Free Son of Perdition (Chronicles of Brothers) by Wendy Alec

picture where an enormous menacing serpent writhed across the entire canvas.
    He shuddered.
    ‘They ride the North Winds.’ A soft voice shattered the silence.
    Slowly, Gabriel turned.
    Jether the Just, imperial angelic monarch and ruler of the twenty-four Ancient Kings of Yehovah, stood directly before him, resplendent in his striped scarlet robes.
    He studied his old student intently, his ancient lined features filled with compassion.
    Gabriel bowed his head.
    ‘The Dark Cabal Wizards,’ Jether said softly. ‘They left the crypts of Nagor before the dawn moons rose. They ride as we speak.’
    Gabriel raised his face to Jether’s, his features etched with anguish.
    ‘Lucifer spoke to me in my dreamings, Jether,’ he whispered. ‘He said he has been sleepless many moons. He bade me come to him.’
    Jether laid his veined hand on his arm. ‘But you did not.’ He smiled gently.
    ‘No.’ Gabriel bowed his head. ‘But he came instead to me in my dreaming. “Gabriel,” Lucifer said to me, “I would have you know I will be sleepless no more. The riders come.” Then he smiled. A wicked evil smile. And said, “Tell Jether – my redemption draweth nigh.” And he was gone.’
    He looked at his mentor with imploring eyes. ‘What dastardly scheme is afoot?’
    ‘It is the fullness of time,’ Jether murmured, his venerable features grave. He walked over to study the painting carefully.
    ‘They prepare for Armageddon. The Grand Wizards ride through the underworld from the dead places. He grants them audience.’ He walked to the balcony and parted the heavy velvet curtains.
    ‘How did you know I would come?’ Gabriel whispered.
    Jether looked at him benevolently.
    ‘The older seer discerns the younger.’
    He felt for the huge set of keys at his waist and removed one engraved with the Son of the Morning’s insignia. ‘I could have saved Zadkiel and Sandaldor their exertions, magnificent though they were.’ Jether smiled into his beard. With nimble fingers he unlocked the immense glass doors, then walked onto the balcony, staring out towards a towering golden, ruby-encrusted door, ablaze with light, that was embedded into the jacinth walls of the tower – the entrance to the throneroom.
    Thunder roared and blue bolts of lightnings leapt from the Rubied Door.
    ‘They meet,’ said Jether softly. He bowed his head in reverence.
    Gabriel walked out onto the balcony.
    ‘Yehovah, Christos and the Sacred Spirit.’
    Jether’s watery blue eyes were deep in thought. ‘What Lucifer discerns today,Yehovah in His omniscience knew aeons past. Yehovah summoned me this very moon. Lucifer gathers the Courts of Perdition in council even as we speak. The plan to conceive his own messiah, the Son of Perdition, will be set in motion.’
    Jether’s gaze became as steel.
    ‘Make no mistake. Lucifer’s grand schemings are transparent to Yehovah at every turn. There is nothing that is hidden from His gaze. He is omniscient. He is omnipotent. He knows the end from the beginning to the ages of ages. Lucifer well knows this. And trembles.’
    His features softened.
    ‘We rest in the brilliance of Yehovah’s multitude of discernments and great and infinitely tender compassions. We rest in His infinite wisdom.’
    Gabriel was quiet a long moment. Jether laid his hand on his arm.
    ‘You have what you came for, Gabriel. He has delivered his message. The Seed of the Serpent. The seed that will become his son. His Son of Perdition. That is what disturbs your dreamings.’
    Jether closed the balcony doors.
    ‘Now, come. We have urgent matters to attend.’
    Together they retraced their steps through the chamber ino the atrium. Gabriel glanced back at the painting.
    ‘The Seed of the Serpent. His own? Nephilim?’ Gabriel asked.
    Jether shook his head.
    ‘No, Gabriel. Not Nephilim.’ Jether closed the doors of Lucifer’s chambers behind them and relocked them.
    Gabriel turned to him, confused. ‘If not a hybrid mixture between