Chapter 15

The day of my very first Angels' Court had come. I climbed the long staircase to the Court Chamber on the upper level, where I would soon hear the first petitions. Alec Morrows, my head of security, kept pace beside me.

And Alec was sure in an agitated state. "The reason Nyx put you, Colonel Lightbringer, Captain Singh, and Lieutenant Jones on this airship is that compared to the buildings on the ground, the airship is easy to defend and hard for people to get in. And now you want to hold an open petition court here, inviting random people on board?"

"They're not random, Alec," I told him. "They're petitioners. They need our help. And we need theirs."

"That's very nice of you to actually give a shit about the general population, Leda, but how am I supposed to protect you when there are so many people coming on board?"

"I agree with Morrows," Stash told me. "Your decision to see petitioners will make the airship harder to defend. It will make you harder to defend."

Stash was at my other side. They had me surrounded, like they were afraid someone could jump out the wall at any moment and try to kill me.

"Look, guys, most people who will come to the Angels' Court will have honest intentions," I said to them. "They just want our help. They just want their pleas to finally be heard. Sure, there might be some who take advantage of the situation. In that case, it's a good thing I have such capable protectors to deal with those people." I smiled fondly at them.

"Damn, she's good," Stash muttered. "Complimenting us."

"I liked you better before you went to angel manners academy," Alec told me bluntly.

I laughed. "It was only for one day, and it was hardly anything as romantic as an academy. Just Colonel Fireswift and I stuck in a stuffy room with lots of books and lots of test questions. Now, if you're both quite finished being pessimistic, I have work to do."

Stash shook his head. "We'll take care of the security. Don't worry."

I grinned at them. "Oh, I'm not worried. Not at all."

"Just in case, you should be armed at all times in the Court Chamber," Alec said.

"I have magic, Alec. I'm always armed."

Alec grunted in amusement.

I'd reached the top of the endless staircase. Finally. I crossed the massive hall that took up much of this level. Along the way, I spotted a familiar pair of female corporals.

"Anderson, Lexington, what are you doing here?" I called out.

The two soldiers snapped around to face me, looking very guilty. Anderson was so nervous, she forgot to salute. Not that I cared.

"Sorry, Colonel," Corporal Lexington said, her words rushed, like she was afraid she wouldn't be able to get them all out if she didn't speak quickly. "We took a wrong turn."

I glanced past them, where my brother Zane was standing, a croissant in one hand, a cup of coffee in the other. Wrong turn. Right. Since I'd come aboard the airship last week, I'd seen Anderson and Lexington take more than one ‘wrong turn'. Those wrong turns inevitably put them within ogling range of Zane.

"I'm pretty sure Lieutenant Morrows assigned you to guard the level six corridor," I told them, channeling my inner angel. I even made my wings turn red, just for fun.

They gaped at me like I was going to set them on fire.

"But if you'd rather do something more fun, our guests from Heaven's Army are looking for sparring partners."

The two corporals looked at Stash, who flashed them a wide grin.

Lexington turned a little green. Anderson's nervous face was slick with sweat.

"No takers?" I waved them off. "Then back to the sixth level with you."

They hurried out of there faster than if I'd cast a telekinetic blast behind them.

When they were gone, Alec turned to me and snickered. "Channeling General Windstriker there, were you?"

"Hmm."

I had Zane in my sights. I pointed at him. He smiled back. I wiggled my finger, beckoning him to me. Zane did it, his manner as relaxed as the two corporals had been nervous.

"What's up, Leda?" he said with a casual wave.

"I just had to tell off a pair of corporals who were trailing you instead of standing at their posts."

"I saw." He nodded solemnly. "And might I say, you were very commanding indeed, Leda."

"I wouldn't have had to tell them off if you hadn't flirted with them," I told him.

"Me?" He indicated himself, looking like he couldn't imagine how this could possibly be his fault—how anything could possibly be his fault.

"Yes, you, Zane Pierce. In fact, you seem to have almost the entire female population of this airship under your spell."

"It's not magic, Leda."

"That was a figure of speech, and you know it, smart ass. In the last twenty-four hours, I have personally seen you flirt with the airship's receptionist and sweet-talk at least a dozen soldiers during their lunch break at the airship's canteen. Lexington and Anderson aren't an isolated incident. More than a few female soldiers on board are very sweet on you, and they regularly go out of their way to walk past your favorite spots, in the hopes of crossing paths with you. Many of them have learned your schedule. They know when you work out in the gym. They know when you visit the library. They know when you go to eat in the canteen."

He folded his hands in front of his body, like he had nothing to hide. "Your soldiers are very skilled at the art of observation, a testament to your leadership."

"Zane, don't try to bullshit a bullshitter. I love you with all my heart, but I am immune to your charms."

He chuckled.

"Please stop making every woman you meet fall in love with you," I pleaded with him. "It's really inconvenient right now."

"I'm only being myself, Leda. I can't just turn it off, you know."

"I know." I sighed because it was true. Zane wasn't charming people on purpose; he was just being himself. "But maybe make an extra effort to turn it down a notch?"

"Very well. Just for you, dearest sister, I shall endeavor to be less charming." He bowed to me.

"Thank you."

"And may I say, you have a lovely glow about you today."

I gave him a flat look. "Very funny."

"I speak only the truth."

My charming brother seemed to be in a very good mood. He was probably so happy to be with his family again that he didn't care we were all stuck on board an airship.

The rest of my family was doing well too.

Tessa hadn't appreciated leaving her thriving event planning business behind, but she did appreciate her fully decked out suite with all the amenities she could imagine. She shared the suite with Gin, who'd quickly made friends with the airship's engineer and was learning all about how this flying miracle of magic and technology worked.

Bella and Harker shared another suite. Her brush with death had left him with a steadfast refusal to leave her side. For her part, Bella seemed to like having him nearby. She'd finally come to enjoy the fierce devotion of an angel. Of her angel. I saw the way she smiled at him. She was growing closer to Harker with every passing day. There certainly was something romantic about this airship, I had to admit.

"Good morning," Cadence said, closing in beside me.

Behind her, Alice and Andromeda were coming up the stairs. Yeah, we were all on a first name basis now. I chuckled to think of what Colonel Fireswift would think of that.

"Morning, all," I greeted them.

"So the big day is finally here. Are you ready?" Alice asked me.

"I am."

"And you're still sure this is the right way?" Andromeda asked.

"Yes. Swords and magic fire balls won't solve our problems. They won't win this war. What we need is to get all of us to march in the same direction. We need to be united by a common goal, something each and every one of us is determined to make a reality. We are spending our time answering the pleas of the Earth's people because when we help them, when we set this example of selfishness, they will feel compelled to follow us. Not because of magic or some trick, but because it's the right thing to do."

"Good speech, Pandora," said Octavian, who was standing guard outside the Court Chamber's closed doors.

I took a bow. "Thanks."

He pinched his thumb and index finger together. "A bit over the top."

I smirked at him. "That means a lot coming from you."

Octavian laughed. His outfit, a set of bright red battle leather, was particularly ostentatious today. And his hair was redder than ever before. Weapons covered him like a full armament of ornaments on a Christmas tree. He was sporting a new tattoo, a pair of wings on his neck. I wondered who he'd gotten to create that for him.

I addressed Cadence, Alice, and Andromeda. "The point of our Angels' Court is to put a face to the Legion and, specifically, to the angels. Most people will never see an angel in their entire life. Angels aren't real to them; they're just untouchable, far-off objects with wings, sitting on thrones. This Court will make angels more approachable, more human. It's all about how you frame the Legion to people. This will help us get those recruitment numbers up. I know it. And that's what the world needs: more people who are all fighting for the common good."

Cadence set her hand on my arm. "It's a good idea, Leda."

It had better be. We'd only spent every waking moment over the past week trying to set up this never-before-seen event. Tessa had helped too. She was good at marketing.

"It's time." Cadence turned toward the closed doors. "Let's go change the world."

Stash and Alec, standing on either side of the double doors, opened them for us. Cadence and I entered the Court Chamber, side-by-side. Andromeda and Alice followed behind us.

The room was, in one word, heavenly. Here on the airship, we were high up in the sky. I could see that through the rounded glass dome, which covered most of the room's perimeter. Bright blue skies shone beyond the glass, so surreal, so like a painting. Puffy white clouds floated all around the ship like fat marshmallows. Yum, marshmallows. Gods, I was getting hungry again. I should have had a bigger breakfast this morning.

There were four chairs set out for us, on a platform raised three steps high. Two of the chairs were at the front, then two additional chairs at the wings. Cadence and I, the angels, took the front seats. Alice and Andromeda sat in the other two.

Standing to the side of the platform, a sergeant with a big, booming voice introduced us. His voice filled the room so effectively, he didn't even need a microphone.

He started with me. "This Angels' Court is presided, firstly, by Colonel Leda Pandora, the Angel of Purgatory, the Angel of the Plains of Monsters, the Angel of Chaos…"

Do you think you have enough titles?Cadence asked me, telepathically.

I struggled to keep a straight face as the sergeant continued with my lengthy introduction.

"…the Angel of the People, the Angel of the Earth, and the Angel of Hope."

The sergeant drew in another breath, then started again.

"The angelic daughter of our great and powerful god Faris, the King of the Gods, the God of Heaven's Army, the King of Sirens, and the Slayer of Demons."

He skipped mention of my demon mother. Though the gods and the demons had now formed a tentative alliance against the Guardians, demons still weren't very popular around here.

"The angelic wife of the archangel General Nero Windstriker, the Chief Marshal and the Executive Officer of the Legion of Angels. The Slayer of Traitors, the Victor of the Crimson Coast, and the Destroyer of Darkness. The former Angel of New York and the former Angel of the East Coast of North America."

The sergeant moved on to Cadence. "This Angels' Court is presided, secondly, by Colonel Cadence Lightbringer, the Angel of Light and the Angel of the Immortals. Formerly, the Sea Dragon, the Angel of Storm Castle, and the Angel of the Elemental Expanse."

Do you think you have enough titles?I quipped.

Oh, he's not done yet,Cadence told me.

"The angelic daughter of the archangel General Rhydian Silverstar, the Angel of North Europe, the Angel of the North Star…"

He went on for a while longer. Cadence's father was one of the Earth's oldest angels. He had lived through a lot of history—and had accumulated a lot of titles.

"The angelic wife of the archangel General Damiel Dragonsire." The sergeant had finally come to Cadence's association with Damiel. "The Archangel of the Whispering Winds, the Tamer of Dragons…" He went on longer. Damiel had been around a long time too. "The Founder of the Interrogators and former Master Interrogator. The former Angel of New York and the former Angel of the East Coast of North America."

The sergeant was forced to break for another quick breath.

"The angelic mother of the archangel General Nero Windstriker…"

Oh, good, we're doing Nero again,I said to Cadence. He'd be glad that he's the only one who gets mentioned twice.

Cadence's laughter rang in my mind. Leda, behave yourself, or I won't be able to.

"…the former Angel of New York and the former Angel of the East Coast of North America."

The sergeant was breathing again. Then he set off once more. "This Angels' Court is presided, thirdly, by Captain Andromeda Singh, the wife of the angel Colonel Vanir Dragonblood, the Angel of South Europe, the Angel of Crystal Falls, and the Hero of Hellas."

Andromeda's rogue angel father didn't warrant mention. Damiel, who'd also once been called traitor, had only been included because it turned out that whole treachery thing had been a total misunderstanding. I wondered how often that happened in the Legion.

"This Angels' Court is presided, fourthly, by Lieutenant Alice Jones, the wife of the angel Colonel Xerxes Fireswift, the Angel of the Central Territory of North America, the Master Interrogator, the Angel of Order…"

No wonder Fireswift didn't like me, the Angel of Chaos.

"…and the Champion of the Gods."

Colonel Fireswift must have been granted that lofty title because Faris had liked how he'd performed in the Gods' Trials.

"The mother of the angel Lieutenant Colonel Jace Angelblood, the Angel of the South Territory of North America and the Bearer of the Vortex Blade."

The Vortex Blade was one of four components from the weapons of heaven and hell. The official story was Jace had used the sword to slay a demon, but I'd actually been the one to charge the sword with my magic. Jace knew it, but I'd made him promise not to tell anyone because, at the time, I hadn't wanted to admit that I had that kind of power. The point was kind of moot nowadays since most people knew I was Faris's daughter and could therefore wield immortal artifacts. Plus I was an angel now too.

After several minutes of lengthly introductions, the sergeant had finally finished introducing us. He stepped aside.

"The Angels' Court may now commence," I declared.

The doors to the Court Chamber opened, and our first petitioner entered.