Elvirund | ✔️

Chapter Forty One

The day of the execution came quickly, more quickly than I would have liked. Caphriel and I were sent a formal summons to the palace, and as I walked in Raphael clenched his jaw just slightly.

"Alethia, it would do you good to show even an ounce of respect for the High Angel."

"I'll show respect when it is earned, Ramiel."

I breezed past the scowling Second Elder, my shoes clicking quietly against the marble as I made my way to the center of the room. The First Elder sneered at me, and even shackled at the wrists and ankles the threat he posed kept me at a two foot distance.

"I want to leave. Now."

"So do I. Let's just get this over with."

Caphriel handed me the chalice that had killed me just four days ago, and I shuddered. This single object had killed so many, and now we would finally put it to rest.

"We are gathered here today to witness the execution of Gabriel, former First Elder to the Prince Raphael, as well as the end of this chalice' legacy. Are there any objections before we begin?"

I listened to her speak, thankful she had done it like it should have been done. The First Elder had cut many corners at mine; we would not be the ones to do the same.

"Gabriel, your death awaits."

As he took the chalice, I stepped back and let out my breath. Gabriel laughed low in his throat, a laugh that slowly turned into a long cackle. The poison sloshed around, cutting off his hysteria. He raised it to his lips, then stopped.

"Alethia, I believe you have underestimated me again."

Before I could process what he meant his arm swung toward me. The poison in the chalice flew through the air and hit me in my left eye.

"Gabriel!"

I screamed and my knees buckled, stabbing pain pulsating through my eye. Caphriel barely was able to catch me and hold me up. Something in me knew I wasn't going to be seeing out of that eye again. Elvirund couldn't fix everything for me.

"Gabriel, you've gone much too far!" Caphriel swore as she slid an arm around me.

"I don't care for procedure. Kill him," I hissed.

"Can I set you down?"

I nodded in surprise. She was breaking laws? At my suggestion? But then again, Gabriel was a threat. My legs crumpled under me and I fought my screams back as Caphriel took my knife from my sleeve.

"I'll have it cleaned by the palace blacksmith."

She stepped swiftly to the hysterical Gabriel and slit his throat with one simple motion. It was over in seconds. His blood gushed down his neck, a gurgling laugh dying as quickly as he did. With that, he fell back, lifeless.

"His body is likely unable to be Infused, as his hands carry the blood of so many innocents." She quietly wiped my knife off with a scrap of Gabriel's shirt before pocketing it.

"Our problems are far from over."

"They're never over. That's no surprise."

My right eye watered as the poison started to make its way into my body. I winced, my sleeve pressed to my eye.

"We should probably fix that up." I grimaced.

"I'll have Raphael get someone." Her fingertips toyed with a lock of my hair.

Raphael silently joined us in the middle of the hall, watching the still body on the floor. When she stared at him, he nodded and signaled to a young man, who dashed out of the room. The crowd was oddly silent, all eyes trained on the corpse. Then, from the center of the chest, right where the heart lay, a soft white light rose to eye level and expanded, averting our eyes and throwing up arms. I tried and failed to watch what was happening, and as the light died down I blinked the spots from my eye. A young angel stood, not more than four feet tall and very clearly a child. It took a moment to notice, but this was no ordinary child. I knew that face, and I recognized the wonder so vividly painted in his eyes.