Steel

Chapter 36

"Why are you trying to contact her?" Siena mumbled almost incoherently as she bandaged up an Angel's bloodied wing. He was unconscious, probably from the pain, on a makeshift mat in one of the tents we had set up in Central Park.

"Because Grey wants to complete the bond," I let out a breath and Siena immediately spun around to face me, her eyes wide.

"What?" Her brows furrowed a little in concern.

"I said Grey wants to-," I began, but she cut me off.

"I heard you. I just can't believe you agreed to that. And also that he wants to do it," she replied in disbelief.

"Well, I'm not going to lie, I'm not particularly fond of the whole 'if I die, he dies' thing. But he insisted," I shrugged. Siena narrowed her eyes at me for a moment before turning back to the Angel and finishing his bandaged wing.

"He insisted," she repeated, more to herself than to me. "Do you understand the gravity of that? Grey has avoided all forms of commitment for as long as I've known him. This is- this is monumental, Jo," she marveled. She moved from the Angel she had just finished bandaging to the next, another unconscious Angel with a shattered ankle.

"Trust me, I know. I'm just as surprised as you are. But he told me it was his decision to make and I can't exactly fight him on this when I know that I'm draining myself dry holding up the shield. I wouldn't be able to fight if he didn't want to complete the Pledge," I explained and Siena paused for a moment as she snapped the Angel's ankle bones back into place.

"In that case, we need Suriel or Barachiel. I have no idea how to make God come down here," she relented, bandaging up the Angel's ankle and turning to me, arms folded. She had dark ash covering her cheeks and her gilded eyes appeared exhausted and empty. I'm sure her soul was nearly drained dry as well.

"Do you know where either of them are?" I questioned and Siena nodded.

"I know Suriel is one tent over, helping treat some of the Angels as well," she gave me a tight lipped smile. "And Jordan?"

I paused.

"Good luck," the corners of her lips curled upwards in a comforting grin. I bowed my head a little bit in thanks before turning on my heel and flipping the tent door open as I strode out of it. The bitter chilled air hit me like a brick wall, my breath condensing in a cloud in front of my face. I quickly hurried over to the tent next to Siena's, leaning over slightly as I pushed through the tent flap and entered.

Suriel knelt next to a sobbing Angel with one of her wings missing. All that remained was a bloody stump. I tried not to remember the dream Lucifer had infiltrated, leaving me wingless and both Grey and I dead in an ash covered street. Regardless, the vision flashed across my vision, and bile rose in the back of my throat.

I coughed a little and Suriel's gaze rose to meet mine. His cheeks were also tear stained, clear lines of skin visible through the dark ash covering his face. His eyes hardened a little when they met mine. "I'll meet you outside in a minute, Jordan," he said with finality. I nodded and obliged, exiting the tent and walking back out into the frigid air.

The smoke and ash were blocking out the sun, which now glowed a deep crimson. It made the entire scene all the more ominous, as if I weren't already standing in the middle of a groaning field of Angels and mortals. I huffed, my breath shaking as the cloud once again formed in front of my lips.

"Jordan?" I heard Suriel's voice behind me and I spun around to face him. His brows were pinched in a scowl, normally warm eyes now cold and forlorn.

"I need your help. Grey and I need God to help us complete the bond so I can hold the shield," I explained. Suriel's eyes widened a little, and his arms folded sternly across his chest.