Fallen Academy: Year Four (Fallen Academy #4)(48)

Michael grinned. “You’ve been taking cues from Emberly.”

Lincoln turned to Michael. “We can’t, right? The demons will come for their slaves. They’ll… we’ll be at war day and night, defending the border from them.”

Michael put a hand on Lincoln’s shoulder. “We already are, son. And like Brielle said, she’s free to use her will to extend whatever invitations she wants.” Then he looked at me. “Though I have to say, in all my years of knowing the Creator, I’ve never once seen him strike anyone dead.” He winked.

My cheeks heated. Okay, maybe my taunting God wasn’t the most mature thing to do, but it seemed appropriate at the time. “So, they can come?”

Michael threw up his hands. “I don’t know where to put them, how to feed and clothe them, but we’ll find a way.”

Euphoria spread throughout my limbs. I’d done something on a whim, and it felt incredible.

“We’re going to need more buses,” I told the boys.

“I’ll call Raph.” Lincoln sounded defeated, like he had no idea what crazy woman he’d married until that moment.

As I stepped over dead demon corpses and helped usher families onto the bus to freedom, I couldn’t help but wonder if my dad was looking down on me. I hoped I’d made him proud, because I’d sure as hell just created a lot of work for the Fallen Army.





We took twenty busloads of humans, free souls and demon bound, into Angel City, before the demons were able to shut the border down and keep us out. Word of my offer had spread throughout the city, and people had come in droves to take the proposal. Most of Tainted Academy fled as well. We’d had no choice but to drop them off at the four large parks in Angel City, and tell them we’d figure out how to feed and clothe them as soon as we could.

That night, the 10 percent tithe was born. It was Raphael’s idea. Each citizen of Angel City, if they were willing and able, would give 10 percent of their clothing, food, money, anything they could spare for our new guests. The results brought us to our knees. I’d never been more proud to be a part of this city than I was right then. Our citizens more than delivered. They brought out old mattresses, tents, clothing, radios, makeup, toys for children, food, money. People donated their time, haircuts, bliss donuts, anything you could think of to help the refugees. I watched from the edges of the park, trying to hold in my sobs at the acts of kindness surrounding me.

One man who owned an old upholstery factory on the edge of town, donated his entire building; he said it had been in his family for over a century, and that was the way he wanted it to be remembered. It was five floors tall, and had enough room to fit everyone—if families were willing to bundle together and share the space.

I’d never had more faith in humanity, and the longevity of our race, than I did in that moment.

“You did a great thing.” Michael rested his hand on my shoulder as I watched the citizens of Angel City drop off more and more donations.

I shook my head. “I didn’t do this. This is all them.”

Michael leaned forward. “But they didn’t know they were capable of this, until you gave them the opportunity,” he whispered, squeezing my shoulder and walking away.

Shea sauntered over to me, eyes lined with tears. “I’m not crying, you’re crying,” she said and I laughed, my own unshed tears clouding my vision.

Her arm came around my shoulders and squeezed. “It’s nice to see so much love in the middle of so much hatred.”

I nodded. “It is.”

“So, what now?”

I could no longer avoid the inevitable. Lucifer had upped his game, and so would I.

“Now, I heal Sera, march into Hell, and cut off Lucifer’s limbs before burning him alive.”

“Damn, you went there,” Shea observed.

I did. That motherfucker had reached his expiration date.





Nineteen





Raksha. Raksha. Raksha. Day and night, she was all I could think about in the week following our Demon City raid. I’d told the archangels that I was ready to fulfill my destiny, to go into Hell and kill Lucy, just like the prophecy foretold. Raphael had taken one look at Sera with her black magic-coated blade, and declared I was not.

“Heal the blade, and then I will follow you into Hell myself and fight by your side,” he vowed.

Finally, I had the opportunity to get Raksha back, kill the Devil, and save Earth from his wrath, and it all hinged on this stupid black shit that coated my infinity weapon.

‘Ohh, what if you throw me in fire?’ Sera offered.

I rolled my eyes. ‘We tried that already, remember? Right after the Celestial ball failed, and I slept for nineteen hours.’

‘Oh, yeah.’

“Did you think of anything?” I asked Shea. We were gathered in the small gymnasium, trying out different things while Lincoln played guitar with Noah in the corner, and pretended he wasn’t ecstatic that I couldn’t go into Hell after Lucy. If he had it his way, I’d never fix Sera.

Shea shrugged. “This is Devil magic, way beyond my paygrade. Maybe we ask Raphael for a clue?”

“This isn’t a game,” I groaned. “He’s not going to give three clues.” Besides, I’d already tried. He simply asserted that once I was able to dissolve this magic, I was ready.