Fallen

Chapter 27

Gavin

I appeared in the cemetery almost instantly after leaving the church and went to my bench to await the arrival of my much loathed Lady Ruth. Hell, she was only a total bitch every second of every day, she could at least show up on time. Granted, I was the one who was late, but why wasn't she here waiting for me? Check and mate.

"Gavin," a cold, female voice said after a gust of wind swept past the weathered stones. I took a moment to take a breath and to annoy the owner further before turning my head to face her. Ruth had arrived, and she had the psycho bitch expression on her face as usual.

"Ruth," I answered with a cheer that the moment did not merit. "Nice of you to join me. Care to sit down?"

"Do you know what I went through after your little act?" she asked furiously. "General Matthias was ready to ram a sword down my throat for letting that happen! The others weren't any more pleased either. Do you know how much hell I'm going to pay for your stupidity?"

"Not enough, "I replied. "How'd they take the fact that Gaius is back?"

"You didn't tell me that the noble you mentioned was your brother," Ruth said quickly, leaping onto the unimportant details as usual.

"Like it matters. He's a Baron, and isn't somebody supposed to be coming to deal with him?" I asked. Ruth clenched her fists, a vein throbbing in her temple. Man I loved making her mad.

"General Matthias has charged me and a squad of a dozen fighters to handle the situation," Ruth replied, at which time I almost blew my top.

"Really? Those lazy, fat, idiotic bastards have really hit a new low," I growled, looking up at the darkening sky. Five hours left until the rift closed. I felt it, but I guess that didn't really matter anymore now that I knew nobody important was about to drop down and take care of this mess for me. "Please tell me you're joking. Please, for once, tell me you've figured out how to make a joke."

"I've told you the truth Gavin. We are more than capable of handling one Baron," Ruth replied in a tone that was way more sure than it should have been. I couldn't help it. I laughed, hard.

"That's funny, Ruth. But seriously," I said, cutting off my laughter. "A lieutenant you may be, but even you aren't a Seraph. I'm guessing that you are the only Virtue in the group. Maybe you got a hold of a Power or two. The rest of your squad are Garrison level. My brother was a Seraph, Ruth, just as I was. He is faster, stronger, more skilled, and more ruthless than any of your soldiers, or even you, which is saying something on the last one. He'll flatten you without so much as breaking a sweat."

"Perhaps you've forgotten the power of Heaven," Ruth said obstinately. "We are stronger than you give us credit, Gavin."

"Oh no, I can sense your power right now, Ruth. It might have even shrunk since the old days," I answered, making Ruth twitch. "Yeah, I'm betting you haven't had a good fight in what, a thousand years? Two thousand? More? You've gotten soft."

"I am stronger than you've ever known," Ruth protested angrily. I shook my head, standing.

"I could send you to death faster than you could think, even without being part of Heaven," I said, knowing what I said was true. Ruth did too, because she blanched at my words. "Even if you were super-charged with Grace, you wouldn't even touch Seraph power. The fact is, you'd explode if you took in that much with how far you've let your training and conditioning slip. I've been close to Gaius sense he's risen, and I can tell you he hasn't. His strength is just as potent as when we fought during the war, if not greater. You'll die without touching him. I guarantee it."