We dont have to care what humans think of us, said Liraz. This is no pageant. Its an ambush. We get in and we get out. Fast. If they try to help him, they become our enemy, too. Her hands were flat on the stone of the table; she was ready to push off and launch herself right this instant. Oh, she was ready for a bloodbath.
This prospective enemy that you appear to be taking lightly, said Karou, has. She wanted to say that they had assault rifles and rocket launchers and military aircraft. Small detail that the languages of Eretz couldnt begin to communicate these things. Weapons of mass destruction, she said instead. That translated just fine.
So do we, replied Liraz. We have fire . Her tone was so cold that Karou stopped short.
What do you mean by that? she asked, her voice pitching high in her anger. She knew all too well what Liraz meant, and it stunned her. She had stood in the ashes of Loramendi. She knew what seraph fire could do. Could this be the same Liraz who had used her heat to warm Zuzana and Mik in their sleep, threatening to use it to burn a world?
Akiva stepped in. It wont come to that. They are not our enemy. Our directive must be to cause as little collateral damage as possible.
If humans become Jaels puppets, they do so in ignorance.
It was cold comfort. As little collateral damage as possible. Karou fought to keep her face blank as her mind rebelled. Literally or not, the human world was dry kindling to a flame like this. Apocalypse , she thought. This was something special even for her résumé of disaster, which had grown pretty fantastical over the past few months. Its a good thing there are only two worlds for me to worry about destroying , she thought. Except that, oh hell, there probably were more. Why not? One world, and you can call it a flukean excellent accident of stardust. But if there were two worlds, what chance that there were only two?
Step right up, worlds , thought Karou, get your disaster here! She cast again around the table, but she was surrounded by warriors in the midst of a war council, and everything that had been decided here could be filed under Of course, idiot. What did you think was going to happen? Still, she tried. She said, There is no acceptable level of collateral damage.
She thought she saw a softening in Akivas eyes, but it was not his voice that answered her. It was Lisseths, just behind her. So worried, she said in a nasty hiss. Are you chimaera, or are you human?
Lisseth. Or, as Karou now liked to think of her: future enjoyer of cud. It took every ounce of her self-restraint not to turn, look the Naja in the face, and say, Moo. Instead she replied in a fact-stating tone, and with only the merest hint of condescension, I am a chimaera in a human body, Lisseth. I thought you understood that by now.
She understands perfectly. Dont you, soldier? This was Thiago, half-turned to look at the Naja with warning in his eyes. She would get a dressing-down later, Karou thought. The Wolf could not have been clearer, before this council, that they were to present a united front, no matter what. It struck her as telling that Lisseth couldnt manage to follow that order.
Yes, sir, Lisseth said, managing a reasonably deferential tone.
And humans aside, Karou continued, what about us? How many of us will die?
As many as necessary, responded Liraz from across the table, and Karou wanted to shake the gorgeous ice queen angel of death.
What if none of it is necessary? she demanded. What if theres another way?
Certainly, said Liraz, sounding bored. Why dont we just go and ask Jael to leave? Im sure if we say please
Thats not what I meant, Karou snapped.
Then what? Do you have another idea?
And, of course, Karou didnt. Her grudging admissionNot yet.was bitter.
If you think of any, Im sure youll let us know.
Oh, the slice of her gaze, that sardonic, dismissive tone. Karou felt the angels hatred like a slap. Did she deserve it? She darted a glance at Akiva, but he wasnt looking at her.
Were through here, announced Thiago. My soldiers need rest and food, and we have resurrections to perform.
We fly at dawn, said Liraz.
No one objected.
And that was it.
Thought Karou as the council broke up: Cue apocalypse.
Or maybe not. Watching Akiva walk out without so much as a glance her way, she still had no idea what spark had leapt in his eyes, but she wasnt going to rely on him or anyone else to stand up for the human world. For her own part, she wasnt giving in to carnage this easily. She still had some time.
Not much, but some. Which should be fine, right? All she had to do was come up with a plan to avert the apocalypse and somehow convince these grim and hardened soldiers to adopt it. In approximately twelve hours. While deep in a trance, performing as many resurrections as she could.
No big deal.
ARRIVAL + 24 HOURS
25
YOU, PLURAL
From the council, Akiva retreated to the room he had claimed for himself and closed the door.
Liraz paused outside it and listened. She raised her hand to knock, but let it fall back to her side. For almost a minute she stood there, her expression flickering between longing and anger. Longing for a time when she had stood between her brothers. Anger for their absence, and for her need.