Her face pulled taut over bones that were too prominent, but she inclined her head. “I will not go back to China.”
“I will visit China,” Raphael said. “No other of the Cadre will be expected to go there until Elena and I confirm it is uninfected.”
Curt nods all around.
“I will hold my territory, and Eli will hold his,” Raphael continued. “I will maintain a watch over Eli’s territory in the interim, so that bloodlust does not rise among the vampires.”
No one argued with that, either. They had bigger problems.
“I have just asked Alexander and he will continue to hold his, and he is willing to assist whoever takes over Michaela’s until her return. There is also Astaad’s territory. Neha’s and Caliane’s generals will manage theirs for the short duration the two will be in anshara, though Neha’s people will need our assistance to wipe out the reborn scourge.”
“I will take Michaela’s lands,” Aegaeon said. “I do not wish to be awake, but to leave the world with only eight archangels at this time is unacceptable—and I am honorable enough not to steal Astaad’s lands when he has fallen in battle.”
Raphael looked to Qin, this Ancient who had not said a word to any of them since his arrival. “Will you accept a watch over Astaad’s lands?”
Qin’s face twisted. He looked out to where Cassandra had disappeared. “I do not wish to live in a world without her,” he said in a mellifluous voice that was like music. “But this is a duty of archangels. I will stay only until another rises to take my place.”
Raphael inclined his head. “Titus, Favashi, can you work together in Africa?”
“I would be honored to work with an archangel who cares for her people,” Titus said with a nod aimed at Favashi. “Africa is a large land and that boil on humanity left things a putrid mess. Your city is in ruins, Raphael, but you are luckier than I.”
“I will assist you and anyone else who needs it.” They had come to his aid at the critical time, and he would never forget that. “Favashi?”
Favashi, her eyes a flow of lava, smiled. “Yes, I would be pleased to have Titus for a neighbor.” Then she collapsed, her bones liquid.
Cassandra’s voice filled their minds even as Elena caught the former Archangel of China. I am sorry, children. She was too weak to rise but this was her battle and her time. She must return to her Sleep.
Raphael could see Favashi’s bones through skin gone translucent, fire under her skin. The others saw the same. Aegaeon’s face grew tight but even he knew there was no fighting this. Scooping her up in his arms, Raphael called Andreas and told him to head in the same direction as Cassandra and the others. “Cassandra is waiting for you.”
“She’s too light,” was all the warrior angel said before he took off with Favashi.
“Eight in the Cadre?” Aegaeon growled. “At this time? Five until the three who are in healing sleep return? The vampires will run amok across the lands.”
Raphael knew that was a valid concern. “We don’t have to worry about China,” he told them. “Most of the vampiric population is dead.” Very few of Lijuan’s ground troops had survived the war. “We’ll have to roster archangelic flights over India and Japan. Titus, you’ll have to handle Africa on your own for now, but we will assist as required.”
“I will need it,” Titus said bluntly. “It is a large land and it is riddled with reborn.”
“It is decided,” Raphael said two minutes later, after receiving Alexander’s agreement to their decisions. “The Cadre has spoken.”
The sky broke with a sparkling black rain only a quarter of an hour later. It washed away the smell of death, made destroyed buildings beautiful for long moments and collected in glittering puddles on city streets.
And it destroyed one wall of the Tower infirmary as an injured Suyin smashed through it to rise into the sky. Raphael caught her bewildered eyes as she rose upward but there was nothing he could do.
Suyin, too gentle, too untried, was ascending.
Energy danced over her skin, in the gleaming ice of her hair, flowed into her body.
“The Cadre will eat her alive.”
“Not just yet, Guild Hunter. The world is in too much chaos. She will have time.”
Ascension was unpredictable. It could take hours or days. Suyin landed in front of the rest of the Cadre that night. Her rain yet fell across the world.
“You have Northern Africa,” Aegaeon said with no moment for Suyin to breathe in her new reality.
But Suyin showed her spine. “No. I will take China.” Unflinching determination in her eyes. “My bloodline broke it. My bloodline will heal it. I will not discuss this.”
“It seems a fitting choice,” Titus said. “I have no disagreement with it.”
No one did, though Raphael warned Suyin about the possibility of lingering poison. Her lips twisted. “If poison remains, it will not harm me. I am her blood.”
* * *
• • •
Titus and Qin left soon afterward, flying off into Suyin’s rain. Alexander had already stated that he’d depart straight from Cassandra’s lava sinkhole. Aegaeon turned to Raphael and Elena when only he and Suyin were left. “I wish for my son to come with me. I believe he is in your service.”
Elena’s back stiffened, but she kept her mouth shut because she’d seen the dangerous gleam in Raphael’s eyes.
“Your son is his own man,” he said with utmost politeness. “Should he wish to go with you, I will not hold him to his sworn vows.”
Aegaeon inclined his head with a smile. “I thank you. I see him on that rooftop—I will speak now with him.”
“Why did you say that?” Elena hissed at Raphael the instant the other archangel took off—Suyin was far from them, on the very edge of the balcony. “Illium doesn’t want that!”
“I have warned your Bluebell, Elena. And I have told him that if he chooses to leave, we will hunt him down.” His lips curved. “He was most mollified by the latter. He also understands that if I say no to Aegaeon, I make an enemy of him. If his son says the same . . .”
“It’s just a family matter.” Sighing, Elena leaned up against him. “When am I going to get this angelic politics thing right?”
He stroked the line of her spine, the stormfire of her wings faded and weak. “You are young, child of mortals.” Even her wings needed to recover after that battle.
She elbowed him, but this wasn’t done.