Shadow WIngs (Skeleton Key) Read Online Free

utterly lost its mind.
    Thinking for a few seconds more, Raguel aimed his presence elsewhere.
    Mik’hil? He made his words polite. I could use a second pair of eyes.
    The familiar presence of the senior archangel pooled around Raguel. Raguel felt Mik’hil understand immediately why he had been summoned. He felt the instant that Mik’hil zeroed in on the strange, glass-like key with the skeleton’s face.
    What is it? Mik’hil asked, curiosity whispering off his long, gray and white wings.
    Raguel smiled. I had hoped you might illuminate me on that point.
    Is that Lahash? Mik’hil focused briefly on the demon handcuffed to the chair.
    It is, Raguel affirmed.
    What is he doing?
    Raguel exhaled celestial dust as he glanced at the demon. I have not yet determined that, he admitted. This body murdered children. Orphans, after sexually abusing their bodies. He left them in a public and very political place, in the middle of Red Square, so conceivably with some more incendiary goal in mind. He left no witnesses, which suggests he used lower demons to erase memories and confuse minds... or else that he has human recruits. It is a lot of trouble to go to, only to allow this body to be caught by humans right after the crime is committed. It is a terrible crime, of course, but does not follow their usual pattern in a case such as this...
    Raguel trailed, realizing he was telling Mik’hil what he already knew.
    Unfurling his wings, Raguel shrugged.
    ...Any one of those children might have been a recruitment opportunity in this life, given the trauma inflicted. Instead, Lahash killed them, wasting the opportunity. Then he covered up his tracks, again wasting effort for no direct benefit I can see. It is...
    Raguel sought a different word, could not find it.
    ...Wasteful, he repeated. It does not follow in my mind yet, what Lahash’s greater purpose is. Nor do I understand why he did not simply kill this body prior to it being captured by authorities. It will be more difficult for him to kill it now...
    Mik’hil nodded thoughtfully. Could Lahash have wanted these children in a future life? He looked at Raguel, dark eyes shimmering. ... Or just one of them, perhaps?
    Raguel sighed. It possible, of course. But I feel some other game here. Something more immediate. Also, it is a risk that we would not get there first. Why waste a sure thing on a risk, when recruitment would be so much simpler now?
    What other game do you feel? Mik’hil gave a harder flap of his wings, his mouth firming. What immediate purpose?
    Raguel had no answer to that.
    Glancing at the woman, he said only, Things are not... stable here right now.
    Mik’hil followed his gaze to the KGB officer’s face. Expressionless, he exuded an angel’s grunt, still looking at her. When are ‘things’ ever stable in the human world, Raguel? That is hardly evidence of a difference in this matter.
    True, Raguel conceded. Yet more clouds than usual are gathering of late. Gabriel feels the same across the ocean, in America. There is talk of war. He gave Mik’hil a meaningful look. Nuclear war, perhaps.
    Mik’hil acknowledged that as well, but did not comment.
    Raguel could feel that his silence did not reflect disagreement, more a lack of additional information regarding Raguel’s concerns.
    Mik’hil returned his mind to the glass-like key.
    You’d better bring it back, he said, after a few more increments. It is definitely not an object created in the human world. This might be some game by the demon, as you suspect. In either case, we cannot simply leave it here. Not without knowing what dangers it contains.
    Is it demon-made, do you think? Raguel studied the object with some curiosity, still unable to reconcile the conflicting impressions it emanated. Or is it ours?
    He wished the latter to be true.
    It felt more true somehow, but he could not trust his impressions of the thing.
    Unclear, Mik’hil replied. Perhaps neither.
    Raguel nodded, but felt his curiosity