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29. Micah

29

Micah

G loria's saccharine smile slid straight off her face. "Stand aside, Micah. Your mate has committed a crime, and he will be punished accordingly."

"I will not. Nox is my mate, and I'll protect him as such."

The regents who'd been tasked with bringing Nox forwards paused, exchanging uncertain looks.

"Seize him, immediately." Gloria's command was a shout, her temper slipping.

From when we'd first stepped into the courtroom until now, I'd been tunnelling down into my power. This wasn't the loss of control Lyle had displayed, but a carefully measured descent to the very depths of power that I possessed.

When the regent at the front risked a step forward, I unleashed it.

Lightning filled the room. Cracks appeared in the floor under our feet. In the columns. The walls.

And the table those pariahs hid behind? It was shorn clean in two .

Everyone except Nox and the Seraphim was knocked from their feet. The manacles around my wrists fell harmlessly to the floor.

"Consider this a warning." Unlike Gloria, I didn't need to shout to make myself heard. "You have trained me to be God's most formidable soldier. I've spent millennia honing my skills on battlefields. Do not test me. Threaten my mate again and the next time I unleash myself, nothing will be held back."

On either side of us, the Seraphim drew their weapons. I wanted to scream at them to step back, to let me fight this battle alone, to not condemn themselves alongside my mate and me.

One glance at the stubborn set of their faces told me this was one battle I wouldn't win.

"The Seraphim do not accept this judgement." Ezekiel's voice rang out. "We formally challenge the authority of this court under article sixteen, paragraph eighteen, line six . "

None of us needed Benji to read the law back for us. We all knew this one.

No arch is above judgement. If an angel believes justice being delivered is not honest and true, they are permitted to intervene however necessary.

We all knew it, but the fact that Ez knew the exact article to quote suggested Benji had prepped him. Which meant they'd been ready for this. They'd known this was a possibility when they'd walked into this chamber, yet they'd done so anyway.

The loyalty they were showing me was dizzying. It was so much that I couldn't process it now. I pushed it away to deal with later.

"In other words," Nate said with a smirk, "fuck around and find out."

Nox snickered beside me as I groaned inwardly. There was standing our ground, and then there was inciting violence. I should've known it'd be one of the twins to take us over that line.

"Nox has executed an arch," Gloria said. With the table in pieces in front of her, there was nothing to hide the tremble in her hands. Was that fury or fear? I guessed we were about to find out. "He will pay for his crimes."

"If you execute Nox, Micah dies too," Breann said quietly. "We'll not allow it."

The door banged open. "Neither will we."

My eyes bugged wide. No…it couldn't be. There was no way he'd risk his mates by coming here.

But when I looked back over my shoulder, my former second was strolling into the room, Dagon at his side.

The shocks kept coming as Ferry stepped into the room. He paused in the doorway, a shiver going through his frame as he took it all in. Then the former Grim Reaper stiffened and stalked into the space like he belonged here.

He had, once upon a time. Before the war between God and Lucifer, he'd stood shoulder to shoulder with both my parents, receiving orders and punishments.

After the war, my parents were dead, and Ferry had fallen.

Finally Rami appeared, shooting me a wink before falling in beside Ezekiel. I had noted his absence, but I'd hoped perhaps he'd had more sense than to risk his immortality for me.

I should've known something greater was at play. If we got out of this, I'd spend the rest of eternity thanking my unit for it.

A faint shimmer appeared over my mate's skin. Three different colours, one after the other. My mouth dried out as I realised what was happening.

The demons were shielding my mate. Here, in the most powerful courtroom on any plane, they were openly challenging the authority of Heaven.

They weren't the only ones. As soon as they spotted what was happening, more shields appeared as every Seraphim added their own.

Light was radiating from Nox, covering every inch of his skin. He looked down at his arms in wonder before his eyes met mine. I could feel him in the bond. His confusion. His awe. His disbelief.

I didn't think anyone had ever done this for him before. Not like this.

You're worth it , I tried to tell him silently. Our love is worth it.

I didn't know if it was the appearance of the demons or the shields Nox now wore, but Gloria had been pushed over the edge. She strode from the dais, storming closer. Not too close, mind. She was pissed, not stupid.

"You are forbidden from this place, Dimitri," Gloria spat, her eyes fixed on his now black wings. "You made your choice."

"You're right. I chose love," Dimitri said simply. Ez took a step to the side, allowing him to slide into his former spot. Meanwhile, Dagon and Ferry took up positions on either side of Nox. "Just as Micah is doing. Nox is under the protection of Hell. If you execute him, you'll be declaring war with Lucifer."

"You don't have the authority to declare that."

"No, but I do." Dagon waved cheerily, like she somehow might've missed the blue-haired demon in our midst. "Son of Lucifer here, former prince of Hell, and very willing to be a pain in the arse if required. Now, thanks to a deal Lucifer was…persuaded into, he's under the control of my brothers and me. And I'm happy to inform you that, should you execute Nox, we will go to war with Heaven."

The silence that followed Dagon's declaration was almost deafening. Gloria's lips were white, while the other archs had retreated back a few steps, like they no longer wanted to be associated with what was happening. Ozias went as far as to grab Gloria's arm, spitting furious whispers in her direction, but she shook him off like he was nothing more than an irritating fly.

"Nox executed an arch," Gloria repeated woodenly. "He must pay."

"Then hand him over to Dagon," Ferry said. "He's a demon. Let the demons decide his punishment."

There was nothing but hatred in the look Gloria shot Ferry. "That's not how it works, Ferenc, as you should well know."

"You're right." Ferry twitched his fingers, flames twisting leisurely between his fingers. "I was punished for choosing love. Four thousand years of heartbreak, all because I chose a different path."

There was an ache in my chest. My father had always spoken highly of Ferry. It had never sat well with me, his being entrapped in Hell. All this time, I'd had no idea of the motivations behind his choice to fight for Lucifer.

Now I did? Fuck. Looked like Heaven had been punishing angels for things out of their control since the very beginning.

"I refuse to sit back and let the same thing happen again," Ferry said, the flames burning a little brighter now. "Hand Nox over or face the consequences."

As one, the demons drew their weapons, the heat in the chamber rising in warning.

"Nox executed an arch. His immortality is forfeit."

Rami groaned behind us, cursing under his breath. I agreed with him—if there was an award for the most stubborn being ever, it'd surely be awarded to Gloria.

"No, he didn't," Ezekiel said, breaking from the line to step forwards. "I did."

Both Nox and I looked at him in horror. "Ezekiel, what the fuck are you doing?"

Ezekiel held my gaze calmly. Trust me.

I wanted to, but didn't he realise he was putting his neck on the chopping block?

Nox started to speak, but the words were muffled behind the hand Dagon had cheerfully clapped over his mouth. He glared at the demon, but Dagon just winked at him.

Before my brain could catch up to what was happening, Rami stepped forwards. "Nope. That's incorrect. I was the one who executed Emilio."

My head bobbed between them, shock rippling through both Nox and me.

"Actually, it was me," Benji said, moving to join them. "I executed Emilio."

Breann went next. "It was none of them. I killed him."

One by one, every single member of my unit stepped forwards, claiming responsibility for the crime Nox had committed.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

Nate was the final one to speak. "It was none of these fuckers, it was definitely me." His gaze lingered on me. "Wish I'd found out what he was doing earlier. Cunt would've been executed centuries ago if we'd known. "

My vision blurred as I tilted my head in understanding. All this time I'd carried this burden alone, not wanting my unit to pay the price. Now, they were clearly demonstrating that not only were they willing to pay it, but that they wanted to.

"Oh dear." Ezekiel smirked. "Seems you've got quite the conundrum on your hands. How exactly are you going to explain to God that you've had to execute her most loyal and powerful unit of soldiers?"

"Can't see that going well for you," I added. "I'm sure God would be very interested to know what truly happens inside these walls."

As with Lucifer, God didn't generally get involved in situations such as these, leaving them to the higher-ups to deal with. From the shadow that passed over Gloria's and the other judges' faces, they knew their actions would come under scrutiny if brought to her attention.

"I mean, I say you should do it," Dagon said, causing every eye to go to him. He was smiling at her knowingly. "I'm sure everyone in Hell will be grateful that you no longer have the Seraphim guarding your gates. Should make things easier if we ever decide to…extend our borders."

Dagon's threat couldn't have been clearer. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, her eyes darted around the room. I knew she was taking in the other angels. Whatever decision she made now would travel across every plane within hours.

Meaning God would know exactly who was to blame if a war was declared.

Any other angel would have backed down. They'd look at the odds stacked against them and know this was a battle lost. But Gloria had spent her immortality in courtrooms, not on battlefields. She was used to getting her own way. To her power going unchallenged.

"As lovely as I'm sure this is, no angel executed Emilio. It was a demon." Her gaze lingered on Nox, who stared back murderously. "A demon with black hair, piercings and tattoos."

Beside me, Dimitri gave a small exhale. He stepped forwards, his arrogant smirk in place. "I guess the gig is up. It was me. I executed Emilio."

Dagon's hand fell away from Nox as he switched his shield from my mate to his own. I couldn't blame him. I was certain this hadn't been in the plan.

Nox slipped one of his manacled hands into mine, squeezing. I drew on his strength. "Dimitri?—"

"No." He didn't take his eyes from Gloria. "It's my turn now."

I didn't need to ask him to explain. I knew. All those times I'd risked us all to save him and his mates.

Now he was doing the same for me.

Dimitri bowed before Gloria mockingly. "Here I am, the true perpetrator. Before you act, let me remind you that one of my mates is the son of Lucifer. Execute me, and his immortality is forfeit too. I'm sure that would go down marvellously with his brothers. And that's before we bring his father into the equation."

Conversation broke out around the room. For the first time, Gloria seemed to realise the issue in calling in such an army to guard us.

They weren't just an army, they were witnesses. Witnesses who could be called before other courts. Who'd undoubtedly share the story of what exactly had gone down today .

Gloria's stature shrank as she seemed to curl in on herself. Triumph flashed in me, echoed by Nox.

We had her over a barrel and she knew it.

With Nox's hand in mine, I smiled pleasantly. "So, Gloria. What's it going to be?"

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