She’d only heard of one archangel with the same sort of presence, and Amdieth the Enchanter was fairly private, rarely emerging from his citadel. The one time he’d taken the field of battle, only archdemons had been able to act close to normally in his presence, and that concerned Isalla.
“It was before the siege of Rosken. My near-death left me… spent. I just couldn’t handle things anymore, and while Queen Estalia is incredible, she hadn’t been there, and I didn’t see her in the aftermath. If I had, things might have been different,” Kanae admitted, pausing for a long moment before shaking her head. “What might have happened doesn’t truly matter, though. Only what did. The choice is yours, Brialla, so think carefully before coming to a decision. No matter what comes, the choice is yours.”
“I guess so. I’m going to have to think about it,” Brialla said, looking thoughtful.
“Good. But before you do that, I’d suggest eating. You can’t heal properly if you don’t eat,” Kanae said firmly.
“Alright,” Brialla said, her tone resigned enough to prompt a giggle of amusement from Isalla.
Isalla smiled as the young half-demon began to eat. She finished her own food, watching Kanae thoughtfully as she did so. There were so many questions she had for Kanae, and she wasn’t certain if she would get answers.
“I didn’t realize you’d met the queen of the domain,” Isalla said, her voice soft as the two of them cleaned the living room much later. She was surprised at how comfortable she was in the house, which she’d originally thought rather oppressive.
Kanae had gotten much of her work done earlier in the day, while Isalla had been exercising and doing strength training. Now, while Brialla rested, Isalla finally had a chance to talk to the demoness about the discussion earlier.
“Mm, I wouldn’t have mentioned it unless specifically asked about it. I’m surprised Brialla did so, and word will likely spread across the town within a day or two,” Kanae replied, shaking her head. “I’ll probably refuse to say more to them. It’s not a subject I like remembering, really.”
“But I thought you cared for her,” Isalla protested, looking up from the broom. “That’s what you said, at least.”
“I did say that, and I do. However, just because I care for her doesn’t mean that I think her rule is incredibly wise,” Kanae explained patiently, dipping her rag into the bucket and wiping down one of the chairs. “If she arrived this evening and demanded my service… I’m not certain I could tell her no, Isalla. Her power is that intense, even after a millennium away from her.”
“That’s… terrifying,” Isalla said, a shiver running down her spine.
“I agree. I agree, and yet… I cannot help but care for her. Love her. There’s a reason I chose to stay this far from the capital,” Kanae said, continuing to clean at a steady pace, yet her words just heightened Isalla’s worry.
“Then why did you suggest her church?” Isalla asked, growing more concerned with every passing moment.
“Because she asked my honest opinion,” Kanae said simply, stopping and looking at Isalla directly, seeming to consider for a long moment before speaking again. “Isalla, look at me.”
“Hm?” Isalla asked, looking at Kanae and stopping at the serious look in her eyes. There was an odd gravity to them, one which made her nervous.
“The church of Estalia is the single most reliable way to get healing from nearly anything in this domain, at least if you’re capable of meeting their standards of beauty and they like you. They’re wealthy, many of them have shards of Estalia’s power bestowed upon them, and as a whole, they are powerful,” Kanae said gravely. “They’d accept you in a heartbeat, or me, and most likely Brialla. They could regenerate any damage any of us had taken and help us refine our physical bodies. The price, though… they teach their members. Man, woman, or other, they’re taught in-depth about the church’s beliefs… and few have ever chosen to leave. It’s a place of safety, and a place where you can lose yourself if you’ve lost your way. Remember that.”
“Alright. I’ll… I’ll try. Why do you tell me this, though?” Isalla asked, feeling both shaken and confused.
Kanae looked back to the table, wiping it down slowly. After a minute, she finally explained gently. “From what I can tell, it sounds like you may not have a place above anymore. It’s a last resort, in my opinion, but an option for you.”
“Oh.” Isalla digested the explanation, not entirely comfortable with it, but got back to sweeping. After a few minutes, she asked, “How do you know all this?”
“I’d rather not say, Isalla. Not unless I have to,” Kanae said simply, but just that explanation made Isalla pause.
She started sweeping again a moment later. No matter how curious she might be, it wouldn’t be polite to keep prying. Besides, Isalla suspected that knowing that few chose to leave was something that Kanae knew from experience. As hard as she’d described it being, Isalla couldn’t help feeling a little more pity for the demon.
And so they continued cleaning in a companionable silence.
Chapter 20
Roselynn examined her hands closely, flexing her fingers experimentally. She’d been slightly hesitant to try the hand creams that Anna and Tina had suggested initially, but eventually she’d decided that there was no harm in testing them. Not only were her calluses gone now, but her skin was smoother and softer than Roselynn could remember it being, and she thought that a few aches and pains from deeper inside were gone as well.
The angel wasn’t certain how long she’d been in the Spire of Confession at this point. No more than a few days, she was sure, but her confusion was gone as well, as a lot of questions that she’d been unable to ask had been answered.
Roselynn’s roughest revelation hadn’t been that she wasn’t in the mortal world anymore, but that she’d been captured and brought to the hells where the priesthood who ran the spire had taken Roselynn in. If it hadn’t been for Anna’s gentle, soothing presence, Roselynn might have attempted to escape, and that would have been a mistake, she’d come to realize. No matter that this was the hells, she’d never felt so accepted for who she was before. She’d never felt so comfortable or relaxed.
“How do your hands feel?” Tina asked curiously, the demon’s hands resting gently on Roselynn’s shoulders. They were incredibly smooth and soft despite the succubus’s strength, and it was that which had led Roselynn to try out the cream at last.
“They feel good. Almost as good as your hands do,” Roselynn said, smiling and letting her eyes shut as she leaned back into Tina’s touch happily. “I think they did a bit more than you said, though. I could have sworn that there was some pain inside that it eased, too.”
“Pain, was it? Is there any in your wrists or arms?” Tina asked curiously, her thumbs and fingers gently kneading the angel’s shoulders, helping her muscles relax still more.
Roselynn let out a sigh of pleasure as she nodded, murmuring. “Yes… not much, but just a bit.”
“I told you that you’ve been working yourself too hard,” Tina said, her voice gently teasing as she continued her massage. “I’ll talk with Anna and we’ll get some other salves to help you heal properly.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Roselynn said, opening her eyes and looking in the mirror at the succubus, who was smiling at her gently, a smile which Roselynn returned. “You’re right. I didn’t realize just how hard I’d been working until you made me slow down and think about it.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, I’m going to go see Anna about that. You wait here, hm? Try out some of the other cosmetics if you’d like,” Tina promised, pulling her hands away, prompting a small, almost unconscious, murmur of protest from Roselynn. The shoulder rub just felt so good.
“Okay,” Roselynn replied softly, and watched the succubus go, following the gentle sway of her hips and tail, a sight that was almost mesmerizing. Once Tina was gone, though, Roselynn sighed and focused on the mirror again.
She’d been uncomfortable af
ter Anna’s revelation, but the fellow angel had managed to soothe Roselynn’s fears, and she’d promised, with every binding oath Roselynn could imagine, that if she wanted to return to the heavens after three months that Roselynn would be allowed to go. That had helped significantly, but it was what had come afterward which had truly surprised Roselynn, for she hadn’t been mistreated or pressured in any way.
A second succubus had been introduced, named Coral, likely for her light blue hair and lips. Between Anna, Coral, and Tina, they were waiting on Roselynn attentively. She was given luxurious baths and her hair was carefully brushed out and treated with oils so that it gleamed even more brightly. Her clothing was far softer and more comfortable as well, and the food that Roselynn was given was sumptuous and filling.
When Roselynn had requested sparring practice, Anna had accompanied her to a small salle and they’d exchanged blows with practice swords, at which point Roselynn had learned that the beautiful, gentle-looking woman was even more skilled than Roselynn was. By the time they were done, Anna’s gentle banter had left Roselynn laughing and more at ease than she’d been before. While Roselynn knew she could request more bouts, she’d only asked once more so far, and she was loathe to take Anna away from her duties. Besides, Roselynn could always practice later.
A small part of Roselynn was starting to wonder if this was really so bad, though. When Roselynn had told Anna about what had happened when her relationship with Isalla had been discovered, the angel had been outraged. Even now, Roselynn remembered what the angel had said.
“How dare they? You’ve spent the bulk of your life serving in the army, putting everything on the line for them, and they did what?” Anna had demanded, her eyes flashing with uncharacteristic anger. “They exiled you to a far-off post and your beloved to a place she could rot for the simple crime of daring to love! I can hardly believe it, and I’m stunned that you accepted it, Rose. Even more, to hear what happened to your Isalla… you have my deepest sympathies, and I promise to see if we can’t learn more of what happened to her.”
The sympathy had been welcome, Roselynn knew. It helped that Anna reminded her of Isalla, as both of them were likely descended of the same choir. So, as she thought about things, Roselynn had started to wonder… what did she have that was worth going back to? Did she really want to return to the heavens?
The endless wars, watching the front lines for demons, and administering over the mortals who venerated her as an agent of the archangels, and year after year of watching subordinates die? Living with the knowledge that at least one woman she’d cared for had her life and career ruined because Roselynn had loved her?
Worse, what would come in the future? It wasn’t a subject that made Roselynn feel better, because with the cloud she’d been under, her reputation might never recover from being captured and released by demons. No, it was all too likely that she’d be dismissed from the order and sent back home, where her parents would arrange a marriage and she’d be expected to hand over Ember for its next wielder.
“That’s not what I want,” Roselynn murmured, and paused as she realized she’d spoken aloud, blinking at her reflection in surprise. Her pale reflection, with the faint scars on her face. Finally, she smiled at herself and took a breath before continuing. “But what do you want, Roselynn? What is it that you truly desire to do?”
Her reflection didn’t reply, of course. But even so, there was a tiny part of her that thought again about Isalla, and wished for her presence. She didn’t know that her former lover was dead, and if she wasn’t… Roselynn closed her eyes and thought about Isalla, imagining her as though she was Anna. The image was… striking, and warmth spread through Roselynn’s heart. So she slowly opened her eyes and smiled at herself.
“You want to be true to your feelings, don’t you? If given a chance, you want to tell Isalla how you really feel,” Roselynn murmured, reaching out to gently touch her reflection as she admitted the truth. Her gaze slowly lowered to the various cosmetics, most of them imbued with magic, and her smile widened as she added. “You also want to be as beautiful as possible for if that happens. So… just do it, Roselynn. Anna showed you how.”
Roselynn reached down and picked up the brush for the lip paint and opened the jar, looking down at the deep crimson liquid within. Smiling, she dipped the brush into the jar, then paused.
Looking at herself, Roselynn whispered, “No. Not Roselynn, Rose. Anna’s right; it does make you feel better.”
Without another word, Rose began carefully using the lip paint. She knew the enchantments within it would change her lips to match it permanently, or at least until she used a different color, but for now she wanted to try it out. Soon, she’d use the salve Anna had said would eliminate scars within a few days.
She might try a few other things in the coming days as well. There was no harm in trying, so long as the effects could be reversed.
“How do you think she’s doing?” Tina asked as she peeked through the mirror projecting an image of the room Rose was in. “You’ve been helping our guests for longer than I have, after all, and she’s the highest-ranking angel I’ve met.”
The succubus looked a bit tired, Anna thought, which only made sense. The process of helping a new resident of the spire come to terms with what had happened was exhausting. It would be better if they had others to share the duties with, but experience had proven that having more than a handful of people attending to guests slowed down the process instead of speeding it up.
Anna looked closely at the mirror and smiled as she saw Rose continue using the cosmetics, the angel’s movements slow and precise. She was obviously doing what Anna had shown her by rote rather than using artistry, but that was to be expected. Skill would come with time, and it was obvious that Rose would do well in the end.
“Rose is coming along very well, Tina.” Anna spoke at last, her voice gentle as she watched the angel in the mirror with a sympathetic smile, still feeling pity for the young woman. “She’s been abused by the angelic legions and pushed to her limits for too long, and what likely happened to her beloved… that alone might have caused her to lose faith with them eventually. Such poor treatment means that she was ready to accept our suggestions, much as I was when Lady Estalia found me.”
“Truly? It’s been most of a week, and I thought that it was taking too long,” Tina said, her eyes brightening and back straightening. “Most of the others have accepted things more quickly than she has.”
“The difference is that Rose has had many more issues to work through, Tina. Her life has been more tumultuous, and she’s fought demons for far longer than most angels you’ve met,” Anna explained. “I’ve taken care not to push her too hard, because to do that might cause her to break entirely. With what I’m seeing, though, that’s about to change. She’s going to start eagerly exploring the options we can offer her in the near future instead of holding back. I look forward to seeing her truly accept herself.”
“That will be an incredible sight to see,” Tina agreed, smiling in return. She seemed to debate for a long moment, then asked cautiously, “Do you think she’ll fully accept Lady Estalia, though?”
The succubus picked up the jar of salve which would help Rose’s muscles recover, as well as helping her body grow a touch more sensitive in the process. It would help Rose significantly, but Anna couldn’t do much but shrug at the question.
“I don’t know. I have my doubts, because few angels truly believe in her in that manner, Tina,” Anna replied seriously, thinking longingly of her beloved lady. “I suspect that we’ll find out soon enough.”
“Oh?” Tina asked curiously. “Is there a particular reason for that?”
“Yes, of course. Lady Estalia is coming here to check on us and look Rose over herself,” Anna said, smiling broadly as Tina’s eyes lit up, continuing. “She’s also picking up Rose’s gear to take to the palace, but she’d never come in person for such an errand. No, she wishes to see us and our guests, and that will have a
marked effect, believe me.”
“I believe it,” Tina said, reaching over to stroke the holy symbol tattooed on her arm and smiling broadly. “I’ll have to tell Damael. He’s going to be delighted to hear it.”
“I’m certain he will be. Now, why don’t you go back to Rose? She looks like she needs help with something,” Anna suggested, nodding at the mirror. “Once you’re done in there, I’ll come relieve you so you can rest. There’s no reason for you to exhaust yourself.”
“Right away!” Tina said, seeming reinvigorated by the knowledge that Lady Estalia was coming. The succubus quickly headed back for Rose’s room and Anna smiled, admiring the mirror again.
A handful of the angels she’d encountered over the centuries had believed that Anna was being controlled by magic, or that she’d been forced to serve for so long that she’d become twisted, but that was far from the truth. Anna knew the truth, and she saw a significant part of herself in Rose, as young as the angel might be in comparison.
“Who needs magic when all it takes to convince someone is kindness?” Anna murmured, tilting her head to the side as Tina entered the room with Rose. “When you’ve been pushed to the breaking point over and over again… is it any surprise that someone showing that they love you as you are and truly value you is enough to change your perspective, and leave your attitude so malleable?”
No one answered, but Anna hadn’t expected them to. Instead, she turned her attention away and smiled as she added, “Not that many angels are willing to listen at first, but that’s why we only drug them for a couple of days. Oh, Rose… how I look forward to seeing you bloom.”
“I’ve got a salve which will help with your muscles, Rose!” Tina exclaimed, smiling broadly. “Anna says that it works practically overnight, so it should help a lot.”
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