We stop in front of the double glass doors. One of the guards goes inside. We wait in silence under the predatory gaze of far too many warriors. The cult people rush to the trunk of one of the cars and heft the sword out. It takes two of them to drag it across the driveway toward us.

Then the glass doors open, and several angels come outside. One of the newcomers is Uriel’s footman, the one who helped him get ready for the last party.

The men bow deeply to the angels. ‘We’ve brought the girl as promised, masters.’

The angel lackey nods at the guards who then grab my arms.

When they lay the sword in front of Uriel’s footman, he says, ‘Kneel.’

The men kneel in front of him like prisoners awaiting execution. The angel marks their foreheads with a black smear.

‘This will ensure your safety from angels. None of us shall harm you so long as you have this mark.’

‘And the rest of our loyal group?’ asks Tan Head, looking up at the angel.

‘Bring them to us. We’ll mark the rest of you. Let it be known that we can be generous to those who serve us.’

‘Let it be known that they tore apart their last set of servants,’ I say to the cult members.

The men glance at me fearfully, looking worried. I wonder if they knew about the massacre that happened here.

The angels ignore me. ‘Continue the good work, and perhaps we’ll allow you to serve us in heaven.’

The men try to bow deeper, pressing themselves onto the ground. ‘It is our honor to serve the masters.’

I would make a gagging noise if I wasn’t so scared.

They shove me into the building. My sword scrapes the pavement as an angel drags it behind us.

Chapter 28

28

Inside, the lobby is crowded and roaring with noise, every inch of standing space bursting with angels. Either they’ve all come indoors or their numbers have swelled overnight.

They must be gathered for the election. That would explain the angel host we’d seen flying this way.

The crowd parts to let me through.

It must be the sound of the sword dragging behind me that catches everyone’s attention. They all stare as we pass. I feel like a witch being paraded through town. I guess I’m lucky they’re not throwing rotten tomatoes at me.

Instead of going into a room, they take me through the building and out onto the lawn where the massacre happened. They’re putting me on display for all angels to see.

There are still patches of dried blood on the terrace. Apparently, there’s no one left to clean up after them anymore. The place is a mess. Confetti and costumes litter the ground, and for some reason, the grass is churned up like an army had randomly gone through it with shovels.