"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.
"While the shield is up, it's going to be difficult to get her through. Unless you know of a holy site within the shield. She could be able to break through if given a separate entrance," Suriel acquiesced.
"There's a chapel a little bit north of here, I believe," I confirmed with a nod. Suriel paused for a moment, thinking.
"Okay. That should work. I'll come with you and help you call her down. She won't be able to stay for long, so we're going to have to make it as efficient as possible. Is Grey prepared for this?" His brow furrowed tightly.
"He said he was. I believe him. He's worried about me being able to hold up the shield and fight after I let it down. And he's worried about what could happen with Thanatiel. I think he thinks this is a losing fight, and he's reaching for something he knows he can do to help," I replied. Suriel ran a hand across his head, pursing his lips for a moment, then nodding.
"Okay. Go get Grey. I'll meet you at the chapel once I finish up here," he relented with a deep sigh.
"Thank you, Suriel," I bowed my head a little and he nodded stiffly, pushing his way back inside the tent. With a huff, I hurried back over to Grey's tent, flipping the tent flaps open as I strode inside. Grey sat in the same spot I'd left him in, still staring blankly ahead of him.
"Suriel's going to help. We're supposed to meet him at a chapel so he can help us get God down here," I explained. Grey's cool eyes met mine and he outstretched a hand, beckoning me to sit next to him for a moment. I obliged, taking a spot on the bed and squeezing his hand a little.
"It's going to be okay, Grey. We're going to make it out of this," I murmured encouragingly, even though I didn't entirely believe what I was saying either.
"Is the only reason you threw the shield up because you thought Thanatiel was going to kill me?" He asked softly, running his thumb across the back of my hand.
"No. All of the Archangels had just died. We needed to regroup. But I would've stood in front of you and taken her hit regardless, I just might not have thrown up the shield," I recounted.
"Once we're bound, you can't do that, Greene. I don't think she can kill me with her powers alone, given that we have the same power over Death. But if you try to save me from her, it might kill the both of us," Grey tightened his jaw a little as his gaze met mine.
He was right. I hated to admit it, but he was. Regardless of my instinct to protect him at all cost, my jumping in front of him could kill us both after the bond was completed.
"Okay," I whispered. "But you promised you would come back to me, so you have to," I scowled a little, earning a slight upturn of his lips in amusement.
"I will do everything in my power to come back to you, mea bellator," he murmured gently, bringing the back of my hand to his lips. "We should get going before Suriel beats us to the chapel," he chuckled dryly, as if he wanted to laugh but couldn't. I knew how he felt. It was almost wrong to feel any sort of joy given the circumstances. We'd lost so many souls today and so much hope. It seemed like everything we had fought for, were fighting for, was beginning to seem more and more out of reach.
I followed Grey out of the tent, hand clasped in mine, down a cement path towards the little stone chapel I knew sat at the northern side of the park. Ghostly groans of injured soldiers saturated the cool air, making what should be a triumphant moment for Grey and I all the more solemn. I didn't know if he was doing this out of love or out of necessity, but I didn't really care. Once, I might've only allowed this to happen if it were out of love, but I knew that Grey was thinking of the Angels and mortal souls as much as I was. He knew that I needed to hold the shield long enough for them to heal. I wouldn't be able to do that if he continued draining me.
"You're trembling," Grey said softly, his voice surprising me and making me jump a little.
"No I'm not," I refuted, but Grey merely rolled his eyes and stopped walking, tilting my chin up to look at him.
"Are you scared? Or cold?" He questioned, cerulean eyes flicking back and forth between mine.
"Maybe both," I admitted. I was absolutely terrified of this kind of commitment, but I knew it was what I needed to be able to protect the others. I knew Grey was my forever as well, but it didn't make it any easier. I was terrified. This sort of commitment was final, and could never be taken back. My end of the deal was sealed, but part of me still hoped Grey would change his mind and continue to live on even if I died.
"Greene. I love you more than I ever thought it possible to love someone. If I die alongside you, I will die a happy man. That is all I want," he purred comfortingly, running his thumb along my cheek.
"I know, and I love you just the same. It's just- I wish this were in different circumstances, and I wish the whole fatality part wasn't an issue here," I huffed. Grey leaned in a little and pressed his lips to my forehead.
"Whatever happens, I am fine with. If the world falls to Lucifer and you and I die, then at least I know neither of us will have to be alive to deal with his corrupt world. I will die a happy man because I got to love you, even if it was only for a short while. If we win, then I will love you for eternity, and we will rebuild the world and protect those who deserve it," he explained gently.
My heart warmed a little, and I leaned up, pressing my lips quickly to his before tugging him along the path towards the little chapel that was slowly coming into view through the fog and smoke. It was made of old stone bricks, a little miniature gothic church situated in the midst of deciduous trees and a little manmade lake. We walked up a set of stone steps to the rounded wooden doors at the entrance. I took one last glance up at Grey, who gave me a firm nod as I pushed the doors open.
"Good. You're here," Suriel announced. My gaze fell on him, standing a few meters away at the altar, beneath a massive stained glass mural. Beside him stood the glowing golden woman I feared we wouldn't be able to contact.
"It's about time," was all she said.
HI SO SORRY this took so long, I'm trying to get Grey published and I'm basically editing the whole book and rewriting entire sections and its exhausting and also school and MCATs and I'm in three clubs and work part time and im so tired so im going to sleep after I finish this glass of malbec
this book is turning me into an alcoholic
or maybe the world is
idk
anyways
love you all please forgive me for taking a literal fucking month to write this shitty chapter good lord i am so sorry
-TJ