I felt dizzy as the details washed relentlessly over me. It was a trap. Destroying the Council might not kill all the angels after all; that was only one possibility. And as the others came, my blood went cold.

One of them showed the earth trembling – major cities all around the world collapsing into dust.

I sat stunned, hardly able to believe what I was getting. This couldn’t be true, it just couldn’t be. So many people might die. Raziel didn’t even care. If it happened, he thought any surviving angels would still have plenty to feed on, especially with the way “the creatures” bred. And no matter what, Mexico City was certain to go if the Council was killed – those roots of their own energy that they’d woven deep below the city’s surface would ensure it.

My stomach lurched. The second I had everything, I rushed out of Raziel’s mind and back to my own. I had to get rid of it, get it out of me now.

He’d hidden it so, so well, nestled deep in my consciousness. I’d never have guessed that the tiny flame of his energy was there in a million years. Vibrant silver, with a purple tinge. I eased it from its hiding place, loathing its familial feel. With an urgent flutter, my angel appeared; cupped in her shining hands, the spark glowed brighter, and then vanished. Raziel couldn’t spy on me any more – but it was a little late for that now.

My eyes flew open. Panic was crashing through me; I stared blindly at the crowded Metro train; the mariachi singer who was still strolling through. Seb sat half-twisted in his seat, his hands gripping mine. I didn’t know how long he’d been holding them, but from the expression on his face, long enough. He looked just as sick and pale as I felt.

I could hardly get the words out. “Seb – did you see—”

“Yes, I saw,” he said grimly, just as the car reached our station. He snatched up his knapsack from the floor by his feet. “El DF for certain, and maybe even more.”

“We’ve got to get to the house in time! We’ve got to stop them—” I jumped from my seat and pushed through the crowded car, with Seb right behind me; we hit the platform running and pounded up the concrete stairs onto the street. Everything we passed, every car, every person, suddenly seemed as vulnerable as an eggshell. My lungs were burning as we raced towards the house, and in a weird way it was almost like that first day, when we’d run after the angels through the park.

Except that if we didn’t manage to stop the attack now, then Alex and the others were all going to die...and so might millions more.

“Okay, I think that’s everything,” said Alex.