Epilogue
Azrael
I folded my arms across my chest and surveyed the sanctuary of this church. Humans trickled inside in twos and threes, taking their spots along the pews with quiet whispers.
Glancing up at the front, I saw Castiel standing on the platform, waiting for everyone to gather before he spoke. Lilith, his mate—his human mate—sat on the front pew, gazing up at him with such besotted rapture it nearly made my skin crawl.
On either side of Lilith sat her mother and her sibling.
It was clear all three were related, but that was the only similar thing about them.
Lilith’s mother sat stone faced, leaning slightly away from her daughter.
She hadn’t glanced at Jo, her other child, once.
She was the type of woman, Castiel told me, who had very little room in her heart for more than one person—and a very small brain.
Jo, the sibling, was altogether different.
Sharp eyes, determined jaw, and a rigid back marked how much they didn’t fit in here.
From what I understood, they had been cast out years ago and were only here today in support of Lilith.
The siblings clasped hands and scowled at anyone who looked at Jo.
It was hard to believe these two were related to Absalom Meadows.
Jo wore a black sash around their arm, signifying bereavement, so they had been told about their brother.
It appeared they were experiencing the same complicated grief Lilith had in regards to the brother.
I frowned, jerking my gaze away. I didn’t care about these humans. I’d seen enough difficult loss in my own world. I certainly didn’t want to see it here.
It had been several days since I’d arrived in time to see Castiel break free of his imprisonment.
In the few days that had passed, I’d had many late night conversations with Castiel and Lilith, discussing what to do now.
Gabriel had given us full authority to do as we needed, keeping the sedge’s wellbeing in mind.
Castiel’s execution of the elders put the church into a tizzy, though hopefully this service would calm things down.
The humans in the pews muttered to one another or sat stone-still, eyeing Castiel.
They were sheep, these humans, looking for someone to tell them what to do.
I couldn’t believe he was staying here longer.
Nothing about this little human neighborhood appealed to me.
I didn’t think it appealed much to Castiel either, except the blonde with the lush figure making his head turn to rot.
I never wanted a mate.
The humans who were brave enough to look at me flushed and turned away as soon as they saw me stare right back. Strange earthbound creatures.
In our conversations, I had suggested razing the place to the ground and making them leave their cult behind.
Lilith had gasped in horror and Castiel had reached out and squeezed her hand. “We won’t do that,” he promised in a low voice. “We’ll see them through this transition, then return to Mirkwold.”
She offered him a tremulous smile. “Jo has ideas on which reverend from the main church of Erlik who would be a good fit when we’re ready for them to take over.”
“There you go,” Castiel replied, as if that solved all their problems.
I grunted. “I can find this path home myself if you’re too busy playing nursemaid to the humans.”
Lilith’s eyes flashed, but Castiel beat her to it.
“We’re going home in two or three weeks. After killing the elders and assuming responsibility for the church until the humans decide what they want, I know I’ve gathered far too much interest and attention on us.”
I grimaced. I preferred it when humans didn’t know we existed.
“Our time in the shadows is nearly up, and I know I bear much responsibility for that.”
“It was bound to happen at some point,” I grudgingly replied. Castiel had too soft a heart, too ready to pick up more responsibilities if he thought it kept people safe.
Then Castiel turned to me, and his words changed everything. “Lilith spoke with Silence this morning, and she has information that can help us.”
“Silence says she knows about Hawkstone,” Lilith butted in.
Hawkstone Coven. The religious community the book mentioned. The art of a royal seraph falling into this world, painted hundreds of years ago. The angel Judith loved, the humans called the piece. Tucked away in a hidden coven we weren’t sure still existed.
“Silence,” I said in disbelief.
“The woman with the black hair and hazel eyes,” Castiel helpfully offered. “Quiet, looks like she hasn’t slept in three months.”
I ground my jaw. I knew exactly who he was talking about. I’d seen her walking about like a ghost several times. Such a timid thing, jumping at her own shadow. I avoided her whenever I could.
“She said her grandmother used to talk about it. Apparently a family member used to be a witch in that coven.” Lilith’s eyebrows rose in incredulity, for she had been raised to believe most covens had died out.
They were rarer than the other three gods’ places of worship, but they hadn’t completely disappeared.
Somehow, by the end of that meeting, we’d agreed Castiel would stay behind to be with Lilith—though he said he was staying for a few weeks to shepherd the cult back into mainstream religion and society—and I would go to Hawkstone Coven, using Silence as my guide.
“Please be kind to her,” Lilith said.
I glared. Who was she to issue commands to me?
“She’s been through so much. She doesn’t need you being mean to her on top of everything else she survived.”
I scoffed.
Castiel shot me a look.
“You know me,” I told him.
He sighed, relenting. “I know you’ve got a good heart under all those ruffled feathers.”
I echoed his sigh now, surveying the sanctuary. It was nearly full. I was to leave tomorrow, Silence in tow.
Skies, I was dreading this trip. I didn’t need a human slowing my pace, asking ridiculous questions, or crying herself to sleep because the big, wide world was scary.
Castiel cleared his throat, spreading his wings wide.
The humans gasped and murmured at his display.
“I know this past week has been a confusing time. Let me speak transparently.” He paused. “The elders harmed innocent people, and Erlik’s judgement fell upon them. While I am not a Herald of Death, your god is using me to cleanse the community of wickedness.”
His voice faded as I turned my attention elsewhere.
Shuffling feet made me turn my head.
Silence stood just behind me, shoulders hunched. “We’re leaving tomorrow?” she whispered.
I nodded curtly. We were half hidden along the back wall.
“Do…do I need to bring anything in particular?”
“Do you commonly chat through your religious services?” I countered.
She blushed, looking at her feet.
Just when I thought she’d wandered away, she coughed delicately.
“Speak,” I snapped, weary of her faint-hearted hovering.
“I wanted to thank you for helping here,” she whispered. “I’ll do my best on the trip. To help you find the portal to your home.”
I was too afraid to hope we’d find it at Hawkstone. We’d searched Anglia and many other lands for fifty years and found nothing. But still…we’d never had so clear a clue as Judith’s angel.
“Go sit with your family,” I told her. “We’ll have more than enough time to speak tomorrow when we begin the journey.”
She hesitated, then scurried away.
I sighed, glaring at her retreating back. I didn’t need Silence in my life. I didn’t need a mate, either.
The moment she touched me in the field last week had felt like a lightning bolt, and my heart had pounded in the wake of the shock. My body flushed, my ayim swirled, and I knew. I knew without a doubt that Silence was my mate.
And that I would never, ever claim her.
THE END
Thank you so much for reading Castiel and Lilith’s story!