Archangel's Enigma

36

Lijuan had only gone a quarter of the way to Rohan’s palace when her strength ran out. Heading to the ground before she fell out of the sky, her wings yet weak and useless appendages, she became corporeal.

Rage burned in her as she lay helpless on the earth, a torso with wings that barely moved when she attempted to flip herself over onto her front. Not that it would’ve mattered. She couldn’t even crawl fast; her single fully regenerated arm was as weak as her wings, the muscles trembling at the least exertion.

Unable to contain the fury, she struck out with one red-tipped hand. Black shards erupted, demolishing the trees in front of her to dust. She jerked . . . and then she smiled. This humiliating weakness was bearable if her deadly abilities were returning to their full strength. A Sleeping Alexander would have no defense against them. She was a goddess, while he had spent the past four hundred years in stasis.

He might’ve beaten her in combat when she was an angel on the verge of becoming an archangel and Alexander already an Ancient, but she was stronger than him now. He wouldn’t walk away from her this time, a tall golden-haired creature with silver wings who’d turned down what other men had coveted.

For a moment, she hesitated, echoes of that hopeful, sweet, smart girl in her soul. That girl had seen only wonder in the world. That girl had known Alexander was a piece of light that would burn through eternity, a man of war who had gained immeasurable wisdom over the ages he’d seen pass.

“My beautiful Zhou Lijuan.” His fingers brushing her cheekbones, his silver eyes holding her in thrall. “So delicate and strong and full of such power.”

Her palm tingled in a sudden sensory memory of closing over the thickness of his wrist. “Why won’t you be with me?” He admired her, she could see that. “I can walk by your side, be your partner as you would be mine.”

A gentle shake of his head. “You must grow on your own. Perhaps in seven thousand years, we can come together again. When you are in your power and we are equals. Now . . . I would crush you without meaning to, and you are destined for greatness.”

Seven thousand years.

It had passed, she suddenly realized. Perhaps killing him wasn’t the answer . . .

The rage rushed back in on a black roar. Not because Alexander had rejected her; she had forgotten that long ago, had fallen passionately in love with another man. For an eon, Alexander had been nothing but a sweet memory of her youth, one that caused her amused fondness. She’d been a pup in awe of a beautiful Ancient.

No, her rage came from the idea that Alexander, this silver-winged Sleeper of the prophecy, would one day seek to destroy her. No one had that right. And they weren’t equals. No one was her equal. She was Zhou Lijuan and she would rule the world before this Cascade was done.

Throwing back her head, she laughed for the first time since Raphael had hurt her.