Elvirund | ✔️

Chapter Thirty Seven

"The First looks angry."

"No way." Pahaliah rolled her eyes.

"No, I mean he looks more angry than I've ever seen him. Just look." Sibriel whispered.

If I were to be honest, he was right. The First's expression, it seemed, was one filled with every fiber of hate he could muster. His eyes were narrowed, his mouth twisted into a thin grimace framed by wrinkles in each cheek. His icy stare was focused in our direction, as if he wanted to kill us but was holding back because of all of the spectators.

"I suspect he's being careful so the people don't rise against him in here. They're probably already suspicious enough," I muttered.

"Besides, we've already been in here an hour, and half of that has been Raphael banging at the doors."

Caphriel was lying with her head in my lap, holding my left hand in hers. The others were sprawled around us in varying degrees of laziness. Pahaliah and Nanael were sitting normally, as was Charmeine.  Sibriel was on his stomach, Eremiel sitting against him with one arm draped across his back. Chip and Cas sat on my other side, quietly discussing something between them. I sighed and rested my chin on my free hand.

"We can only hope, right?"

I thought about the possibilities, mulling over the chances that we could successfully subdue the First Elder. If we succeeded, then we would have the means to open the doors and free everyone. But the First's soldiers were loyal, and there were a lot of them in this hall. Even with the skills possessed by the five of them, Caphriel and I, we wouldn't be able to overpower all of them on such short notice.

"Do you think we can do it?"

"What?" Nanael gave me a confused look.

"Would we be able to take out the First Elder?"

Before anyone could answer me the executioner suddenly spoke up. He gave us a sly grin and turned to the First Elder.

"Gabriel, it appears the immunities on the two humans are expiring. If we do not send them back to Earth they will die here."

Chip didn't move or react but I could see his jaw clench. The executioner winked at me through half lidded eyes when I looked at him. What a character. First he tried to kill me, now he was trying to kill two of the most important people in my life. Did it matter what side he was on?

"Well, he's backed in a corner now, isn't he?" Sibriel grinned.

"That's true. If he doesn't open the doors then he'll have two innocent human deaths on his hands." Eremiel smirked.

Raphael knocked frantically again, shouting obscenities through the locked door.

"But if he does open the doors then he'll let Raphael in."

Indeed, it seemed the situation had turned in our favor after all. Whether or not the executioner's intervention had been deliberate or not was of no significance anymore.

"So, First Elder." I smirked at him. "What will you do now?"

He gave me a long hard look and snarled quietly. His footsteps tapped quietly on the marble and he stopped in the center of the hall. I pulled out the knife in my belt, ready to defend if necessary, and found that the others were just as ready to fight.

"Four soldiers take each human. The rest of you be ready."

"He talks about everyone like they're just objects," I scoffed under my breath.

Amidst the scramble to attention the First Elder glided slowly to the doors of the execution hall and laid a hand on the surface. There was another loud click and Raphael burst in, eyes blazing and rage written in the tension in his arms.