“Alex!” I cried. He turned sharply, but my angel’s wings were in his way; she was too exhausted now to manoeuvre. He swore as Raziel drew closer. My pulse was racing. No. This was not going to happen. I took a deep breath; drew my gun and aimed at his halo.

“Oh, I don’t think you’ll do that,” sneered Raziel as he craned towards us. “I know you very well now, my daughter.”

Without answering, I pulled the trigger.

I missed, but it was enough to startle him; he jerked backwards, flapping. I could see Seb above us with Sam and Liz; sense his distress that he could do nothing to help. Sam was firing on Raziel though, and the angel hissed as he realized it, darting away. Alex finally got a clear shot and aimed, holding onto me tightly with his other arm. “Oh, man, he is so going to die this time,” he muttered.

The world met us with a crash as we landed on a stretch of grass beside a parking lot. My angel self had slowed us down as much as she could, but it still felt like we’d slammed into a brick wall. I cried out as Alex and I rolled together; there was a shout of pain from someone as Seb and the others landed nearby. My angel merged with me again, limp and exhausted – I could feel her relief that she’d gotten us down safely.

I lay on the grass for a moment, shaking. Feeling Alex’s arms around me. “Are you okay?” he whispered.

My face was against his neck; I closed my eyes tightly, savouring the warmth of his skin against my lips. “Fine.” Somehow my voice sounded steady. I pulled away and sat up, my heart beating hard.

And then I stared at the sky above us.

Raziel was high overhead now, out of reach of our bullets – but he wasn’t alone. Charmeine, the female angel I’d seen in his thoughts, was speeding towards him, her long hair whipping in the wind. Several dozen angels were following her. “There’s the traitor who assassinated the Twelve!” she called. “Don’t let him get away!”

Of course, I thought dazedly, remembering what I’d glimpsed of the power-hungry Charmeine from Raziel’s mind. He only thought he’d totally delved her; she’d fooled him and the Council both. Her gamble had paid off – and now that he’d helped her do away with the Twelve, she didn’t need him any more.

The angels’ wings glinted like knife points as they descended; somehow I knew this was all that remained of the Council’s hundred-strong entourage. With a snarl of fury, Raziel shot straight up in the air, twisting away from the small army. I watched, sickly fascinated; I knew that I was about to see my father’s death.