***
The whites of his eyes are gone completely. There is nothing but black, darkness, hatred. I open my mouth, but he does not wait for my response. He turns sharply to face Archs he cannot see. Rafael’s sword is still again, and I brace myself against the sturdy trunk of a tree for what will surely be the end of my brother, and the end of all I’ve ever known Heaven to be.
Lucifer dodges the white light that streams freely from the sword and hurtles himself over the edge, the very edge that separates Heaven and Earth. I tear away from my spot among the trees and peer over the clouds into the great void. My eyes frantically search for him, picturing his body as it freefalls, picturing what will happen when he touches the Earth, and just when I think I’ve spotted my brother’s body, his ebony wings still against the rushing wind, there is a flash of light so bright I need to look away. I peer over again, my eyes stinging, and all I can see is a single star streaming across the morning sky toward an unsuspecting world below.
Panic builds behind me, followed by strange lapses of movement, as everyone, the Seraphs, the Archs, the Thrones, struggle to collectively grasp what has just happened. From the corner of my eye I see Gabriel and Michael touch Rafael’s arm, urging him to let the sword drop to the ground. It falls with metallic clatter against the rocks.
“What did he say to you?” Comes a voice behind me, and I turn to find Talan, wide-eyed, eager, his hand clutching the empty scabbard as he always does. Mid way through his training, he is the youngest Angel of Death I have ever known among the Guardians. Strong and silver haired, as if he is made of the very willow I stand beneath, he is moons away from earning his own right to a weapon. His dark eyes tell me he wishes that day were today.
I don’t answer him. I don’t know what to admit. I’m not even sure if Lucifer did indeed ask anything of me, even though I can still feel the resonance of his voice ringing in my head.
“Avenge me . . .”
I ignore Talan, which clearly annoys him, and walk closer toward the Conveniō, taking in all that is around me. The broken stones, thrones turned over, the endless blue that lies beyond the edge where my brother’s body had just thrown itself. I dare not look again for if I do I fear what I will see. I fear what I will do. Part of him has been left behind and lives in me; it is a fury that surges deeply. It is alien, and for the first time ever, I am fearful. This is not who I am. I fight against it, turning away when I feel the others turn their focus to me. Someone approaches and I twist around sharply believing Talan to be more of a pest than ever before, but it isn’t Talan, and I’m silenced by Rafael’s sincere interest in what he finds behind my eyes.
“The pool has spoken. You shall take Lucifer’s place among the Archs.”
A scurry of argument threatens to rise behind us but Rafael’s raised hand puts an end to it.
“It will be so,” he nods, leading the others away from the Gathering. I stand alone, my footing unsure upon the broken ground, and know with all my heart that I have no choice but to accept this new fate.
The Bliss (The Angel Star Prequel Novella) Page 3