Banished by Blood by Marie Booth

Author:Marie Booth
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781733278447
Publisher: Marie Booth

15

EZRA

The Archangel Michael stood on a dais at the end of an enormous and ornately designed room, his sparkling white wings spread in perfect symmetry, the backlighting giving him a full body halo effect. Two cherubs perched on the shoulders of a poor reproduction of Michelangelo’s David, spotlights playing up the perfect sculptural form. The self-absorbed battle angel expected everything surrounding him to reflect his own perfection, even works of art.

At least he hadn’t stolen and dragged the original to his palace in TROL.

The portal and scroll demanding Ezra attend Michael immediately had appeared in the foyer of the mansion fifteen minutes ago. He’d decided not to shower and change. If Michael wanted him right away, he’d show up as he was, bare chested, in loose pants and the soft leather boots he used for workouts. Ezra kept his face neutral, his body straight and proud as he began the trek toward his powerful former master.

The ceiling in this unfamiliar room was painted in the Italian Renaissance style with enormous multicolored panels of robed and armored angels and ragged looking daemons battling it out. Michael’s likeness stood prominently in the center of each. A dozen enormous windows framed with blue silk curtains took up most of the wall space. An artificial starry sky and pale crescent moon left fake patches of light on a mosaic tiled floor. The phony firmament didn’t compare to the real thing, but then Michael wouldn’t survive even five minutes of true night on Earth. No angel would.

Ezra had grown to appreciate the wonders of a night sky, a sight reserved for earthly mortals, and not demanding archangels.

When Ezra made it to the halfway mark on his long journey toward Michael’s dais, the archangel finally noticed his presence. “Ezekiel! Concern flares in my essence.”

The booming tone of Michael speaking the ancient language out loud made Ezra’s bones ache. It had been a while since Ezra had spoken the archaic tongue and an entire lecture communicated in the dusty vernacular would be unbearable.

“My lord and master.” Ezra bowed deeply and waited until Michael finally gave him a nod indicating he had permission to straighten. “May we speak casually, lord?”

Silence, then a long sigh. “Because of history past and your loyalty unflinching, I shall agree to your request.”

Ezra met his former master’s gaze with what he hoped looked like adoration. “Thank you, sire.” Staying alive was Ezra’s primary goal.

His chest spasmed with yearning as the enormous male folded his shimmering, pristine wings in a dramatic flair Ezra never would have bothered with. The scars on his back had begun to burn the moment he’d arrived, a game Michael liked to play to remind him of who was in charge.

The scent of TROL wafted past Ezra’s nostrils. He greedily sucked it in, surprised to find it unsatisfying. It was fresh and pleasant but held none of the richness of freshly turned earth in the garden or the sea’s briny tang or the savory aroma of a meal before dusk. Even the sweaty scent of his team during workouts was better than this sterile blandness.

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