Iniquity (The Premonition, #5)(60)

“I pushed you too hard and it all fell apart,” he says in a quiet tone.

“What do you mean?”

“I should have gotten you out of France earlier. I could’ve, you know? I could’ve saved you from him—from Emil—but you were such an ace! You had the potential to end him before he harmed anyone else. You just needed to find yourself in Simone. So I left you in the game, but I left you too long.”

The air around me is suddenly haunted by Emil’s scent—it’s the fragrance of his hair tonic. It’s scent memory from Simone’s lifetime. I put down my fork and pick up my wine glass, taking a sip to allow the taste of the red to expunge the odor of my tormentor.

“Why would you do that to me, if you loved me?” My hand shakes, causing my wine to weep rosy tears on the inside of the glass. I set it down.

“I sometimes expect perfection from you. You rarely give me anything less than it.”

“But this time I was less than perfect?”

“I...don’t know. I can’t remember my last hours there. I know I was supposed to meet you at the bridge. I know I was there early. I remember checking my watch, waiting.”

“What would’ve happened at the bridge had everything gone to plan?”

“You would’ve reported Emil’s new location to the allies. They would’ve had the information and I would’ve seen you safely away. The goal was to undermine Emil. Human soldiers would’ve hunted him down for his war crimes. I would’ve followed you at a safe distance for the rest of your life, watching over you.”

“Why were you allowed to interfere with my life at all? I thought angels couldn’t do that.”

“I was your guardian angel. I alone was allowed to interfere in your life. I could manipulate you in order to help you achieve the goal of your mission, which was to subdue and put an end to Emil in that lifetime.”

“So I was your pawn.”

“It wasn’t like that. You mostly lead me.”

“But I never made it to the bridge?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “I truly don’t know.”

“Maybe this is bliss, Xavier.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why would I want to remember any of this? Just the imagined smell of Emil makes me want to vomit.” I look in his mismatched eyes. “Maybe the kindest thing you can do for me is to allow me to forget.”

“I’m never kind, Evie. Do you think for one moment Emil will go away? He’s here to kill you, of that I have no doubt.”

“I know he is. He’s always here to kill me, isn’t he?”

“He is.”

Out of the corner of my eye, a flash of blue catches my attention. Atwater sees me staring at him from my seat. He motions with his chin for me to follow him. Turning, he disappears through an archway at the back of the dining room. “Excuse me for a moment, Xavier.”

Xavier stands when I do. I make my way across the beautiful rug to the archway. It leads to a long hallway. At the end, Atwater waits just long enough for me to see him. He darts away. I bolt down the corridor. At the other end of it, there is a shear drop of several stories. I spread my wings and dive into the air, following the trajectory of the blue wings in front of me. I land at the bottom next to Atwater. He doesn’t look at me, but takes huge strides across the marble floor. Moonlight shines through gigantic windows carved from the side of the mountain. It’s almost perpetual night here this time of year. A beautiful set of silver doors lead outside. A large cloakroom is situated next to the doorway. Atwater goes to it. He runs his hand over several long coats and parkas in all shapes and sizes, finally choosing a white parka with long slits in the back of it. He holds it out to me, waiting patiently for me to put it on. My wings fit through the slits in it. He walks around me and zips it from the back so that only my feathers are exposed. I take care of the zipper in the front. Reaching his hand up to a shelf, he selects a white ushanka from it and squashes it onto my head. I don’t say a word; I just whisk away my hair from my eyes. He grabs a heavy white parka for himself that matches mine. Tossing me some white gloves, he walks out of the coatroom. I hurry after him, pulling my gloves on as I go. He thrusts open the door and my angel vision adjusts to the darkness outside. He walks out into the middle of a lovely courtyard. Ice sculptures of fierce warrior angels are the only figures near enough to overhear us. Still, Atwater takes me by the elbow and leads me away from the doors.

“Your father is on his way here. He should arrive shortly.”

“Tau is coming here?”

“Yes. Some of his army comes with him. He brings Reed as well.”

“How do you know this?”

“Heaven told me.”

“Why is Tau coming here?”

“I asked him to come.”

“For what purpose?”

“To deliver the boatswain to me. He was ordered to keep it safe until it was needed. When the time came, he was to give it to me.”

“Why do you need it?”

“I’m to either give it to you or I’m to use it on you.”

“What?”

“If you are not worthy to be the champion of Heaven, I’m to use it on you. If you prove yourself to be worthy, I’m to give it to you.”

“How do I prove myself worthy?” I ask.