27 A DROP IN THE BUCKET #2
“Yes, I’ll do that.” She returned the book to the shelf and then smiled up at Raphael, shifting uncomfortably.
His company had never bothered her before, but she couldn’t banish the feeling of unease that had arisen after seeing that mural of Asmodeus.
And Raum’s words still echoed in her head.
W hy am I forced to fight on the losing side?
What if I don’t want to fight at all? Then I’ll be hunted by fucks like Raphael.
“I sought you out for a reason, actually,” Raphael said just as she was about to excuse herself. “I was wondering if you would assist me with something.”
She exhaled and tried not to sound frustrated. “Yes, of course I will assist you.” Her past self would have been eager to help, and she’d couldn’t well refuse now without arousing suspicion.
“I will flash us, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course.”
He held out a hand, and she placed her palm in his. Her skin crawled with impatience, the need to return to Earth growing stronger with every passing minute. She desperately wanted to speak to Raum, to tell him what she’d found in that book, and to make things right.
With her consent given, Raphael flashed them to a study that she recognized as being in his own domain. As a celebrated archangel, he was afforded a more luxurious space with bay windows and a panoramic view of the Empyrean City.
He seemed to be in the middle of a project of some sort. In the center of the room, a long table was covered in pages of notes and books. There was also a large Earth map with numerous colored pins in various locations and small notes stuck to them.
As soon as Raphael released her, she walked to the board to inspect it closer, her nape prickling. The unease quickly turned to dread as she realized just what she was seeing.
“This is …”
“I’ve been tracking the rogues for months,” he said proudly. “Each of the pins marks a spot with a flare-up of demonic energy in the past few weeks.” He approached beside her and pointed at the map. “The red pins mark the highest energy points, descending from yellow to blue.”
“Oh.” Her voice was hoarse.
“Since none of my tracking spells brought any results, I assumed they must have a magical means to stay hidden. Possibly Nephilim blood, though I was certain the last of them had been eradicated.”
Sunshine swallowed around the lump in her throat.
“Without being able to use tracking spells, I had to think outside the box. I’ve heard numerous accounts of the way these demons seem to stick together.
Unusual behavior, certainly, but it makes them more predictable.
I reasoned that wherever they are hiding would have an abnormal amount of demonic activity.
You can’t put five demons of that level of power in one place without there being traces. ”
“Yes, that’s very—” She cleared her throat. “Very astute.”
She studied the map closer, her stomach nearly leaping out her throat when she saw an obvious red pin stuck over the area of Montreal. Worse, there were only about a dozen red pins on the entire globe. How long until Raphael inspected each area and found what he was looking for?
Refraining from drawing any attention to that pin suddenly became her number one priority. She turned away from the map completely, terrified Raphael would somehow pick the thought right from her head. Her only hope was to distract him completely. “What other research have you done?”
“Just a lot of reading on their histories.” He walked to the table and began shuffling books and papers. “Learning how they formed this strange alliance will hopefully give me insight into how they think and make it easier to predict their movements.”
Sunshine stifled any thoughts of Raum. It felt as if even the slightest whisper across her mind had the potential to betray him. “But you didn’t notice the defaced record?”
“I haven’t done much research on Raum. He’s not the only target, and there is plenty of information about the others. If I get what I need from them, they’ll lead me to him anyway. At the end of the day, their pasts are irrelevant once we find and destroy them.”
Sunshine choked but covered it with a cough.
“I’ve been formulating plans, as I said, and I’ve narrowed down my suspected locations for their hiding place to several choices. I’ll be ready to make a move soon.”
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked suddenly. “I mean, you’re doing important work, and I’m just a guardian, not of any help to you …”
“On the contrary, your relationship with Adriel puts you in a position of influence. When I’m ready to set the trap, I’ll need assistance, and now that I know you’ve also been studying the rogues, I was hoping—”
At that moment, whether by coincidence or divine intervention, a summons from Adriel himself rang through her mind. The energy was clear and bright, and she knew Raphael would sense it just from being in her vicinity.
If her mentor had been there at that moment, she would have hugged him. His timing could not have been more impeccable.
“Are you being summoned?”
“Yes, I—It seems Adriel wants to see me.”
Raphael’s eyes glinted with some unreadable emotion, and she recalled his desire to have a mentor of his own.
“I’m sure you’ll be granted an audience with Adriel or another Power soon,” Sunshine assured him. “You’ve certainly earned it.”
“You honor me.” Raphael bowed his head and then smiled. “Go now. I’ll be in touch when I have more information. We can go after the rogues together.”
“I look forward to it.” She’d never spoken a more blatant lie.
She flashed away with her next breath, straight into the room she usually met Adriel in. It was the only time she was permitted access to his private domain, and the only room within it that she’d ever seen.
Too much had happened at once for her to process, and all she felt was a vaguely nauseating sense of panic. All she wanted was to get back to Raum on Earth, but she couldn’t ignore a summons from her mentor.
And maybe … he could give her some answers.
She expected the same greeting she always received: Adriel seated upon his chair, rising gracefully to his feet, offering her tea.
But instead … the room was empty.
Even stranger, the door across from her to a part of the house she’d never seen was ajar, and she heard the hum of voices on the other side.
She stood rooted in place. Adriel had summoned her; he had to know she’d come immediately. Why request her presence if he still had company? Who was his company?
Curiosity got the better of her. Adriel had once praised her inquisitive nature, and she only hoped it wouldn’t get her into trouble now. There was simply no way she had the self-control to refrain from investigating.
She crept closer to the open door and listened.
“A system that does not evolve is a system that dies.” She recognized Adriel’s voice. “We have seen evidence, and we cannot ignore it any longer.”
“The repercussions of failure are high.” The voice that responded was high and clear, neither distinctly male or female, and laced with a power so intense, shivers raced across her skin.
Could it be … ? No, surely not. Third Sphere angels weren’t permitted to interact with the Dominations. Adriel would know she was not to cross paths with this sacred being, and he would not have summoned her unless …
Unless he wanted her to overhear the conversation?
“They always are for any worthwhile endeavor,” Adriel replied.
There was a long pause.
“You have never involved yourself in the affairs of this plane before, Adriel. Mind your equilibrium.”
“I intend to.”
Yet another painfully long pause ensued, and Sunshine found herself bouncing on the balls of her feet with impatience. Apparently, powerful immortal beings took their time making up their minds.
“Very well,” the ethereal voice finally said. “But there will be a test. If it is passed, you may proceed.”
“I have every faith it will be.”
“An unusual matter to inspire faith.”
“It’s been a long time since I have been surprised by something. I suppose one could say I’m inspired.”
There was no farewell given or any kind of pleasantries. A flare of energy sent shivers down Sunshine’s spine, and she suddenly knew the other angel had gone. It had to be one of the Dominations. There was no other explanation.
Was the angel aware of her presence? They must have been. Dominations were powerful beyond comprehension. Of course they knew where she was. Which meant they didn’t mind her eavesdropping either. But why?
Adriel suddenly appeared at her side, and she couldn’t help it—she jumped. “Sir!” Her poor nerves couldn’t take many more surprises today.
But it seemed she was in for one more.
There was an intensity to Adriel’s normally smooth features that she’d never seen before. His face was always unlined by emotion, and he radiated the kind of peace many humans would only dream of experiencing.
But right now, his starry eyes were so piercing, they cut like blades. There was a single line between his brows that looked like … concern. Or even sadness.
“Greetings, Sunshine. This is a surprise.” He didn’t smile. He always smiled.
Her gaze flicked between his face and the open door. She knew he was aware she’d been listening, but she wasn’t sure how to bring up what she’d heard or if she should even bring it up.
“I’m glad to see you well. I had hoped to check in sooner on your progress, but I was unable.”
“Oh, that’s fine.”
He tilted his head. “Did my assistant let you in?”
She frowned. “No, sir. You summoned me.”
He blinked. “Did I?”
“Yes …”
He doesn’t know he summoned me? But surely he did. He would have sensed her arrival while he was still in conference with the Domination.
“Sir, I have questions—”
“I’m sure you do. Unfortunately, now is not the time to answer them. I sense your urgency to return to Earth. You should obey that instinct.”
She froze, heart pounding. He couldn’t know the real reasons why she was in a hurry to return, could he?
“Sir, please, before I go … I’ve been wondering, is it possible to alter a Principality’s memories—”
She broke off at Adriel’s sudden sigh. She’d never heard him make such a sound in all the years she’d known him.
“I’m glad you have found your happiness again, and I can only hope that you might one day forgive me. Until then, I will surely not forgive myself.”
Her blood went cold. No, no, this can’t be happening. “Forgive you for what, sir?” But she already knew.
Adriel’s focus sharpened. “There is no time. You must go now.”
“But—”
“A test is coming. We will see each other soon, and I will explain everything. Until then, you must face this on your own.”
She opened her mouth to reply, to beg him to explain, but he was already gone. He simply flashed away, leaving her standing alone with a pounding heart, his warning blaring in her mind.
She covered her mouth with a palm.
It’s all real. The dreams were real. The little blip of memory she’d experienced was real.
And Adriel, the person she’d trusted most in the world, had kept this devastating secret from her. For four hundred years.
She clutched her chest at the sting in her heart. It hurt. God, it hurt. It was the same pain she’d felt waking up alone in Heaven after what happened to her.
Because she’d lost Raum, she realized. She had been heartbroken. Her memories of him had been taken, but her feelings had not disappeared so easily. She had spent centuries with a hole in her heart, longing for something she couldn’t name.
In a way it was a blessing Raum had known he’d forgotten. She’d felt broken and empty with no understanding why.
My little ray of sunshine. She’d chosen her new name because of the endearment he’d used for her, and she hadn’t had a clue. Her entire life had been defined by something she had no recollection of.
The knots in her stomach tightened, and she bent over, trying futilely to draw a breath. Black spots danced in her vision.
She wasn’t the only one who’d been hurt.
Raum had spoken of the numbness that plagued him.
He wasn’t one to speak openly of his feelings, but she knew he felt things deeper than most realized.
How much pain must he have been in? How lost had he felt?
If it was a fraction of what she’d felt, it would have been agony.
The injustice of it all made her want to scream.
The betrayal felt like a knife in her back.