Steel

Chapter 41

Don't, I demanded, quickly stepping in front of her to shield her from him. His glowing cerulean eyes flared with blue hellfire as I did so.

Get out of the way, Greene, he snapped.

She could've killed me and she didn't. She could've killed both of us and she didn't. Hear her out, I pleaded. Grey's glowing eyes sparkled with electricity, his wings still outstretched aggressively to either side of him. He looked absolutely massive, absolutely feral.

"I would like to speak with you," Thanatiel spoke at last, her voice calm, as if she wasn't teetering on the edge of Death.

"I have nothing to say to you," Grey ground out furiously.

Greene, get out of the way, he demanded again in my head.

"And if I said I was going to sacrifice my life to save the woman you love?" She posited, folding her lithe arms nonchalantly across her chest.

Even I turned back and looked up at her, stunned. What on Earth was she talking about?

"Speak," Grey growled fiercely.

Come here, Grey murmured in my mind. I won't hurt her if she is speaking the truth about saving you.

Slowly, I walked over to him and he wrapped an iron clad arm around my waist, wrapping one of his wings around my body as I stood next to him. Thanatiel eyed him curiously before smiling a little.

"I am tired of these wars. I've been working them since the beginning of time. When I Fell, I was hoping God would obliterate me then and there. I didn't want to be an Angel of Death. I wanted to be human. But She never did. I am tired, Grey. I now believe that Jordan Greene and yourself are the key to peace. If I can sacrifice myself to gift that to mankind, I will," she explained coolly, as if it weren't a big deal at all.

"How do you know you'll be able to die at all?" Grey grumbled. "Do you think Death can die?"

"Well, I'm going to find out, now aren't I?" She smirked suavely.

"What exactly are you proposing?" Grey demanded, pulling me a little closer to his warm chest.

"I know where Lucifer is hiding. I will get your friends and you to him. I do not know how much more I will be able to assist with, but I can get you there. I do not know when or if I will die," Thanatiel replied.

"How do I know this isn't a trap? Lucifer gave me a vision of the future where we all ended up dead. How do I know this isn't how he does it?" I asked quickly, narrowing my eyes at her.

"I want peace, Silverborne. If I am not to become a human, the least I can do is protect what future they have. You can trust that all I want is peace. I take no side, but I fight for peace," she elaborated.

"Then why did you fight for Lucifer in the first place?" Grey shot back.

"The Archangels needed to die. They were too far set in the old ways, and didn't see a future without human war and sickness. It was only when I saw the Silverborne leap in front of you to protect you that I saw the potential for a future of love and peace. She opted not to use her souls power to try to destroy me, but to save you. That was what changed my mind," she smiled, her matte black eyes staring at me.

I looked up at Grey and he turned to look down at me. While his eyes remained an ignited blue, I could see the exhaustion setting in.

"This is your choice, Greene. I will stand by you," he murmured gingerly. I reached up and brushed ash off his cheekbone, pulling my lips into a thin line.

"She's the only chance we have at finding him. I have to believe she's telling the truth. Otherwise, we have nothing," I whispered back. Grey sucked in a deep breath and I watched his throat bob as he swallowed.  He looked back up at Thanatiel.

"If she dies, so will I. But if you are the one that ends her life, I will fight oblivion for the rest of eternity until I find you and tear you to shreds. Are we clear?" He snarled, taking a short step in front of me. "You will not escape me if you hurt her. Oblivion will not stop me."

Thanatiel's gaze flicked to me momentarily before shifting back to Grey. "If I hurt her, I will find you in oblivion and allow you to do so. You have my word," she bowed her head slightly to Grey, who glanced back to me.

"I love you," he murmured, eyes flaring with blue flames.

"I love you too," I whispered back, my throat raw. Grey leaned down and gently pressed a kiss to my forehead, giving me one last look before shooting off into the sky and back towards the front lines. Slowly, I turned back towards Thanatiel.

"I've never seen such a territorial Angel," she chuckled dryly. "He will make a good Death when I'm gone."

I watched as, with a flick of her wrist, Barachiel and Siena's eyes flickered open. They both immediately shot upright, fumbling for their weapons to aim at Thanatiel.

"Guys, relax. She's on our side now. She's going to get us to Lucifer," I quickly explained to them, but their bewildered expressions demonstrated that my explanation held little weight.

"As I've explained to the Silverborne and Grey, I am tired of being Death and wish to grant peace to humanity. That is what I will be sacrificing my life for. Not for you, but for peace. I've made a Vow that I will follow. You can trust that I will help you eradicate Lucifer, the light bringer," she interjected calmly, as if Barachiel wasn't about to stab her eye with his sword. Siena and Barachiel both looked to me for affirmation, which I gave with a quick nod.

"You trust her?" Siena hissed, her lips curling at she glared at Thanatiel. "After she murdered the Archangels?"

"She's the only chance we have at finding Lucifer. This is a risk we will have to take," I huffed. I looked back at Thanatiel, whose lips had curled in that feline smile.

"Take us to him," I instructed. I watched as Thanatiel's dark wings spread out behind her like the night sky enveloping the day. I outstretched my own wings to either side of me, hearing feathers ruffle as Siena and Barachiel followed my lead. Then, one by one, we shot up into the cloud cover above, trailing behind the dark form of Thanatiel.

I prayed that this was the right decision, that I hadn't just sealed the fate of Heaven. I desperately wanted to believe Thanatiel when she said she wanted peace. If she was telling the truth and had changed sides, it could end up saving us all.