Splendor and Darkness (Rebel Angels) Read Online Free PDF Page B

that be?” Authority had never set well with Lailah and her decision to end her interaction with Nate had left her feisty.
    “The Council has requested that I find someone else to undertake this assignment. For some reason, they doubt my objectivity. You and Daniel are uniquely qualified.” Was that amusement in Sariel’s tone? She wasn’t sure if she should be encouraged or intimidated. Few things amused Sariel.
    “What is the assignment?”
    “Ever since Rosalind and Gadrayel were allowed to marry, the Council has been observing their descendants. It is believed that the unusual blending of angelic, demonic and human natures found in their offspring will result in a being of immense power.”
    The Order of Grigori was the oldest and most powerful group of angels. They possessed the one ability others did not. They were able to procreate. The Daughters of Man were forbidden to the Grigori, yet the lines blurred where Rebel Angels were concerned.
    Gadrayel was a Grigori hunter and one of his missions led him to Rosalind. Their attraction had been instantaneous and powerful. Not knowing what price they would ultimately pay for loving each other, they had abandoned themselves to the bliss.
    Rosalind’s lineage was even more complicated than Gadrayel’s . Her grandfather had been a Fallen Grigori and farther back in her ancestry had been Gideon, one of the Rebel Angels.
    “I didn’t follow their progress closely, but they seemed to do well for themselves.” Lailah drew her thoughts away from the convoluted past.
    “Rosalind lived a long and happy life,” Alyssa said. “The demonic element in her nature created conflict from time to time, but Gadrayel was there to help her drive back the darkness.”
    “Several generations have passed since they departed the mortal realm.” Lailah’s injury had taken her life in a different direction from the occupants of Monthamn Castle. “If such a person existed, shouldn’t they have surfaced by now?”
    “The Council believes they have. The current Earl of Monthamn is an acquaintance of yours.”
    Lailah’s eyes widened. He couldn’t mean… Did he mean…?
    “That’s what I was trying to tell you before,” Daniel said. “Nate is a descendent of Rosalind and Gadrayel .”
    “A demonic horde is hunting Nate,” Sariel announced casually. “ Gadrayel and his men concealed Nate’s location during his convalescence. Now that he has returned to Monthamn Castle, hiding him is no longer an option.”
    “What do you want us to do?” Staggered by Sariel’s revelation, she could barely form the words. Not once during her time with Nate had she sensed either angelic or demonic entities. Had she really become so powerless? “ Gadrayel is better equipped to protect him than I.”
    “Protecting Nate is not the assignment. It has always been Gadrayel’s responsibility to guard his progeny.”
    “Where was Gadrayel that night in the forest?” She leaned forward, her hands flat on the table. “Four innocent people were slaughtered. Two were Gadrayel’s progeny. Not only were they murdered, but a vicious little demon tortured them before I arrived.”
    Alyssa cupped Lailah’s shoulder, drawing her back. “When each Monthamn child is born, someone is dispatched to assess their potential.”
    Lailah released a mirthless laugh. “That scenario sounds a bit familiar.” Judging Rosalind’s nature had been the catalyst that brought Sariel and Alyssa together.
    “The current generation of descendants showed no aptitude toward unusual abilities, so Gadrayel was given other duties,” Sariel continued.
    “Well, apparently one of the master demons made a different assessment.”
    “We can spend the rest of the night reviewing the tragedy or we can work out the details of our plan.” There was no mistaking the authority in Sariel’s tone. It was the only warning she was likely to get. “Humans ambushed the travelers. That much we know. It is possible that the attack drew