Convoke

Chapter 59

Ezra stared at her with his mouth ajar. "You're not lying, are you," he said, almost breathless.

"I'm not. And I made sure it was okay with Othrowan to come here tonight. He said it was time you knew after you made the effort to go around the country telling demons otherwise. You've done exactly what they wanted, but now it looks like the angels have no idea what they are doing. Othrowan wanted me to thank you, Ezrakhell. He said your doubt in us has helped immensely." She pursed her lips, cringing at the patronising tone.

Ezra slowly sat down again. He had paled, and his brows knitted together in horror.

The angel could see that she had said all that they could bare that evening, and left without another word. Tom slunk down beside Ezra, staring with a thrashing heart.

"Are you sure she's telling the truth?"

Ezra nodded slowly. "I've known her a long time. She wouldn't say all this if it wasn't what she truly believed."

"What she truly believed?"

"Othrowan could be lying to her."

Tom put his head in his hands. "So what you're saying is- don't trust anyone. I thought we could trust Kie and the others."

"Maybe we can't."

"This is ridiculous," Tom said. "We need to corner Othrowan and demand that he tell us what's going on."

At the crack of dawn, Tom and Ezra were up and ready. Ezra's bruises had gone down and hurt less. Tom had caught up on more sleep and felt strong and steady minded. They marched down the country road, glimpsing farmer Joel feeding the sheep at the distant farm.

They didn't speak to other. What could they say? They certainly didn't know what they would say to Othrowan. But the angel was standing outside the library, old hands tucked into his cream robe. His sunken old eyes were staring in their direction as they turned the corner, already expecting them.

Tom's nerves showed by how he walked a little behind Ezra. But Ezra marched on with a strong stare. "We need to talk," he said bluntly.

"I knew you would," the old angel replied with a short smile. "Come inside." He held the door open for them, and for the first time, Tom didn't like how he felt inside the library. It was cold and dull, and he could tell that no other angel was in the building.

Othrowan sat with them at a table in the main room of the library. The smell of books was mildly comforting to Tom, but he still sat as close as he could to Ezra, rigid and fidgeting on the cushioned seat.

"So, I understand you have questions," Othrowan said as calm as the sky on a clear summer's days.

"Questions?" Ezra repeated sharply, gripping onto the table. "No, we want a full explanation of what you're up to. Right now!"

Othrowan's smile didn't falter. "So, you believe Monelle when she came to visit you last night?"

"We do."

"Even after you travelled far and wide to plant doubt?"

"Why would you let me do that if you knew what was going on? You've made me think you've been up to something this entire time."

"I had to, if this plan is to work."

"What plan?"

Othrowan sat back against the chair. Tom thought he was going to complicate things further, but he surprised them both by talking freely about the angel's thoughts and ideas.

"The rise in violence came as a surprise to us. At first, we were quite pleased that it was directed towards the demons, and we thought it may run them into hiding, and we wouldn't have to deal with the mischief much longer. But we soon discovered that humans were getting angrier too. This was bad for us because they were turning on us too. So, we investigated. Demons want an uproar, and we will avoid that at all costs. So, we made a plan. Our choirs have been stopping the worst of the violence, for now."

"What do you mean?" Tom asked.

"Without our choirs, I'm certain war would have broken out already. The changing ceremony is the day we sing across the country and banish the demons once and for all."

Tom gasped. "Banish them?"

"Yes, from this country at least. They won't be able to stand our choir. It will take their souls, each and every one of them."

"You can't do that!" Tom cried. "You can't!"

"If you're worried about Ezra, it will be on his changing ceremony. He will be an angel, so it will exclude him. Don't panic."

"Don't panic . . . " Tom fell speechless.

"How can you do this?" Ezra asked with a shaken voice. "How can you destroy all those innocent souls?"

"It will lead to war if we do not do this. Far more innocent souls will be lost if that happens, humans and angels included." Othrowan simply shrugged as though the thought weighed nothing more than a wispy hair atop his receding head. "What else do you suppose we do?"

"Not kill everyone!" Ezra yelled, leaning forwards with wide and crazed eyes. "There will be a lot of innocent demons out there who don't want this. I'm willing to bet on it being far more than the ones who want an uproar."

"And?"

"Get them to stand up for themselves!"

"How?"

Ezra's mouth opened and closed. "There must be a way."

"There is no other way," Othrowan said calmly.

"There has to be," Tom whispered, still stunned that Othrowan was even suggesting such a thing. "Can't you let the humans decide? We are the victims here. There's already a silent battle going on between demons and angels, and we are being affected. You're ruining lives already." Tom thought of Cal and Harper, and how they had once been the perfect couple. "Don't we have a say in this?"