“Then don’t do this,” I begged him.

He was quiet again for several agonizing moments, returning to his emotionless state. “Keep him. I have faith in you, Sister.”

Will and I breathed sighs of relief, but it was a few seconds before Michael withdrew his sword. His expression remained unchanging as he lifted Will’s death warrant.

“Thank you,” I said to him. “Thank you so much. I need you, Michael. Help me defeat Sammael and Lilith.”

“If I could, I would,” he replied. “But my orders are to remain in Heaven and to protect our world. It is your duty to protect Earth. I’m sorry, Gabriel.”

“I can’t do it on my own. I need more angels down here.”

“We cannot disobey our orders,” Michael said. “That includes me.”

“Have you ever heard of something called the hallowed glaive?” I asked. “I was told that the enemy fears this weapon could destroy Sammael.”

“Yes,” he answered. “The glaive belongs to Azrael.”

I looked at Will. “That’s awesome news.”

Will nodded. “Azrael must have used this weapon to defeat Sammael before and he’s got to still have it. At least we know right where it is and won’t have to go looking for it.”

“Is it possible for me to become an archangel again?” I asked Michael. “If I had my full power, then I would be a match for Sammael.”

“It is possible,” Michael said, “but it will destroy you.”

My belly felt like I was just socked by a fist, the shock of his words a mind-numbing disappointment. “What? Destroy me?”

“No human body can withstand that much energy,” Michael explained. “A mere glimpse of an angel’s glory will burn the eyes from a normal human’s sockets. You have enough divine power in you to handle angelic glory for short periods of time, but trapping all of your true strength inside this mortal body will kill it. Death may not happen instantly, but it would be inevitable. You are unstable enough as it is already, with your human emotions in direct conflict with your angelic power. You must have felt this happening before when you summon your full strength.”

“Are you saying that I would become a time bomb?”

He gave me a single nod. “In a manner of speaking.”

Will closed the distance between us and put a comforting hand on my arm. “We should abandon the plan, then. It’s too much of a risk.”

“How long could my body survive with my full power?” I asked Michael.

“Ellie—” Will’s hand tightened on me.

“You would live until you used that power,” the archangel said. “And you would need it all to kill the Fallen.”

“So I could survive until I killed Sammael and Lilith.”

“That is possible.”

“Ellie!” Will took hold of my chin and turned my face toward his, drilling his eyes into mine. “We will find another way to win.”

“If this is the only way, then I’m happy to do it,” I told him. “I know it’s awful, but if it kills me, then I can come back.”

“That cannot be guaranteed,” Michael boomed, drawing our attention back to him. “If you die as an archangel on Earth, instead of the human you are now, you will not likely be reincarnated.”

I let his words sink in, considering what they truly meant would happen to me. I felt myself fading into my thoughts, but the pressure of Will’s hand on my skin kept me grounded. I drew a trembling breath and looked into his face. Fear resonated in his green eyes and he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

“There’s always another way, Ell,” he whispered.

I bit my lip and swallowed hard. “What if there isn’t?”

“I will make another way,” he swore and cupped my face in his hands. “I’m not losing you for good.”

“If this is my fate, then I embrace it,” I said.

His thumbs brushed my cheeks gently and his gaze was firm and absolute. “No. You have the power to change your fate. You can fight it. We’ll fight it together.”

“If I had more information, I would tell you what I know,” Michael said. “But what you ask of has never been done before.”

I pulled away from Will and approached the archangel. “Then you’re saying that you don’t know everything, that there could be a chance you’re wrong.”

“That is possible.”

I nodded, weighing my options in my head. There was always hope. I had to cling to everything I had, no matter how dim that bit of hope seemed. “Thank you.”

Michael gave a low, sweeping bow. “I must leave now. I can feel my hold on this world slipping. Good-bye, Sister. Godspeed.”

The archangel vanished in a flash of light, and my eyes took some time to adjust in the sudden darkness. I turned to Will, forcing myself to face him and the conversation we were about to have.

“Will…”

“Let’s not make a decision until we’ve spoken to Azrael,” he suggested. “He may still be able to fight.”

“And if he can’t?” I asked. “Or won’t?”

“Then we’ll figure out something else.”

“I’m going to do whatever I have to do.”

“You’re not going to die for this.”

“If I have to die in order to save everyone, then I will in a heartbeat. The world is more important than me.”