water met the horizon. At one time he’d enjoyed coming here, assisting the evolution of a lesser species. It was a noble purpose. Now, there wasn’t a day that went by when he didn’t think of wiping the slate clean. Raise the mighty sea and wash them all away. It would be a fitting end to a terrible tragedy.
Humans had become terrible creatures. It was disheartening how such a promising species could veer so far from their right evolution. They’d messed this one up terribly, and it would be a shame to wipe them out. Increasingly he wondered if they could ever be brought back into the fold. They were too far from center, almost as far as the demons. He felt a pang remembering the Angels of Chaos the demons had once been. Never centered, but still with good in their hearts. He couldn’t say that about what remained of them, and he wasn’t sure he could say that about the humans either.
“It seems we have once again lost our Adversary,” he commented. He’d been there when his brother brought her in, broken and barely alive. He’d felt sorrow, and wasn’t sure if it was for his brother or for the half-dead demon he’d developed a distasteful affection for.
Uriel placed her energy seal on the last page of the paperwork, and it vanished from her hands. “Don’t count the Iblis out yet. She’s a lucky little imp.”
Gabriel shrugged, trying for a casual tone. “Doesn’t matter if she lives or dies, it’s not as if she can hold the office from Hel, and she’s unlikely to return.”
“I think you’re sweet on her,” the woman teased. “Better get your own though; I doubt our brother will share.”
He hid a smile. No, his brother most definitely wouldn’t share. Still, as fun as it was to bully the little imp, he couldn’t understand the attraction. “He’s breaking the rules, dear sister. All of Aaru is whispering about his treason.”
Uriel took in a sharp breath. “Be careful what words you choose, brother. He is powerful and he has loyal allies.”
Gabriel watched her carefully. Her mannerisms, her words all seemed sincere. If his sister had lied about Furlac’s purpose among the humans, she was hiding it well. She was not typically the one who would formulate rebellion. The top position in Aaru had never had appeal for her. The few times she’d gone against any of her brothers, it had been in defense of an ethical ideal—or to protect one she loved.
“Do you defend him? Support him in this madness? Yes, the Adversary is allowed a certain status by the treaty, but he takes it too far. She’ll cause him to fall, if she hasn’t already, and that will rock Aaru to the core.”
Uriel smiled, and he saw a soft light in her eyes he hadn’t seen in millions of years. “Let him be. He’s carried the weight of Aaru on his shoulders for as long as I can remember. He deserves some happiness.”
Happiness. Gabriel felt a stab of pain. Happiness was a fleeting thing, never worth the agony that remained when it fled.
“It will create jealousy, dissent.”
Uriel frowned. “Yes, there will be envy. I too experience that sin, but that doesn’t mean I can’t also feel joy at my brother’s happiness.”
Gabriel turned to look out at the waves crashing on the shore. It was hard to feel joy when the sin of envy blackened his own heart.
“His blatant connection with this demon will open the door to sinful behavior among all the angels. Not that I blame him,” he added. “We’ve had no procreation since the split. Some are desperate.”
“There are a few angels who continue to mate with humans, but it’s not as widespread as you think, and we punish the transgressors. Most would not dream of such an act.”
“What alternative is there? Seize and bind a demon, use it as vessel? They are no longer angels, and the prospect is just as abhorrent as mating with a human female. We are trapped in a cage of our own making.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Uriel clench her hands together.
Humans had become terrible creatures. It was disheartening how such a promising species could veer so far from their right evolution. They’d messed this one up terribly, and it would be a shame to wipe them out. Increasingly he wondered if they could ever be brought back into the fold. They were too far from center, almost as far as the demons. He felt a pang remembering the Angels of Chaos the demons had once been. Never centered, but still with good in their hearts. He couldn’t say that about what remained of them, and he wasn’t sure he could say that about the humans either.
“It seems we have once again lost our Adversary,” he commented. He’d been there when his brother brought her in, broken and barely alive. He’d felt sorrow, and wasn’t sure if it was for his brother or for the half-dead demon he’d developed a distasteful affection for.
Uriel placed her energy seal on the last page of the paperwork, and it vanished from her hands. “Don’t count the Iblis out yet. She’s a lucky little imp.”
Gabriel shrugged, trying for a casual tone. “Doesn’t matter if she lives or dies, it’s not as if she can hold the office from Hel, and she’s unlikely to return.”
“I think you’re sweet on her,” the woman teased. “Better get your own though; I doubt our brother will share.”
He hid a smile. No, his brother most definitely wouldn’t share. Still, as fun as it was to bully the little imp, he couldn’t understand the attraction. “He’s breaking the rules, dear sister. All of Aaru is whispering about his treason.”
Uriel took in a sharp breath. “Be careful what words you choose, brother. He is powerful and he has loyal allies.”
Gabriel watched her carefully. Her mannerisms, her words all seemed sincere. If his sister had lied about Furlac’s purpose among the humans, she was hiding it well. She was not typically the one who would formulate rebellion. The top position in Aaru had never had appeal for her. The few times she’d gone against any of her brothers, it had been in defense of an ethical ideal—or to protect one she loved.
“Do you defend him? Support him in this madness? Yes, the Adversary is allowed a certain status by the treaty, but he takes it too far. She’ll cause him to fall, if she hasn’t already, and that will rock Aaru to the core.”
Uriel smiled, and he saw a soft light in her eyes he hadn’t seen in millions of years. “Let him be. He’s carried the weight of Aaru on his shoulders for as long as I can remember. He deserves some happiness.”
Happiness. Gabriel felt a stab of pain. Happiness was a fleeting thing, never worth the agony that remained when it fled.
“It will create jealousy, dissent.”
Uriel frowned. “Yes, there will be envy. I too experience that sin, but that doesn’t mean I can’t also feel joy at my brother’s happiness.”
Gabriel turned to look out at the waves crashing on the shore. It was hard to feel joy when the sin of envy blackened his own heart.
“His blatant connection with this demon will open the door to sinful behavior among all the angels. Not that I blame him,” he added. “We’ve had no procreation since the split. Some are desperate.”
“There are a few angels who continue to mate with humans, but it’s not as widespread as you think, and we punish the transgressors. Most would not dream of such an act.”
“What alternative is there? Seize and bind a demon, use it as vessel? They are no longer angels, and the prospect is just as abhorrent as mating with a human female. We are trapped in a cage of our own making.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Uriel clench her hands together.
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