“I guess we’ll just have to have faith.” I couldn’t believe I was the one calling for faith, but it was all I had in that moment.

“I guess so.” Leaning down, he claimed my mouth in a kiss that made my chest ache. It was a kiss that said goodbye, but also left hope for another one in the same moment. It was so scary, and I didn’t even want to think about it.

He groaned softly, low in his throat with an urgent need, and I matched his desperation, deepening our embrace. This was the best and saddest kiss of my life.

Finally, we both pulled away breathless. “I’ve got your back in there,” he promised me.

Honestly, I didn’t trust myself to speak, so I just nodded. He had his wristband on with the disc that would allow him to enter Hell with me. We were doing this together, for better or worse.

“I need to find Shea and ask her something. I’ll meet you at the portal entrance in a few,” I told him.

We both stood there staring at each other for another lingering moment, and I memorized his face, the lines of his body, his freckles. Finally, he just caressed my cheek and walked away, leaving me to wonder what the future held for us.

Knowing I couldn’t think that far, I shook my head. I needed to go minute by minute. Angel City and the small pocket that was left of humanity were counting on me. I wouldn’t mess it up.

I walked across the parking lot, and over to the gates of Fallen Academy, where my best friend was standing with Noah, waiting to make a portal to Hell and lead an entire army through it.

“Shea, can I talk to you?”

The Mage looked up from her goodbye with Noah, unshed tears in her eyes, and nodded. While Noah walked away a few feet, to speak to Blake and Darren and give us privacy, I took both of her hands in mine. “I need you to do me the biggest best friend favor in the world,” I begged her.

Her brows knitted together. “What is it?”

I swallowed. “I’m going to be busy fighting Lucifer, and Lincoln’s going to be too busy protecting me. Noah will be protecting you. I need someone to save Raksha.”

Understanding dawned in her eyes. I’d told her how the woman had helped get me out of Hell. Shea didn’t seem to understand how I could care so much for someone who’d drugged and held me captive; it was hard to explain to anyone who didn’t live through it with me.

“Shea, she’s important to me. Like family. You’re the only one I trust. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to her.” Tears started to flow down my cheeks.

Shea squeezed my hands. “I won’t leave Hell without her. You have my word, sister.”

A sob lodged in my throat at her use of the word sister, at her loyalty to what made me happy, even if she didn’t understand it.

Dropping her hands, I pulled her in for a bone-crushing hug. “I’m so lucky to have had you by my side all these years.”

She squeezed me harder. “Stop it. We’re not saying goodbye.” Her voice pinched with restrained tears, and we both pulled back to face each other. “I’m getting married next year, and you’re going to be there.”

I nodded, swallowing down my emotions.

‘She’s my favorite person. Out of everyone,’ Sera confessed, sounding emotional too.

I internally grinned. ‘Even more than Michael?’

‘Okay, she’s my second favorite.’

Footsteps pulled my attention behind us, to the amassing army, a few thousand in all. Some were in buses, some in cars, but most were on foot. This was it. This was our last shot to save Angel City, and it all rested with me.

I swallowed hard.

“Shea, I think we’re ready now.” Michael approached with Lincoln and the other archangels.

Darren and Blake nodded and stood off to the side. They had strict orders in the event we lost, to help evacuate as much of the city as possible. They hadn’t received discs from Metatron, so they wouldn’t be able to sustain life down there. Raphael said it was for the best, that some Celestials needed to be left behind to look after things.

Shea nodded, squaring her shoulders before looking over at me. “You got this.” She winked.

My best friend was going to have to open the portal, and stay until every member was through before closing it, so this would be the last I saw of her until it was over.

I nodded once and that was that.

The final war for humanity had begun.

‘I’m still trying to decide if I want to cut Lucy’s balls off first, or pluck out his eyes,’ Sera stated.

I grinned. I think we all underestimated just how savage my blade could be.

Lucy, I’m coming for you.

Twenty-One

The moment Shea opened the portal and we all stepped inside, a somber mood came over our crew. There were a few demons milling about where we crossed, and we ended their life quickly without issue.

Our plan was to follow the directions under Demon City, where I’d come through Mathias’s apartment when I escaped, and that would lead us to Lucy’s castle. We estimated it was about a two-hour walk for those on foot, and the longer our large group stayed in Hell, the greater the chance that word would get to Lucifer. I was half hoping he would come right to me—I knew his ego was big enough—but he also might see all four archangels and go into hiding. It was a risk we had to take.

Since Lincoln, the archangels, and I could fly, we would. Michael estimated once we took flight, it would be only about twenty minutes before we were at the gates of Lucifer’s castle.

We passed a few spectral ghost forms, which I knew were tortured souls. Upon seeing us, they hid behind the straw huts that dotted the land.

“Being here is…” Lincoln swallowed hard, trying to find the words.

“Incredible,” Michael offered, staring at his own arm band. The technology Metatron had given them, making it possible for them to come down here with me, it was incredible.

“That’s one way of describing it.” Lincoln looked at a smoking pile of trash, and two Snakeroot demons fighting over a half-eaten apple and shook his head.

Once we’d walked a few minutes, we spun around to face the army and my jaw dropped. Four armored buses, over a dozen SUVs, and rows and rows of Fallen Army soldiers stood with us. The last of the portal was closing us all in, together.

Michael flapped his wings and shot up into the air, hovering over the crowd. “Today we fight for freedom! We fight to end a war over fifteen years in the making.” He couldn’t even finish his sentence before the army went wild. Michael placed a fist across his chest. “May you all find peace in your heart, and keep it there always. It’s been a pleasure to lead this army and my greatest life’s work.”

The silence spread out through the crowd until Raphael kicked up dust, flying straight up to be by Michael’s side.

“Each and every citizen of Angel City owes you a debt of gratitude. You are the real angels, and it’s been a pleasure to be a part of your education at the academy.”

When the massive army did one big salute to the two archangels in the sky, I thought I might cry. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, we were all saying goodbye.

“Shall we?” Lincoln looked over at me. Uriel and Gabriel had taken flight as well. It was our turn now.

I nodded.

Lincoln and I flapped our wings and rose above the army, taking one last look at them before flying right into Lucifer’s den.

“Brielle, lead the way,” Michael encouraged me.

With the busloads of Fallen Army soldiers making their way to the front to follow us, I set off in the direction I prayed Lucifer’s castle was. The air turned smoky, and I knew visibility was going to shit after only a few minutes of flying. The sharp scent of sulfur burned my nose as smoke mingled with the air.

“Is something burning?” Michael called over the wind.

“It’s Hell!” I shouted back. “Something’s always burning!”

Raphael flipped over and pumped his wings so he was facing us, suspended in mid-air. “Let’s ride on the roof of the buses until visibility clears. We could be flying into a trap or going the wrong way.”

At his words, the hair on my arms stood up on end. He was right—this was war, and we could totally be flying into a trap. The second we’d entered, one of the demons could have seen us and flown ahead to bring word to Lucifer.

Lowering ourselves, we landed on one of the armored vehicles. Standing on a moving bus, and not falling over, was harder than you’d think—even with wings. The top hatch popped open after a few moments, and Noah peeked his head out, probably to make sure it was us and not some flying demons.

“Oh, good. I was—” His words were cut off when the bus slammed on its breaks and his head disappeared as he was thrown into the bus. All of us who were topside lurched forward, but quickly pumped our wings, taking to the sky to keep from becoming roadkill.

Looking out onto the road to see why we’d stopped, my jaw popped open at the sight of hundreds of skeleton horses with glowing green eyes.

New demons.

Oh, Lucy, you’ve been busy.

Atop some of the skelehorses were Castor demons. I’d barely had time to register that this was a full-scale army, when an energy burst slammed into me from the side, knocking me to the ground, and spraying sand all over my face. Turning my head to follow the direction of the attack, I saw a grinning Castor demon not ten feet from me, building another wave-like energy burst in his hands.

Effortlessly, I pulled my shield over myself and jumped to my feet, extending it to Lincoln who stood beside me, sword drawn. He’d flown down to the ground the second I’d been thrown off the bus.

“How far back is our army?” I shouted, trying to crane my head to look behind us.

“We’ll have to hold them off until they get here,” Lincoln answered through gritted teeth.

I realized he didn’t know any more than I did. Walking on foot was much slower than riding or flying, but they couldn’t be too far behind. I hoped.

The busses’ doors opened, and Fallen Army soldiers poured out onto the cracked red earth, to fight by our side. Yet, our small numbers were nothing against this fleet of horses.