Page 133 of The Gathering
He sat in the chair next to the bed and carefully took Seer’s hand in his. He wrapped his fingers around it, using every ounce of his upgrades to absorb all the details he never really considered. Warmth, weight, texture. He moved his thumb over his roughened knuckles, letting his mind sink into everything they’d shared, diving into his memories and collecting each one then searching every second and facet for the things he’d missed. Missed because he was too busy thinking of himself. And Seer… he wasalwaysthinking of him.
“…I never told you this, son, but when you was in that dark spell, the Lord woke me up one night. Told me to pray foryou… not light prayers, either. He had me on my face…. He still does that to this day... I’m hoping you can figure out why.”
“Make sure I don’t fuck up too badly?”
Bishop brought his forehead to Seer’s hand, still seeing the smile that had split his face. “Not quite. Because he likes you.”
The words burned just like they had the first time Seer said them. He only knew God’s love through Seer. He never felt it other than what passed through his brother. And that was almost too much to fucking bear, given his love affair with rage and bitterness. All aimed at the One who used Bishop’s favorite human to love him through.
Bishop moved his face along Seer’s hand. “You have tolive,” he strained, pressing his lips on his hand. “I just… want you here, that’s all,” he gasped. “Breathing the same air as me.”
Bishop’s phone buzzed and he pulled it from his pocket.
Fucking Creole Kings. Calling another meeting.
He scrolled through the texts and his heart dropped. A text from Seer.
Pray for me, Brother. Fiery trials are coming my way.
Air rushed out of him as he looked at the date. “Oh fuck,” he strained around a sob, grabbing Seer’s hand in both of his. “No. No, no no.” He’d called for him two days ago. And he wasn’t there, hewasn’tfuckingthere! “I’m sorry brother, I’m sorry,” he sobbed. “I didn’tseeit. Ididn’tseeit.”
Bishop fought with the bed rail and lowered it, laying on Seer’s chest, holding him tight.
“What’s wrong!” Cherie gasped hurrying in.
Bishop couldn’t stop the flood of agony, couldn’t let him go. “He asked me toprayfor him,” he said, everything breaking in him. “And I didn’t see it!”
“When?” Cherie gasped, gripping his shoulder.
“Yesterday,” he forced out. “He was scared, Cherie! He knew this was coming and he needed me and I didn’t see it!” he wept, hugging him. “He needed me and I didn’t fucking see it!”
****
Another meeting in the hall.
Bishop sat in the center of his men at their table. He’d talked Beth out of attending, then realized she hadn’t had the chance to tell him what she’d deciphered from that last drawing from Maggie. He was too everythingwrongto have her and the baby near him. He couldn’t handle accidentally making her cry.
The room was full of the usual bodies, all of them blurry in his dazed vision. Nidev’s words moved in and out of his head, finding nowhere to land. He did notice his tone was missing an entire octave. The one that defined a King.
He tried to listen.“Coins… hostages… dead kings… new data…”
Seer would be fucking pissed if he knew his mind jacked off during the end of the world.
He forced his focus, moving his gaze over the room.
“Bout’ fucking time,” Shank muttered, as Nidev turned on a projector.
“We’ve put the Dead King intel in the order of hierarchy.” He stood at the projector, oil pencil in hand. “Starting at the bottom of the hierarchy, we have the first three Dead Kings under the first General. Then three more Dead Kings under the second General and the final three Dead Kings under the third General. And the Hollow King over all of them.”
He loaded the next sheet. “This intel defines who they are and the powers they possess. Starting with the General of Chains.”
He drew a slow black line under his title.
“He rules control, betrayal, and domination. His armies are three Dead Kings—Maltheron, Tharax, and Draxararmy.
Second is the General of Blight. He rules deception, corruption, and defilement. His Dead Kings are Vyris, Calverus, and Morvain.
General of Ash is the last General. He rules greed, violence, despair, and annihilation. His three Dead Kings are Ash, Xyrren, and Erythion.”
