Splendor and Darkness (Rebel Angels) (6 page)

“William returned to England for the birth of his second child. Were you blessed with a daughter as he hoped?”

Judith nodded. “Anna is now five.”

“Which makes young Will…seven?”

“He recently reached his eighth year. He’s becoming quite a handful.”

As if to prove her point, Anna burst into the hall shrieking hysterically. Close behind her ran Will, a gray-green frog clutched in each hand. Anna dived beneath the table and crawled onto her mother’s lap. The little girl’s cries subsided as she pressed her face against Judith’s throat.

“Please excuse me for a moment.” With Anna wrapped around her torso, Judith pushed to her feet.

Nate chuckled. He knew that tone well. Judith took her son by the arm and propelled him across the hall.

“I was only
funnin
’,” Will
protested
.

“Where is Tess?” Judith demanded.

“She…fell in the stream.” The mischief in Will’s expression hinted at foul play.

“The boy is rather high-spirited. Even with a nursemaid Judith has her hands…” Nate’s sentence trailed away as he turned back to his guests.

Lailah pushed back her chair, her movements oddly stilted. She lifted her veil and Nate’s world fell off its axis. Her lovely—hauntingly familiar—face reflected confusion and wonder.

The Angel of Death stood at his table, her silvery hair encircling her head in a braided cornet. Her eyes, colorless yet sparkling like ice crystals, dominated features too beautiful to be human.

“What is it?” Daniel took her hand, but her gaze stared across the hall.

“I can see her, Daniel. I can see that little girl.”

The color drained from Nate’s face and Lailah turned sharply to the side, tripping over her chair. Daniel caught her about the waist, amazed at the heat radiating from her back.

“Calm yourself,” he whispered into her ear. Rubbing his hand down her spine, he extinguished the light emanating there. If she unfurled her wings, their masquerade would end before it began.

“May I speak with your cousin for a moment?”

Daniel wasn’t fooled by Nate’s casual tone. In one fell swoop, Lailah had abolished their well-ordered plan. They were supposed to spend the first day in conversation, earning the trust of their human host. Then during the second or third day she was to reveal her face to Nate as if by accident.

“Lailah is clearly overwrought.” Daniel swept her into his arms. “She needs rest. Where may I take her?”

“I am
not
overwrought. I—”

“Hush.” He squeezed her meaningfully. “It’s been a long, tiring day.”

After a tense pause, Nate stood as well. “I’ll show you to your rooms.”

Thankfully, Lailah fell silent.

Having heard the outburst, Judith halted her retreat, but her body now shielded her children. They stood on the far side of the hall near a set of wide stone steps. Judith followed their progress with her gaze. Daniel flashed his most charming smile, hoping to ease the tension. Her expression remained wary, her gaze narrowed on the woman in his arms.

Nate led them to another part of the castle and up a different flight of stairs. He pushed open a door on the right halfway down the corridor. Daniel stepped past him and into the bedchamber.

“Your room is the next one down the passageway.”

“Thank you.” Daniel set Lailah on the bed and waited for Nate to leave.

“What else can I do to make her comfortable? She still appears distraught.”

“I appreciate your concern, but she’ll be fine.”

Nate
hesitated
a moment longer then departed, leaving the door ajar. Daniel shut the door and turned back to the bed. Lailah stood beside it, her expression composed, her crystalline gaze aimed in his direction.

“I could see her, Daniel. Even as she peeked out from behind her mother’s skirts, I could see that little girl.”

“Your wings nearly unfurled. Heaven’s Light must have—”

“After a hundred years in this darkness, do you think I don’t know the difference? Were my eyes glowing?”

He crossed the room, lowering his voice. “Your back was on fire. Just lie down for—”

“I don’t need to lie down! I need to talk to Anna. There is something different—something special—about that child.”

“You frightened her.” He gathered her hands between his. “You frightened everyone. Judith is not going to let you near her daughter until you calm down.”

Snatching her hands from his, she brushed a stray wisp of hair off her forehead. “I am calm.”

“No, you’re not.”

“She was a lovely child with long auburn hair and wide green eyes. I couldn’t see what upset her, but there were tears on her face.”

Folding his arms over his chest, Daniel studied Lailah’s features. “I have no doubt you saw her. You are only blind in human form. Didn’t Gabriel try to teach you to channel your angelic sight into your human eyes?”

“Yes, but I was unable to master the skill.”

“Until now.”

Lailah shook her head, but she ceased her arguing. “I’ll
see
you in the morning.”

He smiled. That was more like the Lailah he knew and loved. “Shall I fetch you a tray? We were interrupted before food was served.”

“I’m not hungry. I have much on which to meditate.”

He hesitated at the door. “Promise me you’ll stay in this room.”

“Contrary to what you believe, it is only the little girl I’m able to see. I have no intention of wandering about a strange castle alone.”

Daniel wasn’t convinced, but his only option was to spend the night on the floor outside her door and that would only safeguard her so long as she remained in human form.

“Go.” She climbed onto the bed. “Our mission can wait until morning.”

He chuckled as he left the room. She’d put specific emphasis on the word
mission
. They were here to assess all the Monthamn occupants. Was it possible angelic powers were germinating in one so young? Wouldn’t
Gadrayel
have sensed Anna’s potential? His strength was second only to Prince Sariel’s.

What if the child’s powers weren’t angelic? He jolted to a stop, his hand on the latch to his door. A powerful
Fallen
angel had contributed to Monthamn physiology. Releasing a ragged sigh, he slipped inside his room.

“Who are you? Why are you
really
here?”

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim interior of the bedchamber. Wooden shutters blocked out what remained of the sunlight. Judith stood near the shuttered window, her hands balled into fists.

“You know who I am and why I’ve come.” He tried to sound casual.

“I know the lies you told Nathaniel.”

Ambling across the room, he allowed a hint of insolence to show. Her warm brown eyes widened. He lowered his gaze to her kissable lips. She was a beautiful woman, lush with passion’s promise. He’d been teasing Alyssa when he’d mentioned seduction, but kissing Judith into submission suddenly seemed like a viable plan.

If nothing else, it would send her scurrying for the door.

“Why are you in my bedchamber? What do
you
really want?” He waited for a gasp that never came.

“If I wanted your body, I’d be naked in your bed.” She sauntered toward him, her hips swaying provocatively. “You can’t intimidate me. I’m not frightened by passion.”

He caught her wrist and drew her nearer. “You’re a woman in the prime of her life who has been without her husband for over a year.”

She rose to the balls of her feet, brushing her breasts against his chest. “There are many virile men at Monthamn Castle.” Her warm breath teased his lips then she shoved him backward.

Daniel collided with the edge of the mattress, buckling his knees. He sat on the bed, grinning as she scrambled out of reach.

“Now tell me why your blind cousin can see my daughter?”

Desire surged through Daniel. He loved spirited women and this one had ferocity to spare. “Lailah was not born blind. Sometimes her mind plays tricks on her.”

“What was the one thing that most frightened my husband?”

Daniel shuffled through the memories Sariel had implanted within his brain. “William never spoke of any significant fear. He was commanding and brave. It’s unwise to reveal any weakness in the face of battle.”

She crossed her arms under her breasts and shook her head. “No one who knew William would refer to him as commanding. He was a mouse.”

He didn’t argue. She would believe what she wanted to. “Have you always been attracted to mice?”

She marched toward the door. “I intend to speak with Nate. Be prepared to leave with the dawn.”

* * * * *

“We must get inside that castle. There is no other way.”
Makatiel
paced the breadth of his dismal chamber, revealing his agitation with each angry stride.

“Getting inside is not the problem.” Enos sat on the edge of a filthy chair, legs crossed at the ankle, doing his best not to touch anything. “
Gadrayel’s
men won’t let us near any of the Monthamn descendants.”

Makatiel
paused, his head turning sharply toward Enos. “You’ve been inside the castle?”

“I’ve explored every musty corridor. It’s only when I ventured too near one of
Gadrayel’s
pets
that his men objected.”

“I thought the Order of Grigori were all but extinct? Where did
Gadrayel
get these Guardians?”

“I would imagine he is being assisted by another angelic order.” He tried not to sound condescending, but his patience with the master demon was just about exhausted. The only true disadvantage of being an outcast from the Netherworld was his lack of resources.
Makatiel
could provide him with certain things Enos was unable to obtain on his own.

Makatiel
stomped to Enos and glared down at him, arms folded across his chest. “I suppose you have a plan.”

“Don’t I always?”

“Let me guess. It involves a sexual ritual and my giving you something I’m not eager to part with.”

“You know me so well.”

Makatiel
turned back to his pacing, missing Enos’ smug smile. “Speak.”

“I’ve been dallying with an adorable little nursemaid named Tess.”

“What use is a nursemaid to us?”

Enos closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Satan
save
me from imbeciles.
“Tess lives in the village beyond the river, but her responsibilities take her daily to Monthamn Castle.”

“You can really fornicate with humans and they have no idea what you are?”

Pleased by the tinge of awe in
Makatiel’s
tone, Enos smiled. “The Grigori were created specifically to interact with humans. If I suppress my demonic power, I’m able to move among them with none the wiser.”

“You are the ideal spy. Why were you not recruited in such a capacity?”

Enos laughed. “It’s not for lack of trying. I prefer to remain independent.”

“Back to the nursemaid.
Has she absorbed enough of your essence to allow you to control her?”

“To some extent.
She’s wonderfully susceptible to suggestions, but she will not harm the children. I’ve been unable to overcome her basic nature.”

“This woman cares for the Monthamn whelps?”
Makatiel
sounded incredulous.

Enos sagged back in the chair, torn between laughter and fury. How had
Makatiel
ever achieved the level of master? It boggled the mind. “Aye, she is nursemaid to Anna and young William.”

“Then possess the chit and have done with it. What is the problem here?”

“My demonic energy is too strong. The Guardians would sense my intent and intervene. I can hide my nature from humans, but angels are another matter.” He paused for effect. “Now if a fledgling were to possess the nursemaid, their demonic energy would be so insignificant, Tess could slip right past the angels.”

“No fledgling is strong enough to possess a human.”

Enos licked his lips, anticipation tingling through him. “There is a way.”

“I’m listening.”

“If I absorb the fledgling’s essence into myself, I can…implant her within Tess the next time I’m inside the human.”

Makatiel
scowled. “You’re talking about
Byleth
. You’ve had your eye on her ever since she was assigned to me.”