Lapidary

I woke to the sound of my phone, turned in bed, and reached for it where it was vibrating on my bedside cabinet. I considered declining the call, but when I saw it was Ava, I answered.

“Hi…” My voice sounded groggy to my ears.

“Hi!” she said cheerfully. “What are you doing tonight?”

“Nothing, why?” I asked.

“We are going to a party! Meet me in front of Club Royal, on Butterfish Chain, at 6pm.” I heard her feet shuffling, and it made me think she was dancing in her room.

“Okay,” I said, and she hung up. I rubbed my eyes and checked the time – 4pm. I had slept long and well, so I forced myself to get up. In the kitchen I made two toasted sandwiches and coffee. After eating, I dressed in tight pants, boots, and a shirt that reached my neck, but exposed my navel. I looked in the mirror and decided that I still need to gain some weight. There was a gap between my stick-like thighs, and my stomach didn’t have any rolls, or muscles. I curled my hair and applied makeup more heavily than usual.

Then I caught a taxi to Buttefish Chain and, with the help of my phone, easily found Club Royal. A neon purple sign was affixed above glass doors, with a purple mat leading inside the club. I was early, but spotted my sister pacing around, waiting for me.

“Ava!” I waved at her, and her face lit up as she made her way over to me.

“You look great!” she said.

“Thanks, you, too,” I say. My boots and pants were warm, and I regretted not wearing a short dress, like Ava. Although her heels were three times the size of mine, she walked naturally.

She grabbed my hand and dragged me into the club where we paid for entrance, and we each received a stamp – a crown – on our wrists. Once inside, I almost plugged my ears. The music was deafening. There weren’t any good lyrics or deep meanings in the songs, to think about. It was all the same beat, with different vocals, repeating the same words. The club wasn’t too crowded, as it had only just opened, but I sensed it would fill up. The Twins were known for partying, with all the bars, clubs, and casinos built on them, after all. Ava took my hand and led me toward the dance floor, but I stopped when I saw Quinn there, swaying to the music with several of her friends.

“You came here for her!” I had to shout so that my sister could hear me over the music.

“She invited me! Can you believe it?” Ava leaned closer as she spoke.

“I’m your back-up?” It shouldn’t hurt, but it did. My sister wanted me to be here to support and help her, while I had thought she had invited me to spend time with me. I couldn’t help but feel a little used.

“You’re my dance partner.” Ava dragged me toward Quinn.

I was surprised when Quinn gave my sister half a hug in greeting. Several of Quinn’s friends backed off, and I wondered if Ava thought that it was to make space for us on the dance floor. Judging from the looks in their eyes and the way their lips curled back, I suspected they had moved because they were disgusted by us and didn’t want to be seen dancing next to humans.

“What’s she doing here?” a fae asked.

“I invited her, it’s cool.” Quinn gave me an acknowledging nod, and I noticed how red her eyes were. At first, I wondered if it was the disco lights, but then I looked again and realized she was high.

“You invited scum?” the friend asked.

I was about to open my mouth, but another one of Quinn’s friends said, “Oh, fuck.”

I followed her gaze to the doors where Luther Silkbreath was standing with his hands balled at his sides. He scanned the crowd, and his regard came to a rest on Quinn, who has gone stock still. At the sight of Luther, Quinn’s friends scattered, and I was baffled by their lack of loyalty. But then I realized that they, and anyone with common sense, would be terrified of Luther.

I didn’t want to get involved, so I took Ava’s arm and tugged. “Let’s go.”

“We can’t leave her!”

“Yes, we can,” I argued.

The crowd parted as Luther marched toward his daughter, who was sensible enough not to run. What was it like to be a daughter of one The Risen? Luther ignored us, and I wondered if he even recognized me. He grabbed Quinn’s arm and dragged her out of the club while the crowd stared.

Ava pulled free and ran after them, making me curse under my breath. I followed, wondering if love made everyone stupid and blind.

“Ava!” I screamed once we were outside. She ignored me and rushed toward Luther and Quinn, who were disappearing around a corner, into a quiet, dark alley.

“You are a fucking embarrassment!” Luther roared. “You’re always drunk or high and fucking everything up.”

“She’s not!” Ava objected, which made Luther stop and turn.

Quinn didn’t speak. Was she even aware of what was going on? Her eyes were red and droopy, like that day she had wanted to jump from the school building.

“Aren’t you the bitch who copied off my daughter?” Luther’s grip tightened on Quinn’s arm.

“She did no such thing.” I stepped in front of Ava. “Quinn is the one who copied. Ask her once she is sober.”

“Natka!” Ava growled, but I wouldn’t heed her warning.

“She is the reason my sister got kicked out unfairly, and Ava has been doing her fucking schoolwork. I’m sure the only reason Quinn even passed is because of Ava.”

The shock on Luther’s face was undeniable, and I knew he didn’t want to believe it. For a moment, I thought he’ll call bullshit, but then he said, “I appreciate you telling me, Natka.”

Okay, so he remembered me. I glanced at Quinn and wondered if I had taken this too far. Then, before I could give the matter more thought, Volgrun stepped out of the shadows. “I hope I am not interrupting anything.”

If Volgrun was here, it meant trouble. I couldn’t help but think of Rhain’s bones – all that remained of the reaper after Volgrun had killed him. Had Devton warned Luther that Volgrun was coming after his followers?

Luther must also have sensed the danger because he let go of Quinn’s arm. “Get the fuck out of here.”

Quin went to Ava, who took her hand. They hastily returned to the crowds but stopped at the end of the street to look at me.

Ava called, “Nat!”

“Go on without me,” I replied.

Hesitantly, they left. The smart thing to do would have been to go with them, but I had a feeling Volgrun was here to kill Luther, to get to Devton. I couldn’t let Devton lose another friend, like he had lost Rhain, so my feet remained planted.

“You have a knack for trouble, Miss Roqueze,” Volgrun said.

I almost touched the spot between my breasts where the feather had been. My shirt covered my breast, so there is no way he could see the scar where the feather used to be. He couldn’t know I was unprotected.

“Likewise,” I said to him and stood next to Luther.

“You two know each other?” Luther asked. He was quiet and still, which should have made him intimidating, but I suspected, if anything, Volgrun saw him as unsure of himself.

“Not nearly as well as I would like,” Volgrun responded, “but I’m sure that will change, now that you don’t have an archangel’s feather.”

I grew cold, and my knees wobbled. How the fuck did he know? Neron had told Devton, and Devton had offered to get me a bodyguard – one of The Risen. But some of The Risen were loyal to Volgrun, and one of them must have told him. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I tried to keep my face placid, but I was pretty sure I failed. I was relieved when Luther spoke. “You’ve come here to kill me.”

“Of course,” Volgrun said calmly, “but I think I’ll have her do it instead.”

I opened my mouth to say something witty but shut it when Volgrun turned into smoke. I cried out and made to run, but he was too fast. The smoke surrounded me, and as I inhaled, I realized he would possess me and have me kill Luther. I had remained to protect Luther, and now I would end up being forced to do just the opposite. I was a weak human; why did I think I could protect anyone? There was nothing Luther could do to help me, as the smoke surrounded me. But Volgrun didn’t enter my body. He didn’t take control of my mind, and he didn’t corrupt my soul. He resumed a solid shape, in front of me.

“That’s not possible,” he said with wide eyes.

“She can’t be possessed?” Luther asked, confused.

“Where did you get another archangel feather?” Volgrun cried.

I was so shocked, I couldn’t speak. I had never got another archangel feather as protection, but he didn’t need to know that. My angelic side was no doubt preventing possession. I considered backing off, but that would only make me look weak. Instead, I stepped closer to him.

“I might have a knack for trouble, but you certainly have a knack for failure,” I told him.

Before he could react, sirens started blaring. Moments later, several angels arrived, wearing their Sky Watch uniforms. They landed around us in a circle, boxing us in. Ace was among them.

“I just got a call from a scared woman, telling me that shit was about to go down,” Ace said.

Ava must have called him once she was out of sight. Ace took his job seriously and wanted to stop the crime in this city, although the gangs ran it. Then there was Rhinsel, who seemed sick of taking orders from Volgrun. He, too, wanted to keep the city safe.

“Shit’s always going down,” Volgrun said.

Would he try to kill us, even with the Sky Watch here? They weren’t going to arrest him, and there wouldn’t be any consequences. He had, after all, blown up My Night Habit, and in the process, killed two daimons. He had gotten away with that just fine.

“I think it’s time you break this up,” Ace said to us.

“You should know your place,” Volgrun warned.

“I do,” Ace responded, and I almost cried out in joy. He was holding his ground, and he locked gazes with Volgrun.

Luther was tense next to me; he must also know that Ace’s actions would have consequences in the long term. We’d saved his life tonight, and he had better not forget it.

Volgrun looked away first then began walking. The angels parted for him, but not before he looked at me and grinned. “Until we meet again.”

I hoped he didn’t see me flinch.