Elvirund | ✔️

Chapter Thirty Five

We were so close. Fifteen feet from the exit Caphriel came to a screeching halt and drew back.

"Gabriel. What are you doing here?"

"Maybe a better question is what you are doing here," the First Elder drawled, "as I have not given anyone permission to let you in."

"Don't play a fool. You know exactly why I am here."

"I could say the same for you, Caphriel."

His voice sent a wave of disgust through me and I closed my eyes. Just listening to him lazily play with us was sickening.

"Now, put her down, back away and we'll all be just fine."

"That's a lie if I ever heard one. You don't plan on letting any of us go."

"Someone knows me well, then."

The First Elder whistled and I flinched. Caphriel held me tighter, shaking. Soldiers flooded the hallway, crowding us. Five of them seized Uriel, six took Nanael, and six more Eremiel. Caphriel was left alone.

"Now, who should I kill first? The young man? Or one of the young women?"

"How sick, asking me how you're to have fun."

"Fun? I'd never thought of it that way. This is actually quite fun now that you mention it."

I had to try hard not to retch. This man was mad. He had no right controlling Elvirund, and he had no right usurping Raphael's power.

"You'll be okay. I'll make sure of it somehow," she breathed.

"Now, you'll follow my orders or none of you will live."

"I will not condemn my companions to death."

"Oh, I'll be nice then. Choose just one. The rest of you will leave safely."

Caphriel took a step back, horrified. She couldn't choose like that. It was hardly a choice. These were her friends. I tried to tell her to just let me die but she would have none of it.

"Then I choose myself." She spat.

"That's not fair. I already had plans to kill you. Instead, I suppose I'll have to settle for the young woman on your right."

"No, not Nanael!"

"Who, then?" The First cackled.

"Caphriel, let me."

That must have been Uriel. The young man. Caphriel turned to him and shook her head, silent pleas catching in her throat. He smiled and shook his head right back at her.

"You have too much to live for. Me? I'm weak. I dropped out of the Academy. I have nothing left to do that I haven't already."

"Uriel, you're young. You have so much time left. You're smart and you're clever and you know how things work."

"I'm also a liability. Now be quiet and let me do something useful."

The soldiers holding him in place let him go and he calmly made his way to the First Elder. The First looked him up and down, grabbing his chin and tilting it up.

"How noble of you." The First Elder scowled. "Disgusting. I think you'll do nicely."

Caphriel quivered and I feared she would collapse. As the First brushed Uriel's golden hair from his eyes, Uriel gave Caphriel one last cheeky smile before the First pulled out a sword and sent it through his heart. Caphriel was frozen in place, shocked beyond words. I buried my face in her shoulder, unable to stand the sight of such a gruesome death. Her arms trembled around me, and she hugged me tighter than ever.