Read Online Son of Perdition (Chronicles of Brothers) by Wendy Alec - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Wendy Alec
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mobilize your armies under a messiah – your own messiah?’
Lucifer grasped Charsoc’s arm so fiercely that Charsoc winced in agony.
‘Explain yourself,’ he hissed.
‘The Dark Cabal Wizards.’ Charsoc exhaled. ‘They ride from the Crypts of Nagor as we speak.’ He hesitated. ‘The Twins seek an audience.’
Lucifer’s eyes searched Charsoc’s face, instantly alert. ‘The Twins.’
He released Charsoc from his fierce grip. Charsoc caressed his arm and bit his lip in pain as Lucifer strode past him under the colossal columns of the Eastern Portico.
Seemingly from mid-air, Charsoc withdrew a black missive sealed with a silver pentagram.
‘From the Twins’ emissaries, Your Excellency.’
Lucifer snatched the missive and scanned it. It blazed fiercely in his palm, then evaporated.
‘Release my vulture shamans from their hell cages as their welcoming parties. Send word to the Grand Wizards of Phaegos and Maelageor that I prepare to grant them audience. Summon the Darkened Councils from under the earth.’
Charsoc bowed deeply.
‘Your word is my command, sire,’ he said, and vanished into thin air.
Lucifer moved to the very edge of the Portico, deep in contemplation.
Slowly, he raised his palm to the skies.
The form of Gabriel became visible, slumbering deeply in his chamber in the First Heaven.
Lucifer stared at his youngest brother.
‘Gabriel . . . ’ he murmured.
Gabriel’s exquisite features were bathed in the glimmering radiance from the Western Wall. Serene. Undisturbed.
‘Dream deeply, Revelator,’ Lucifer uttered.
Gabriel’s breathing became shallow. He tossed restlessly from side to side.
Lucifer smiled a slow evil smile.
‘May the Wizard Riders infect your dreams, brother,’ he whispered. ‘My redemption draweth nigh.’
* * *
Gabriel stared up at the soaring gold-columned palace that towered high above the Western Wall of the First Heaven. His normally serene features were troubled.
His grey eyes clouded.
The Eastern and Northern Wings of the Palace of Archangels were still inhabited by himself and Michael but the Great West Wing, once occupied by the former Prince Regent, Lucifer, lay desolate. The magnificent mother-of-pearl chambers lay deserted. Their towering golden doors engraved with the emblem of the Son of the Morning had been shackled since the dusk of his banishment, to worlds long since departed.
The West Wing had been unchained only once in all the past millennia. The day that Lucifer was summoned to appear at the First Judgement, nearly two thousand years ago. He had dressed in these very quarters before he was delivered to the Great White Plains.
Gabriel ran his fingers through his pale gold tresses, uneasiness etched on his flawless features. He gave a backward glance at Zadkiel who rode a clear ten feet behind him, with Sandaldor by his side. Gabriel nodded.
As one, the small party rode through the Western Gates a full mile above the glistening diamonds that paved the winding roadway. Gabriel hesitated outside Lucifer’s vast orangeries. Once vibrant with the heliotropes and lupins that his eldest brother had so loved, it was as it had been since his banishment.
Desolate. Bleak. Austere.
Nothing flowered and yet at the same time there was no decay. It was a vacuum. As though even the blooming flora of the First Heaven had sensed Lucifer’s treacherous betrayal and declined to grow since his exile.
Gabriel pulled gently on the reins of his mare Ariel. They continued, past the drained Pools of the Seven Wisdoms, drawing to a halt directly in front of the two towering golden doors of Lucifer’s West Wing chambers.
Gabriel dismounted, followed by Zadkiel and Sandaldor. Zadkiel laid a hand gently on his arm.
‘You are sure this is your wish, my Prince?’ he asked.
Gabriel bowed his head, then raised his gaze to meet Zadkiel’s.
‘It is my wish,’ he whispered, his normally serene eyes awash with intense emotion.
Zadkiel studied the
Lucifer grasped Charsoc’s arm so fiercely that Charsoc winced in agony.
‘Explain yourself,’ he hissed.
‘The Dark Cabal Wizards.’ Charsoc exhaled. ‘They ride from the Crypts of Nagor as we speak.’ He hesitated. ‘The Twins seek an audience.’
Lucifer’s eyes searched Charsoc’s face, instantly alert. ‘The Twins.’
He released Charsoc from his fierce grip. Charsoc caressed his arm and bit his lip in pain as Lucifer strode past him under the colossal columns of the Eastern Portico.
Seemingly from mid-air, Charsoc withdrew a black missive sealed with a silver pentagram.
‘From the Twins’ emissaries, Your Excellency.’
Lucifer snatched the missive and scanned it. It blazed fiercely in his palm, then evaporated.
‘Release my vulture shamans from their hell cages as their welcoming parties. Send word to the Grand Wizards of Phaegos and Maelageor that I prepare to grant them audience. Summon the Darkened Councils from under the earth.’
Charsoc bowed deeply.
‘Your word is my command, sire,’ he said, and vanished into thin air.
Lucifer moved to the very edge of the Portico, deep in contemplation.
Slowly, he raised his palm to the skies.
The form of Gabriel became visible, slumbering deeply in his chamber in the First Heaven.
Lucifer stared at his youngest brother.
‘Gabriel . . . ’ he murmured.
Gabriel’s exquisite features were bathed in the glimmering radiance from the Western Wall. Serene. Undisturbed.
‘Dream deeply, Revelator,’ Lucifer uttered.
Gabriel’s breathing became shallow. He tossed restlessly from side to side.
Lucifer smiled a slow evil smile.
‘May the Wizard Riders infect your dreams, brother,’ he whispered. ‘My redemption draweth nigh.’
* * *
Gabriel stared up at the soaring gold-columned palace that towered high above the Western Wall of the First Heaven. His normally serene features were troubled.
His grey eyes clouded.
The Eastern and Northern Wings of the Palace of Archangels were still inhabited by himself and Michael but the Great West Wing, once occupied by the former Prince Regent, Lucifer, lay desolate. The magnificent mother-of-pearl chambers lay deserted. Their towering golden doors engraved with the emblem of the Son of the Morning had been shackled since the dusk of his banishment, to worlds long since departed.
The West Wing had been unchained only once in all the past millennia. The day that Lucifer was summoned to appear at the First Judgement, nearly two thousand years ago. He had dressed in these very quarters before he was delivered to the Great White Plains.
Gabriel ran his fingers through his pale gold tresses, uneasiness etched on his flawless features. He gave a backward glance at Zadkiel who rode a clear ten feet behind him, with Sandaldor by his side. Gabriel nodded.
As one, the small party rode through the Western Gates a full mile above the glistening diamonds that paved the winding roadway. Gabriel hesitated outside Lucifer’s vast orangeries. Once vibrant with the heliotropes and lupins that his eldest brother had so loved, it was as it had been since his banishment.
Desolate. Bleak. Austere.
Nothing flowered and yet at the same time there was no decay. It was a vacuum. As though even the blooming flora of the First Heaven had sensed Lucifer’s treacherous betrayal and declined to grow since his exile.
Gabriel pulled gently on the reins of his mare Ariel. They continued, past the drained Pools of the Seven Wisdoms, drawing to a halt directly in front of the two towering golden doors of Lucifer’s West Wing chambers.
Gabriel dismounted, followed by Zadkiel and Sandaldor. Zadkiel laid a hand gently on his arm.
‘You are sure this is your wish, my Prince?’ he asked.
Gabriel bowed his head, then raised his gaze to meet Zadkiel’s.
‘It is my wish,’ he whispered, his normally serene eyes awash with intense emotion.
Zadkiel studied the
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