Page 3 of Into the Abyss
So it’s something that only took out ourcamp.
A sinking sensation filled my gut when Irealized this was a personalized attack against the palitons whofollowed and were closest to my king, Kobal. However, if thecraetons who followed the fallen angel Astaroth did this, then whywas anyone here still alive?
What better time to slaughter them all thanwhen they were so defenseless?
That question brought me back to whathappened here andwhy?
Carefully examining those who slumbered tosee if anyone else was dead, my gaze fell on Bale. Her red hair wassplayed around her as she lay on her side. To say we grated on eachother’s nerves was an understatement, but as much as the two of uswould gladly chop off each other’s body parts, seeing hervulnerable like this made my blood boil.
I didn’t know who’d done this, but I’d makethem pay for attacking us in such a cowardly way.
Corson jerked his arm away from me, andstalking forward, he made his way through the group of Wilders anddemons. I didn’t try to draw him back. He had to know what happenedto Wren, and trying to keep him restrained would only result in anunnecessary fight between us.
Bending, I lowered the woman’s bodycarefully to the ground. I lightly slapped her pale cheeks andshook her, all things I’d already tried, but they had the sameeffect they as before, nothing. If it weren’t for the rise and fallof her chest, I’d believe her dead. I checked her pulse and foundher heartbeat slow but steady.
What kind of demon or fallen angel power wasthis? How long had they been like this? And would the length oftime they were unconscious matter on how easy it would be to wakethem again?
I didn’t know the answers to any of thosequestions, but whatever this was, it was unlike anything I’d everseen before.
I inspected the woman more closely for anysign of an answer, but it was impossible to tell if she’d beenunconscious for hours or minutes. This could have occurred shortlyafter we left camp at daybreak, or it could have happened minutesbefore our return when the sun started sinking toward the horizon.I saw no marks on the woman, but I didn’t remove her clothes.
I turned the woman onto her side and thencarefully onto her front before rolling her over again. She neverso much as twitched while I examined her. I was born in Hell,fought beside Kobal and against Lucifer, but her utter stillnesswas one of the creepiest things I’d ever encountered.
What the fuck is going on here? And what ifit’s impossible to wake them again?
Nothing scared me, but the idea of losingmost of our camp in this one, strange, fell swoop made my skincrawl. Not only would we lose them, but also Corson as he’d neversurvive the loss of Wren if she were involved in this too.
A rustle of wings alerted me to Raphael’sdescent before the angel landed noiselessly beside me. His whitewings rippled outward, and he shook the golden angel dust fromthem. The movement revealed the sun symbol pattern of gold featherson his inner right wing.
Curiosity once compelled me to ask him aboutthose feathers and if they were on all the angels. He’d simplyreplied, “I am unique among my kind,” in his flat, emotionless tonebefore walking away.
His response only piqued my curiosity andannoyance, but I hadn’t bothered to ask him again. I didn’t want toend up fighting with a celestial being who could draw on life andfire it into my ass. My ass was far too nice to be blown off.
Raphael’s violet eyes surveyed the bodieswith an air of detachment. When he rested his hand on the handle ofthe broadsword at his side, he covered the blue jewel set into it.His white-blond hair hung to the shoulders of the brown shirt he’dmodified to fit his wings. Over top of the shirt, he wore a silverplate of chest armor.
“Did you see anything nearby?” I askedhim.
“There are more bodies in the woods.”
“Bodies like these?”
“Yes. They are all sleeping, and they areall our followers.”
They’re allKobal’sfollowers,but I decided now was not the time to argue semantics with him. Wehad far more important things to handle.
“Did you see anyone or anything elsenearby?” I asked.
“If I had, I would have stopped them orbrought them back,” he replied.
“Can you heal those who are affected?” Iinquired.
“I shouldn’t.”
My temper started fraying, but fighting withthis golden prick would only waste valuable time. That didn’t meanI didn’t want to choke him like a goddamn chicken.
“I understand that.” I smiled at him,refusing to let him know he’d annoyed me. “But is it even possiblefor you to heal them?”
If it were, one way or another, I’dmakehim work his ability to heal them.
