Keeper of Crows (Keeper of Crows #1)(36)

“He’s trying to establish an empire on Earth, too.” I thought of his fake smile, caked-on orange make-up, and his jubilant face as it waved to hungry crowds, starving for his lies.

“Are there more of him? You said those who breached…”

Gabriel blew out a breath. “Malchazze is the only crosser still in existence, but only because he killed the others so they didn’t interfere with his plans to create a kingdom. However, he has infused some souls with the power to cross when fissures naturally occur.”

“The merchants?”

Gabriel nodded. “The only catch is that those he infuses have to wait for naturally-occurring fissures, or for him to make one for them. So far he hasn’t been able to make more crossers, but it may just be a matter of time. Some suspect he is part of the veil, which until you came here, I thought was only a myth.”

My mind flicked back to Gus and Chester. Why would anyone want to give them power to cross the barrier of Purgatory? My father sure did, possibly because they were weak and would follow orders. That had to be it.

“But I’m different. I can’t leave. I can’t cross the divide. The veil won’t let me. So that means he can’t be part of the veil.”

“I’m not sure how it works for him,” Gabriel admitted.

“Do you know why I’m bound here?”

Shaking his head, he pursed his lips. “I honestly don’t know.”

If Gabriel didn’t know and neither did Michael, that meant the only one who did know was my father, and I doubted he would offer up the knowledge out of the kindness of his black heart. If Malchazze was using a body, the body of my natural father, it wasn’t genetic. Maybe it was some sort of karma at work. Maybe I wasn’t able to leave simply because he could.

An electric jolt ran through my body and I grabbed the nearest wall to steady myself. “What was that?” I looked overhead. Could earthquakes happen here? I half expected the second floor to crash down on top of us.

“You felt that?” Gabriel strode to me and grabbed my elbows, forcing me to look at him.

“Of course I did,” I stammered, glancing between his darkening eyes and the ceiling. “What was it?”

“That,” he began, “was a shudder. A crosser—your father—just left or returned to Purgatory.”

A cacophony of crows heralded Michael’s arrival. He ran through the back yard toward us, a dark angel who looked more vengeful than merciful.

I let my eyes unfocus, a scene unfolding in my mind. Would Michael kill me? Would he have to? Was I some sort of evil abomination? Malchazze’s seed might not have made me, but his parenting skills molded me in ways I couldn’t even begin to imagine. Would nature or nurture win out?

I could see him running toward me, manna and feathers falling all around us. He would unsheathe his sword and swing it at me with a precision I could neither escape nor run from. Michael would dispatch me with the same ease as he had with the merchants who dragged me into this hell. My soul would be eaten by his crows and he would blow the ashes of my gray body away with his breath.

Hands were shaking me when the scene vanished. I gasped as Michael shouted, “What’s wrong? Carmen? What’s the matter?”

His eyes were orange, like pumpkins on a fall day.

“I’m okay,” I rasped, pulling away from him. For now, I thought.

“What happened to her?” he shouted at Gabriel.

Gabriel did not respond right away, only shook his head slowly. “She felt the shudder.”

Michael growled and began pacing the floor. “She feels everything, she knows before I do that a fissure is going to occur, and she can split the veil! She can make them. Did you know that?”

Gabriel’s mouth gaped open. “I did not.”

“She is the veil,” Michael whispered.

But he was wrong. “I’m not. I’m not the veil. I’m a drug addicted rich kid from Beverly Hills who was pulled into this fucking place by two assholes with lightning leashes. I didn’t ask for any of this shit!” I screamed.

“Your father orchestrated it all. I doubt he knew you could or would rip the veil itself, though.”

Gabriel agreed with Michael. “He couldn’t have anticipated that little twist.” His lips curved up in a mixture of amusement and pity. I didn’t need either.

“What do I do? Michael?” He stopped pacing and stared at me, but said nothing, offered no solution. “Gabriel? What am I supposed to do?”

A crow landed on Michael’s shoulder and cawed loudly, and then it flew and perched on my shoulder. My body was stiff as a board. Would the bird peck at my eyes if I moved?

Michael looked quickly to Gabriel and shouted something in the language they shared. I couldn’t understand them, but Gabriel quickly walked away, up the invisible steps and out of Purgatory.

The crow took flight, disappearing along with Gabriel.

“He explained more about your father?” Michael asked.

“Some, but I still don’t understand how he has the power to establish an empire here. Just because he can walk between worlds, how does he have influence over Lessons?”

Michael closed his eyes. “Because he sides with Satan. Carmen, your father isn’t just a crosser or a soul. He is the antichrist.”

My heart hurt just hearing the word, because my heart knew it was true. It felt it. I sank to the floor, held my knees, and rocked. Michael didn’t try to comfort me because there was no comfort to be had. He didn’t touch me because it was too dangerous. But he stayed in the room. He waited until all my tears were gone, until I was spent and ready to rest. Again.