“Oh, no,” Lilliana whispered as, through the glass, they all watched Wraith walk toward the leather-bound trio, one fallen swinging a thick chain in his fist.
The other two, one male and one female, held flaming axes, and all three popped their leathery black wings at Wraith’s approach. The female smiled, a sinister, knowing grin that chilled Eidolon to the bone and dropped a load of ice into his gut.
His feet moved even before his brain kicked in. He sprinted to the door, and as they slid open, he yelled, “Wraith, get out of there!”
Wraith turned, and as he did, Chainfist struck out, his weapon cracking against Wraith’s skull with a sickening, wet crunch. Wraith launched into the air and slammed into the rear doors of an ambulance fifty feet away before landing on the pavement, blood pouring from his head.
That didn’t just happen.
It couldn’t have. Nothing should be able to touch Wraith…not unless he’d turned off the charm that made him invincible. But why would he do something that stupid?
“Wraith!” Eidolon started toward him, but he slammed against an invisible forcefield and the other two angels reached Wraith first.
Wraith suddenly pivoted on the ground, swinging his legs around to catch one of the evil assholes in the legs.
Way to go, bro!
The female angel crumpled, but the remaining male brought his axe down hard, broadsiding it against Wraith’s ribs. Wraith’s scream and the sound of breaking bones echoed through the parking lot—and Eidolon’s head.
He watched helplessly as the two axe-happy angels hoisted Wraith up, hanging him by the shoulders between their bodies.
Blood poured down Wraith’s face and neck, matting his hair, streaking his skin. Eidolon wasn’t even sure he was conscious anymore. His body was limp, his head hanging loosely on his neck.
Chainfist swung around to Eidolon. “Give us the female.”
Eidolon swallowed his rage, knowing he needed to play their game if he wanted his brother back. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Azagoth’s whore!” the guy yelled. “Give her to me, or your brother dies.”
Eidolon instinctively looked back into the emergency department. The once unruly crowd was quiet now, all eyes on him.
Including Lilliana’s. Horrified, she stood near the front, sandwiched between Journey and Maddox, her face pale, her hand covering her mouth.
“Now, demon!”
Fuck that. Eidolon might have to play the game, but he’d do it on his time schedule and his terms. He’d dealt with a lot of powerful assholes in his life, and he’d faced worse odds. With casual deliberation, he turned back to the fallen angel.
“You know that’s not going to happen,” he said calmly. “Let’s discuss this. Release my brother, and—”
Wraith screamed, his head thrown back in agony. For a second, Eidolon didn’t know why. Then he watched in disbelief as a glowing sword pierced his chest, thrust slowly forward from behind.
Right through the heart.
“No,” Eidolon croaked. “No!”
Chainfist flung Wraith’s body past Eidolon and through the double doors. “Let this be your first lesson,” he said. “Tell everyone you know. Hell is getting a regime change. Discussion time is over.”
The angels dematerialized, taking the forcefield and leaving devastation, shock, and horror behind.
Tears blurred Eidolon’s vision as he stumbled to Wraith and sank to his knees beside him. Gem was there, and so was Chu-hua and Vladlena, and others…he couldn’t keep track of everyone trying desperately to save Wraith. But it was too late.
That space inside where he could sense all his living siblings, had emptied of Wraith. The gaping hole swallowed Eidolon, taking his hearing, his thoughts, his ability to function.
A roar of agony echoed through the hospital. Shade, he thought dazedly. It was Shade.
Eidolon watched in an almost dreamlike trance as his brother ran into the emergency department, one hand clutching his chest. He skidded to a halt, meeting Eidolon’s gaze with one full of agony.
“Oh, gods,” he rasped. “Oh, gods!” He hit the floor next to Eidolon, his arm glowing as he punched his gift into their brother. “Help me, E! Fucking help me!”
Knowing it was useless but wanting to ease Shade’s pain as much as he could, Eidolon channeled his own Seminus healing waves into Wraith.
But neither of them could repair a heart split in half by an enchanted blade.
“He’s gone,” Eidolon whispered after what seemed like hours. “Fuck me, our brother is gone.”
Shade’s sobs filled the stunned, silent room.
“Eidolon?” Lilliana’s shaken voice pierced Eidolon’s shroud of pain. “I-I don’t mean to interfere, but something strange is going on.” She glanced down at Wraith, her eyes filled with tears. “Griminions haven’t reaped his soul.”
Shade lifted his head in jerky, drunken motions. “What?”
“Griminions sense death the moment it happens,” she said. “They show up almost immediately. They should have been here by now.”
“Maybe they have been,” Maddox offered, his voice low and respectful. “You probably can’t see them. Few can, outside of Sheoul-gra.”
“I can see them,” she insisted. “I think the baby has given me the ability, and I’m telling you, they haven’t come.”
“Maybe he’s not dead.” Journey’s voice was threaded with hope. False hope.
“I’m a doctor,” Eidolon said, his own voice ragged with defeat. “I assure you, my brother is gone.”
“Then his soul is trapped.” Shade dashed away a tear. “He must be in so much pain.”
A soft, gentle hand came down on Eidolon’s shoulder. It was Lilliana.
“We can take him to Azagoth.” She crouched, aided by Journey, and took Eidolon’s and Shade’s hands. “He can release Wraith’s soul. After Maddox and Journey drop me off on Ares’ island, they can take him straight to Azagoth.”
Eidolon didn’t want to make this decision. He didn’t want this to be happening at all. So, he was grateful when Shade nodded.
“We need him back when it’s done,” he rasped.
“Of course.” She gave them both a brief hug. “I’m so sorry.”
With that, Journey helped her up, and she left Eidolon and Shade to say goodbye to Wraith, something Eidolon used to think he’d have to do every single day.
Now that day was here, and he wasn’t ready.
“Uh…sir?” Eidolon focused on Man Bun, who stood nearby, wringing his trembling hands. “I’m sorry. He…was a great…inspiration,” he choked out, and Eidolon nearly bit out a bitter laugh. Wraith would have eaten that shit up. “And, ah…the Harrowgate is working.”
It was time for Lilliana to go. Which meant it was time for Wraith to go.
Eidolon looked down at his brother once more.
No, he wasn’t ready at all.
Chapter 8
Lilliana’s heart was heavy as she stood inside the Harrowgate and punched in the code to Ares’ personal island gate. She hadn’t known Eidolon’s brother, had only met him in passing a couple of times when he’d come to the island during her stay, but Ares and Cara had spoken highly of him—between the jabs. Seeing the devastation in not only Eidolon and Shade but also in the expressions of every Underworld General staffer had been truly heart-rending.