Mated (The Queen's War #1)

Chapter 10

Two days after the passing of power, Lucan stood against the trunk of a tree, high up in its branches with Abaddon who sat with his legs overhanging the thick limb. They were just outside of the fighting territory where one of his Commanders, Valefar, led some of his legion against the seraph knights. As the self-proclaimed overachiever amongst the Commanders, Valefar was a powerful Clan Leader of Gargoyles, though he'd passed the leadership onto a trusted friend, and Master of a demonic Mercenary guild. Leading the battle against the seraph was child's play compared to the danger and politics of his other appointments. His species happened to be perfect for these types of long, drawn out battles because the majority of their skin was thick enough to ward off most weapons, so most of the mercenaries under his purview were members of his own clan.

After a particularly vicious blast of angelfire, the fighting lessened enough for Valefar to slip away unnoticed and join his leaders. A quick, effortless leap later and he faced his King.

"Status?" Lucan asked with no preamble.

"I lost a member of my clan yesterday to Alexiel, he showed up two days ago." Valefar growled, grey eyes sparking.

"Alexiel doesn't usually sully himself with the human world." Abaddon said to Lucan.

Lucan's eyes darkened as he thought back to the handful of centuries he spent as an Archangel and the frequent times in which he'd had to hold himself back from killing Michael's right-hand man, Alexiel. The angel was as powerful as he was tenacious and now he regretted not following his instincts ten thousand years ago and killing him when he was weak.

"Michael must have ordered him here in his stead. " Lucan muttered, watching the flashes of blue and purple light through the trees.

"It's possible he suspects you managed to turn Perci and wish to retrieve her." Abaddon said.

"I thought we had a stranglehold on that information?" Valefar asked as he wiped a mix of gore and blood from his sword.

"My brother has spies everywhere. Trust me, if Alexiel is here, he knows."

"Then what are our orders?" Valefar asked.

"Tell the legion to prepare, we need to get Abaddon through the portal at all costs."

Valefar bowed slightly and jumped down to the ground. As he disappeared from view through the trees, Lucan and Abaddon descended and waited for the sound Valefar's distinctive war cry to approach.

"Are you ready?" Lucan asked his Second.

"Do you really have to ask me that?" His grin was bloodthirsty.

Sprinting into the battle, the two made fearsome leaps into the heart of the fighting. Their swords met steel and flesh as they made quick work of the outer rim of knights. The shock of his arrival was working in the legion's favour. Unlike his brother, Michael, Lucan fought with his soldiers and bled beside them as a proper King should.

Slowly, they herded the seraph towards the portal, culling layer by layer. The work was cold and gruelling with neither of them feeling any pleasure cutting down their enemies. A quick survey of the scene showed Alexiel guarding the portal, his large sweeping wings blocking the portal. When Lucan sent a blast of fire that turned a dozen knights to ash in an instant, Alexiel grinned viciously at him. The two locked eyes across the battlefield, equally as enraged and eager to draw blood from one another.

Lucan started making his way to the portal, noting that Alexiel refused to budge from his position. Abaddon fought by his side as knight after knight met their end or was temporarily taken out of commission. When they finally stood metres away from the angel, Abaddon stepped away to help the legion fight. This was a personal duel he had no place interfering with.