Keeper of Crows (Keeper of Crows #1)(55)

White-hot anger sliced through me.

“Lucifer will come back. He will come for his sword, and if you aren’t prepared, he’ll kill you and take this place as his own,” he answered.

“I can’t stop him from doing that. It doesn’t matter how much training I have. Standing against my coward of a father was easy, but standing against him?” I motioned to the ground where the tar had solidified. “That’s impossible.”

Gabriel sneered. “Do you know that Michael tried to kill Malchazze? Several times he came close. Without orders, I might add. I’m sure you’re surprised to learn about that. But he couldn’t stop him. His birds, his sword, nothing worked. An archangel, it seemed, could not harm the antichrist. But you did. You killed him.”

“He might have been the antichrist to you, but to me, he was just a mean, callous bastard.”

“He was also one of Lucifer’s pets. The reason we couldn’t end him was because Lucifer strengthened your father, guarding him against us. Archangels can’t kill one another. It’s not physically possible. Michael couldn’t even command his crows to do so. He couldn’t utter the words. But you, a soul, turned him into dust. Even if he was just a mean, callous bastard.” Grinning, Gabriel folded his wings behind him. “We just have to convince you that Lucifer is the same.”

I snorted. Never gonna happen.

“Seal the veil. You can open it later, right?”

“Right,” I parroted, calling to the fabric, to the Earth beneath my feet. Become stone. No one passes through. Not even Satan himself.

“I want to see the castle—all of it.”

Gabriel nodded. “We should note the exits, any hiding spots, where the weaponry is…”

I smiled. “You’re a true soldier.”

Gabriel brushed the hair off his shoulder. “When Lucifer returns for the sword, you’ll be glad we’re prepared.”

“Why is the sword so important to him? Is it the one he left Heaven with?” It looked much like the ones the archangels sported, only black as obsidian.

“No, it’s much more dangerous. This sword was created in Hell, forged from the metal spear that pierced Christ’s side when he hung upon the cross. It probably contains trapped souls and more evil than either of us could ever wield. Even being around it is dangerous.”

“Lucifer is more dangerous with the sword than without it? That’s scary as hell.” He seemed powerful without it. I couldn’t imagine his deadly intent growing exponentially because of a simple blade.

“It isn’t a simple blade, Carmen. And I’d love to keep him from getting his hands on it again.”

“Take it to Heaven,” I told him.

He shook his head. “It’s been tarnished, and evil isn’t welcome inside the gates.” His eyes turned to the sky above.

“What? What are you thinking about?”

“There may be one safe place to store it, but it’s risky.” Something flashed over his eyes, gray-blue as storm clouds.

“When do you think he’ll return? I’ve sealed the veil.”

Gabriel snorted. “Lucifer is already searching for a weakness, no doubt. Not to attack just yet, but so he knows them before you do.” A shiver of fear crawled up my spine. “He will come for it – soon – but I’ll be ready for him. I’d love nothing more than to end him. It’s been a millennia since he betrayed us all, but the wound still stings as if it’s fresh.”

We walked through the hallways, taking note of each room, its exits, the best areas in which to hide, and areas that were dangerous to stand near, like fireplaces. They were entry points as well, and demons could easily scale the tall chimneys.

“Do you think he’ll come with demons?” I asked curiously.

“Lucifer doesn’t need them, but he rarely fights alone.”

Coward.

“Exactly.”



There were rooms bursting with swords mounted ceiling to floor, empty rooms, rooms with rich furniture, and rooms with books flanking every wall. We were exiting the third library when a thought came to me.

“What if we hid it?” I asked, walking farther down the hall.

Gabriel eased out of the closet he was looking in. “Hid what?”

“The sword.”

“How would we do that? It knows its owner. It would call to him, and he would know in an instant.”

“What if we cloaked it in the veil?”

Gabriel stilled, his brows kissing. “Could you do that?”

“I think so.”

His fingers reached over his head, spreading around the grip of his sword, and with a slicing noise, he freed it. “Try it.”

He extended the blade, transferring it to my outstretched hands. I hoped I was right about being able to manipulate the fabric so freely. Would the veil allow me to use it that way? Even if it worked, would Lucifer be able to find it? Would it still call to its master? If he got it back, could he harm the veil with it? Open it up and spill the darkness upon the Earth?

“No, he couldn’t,” Gabriel answered honestly.

“How do you know?” The weight of the metal was heavy in my hands.

“Because he’s tried before. The veil doesn’t answer to him.”