Page 150 of A House of Gold
"You want to create bonds," Dorian says slowly. "Like the one she has with Croesus."
"Exactly." Seraph moves to the table with the hovering map, studies it. "Croesus has already bound himself to her. He can lend her his power through their connection. What if we all did the same?"
She'd be channeling seven deadly sins at once.Idris points out, their mental voice uncertain.That much power could kill her.
"So could an archangel," Lysander counters. "At least this way she has a fighting chance."
I find my voice finally. "What are you talking about? What bonds?"
Croesus turns to me, and through our binding I feel his conflict, hope warring with horror. "The connection between us. The one that lets us feel each other's emotions, lets me lend you power when you need it. We could create similar bonds with the others."
"All of them?"
"All of them."
I look around at the seven angels. "And then what? I'd feel all of you? All the time?"
"Yes," Seraph says. "And you could draw on our power. Pull our sins through the bonds and use them as weapons. Gold from Croesus. Fire from Kael. My perfection. Their various gifts." He waves dismissively at the others.
"She'd be our weapon," Kael says, warming to the idea. "We'd be the ammunition. Technically she's the one fighting, not us. The treaty wouldn't apply."
"It's a loophole," Dorian agrees. "Barely legal, but legal."
Assuming Heaven accepts that technicality,Idris adds.They might consider channeling our power the same as us fighting directly.
"Then we make sure they can't prove it," Seraph says coldly. "The bonds would be internal, spiritual. There's no physical evidence. As far as Heaven knows, she's just a sin eater who got very lucky."
I'm trying to process this. Trying to understand what they're suggesting. As far as I’m concerned, Heaven can fuck offabout not accepting the loophole. They came after me and my grandma. Tried to erase me from existence. Legally, the angels are just protecting their contracts, in other words me, right? I dismiss that worry to focus on the bigger one right now, the bonds.
"You want to create bonds, like the one I have with Croesus, with all seven of you," I say slowly. "So I can pull on your power during a fight."
"Yes," Seraph confirms.
"And this would be...temporary? Just for the battle?"
The angels exchange glances.
"That's the intention," Dorian says carefully.
"But bonds with fallen angels are unpredictable," Lysander adds. His purple eyes find mine, and for once there's no seduction in his gaze. Just honesty. "We'd create them with the intention of them being temporary. A tool for one battle. But once created...they may not break easily."
"Define 'not easily,'" I say.
More uncomfortable silence.
"Days," Croesus says finally. "Maybe weeks. Possibly longer."
"How much longer?"
No one answers.
"You don't know," I realize. "You have no idea if these bonds can even be broken once created."
"No," Seraph admits. "Bonds between angels and humans are rare. Bonds between a single human and seven angels simultaneously? Unprecedented. The magic involved is...complex."
You'd feel us, Idris says quietly.Our emotions, our presence. Constantly. And we'd feel you. And through you, we'd feel each other.
"We'd be connected," Dorian elaborates. "Like a constellation. Seven stars orbiting a shared center."
