20
THE JOURNEY TO BELGIUM WAS A LONG AND TIRING one, but as soon as our plane pulled into the terminal in Brussels, I felt a new life and new determination in me. I’d gotten a few hours of sleep during the flight, so I was rested enough to meet the rest of our team right away. Ava and Marcus traveled together and Cadan had to wait until nightfall to fly. We rented a small car and headed to the café where we’d planned to rendezvous before making our first move to locate the Pentalpha. The café was busy and had enough ambient sound that we wouldn’t be overheard by anyone without superfreak reaper hearing abilities. Not to mention, my coffee was incredible.
Ava splayed a map over the table between us. She took a pen and circled a district in Brussels and the town of Liege, about an hour’s drive away. “I know of two relic guardians in Belgium,” Ava said. “Neither of them protects the Pentalpha, but they may be able to give us leads about the identity or location of the guardian who does. Maeghan is local, Berengar is in Liege.”
“Shotgun Liege,” I said quickly.
The reapers all stared at me like I’d grown a third eye.
“What?” I asked, not the least bit embarrassed. “Their waffles are world famous. I’m going to Liege if only for their powerful relics and awesome waffles.”
“I like waffles,” Cadan said.
I beamed at him. “All right. You’ll be on Team Waffles with Will and me.”
Will just shrugged. He accepted me for who I was and he didn’t seem to mind being on Team Waffles.
Marcus gave Ava a pathetic look. “Why can’t our team have a cool name?”
She glared at him before clearing her throat. “Moving on, I can’t give you an exact location on Berengar. You’ll have to search him out yourselves, and it won’t be easy. The relic guardians like to stay hidden.”
“Got it,” I said. “If I get close enough to the relic itself, I’ll be able to sense it.”
“It shouldn’t take long to locate Berengar,” Will said with confidence. “I believe we will have the Pentalpha by nightfall.”
Marcus stood from his chair. “Ava and I will head out, then. The sooner we find this thing, the sooner this will all be over.”
“Let’s rock and roll, boys,” I said to Will and Cadan.
We gathered our belongings and headed out, but I caught Ava’s arm and she turned back to me.
“Something wrong?” she asked.
“You know so much about the guardians,” I said to her. “How come you’ve never become one?”
“I don’t like hiding,” she replied. “I’ve spent too much time by myself in the dark. Being out in the field on the front lines is more like it.”
I smiled at her. “Yeah, it is.”
“Be careful out there.”
“You too,” I said. “We’ll be in contact as soon as we find Berengar. one giant, delicious waffle says we find the Pentalpha first.”
She returned my smile. “You have a deal.”
“I spy with my reaper eye…,” Cadan grumbled, “something spotted.”
I glanced over my shoulder at him from the front seat. “You’re cheating. And it’s probably a cow that’s too far away for my human eyes to see. Pick something close to the road.”
“Fine. I spy something green.”
“Grass, trees, clouds, and sky don’t count. You are terrible at this game.”
He huffed. “It’s a stupid game.”
“Pick something or I’m making Will play.”
Will gave him a reproachful look in the rearview mirror. “Please pick something.”
Cadan sighed and scanned the landscape. “I spy something brown.”
I stared out the window, unable to see much more than green hills and blue sky. “The fence?” I asked, pointing at it.
“You win,” he announced dismally. “I concede defeat. You are far too powerful for one so feeble as I.”
“Don’t give up so easily. I’m bored.”
“Count the fence posts.”
“How about I count your face?” I grumbled.
“Ooh, burn.”
I turned to glare at him over my shoulder, but as soon as I saw him, I burst out laughing. He shook his head and laughed with me—or at me. Could’ve been either.
Will pulled off A602 and headed toward the center of Liege proper. We didn’t really have a plan once we got into the city, and this felt just as unorganized as our trip to Arizona. I suggested we park the car and grab something to eat while we wandered, waiting to sense something. Navigating the seemingly randomly plotted streets of Liege was difficult, but the incredible architecture and magnificent art made for a fun adventure. Night began to fall and we found a small restaurant that I made sure served waffles. I scarfed down two of them piled with chocolate syrup and whipped cream and was feeling pretty sick to my stomach by the time we left. I didn’t really care that I ate more than the reapers, though I had the feeling that Will regretted not ordering a second.
We left the restaurant and traveled the stony streets well into the night, listening to the vibrant mix of French and Flemish conversations and music. When I picked up the sense of unsuppressed reaper energy nearby, I moved into the Grim with Will and Cadan on my heels. We hadn’t spotted the reaper yet, but Will took my shoulder to slow me down.
“Be careful,” he warned. “If we can sense him, then he can probably sense us. We aren’t hiding our power and he might be alarmed by Cadan’s demonic energy.”
It was easy for me to forget that Cadan wasn’t angelic. We had to be cautious when approaching other reapers—especially reapers who knew Cadan by sight. Though Will’s paternal side might have been unknown to anyone but us, many reapers were aware that Cadan was Bastian’s son.
“Let me go alone,” Will offered. “The reaper won’t feel so threatened.”
“No,” I said. “It’s my responsibility. Stay with Cadan.”
“Ell,” Cadan said in a low voice.
I turned to him and froze when I saw a reaper standing not a dozen feet from us, the very one we’d followed. The reaper was tall, drenched in black that made him melt into the shadows. I wondered if he’d been within sight the entire time we’d sensed him, but was still able to elude us. He stepped forward, his boots clicking on the cobblestone, and I could see that beneath shaggy black hair was a hard face with strong features and a thick beard. His brown eyes enflamed to red as his power churned around him, flashing shadows and smoke.
“We’re not here to fight,” I called to him.
His head tilted in a curious gesture and he kept walking toward us. Will held out his arm to call his sword, but I put a hand to his chest. The reaper gave Cadan a vicious glare, baring his teeth and hissing like an animal. Instead of drawing a weapon and attacking right away, he circled our group, studying us.
“Do you speak English?” I asked carefully, certain not to show any fear.
“Yes,” he replied in a thick, gruff accent that I didn’t recognize but could guess it was very, very old.
“Are you the relic guardian called Berengar?”
After a few seconds, he gave me a single nod.
“I’m the Preliator,” I told him. “I’m looking for a relic known as the Pentalpha, the Ring of Solomon.”
His eyes lingered on Will’s tattoos. “I know who you are. And I know who he is. Your last Guardian was not so tall.”
I was taken back with surprise. “We’ve met?”
“A long time ago. I’ve sensed your presence since your arrival in this city. I never expected to see you again, and especially not in the company of Hellspawn.”
“He’s my friend,” I said firmly. “His presence will not be challenged. Berengar, I ask that you surrender your relic to me.”
He made a brusque sound in reply. “I won’t be able to help you.”
“Do you have the Pentalpha?” Will asked.
Berengar shook his head. “No. I possess Raziel’s book. It contains all of the secrets of God.”
I cl
osed my eyes and exhaled as the disappointment of yet another dead end pulled me beneath a crushing wave. I knew we still had a chance to find the relic, but our goal seemed to drift further and further away each day.
“Don’t worry,” Will said softly. “It’s out there somewhere.”
“Do you know of the Pentalpha?” Cadan asked Berengar.
The relic guardian turned his gaze to Cadan. “I do not speak to the demonic.”
Anger rushed through me. “Then speak to me,” I growled.
“Yes,” Berengar said. “I hear few rumors about it and its guardian. The Pentalpha never stays in one location very long, a few years at most. I spoke to an angelic reaper some time ago who told me that she knew the Pentalpha guardian and believed that it had been moved to Belgium. Whether it is still here, I do not know.”
“Did the reaper happen to mention where in Belgium?”
“No,” Berengar replied. “But you can ask her. Evolet lives across the river in Bressoux. If it please you, I will ask her to come to Liege.”
“Thank you,” I said, though it would take more than this to make me like him. The way he scowled at Cadan even when he spoke to me made me mad, but I had to remind myself that Berengar didn’t know Cadan.
Berengar arranged for us to meet this Evolet at a small café a couple blocks away. We found a table on the patio outside and it wasn’t long before two reapers approached us and sat down. The girl I assumed was Evolet had blond hair pulled into a braid over her shoulder and blue eyes like burning stars. Her companion was a male reaper with curly dark hair and his expression wasn’t very friendly. The girl studied my face intently and Will stiffened beside me. I put a hand on his arm to let him know he could relax, but whatever made him feel defensive affected me too.
“Are you really the Preliator?” the girl asked in a light French accent.
“Yeah,” I said. “You’re Evolet, right?”
She nodded. “I’m sorry for my imposing backup. Calix doesn’t like to be out around so many humans. Neither do I, for that matter, but what Berengar had to say interested me. I don’t trust him often, hence Calix’s presence.”
“That’s shocking,” I mumbled, dripping with sarcasm. “Berengar was so pleasant.”
When her gaze rested on Cadan, a curious smile spread across her rosy pink lips. “How interesting. Cadan, son of Bastian. You’re really rolling in the trash these days, aren’t you, Preliator?”
“Hey!” I snapped.
“You’d better watch your words,” Will said in a cold, dark tone. “He’s not the only son of Bastian.”
Evolet looked at Will now. “Even more interesting.”
“Now that we’ve established your bigotry,” Cadan grumbled, “can you help us?”
“I don’t think anyone can help you,” she replied.
Will shot up from the table, one hand tight in a fist, the other ready to draw his sword. Cadan stared at him with an expression of uncertainty.
“Relax,” Evolet said with ease, sinking deeper into her chair. “It wasn’t a threat.”
“I don’t understand,” I said in disbelief. “You can’t tell me that you’ve already given up.”
Her blue fire eyes fixed on mine. “We’re preparing for war against an enemy beyond any of us. Sammael will turn this world to ashes.”
I stared harder into her eyes. “I will not let that happen.”
She huffed, amused. “The Pentalpha is real.”
“I know it is,” I said, my patience waning. “I made it.”
She was quiet for several moments and then she lifted one hand. Energy sparked from her fingertips and the black wisps of power danced in her palm. “There are two people on this Earth who know where the Ring of Solomon is hidden. I am one of them.”
“I am the archangel Gabriel and you will tell me what you know,” I ordered.
Cadan stood to join Will, and Calix crossed his arms over his chest, puffing himself out. The intimidation game wasn’t going to get us anywhere. I needed Evolet to cooperate.
Suddenly Evolet smiled and relinquished her power. “I like you,” she said. “You’ve got spunk.”
“My life is complete. Really.”
“You’ll want to go to Aalst,” Evolet said at last. “West of Brussels. The relic guardian is there.”
I breathed a sigh of relief and mentally crossed my fingers in the hope that we wouldn’t hit yet another dead end with this lead. “It looks like we’re backtracking,” I said to the boys.
“You’re welcome to collect and attempt to use the Pentalpha,” Evolet continued. “I wish you the best of luck. If you were wise, you’d find a quiet place to lie low like the rest of us.”
I stared at her in disgust. “Are you serious? You coward. I will not hide in a hole and let the world fall to pieces because I’m too afraid to fight. How can you live with yourself?”
She smirked and her eyes flashed. “I live.”
“You are the sorriest excuse for an angelic reaper I have ever seen,” I snarled at her. “You have a duty to protect Earth and Heaven.”
Anger twisted her face and she leaned across the table. “The things I know make me a top target for the demonic. Do you have any idea what they’d do to me if I were caught?”
I scoffed. “And you think I’m not a target? That your worst nightmare has never happened to me more times than anyone can count? I’ve been caught. I’ve been torn apart. I’m still a target. And I’m still fighting, unlike you.”
Evolet fell quiet, watching me coolly. “I do like you. And I hope whatever you’re trying to do works out. For all our sakes.”
I stood from my chair, sliding it back and letting it screech across the floor. “I wish I could say it was nice meeting you. We’ve got a mission to carry out. Thanks for the tip.”
Will and Cadan followed me out of the café and into the streets. As we headed back toward where we’d parked the car, I slowed my pace to match Cadan’s. His gaze was fixed on the ground as we walked and I hooked an arm around his.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
He looked at me finally, his opal eyes quiet and distant. “Of course. I’ve been treated a lot worse, believe me.”
“I do,” I said. “But you’re not trash. No matter what anyone says. No one can help where they come from, and where you come from doesn’t make you who you are.”
“Not entirely true,” he replied, flashing me a sideways grin. “You’re from Heaven, after all. Need I say more?”
I rolled my eyes and shoved his shoulder. “I’m serious! I know it must be hard for you, being around so many angelic reapers who only see what you are instead of who you are.”
His smile faded and he lifted his head, gazing onward. “Not everyone will give me the chance you have, and even then with you it took time. It isn’t fair for me to hold anything against those who haven’t had the time to understand me. Besides, I’m not out to redeem myself to them. I want to redeem myself to me. And to you. That’s all that matters.”
I took a firmer grip on his arm and stopped us both in the street. He looked down at me, his jewel eyes brightening, glowing in the darkness.
“You have,” I told him, feeling a little heartsick at his words. “To me, at least. You have to let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”
His grin came right back and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, pulled me close, and kissed the top of my head, very big-brother-like. “You just worry about saving the world, okay? I don’t need saving nearly half as bad.”
We started walking again to catch up with Will, who had stopped a little ways ahead. He watched us, his expression difficult to read. There was no anger or jealousy on his face, only a visible effort to understand. Just as Cadan had said, it would take time for others to accept that he had turned his back on the demonic. It was especially hard for Will, given their past, and though it would take more time for him to be as comfortable with Cadan as I was, I believed with all my heart that he would arrive ther
e one day.
21
“WE’RE HEADED TO AALST,” I TOLD AVA OVER THE phone once we were back on the road.
“Any specific location?” Ava asked. “Address, intersection, landmark?”
“None that we know of,” I replied, with a glance over at Will in the driver’s seat.
Silence, and then, “What’s the plan?”
“You and Marcus go on ahead of us,” I instructed. “We’re an hour behind you.”
“See you soon.” She hung up.
When we arrived in Aalst, I found the town to be sublimely quaint in its sleepy quietness. Will parked on the side of a steep, sloping street and we walked down a street of brick too narrow for even a car lane, with picturesque buildings painted various shades of cream and pastels lining the passage on either side of us, until we found an open pub. Since we knew nothing about the relic guardian supposedly located somewhere near the village, I hoped that perhaps he had made an appearance at some point to one of the locals.
A few burly men with their mugs of beer were scattered at booths and tables inside the pub. It seemed like the tourist crowd had cleared by this late hour and the only patrons left were those seeking relaxation and a pint after work. I longed for an end to the day myself, but we’d already decided to find a hotel to stay the night only after we had finished investigating the village. The men in the pub gave us disgruntled but curious looks as we sat on empty stools at the bar.
The balding man tending to the bar asked us in Flemish if we wanted anything. I flashed my sweetest, apologetic smile at him. “Americans,” I said, and gestured to myself, Will, and Cadan.
The bartender nodded, understanding. “American,” he echoed in a thick accent. “Need a drink?”
“Yes, please,” I said. “Do you have tea?”
He laughed and shook his head. “No. No tea. Are you three students?”
“Journalism,” I replied, thinking quickly. “We’re writing a story on local legends. Stories of flying creatures and things like that.”
His hands fumbled around a glass and it slipped from his grip to clatter on the floor. I exchanged looks with Will and Cadan before watching the bartender curiously.