Page 199 of Heir of Broken Souls

The way that only she can kill those with dark magic.

The reason why the archangels sent her the prophecy.

Because the prophecy spoke true. She wasn’t born. She was created by the archangels’ hands. Delilah doesn’t have any true parents, because she wasforged.

“She’s an angel,” I breathe.

And then I’m running.

Chapter73

Delilah

Before she can attack me, I wrap my wrist around hers and teleport us. If she can mask herself as Knox, I don’t trust her or her companions to not pull another stunt like before and slip between my grasp.

I refuse to lose her this time.

Her eyes flicker with an emotion I can’t decipher as we land in a clearing littered with bodies. Unfortunately, I can’t spare them a glance now, to grieve at the destruction Peter Maloone and his army have left in their wake. Every ounce of me stays primed and ready to fight against her.

Hazel, now in her own body once more, cocks her head, seemingly bored.

“You weren't with Elysia when she received the last part of the prophecy, were you?”

The question makes me narrow my eyes, but I refuse to take the bait. I refuse to let her distract me so she can drag this out. I’ve learned my lesson.

I lunge, but I come to a halt when she pulls out an object from her pocket. Light reflects off it, a golden hue blinking over my face.

My stomach drops.

It can’t be.

The golden egg ornament sits within her grasp, the one I saw not an hour ago in the prison world.

“I’m sorry for what needs to happen,” she says suddenly, and I’m surprised that she appearshonest. “But she’s worth it.”

“Luna?” I ask. “She’s dead,” I spit, trying to bide my time as my brain wracks for a plan. Nothing good can come of how Hazel was in the prison world with us. How she even did so undetected has my stomach bottoming out. How she escaped the castle going up in flames.

“I can get her back!” she bellows, her outburst startling me.

“No, you can’t,” I say forcefully. “She will never be the same and to do that to a child is a fucking travesty.”

I move to take a step forward, watching as her hand tightens on the golden egg.

What is it?

Her mouth opens, her neck flushing red as anger seeps into her gaze, but before she can speak, before she can so much as blink, I’m teleporting once more, appearing behind her. I waste no time in dragging my blade across her neck, feeling the blood?—

My blade drags through nothing but black shadows.

A growl of frustration leaves my lips as a laugh fills the air around me.

My head snaps upwards, my eyes landing on Hazel as she frolics across the clearing, her smile filled to the brim with satisfaction. She throws a dagger in the air and catches it, repeating the action as she purrs, “You’ll have to be faster next time, and believe me when I say I will do everything to get Luna back.” She points her dagger at me. “Including spilling your blood.”

“Why do you need my blood, Hazel?”

She cocks her head. “You truly don’t know, do you?”

I don’t let her words get the better of me. It’s all a game. She’s goading me.