Chapter 5 #2
The angel laughed as Father Morton escorted him back through the church. “See you around, Tap. Always a pleasure.”
The demon only looked my direction once Armaros was out of sight. “Are you alright?”
I exhaled and breathed fully for the first time since he stepped into the church. “Yes.”
Odd that, how an angel leaving and a demon staring at me brought nothing but ease.
“Are you sure you’re not hungry, Phin? There’s plenty left,” Father offered for the third time. I shook my head, stomach still too knotted up to even consider food.
Once Armaros was gone, I’d slumped into a seat at the table and removed my hood, thoughts spinning wildly as I recounted what I’d heard.
“I don’t mean to rush you, but I should be getting back soon,” Tap said, eyes back to silver behind his spectacles.
“Back to where?” Father asked.
“Shall we make a gentleman’s agreement to be honest with one another, Father? Or do I need to keep secrets for my safety? I’ve seen the company you keep.” The demon held his hand out, his elegant fingers capped with nails coated in a slick black lacquer.
The words bristled against my skin as his eyes skimmed over my face, too close to my own burden, too familiar.
“A truth for a truth?” Father prompted. “No deception?”
“I have no reason or desire to lie.”
“No blood required?”
“Of course not. We’re not signing contracts or making deals. Just having a friendly conversation.”
Father wiped his hand on his robe, measuring the demon with his eyes but reaching out to shake his hand, nonetheless. Then Tap offered his hand to me.
“Oh, I …”
“I do not wish there to be mistrust between us, Phin.” He bent his head slightly, earnestness in his stoic expression.
“Alright.” I put my hand out tentatively, and his much larger one engulfed it, his grip warm and firm as he gently pumped my arm up and down a few times. A hot shock passed between us, and when his eyebrow raised the same time my eyes widened, I knew he felt it too.
Father eyed our hands suspiciously as they separated. “Friendly conversation, indeed,” he muttered. “Let’s start again. Where are you so anxious to return to?”
“The crossroads.”
Father blustered and pushed his dish aside. “That’s no answer at all.”
“And yet, it is the truth.” Tap turned his hands palm up on the table.
“And you? What are you doing with them, here in this remote village? They’re clearly being sought out by the angel you just hosted at your table.
” His gaze pierced into me, but it was not threatening.
It was as though he were looking past all the cosmetics, all the layers, and studying what was underneath.
I fidgeted under the weight of such a stare.
“What do you know of Heaven, in recent times?” Father asked.
He waved a hand to signal I should stay seated as he rose to fetch the bottle of spirits he kept in the drawer of his small desk.
He poured himself a healthy measure and consumed it in one swallow before offering the bottle to us.
At our mutual refusal, he buried it back in the drawer and returned to the little table.
Tap’s head tilted, and he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his aquiline nose. “Not much. I’ve not walked there in centuries.”
My fingers twitched, the casual revelation of his age a surprise. I was nearing my seventy-fifth year, though with much of that time spent split between Earth and the celestial plane, my true age was closer to thirty very sheltered human years.
“Are you of the original fallen?” I asked, interest piqued.
Their names were all recorded in the archives, but only those with special privileges ever got to read the histories kept there.
My father had been one of the few with access, and I’d done my best to remember every lesson he ever taught me during our time together in those rooms, but many of my memories were fragmented or lost altogether now.
Tap gave a single, shallow nod. “Yes, my brothers and I leapt long, long ago.” He turned back to Father Morton. “I can only assume things are not as perfect as your brethren would have the faithful believe?” His mouth twitched at the corner when Father didn’t respond. “Imagine that.”
“What will you do with the information you’ve learned here?” Father asked, urgency in his tone. Tap shrugged. “I am trusting you, demon, not to use any of this to harm us.”
“I have no quarrel with you, Father. Friendly conversation, remember?”
“Yes, so you said.” He glanced between us, then took a deep breath. He filled his empty glass with ale, though his sigh indicated he would have preferred another serving of spirits instead.
Tap sat back in the skinny wooden chair. “Is Phin your given name?”
“Yes,” I said immediately.
Father shook his head. “They know her as Seraphina.”
Tap’s mouth twitched into a brief smile, expression softening. “Your parents either had a marvelous sense of humor or were trying to hide you in plain sight.”
“Both, perhaps,” Father confirmed.
“I prefer Phin.”
He nodded once. “Understood.” The demon’s silver eyes thoughtfully caressed my face once again before he turned his attention to Father.
“What is your plan should he return and see through your misdirection about who she is? If he decides to do something as simple as lift her hood? What if others continue coming here looking for her?”
“Like you?” Father asked, an edge to his tone.
“No,” Tap shook his head, eyebrows pinched together in confusion rather than offense. He absently pushed at his glasses again, moving them up his nose. “Not at all like me. You heard what he wants her for. He spoke plainly.”
“He’s an angel, revered, beloved by Him—”
“He hasn’t been seen in at least a century, probably closer to two.
” Father blustered, but the demon continued, “And you are wise to be afraid of them.” The statement hung on the air.
Finally, the demon sat back again. “Have you considered taking her to the monks? Surely the monastery is more secure than here?”
“The monks are no more trained to fight than I am. It would be unfair to ask them to defend against such powerful beings on her behalf.” I looked away.
I’d visited the stone-walled monastery high in the mountains several times with my parents over the years.
The monks were always very kind and welcoming.
The last thing I wanted was to put them at any risk.
“He would take her.” Father said it as though still unsure, despite it being our most consistent fear, as if Armaros hadn’t clearly spoken his intentions.
“Yes. Without remorse. To be used as he pleases, no matter what is best for Phin, with no consideration for what she wants.” He turned to me, jaw flexing in his agitation. “Are you in communication with your parents?”
The remaining warmth drained from my face. I missed them desperately. “Not since I came here.”
“As I suspected. You fear the Heavenly for good reason.” His face pinched again, gaze far away as he glanced toward the door, one hand twisting the rings in his earlobe.
Father sighed. “I promised I would watch over her. Swore to keep her safe. We’ve been lucky so far, very lucky—”
“It seems to me your luck has run out.” His voice grew loud and he tilted his head, one eyebrow raised as he appraised Father Morton.
“Father?” My chest was tight, heartbeat throbbing in my ears, several terrible scenarios playing out in my mind and words piling up in my throat. “Who were the three visitors?”
He hesitated, swallowing and opening his mouth several times without actually committing to saying something.
“This is important, Father,” Tap insisted. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
The priest sagged, gaze shifting between us, shame in his eyes.
“Travelers. Angels. Two men and a woman.” I swallowed a gasp.
“They stopped by the tavern, here, several shops. Asked some … unusual questions. Brother Frohman from the Spruce informed me of their visit as soon as he was able, as did Georgina. She said they stopped into the chandler while you were there.” Georgina hustling me out the back door floated into my memory.
I reached up to touch my hair out of reflex.
Tap’s silver eyes were fixed on mine, and I blushed under their intense scrutiny.
The demon, mouth tight, changed subjects. “What is it you do here, Phin?”
“Sorry?”
“Do you have talents? Skills?”
Nervousness crept in, making my fingers tingle and my cheeks burn. “I help care for the grounds. I cook some.” I shrugged. None of my daily tasks were that impressive.
Father’s features softened as he looked at me.
“Modesty is one of her many virtues. In truth, I am able to focus on my sermons without interruption because of her. She is always running my errands, making sure I eat. The candles, the cleaning, the changing of ceremonials for services.” He smiled proudly.
“Even the vault benefits from her skill.” As though realizing he’d let a secret slip, Father straightened.
Perhaps the single glass of spirits had packed more of a punch than I’d thought.
“As you heard, we keep a collection of texts here.” Father shifted around and cleared his throat, redirecting the subject.
“Phin’s well educated. Though I fear she’s seen little of the world beyond this village.
Safety has taken priority over exploration. ”
“Naturally.” He turned that intense silver gaze back on me.
“You were taught reading, writing and sums, yes? Perhaps it is not the same now, but I recall the celestial gardens were particularly well appointed for botanical studies. And they instructed on strategy and the basics of swordsmanship and battle, I presume?”
“Yes, that sounds right.” I was not half as strong physically as most of my classmates, and I had done poorly in my weapons classes as well as math.
As a Nephilim, I’d only been invited to take the beginner levels.
My parents had done what they could to make sure I kept up, but my mind had not been of nearly as much value to the Heavenly council then as my body was now.
“My favorite was animal care. In my time, they had quite a menagerie on the grounds. There were more of them than there were of us. I took quite easily to speaking with them all. I suspect my affinity for creatures is in part how I ended up with the station I did once I left.”
“That sounds nice.” I inhaled deeply, trying to ensure I spoke clearly. Not being able to increase my volume often worked against me. “I was only allowed to observe the creatures, but they were all very beautiful. I spent as much time as I could watching them.”
His smile dropped away. “You were only allowed to observe?” Tap’s tone was soft, sincere.
I nodded. “Interacting was strictly reserved for full-blooded students.”
His face scrunched up as though he’d tasted something rotten.
“Well. It’s been a very long time since I was a student myself, I apologize if I let myself get carried away.
Things are clearly different now than they once were.
Too often, things don’t change for the better.
I rarely reminisce about such ancient history, perhaps it’s best if I stop altogether.
” I bobbed my head, a little confused by his mood swing.
He continued, “I realize it’s brazen of me given our recent acquaintance, but what if I told you I could offer a solution? ”
Then everything stopped, my thoughts grinding to a halt as the chiming of the bells rendered me speechless and frozen.