Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 130619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 130619 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 653(@200wpm)___ 522(@250wpm)___ 435(@300wpm)
“And we’re getting rid of that damn serpent anyway. That’s why we’re going to the Diviner. That’s why we’re going to the Judgement Tree.”
“When?”
“As soon as we hear from Zeke.”
Which will not be soon enough for me, I think, and I bet it’s secretly the same for Micah.
The Sacred Book of Nephilim
Wings are not just for angels.
Chapter fifty-one
At dawn, two days later, we leave for Italy, where the Diviner of Amherst resides, with Zeke along to play bodyguard. We’re all on edge with a mutual agreement that Jeremy is an Archdemon, a detail Micah had already surmised as fact from his research. He’d kept it to himself out of caution, not wanting to scare the rest of us. Apparently, Archdemons are just what the title implies, the equal and opposite of the most powerful of angels, the Archangel.
The idea that I have a link to both him and Micah is terrifying, but I can only hope that being the Aza means I have the power to defeat him.
Travel doesn’t turn out to be as fast as a wish and a little magic. We can only rift so far without needing to recharge, I discover, and once we arrive in Italy, we cannot rift to the island of Capri, where we will find the Diviner. There’s spellcasting in place to prevent entry by way of magic. We arrive in Naples, and the stunning beauty is breathtaking. I’d always wanted to travel when I was a young girl, but my “parents,” or kidnappers at this point, sheltered me from the outer world. They traveled extensively but never took me with them, but I’m here now with Micah. And the city is everything I dreamed, filled with ancient history, amazing food, mountains, and an ocean that rivals that of Elysium, with blues and greens and glistening water. But we are not here to sightsee, and apparently, we’re not welcome in Lucius’ territory anyway.
Once we’re on the ferry, I ask about that history. “Lucius is an arrogant ass who made me golf with him while he made his decision on your entry,” Zeke mutters. “I hate golf, and he knows it.”
“Is golf a thing in Naples?”
“Apparently it is,” he grumbles.
I laugh and lean on the railing, the air chilly, but nothing compared to that of Maine’s bitter cold. Apparently, Naples is quite mild in the winter months. “I thought you were going to say he made you fight for our free ticket.”
“I’d have enjoyed that,” Zeke says. “He would not have.”
I bite back more laughter as Zeke really is quite foul over the golfing he’s endured, and I glance at Micah. “What’s between you and Lucius?”
“We were in the Fray together. He wanted to outperform me because my father was a dick to his father, who served under him.”
“And how did it end up?”
“We tied, the only tie in history. Shortly after, my father demoted his father. He believed it was because of me.”
“Was it?”
“My father was a brutal bastard. So probably, but I had nothing to do with it.”
“He hates you.”
“Yes.” The horn blows for our approach to shore, and he pushes off the railing. “Let’s hope that doesn’t become a problem today.”
I allow him to guide me toward the exit, with Zeke on my opposite side, and I can feel the tension in the two of them. They think Lucius is going to be a problem.
The Diviner is in a remote area of the island, and thankfully, we’re able to rift to a border outside the Amherst River. It’s then that we have to request entry at a gateway, which is empty space between two of the most enormous towering trees I’ve ever seen. The trunks are at least fifty feet wide, the bark a dark, shiny brown, a glint of magic sparkling within the depths.
Micah captures my hand, and the three of us step to the center of the trunks, just outside the gap between them. “Ameera, it’s Micah. I need to see you.”
“She’s only taking requests from me.”
I whirl around to find a tall, good-looking man with dark hair, olive skin, and crystal blue eyes. He’s dressed in simple jeans and a T-shirt, but he drips with arrogance. “Lucius,” Micah greets. “I need to see her. Now.”
He smirks. “You demand as if you’re royalty. Around here, that’s me.”
“Don’t do this right now,” Micah bites out. “Not now.”
“Tell me why you need to see her.” His eyes shift to me. “And who might you be, beautiful lady?”
I can feel the spark of anger in Micah, but I untangle our hands and step forward. “I need a binding spell. That’s why we’re here.”
“What kind of binding spell?”
Micah reaches through our mental link and issues a fast warning. Do not tell him who you are. You’re being stalked by a demon. The end.
Understood, I reply through our connection, and then to Lucius, “I have powers a powerful demon wishes for his own. We do not want him to possess those powers.”