteer to turn into a Healer. To find
the right angel. The right siblings. Such a hard game.
The only way to win would be to plan it all.
He was the first one they’d gone to. The one they’d gone to about
everything. He was always there. The puppeteer who had them all
exactly where he’d wanted them. Even now, he didn’t protest. He was
getting what he wanted.
She took a step back, causing Raphael to frown. ‘It was you, wasn’t
it?’ she croaked, holding Zev’s gaze. ‘Everything.’
Zev looked perplexed. ‘What?’
‘The only person who knew about Jack and Tamiel was you. You
told Isra and you helped Jack kill him. You gave me to Raphael. You
played me. It’s all you. You didn’t come into this when I did. You’ve
been in this from the start.’
Raphael’s eyes widened with shocked fury.
‘Tell me I’m wrong,’ she whispered. ‘Tell me that you didn’t do this.’
Zev’s lips curved into a wicked, impressed smile. ‘Little queen, you
do surprise. Good work.’
‘Why?’ she cried. ‘Why would you do it?’

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 ‘Because I was expelled!’ Zev’s ire tore out of him and the air
crackled with purple electricity. He looked truly demonic for the first
time. ‘I was usurped! I have been trapped on this world for four
thousand years! I want to go home!’
Octavia shook her head in disgust. The image of Tamiel without
wings would haunt her until she died. ‘You fucking bastard.’
Zev sneered at her. ‘You think I have no feelings? My family, my
home, my kingdom, my life – all were stolen from me! All! By the one
who stole my wife! I have been helpless. I have been trapped. I will not
apologise for trying to win my freedom. I have waited for four
thousand years!’
‘Why me?’
‘Because I believed you’d help me. I believed I could win your heart.
I needed siblings. Caleb wasn’t going to fancy me. I had a good feeling
about you.’
She snorted in derision. ‘You could have asked. I would have helped
you just because.’
‘I couldn’t risk it.’ He shook his head. ‘I did not ask to be here,
Octavia. I am no Watcher. I was thrown out of my home because Asura
wanted my crown. He stole my wife, killed her, and trapped me.’
She glanced at Raphael who looked beyond furious, and sighed
heavily before turning back to Zev. ‘You got people killed, Zev.’
Zev nodded but did not defend himself. He was vibrating with rage.
Anger burned as bright as compassion in her chest, and after a few
seconds she nodded. ‘Fine. Fuck. Whatever. Let’s go.’
He went completely still. ‘What?’
‘You say you were king? Keep your demons in your world; keep
your mess in hand. Do that, and I’ll take you home.’
‘What about Raphael?’
‘At this point, I just want you gone.’ She looked at Raphael and tried
to will her throat to remain open. ‘I can still go to Parid. There’s
something. We’ll figure it out.’
He tried and failed to smile. It made her want to cry. She had been
so sure Zev would have the answers.
Zev closed the distance between them. For the first time since she’d
met him, his expression was open and terrified. ‘Octavia …’
She held out her hand. ‘Come on.’

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 He took her hand and Raphael’s, and a moment later they
reappeared on the mountainside. It was snowing heavily and she
instantly began to tremble with cold.
Zev held her gaze even after they all dropped hands. ‘I never lied
about how highly I regard you,’ he said. ‘I am in awe of you.’
For some reason, she couldn’t hate him. She thought him
despicable, but on some level, she supposed she understood. She
wasn’t sure why she even believed him after so many games, but she
did.
The snow fell with increasing force, coating the three of them. The
sunlight made his eyes seem even more violet.
She was suddenly sorry to see him go.
‘Step away from the Healer, Zev,’ said a voice from behind them.
All three whirled around. Gabriel, Hamon, Michael and Sorush had
arrived.
From the cuts and bruises on Gabriel’s face and torso, he hadn’t
gone to his Healer after his confrontation with Raphael. He’d probably
gone to Michael, though what the others were doing there wasn’t a
question she was going to get the answer to.
‘So,’ said Michael. ‘The Gatekeeper. How could you not tell us,
Raphael?’
Raphael stepped between Octavia and the angels. ‘She’s my Healer.
Not your Gatekeeper.’
‘Helping demons now?’ drawled Hamon, mouth twisted in an ugly
leer.
‘Step away from Zev, Octavia,’ said Gabriel. ‘He’s using you.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, who isn’t?’
Donning a grin that chilled her more than the snow, Hamon
disappeared. Octavia barely had time to register his absence when pain
exploded through her abdomen and Raphael let out a roar of agony,
dropping to his knees. Gabriel caught him before he fell, horror on his
face.
Octavia stared down at the blade sticking out of her stomach. Her
legs gave out beneath her.
‘WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?’ bellowed Gabriel.
Zev sent the angels off the cliff with a blast of violet light; the air
went thick, like molasses, time slowed, and then he was holding her.

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 He pressed his hand into the wound and she watched as her blood
stained his hand like paint. It obscured his tattoos.
‘It’s akero steel,’ he hissed. ‘Not even Raphael can heal it.’
She nodded several times. She felt so cold. It was hard to breathe.
Everything hurt. ‘I’m scared, Zev.’
He looked at her very seriously. ‘Do you trust that I can cheat death
for you?’
Octavia let out a strained laugh. ‘You won the game, didn’t you? I
brought you here.’
‘Yes,’ he said, lifting her off the ground. ‘I suppose you did. Do you
trust me?’
She nodded, fast losing consciousness.
‘Open the Gateway.’
Just as her grip on consciousness left her, great black wings, sinewy
and savage, burst from his back. The air around him crackled with
electricity. With a great flap of his wings, he shot upwards.
The king was going home.

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 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The Lost King

It was strange being home. Zev had spent so long praying for it that he
thought it might be unrecognisable to his memory of it.
As he flew through the Gateway, he was pleased to see that it looked
the same. The same suns and orange sky, the same heady smells and
warm breeze. He landed on the beach and walked over to Daav and
Eavax.
His soldiers bowed low before him. ‘Asura?’
‘Unaware,’ said Daav. ‘We kept your queen’s existence secret.’
‘Good.’
Zev took flight once more and his soldiers fell in behind him.
In the safety of his castle, he brought Octavia to his bedroom and
placed her on the blankets. She had lost consciousness and he could
see the life leaving her.
There was only one way to keep her from leaving this body, her soul
pulled to some unknown. He did not regret his actions, but he owed
her this. Even if doing so meant giving up a large portion of his own
power, he could not bear to see her go. Not yet. Too few had moved
him over the years. Too few had proved him wrong. Too few had
surprised him.
Together or not, Zev found that he desperately wanted her to live.
To see her power grow. To fight against her upbringing and win, just
as he had.
Perhaps that was why he cared so much for her. In so many ways,
Octavia reminded him of himself.
With quick, expert precision, he painted the spell onto her arms and
fingers. Pressing his hand to her chest, he murmured the words he
never thought he would speak and his magic poured into her body.
The marks turned purple before fading to black, now permanently
tattooed on her skin. From now until he died, he and Octavia were tied
together.
She blinked several times as awareness came back to her and he
finally allowed himself to breathe.

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 She looked at him and a laugh tore from her lips. ‘Only you could
cheat death.’
‘And only for you.’
Gratitude and uncertainty filled her newly violet eyes. ‘Raphael?’
‘He’ll be fine,’ he assured her. ‘You didn’t die. You simply became
more. He will know you live. I’m sure he’s frantic about not being able
to reach you, so I won’t keep you too long.’
She let him pull her to her feet, a small smile on her face.
He snapped his fingers, changing her dirtied clothes for clean ones,
and appraised her with wistful fondness. She would have made such a
good queen. Yet somehow he liked the idea of her being his successor
more. He had two kingdoms, and if there was one soul on any plane
that he would leave one to, it was her. The one who saved without
hesitation. The one who helped when she had no reason to. The one
who never betrayed him.
He was proud that she’d figured it out before the end. He picked her
over Caleb not simply because he thought her smart and beautiful, but
because he knew she was innately good. Such goodness could war with
the demonic energy now inside of her. She would be changed, but she
would not be corrupted.
And Zev found he was glad of it. He didn’t want her ever to change.
‘Beautiful,’ he said, holding out his hand. ‘Would you like to see my
kingdom, little queen?’
She laughed and rolled her eyes before taking his arm and letting
him steer her out of the bedchamber.
His guards all bowed low as he passed and voiced their delight at
his return. He couldn’t wait to get started and it was hard to keep a lid
on his excitement.
The edge of the balcony looked out over a raging waterfall. Great
beasts flew in the distance, cast in shadow by the setting suns. It was
a breath-taking sight and he felt utterly content.
Octavia leaned against the railing and looked over at him.
‘Would you like to know my story, little queen?’ he asked at length.
‘Okay.’
Zev looked out over the sparkling waters. ‘I was a young king,’ he
began, folding his fingers together. ‘I had a bitter childhood and
resolved very early that I was going to become the best. That I was

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going to surpass them all. In our world, the one with the most power
is the one in power.’
‘Why? What happened?’
Zev’s mouth twisted with anger. ‘Even Kolos has elitism and
bigotry. I’m a half-breed. Unwanted and untrusted.’
Octavia’s eyebrows went up. ‘Half-breed? What does that even
mean?’
‘I am the son of an akero and a daeva.’
She stared at him. He could hear her heart pounding in shock and
confusion. ‘What?’ she grunted. ‘How?’
He raised an eyebrow pointedly.
‘Oh Zev …’
He nodded and ran a hand through his hair. No one knew this truth
save his parents and his late wife. But he wanted her to know his
reasons. He wanted her to know how closely he was tied to all of it.
He said, ‘The angels hunted my mother when they realised she
carried a demon’s child. She found the Gatekeeper and came here. As
a child, I was unwelcome and shunned. A half-breed no one wished to
contend with. But I had more power than they counted on. A lingering
gift from my father.’
‘Who’s your father?’
‘Cain.’
Octavia’s jaw dropped.
Shame burned through him. He hated no one like he hated his
father. It was because of Cain that his mother was forced to flee. It was
because of Cain she was thrown out of the Irin. He wanted Cain to burn
but somehow he never could defeat him.
Someday, he told himself. Someday.
‘Cain wants control over Kolos, yet he’s cursed to walk Earth. I
seized the throne in my two hundredth year and held it for millennia.
It insulted him. His bastard son doing what he never could. So he sent
his favoured son through, and Asura waged war against me for
centuries. He stole my wife and son. He tortured her. But it wasn’t
until he killed my son that she told him the secrets of my kingdom. I
was thrown out of Kolos and stranded on Earth.’
Tears filled Octavia’s eyes and she put a hand on his arm. ‘I’m so
sorry.’

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 He nodded as the anger and outrage burned anew inside of him.
But he reminded himself that he was back. He could right the wrongs.
He would not let this end on any terms but his own.
Asura’s fortress was on the other side of the mountains and he
would lay siege to it without delay and without warning. But that could
wait until Octavia was home. His quarrels on Kolos were not hers.
For a long time neither of them said anything. Zev wondered what
she thought of him, but resolved not to read her mind. Instead he
simply asked her.
‘It’s hard to be mad at you,’ she admitted. ‘I’m so angry at what you
did to Tamiel, but I suppose four thousand years in exile might make
anyone a little psychotic.’
Zev bowed his head. ‘I regret his pain. I think well of Tamiel.’
It was true. Tamiel was the closest thing to a friend he had.
‘I’ll tell him that.’
‘Do.’
Octavia turned around and leaned back against the railing. ‘What
happens now?’ she asked. ‘Can I go home?’
‘Of course,’ he said. ‘You’re the Gatekeeper.’
‘I meant these,’ she said, holding up her hands and examining the
tattoos. ‘Am I your Healer now, too?’
He chuckled and shook his head. ‘Not my Healer. But from now
until I die, my power will keep you alive. And, I suppose, Raphael by
extension.’
She nodded thoughtfully at that, tracing her forefinger over the
tattoos of the opposite arm. She didn’t look up at him when she said,
‘I’m going to miss you.’
‘I hope this isn’t our last goodbye, little queen.’
‘Somehow I doubt it.’
They stood side by side and watched the horizon. To Octavia, it
would look like a world of fire and dragons, demons and dynasties. But
he could hear the racing of her heart, see the smile on her lips, the
longing and curiosity in her bright violet eyes, and he knew she loved
it.
He was so very glad he picked her.
After a long while, he took her hand and led her away from the
railing. He took her through the city, melancholy at the thought of how

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brief a glimpse of his home she was seeing, and then on into the forest.
He could smell the ocean long before they crested the ridge. It spread
out vast and beautiful before them.
The suns were setting by the time they reached the beach. The
colourful sky made his heart ache. He had yearned for such a sunset
for four thousand years.
Octavia stopped by the water’s edge and turned to him. ‘I’m
nervous.’
‘Don’t be. You’ll be wonderful.’
‘Are you sure you trust me with all of this?’
‘I do.’ He leaned in and put his hands on her hips. ‘May I kiss you
goodbye, little queen?’
She gazed at him for a moment before she leaned in and kissed him.
Soft, chaste. A fond farewell. When she drew back, she smiled. ‘Be a
good king, Zev.’
‘I will.’
Those were the last words they said to each other before Zev lifted
her into his arms and flew her back up to the Gateway.
As he let go and watched her fall, he couldn’t help but think she
looked like one of Earth’s favourite stories.
An angel falling from above.

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 EPILOGUE
Checkmate

Six weeks after Octavia disappeared from the mountainside with Zev,
the Irin and their Healers were invited to Little Hanover for a new
signing of accords.
When the Irin walked in, they could not quite believe the sight
which greeted them.
There were five figures in the centre of the room. Raphael and
Tamiel were fully armed and straight-backed, a fearsome sight
compared to the humans between them. That said, the men looked far
from intimidated. Both in suits, they looked like bodyguards.
And there, in the centre of the group, was the source of everyone’s
curiosity.
Raphael stepped up, black wings unfurling in a show of daring
power. The Commander of the Irin could not be questioned after he
destroyed Hamon weeks before.
‘Comrades,’ he said. ‘Welcome to Blood and Bone.’
A hush fell over the room.
Octavia’s eyes crackled with the same violet light which lit up the
tattoos on her hands and arms before disappearing. She was dressed
all in black, and in the centre of her chest was the archangel’s
protection stone.
She smiled at them and cocked her head to the side. Electricity
crackled between her fingers as her eyes flicked from angel to angel.
‘Allow me to introduce my wife,’ he continued. ‘The Demon of
Games.’

finis

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