Page 30 of The Devil You Know

The moment Michael caught a glimpse of the other angel, whom he had not encountered in a long while since their heated argument, his eyes widened in surprise.

“Thank you,” he hugged me before he bounded over to Raphael to give him the same treatment.

“What are you thanking me for? You didn’t even see the gift yet!”

“Oh, I thought bringing Raphael to me was my gift...” Michael pulled back, embarrassed.

“I am not a thing to be brought over,” Raphael sniffed, but the haughty attitude was an obvious plot to hide how pleased he was.

“That’s right, he is here entirely of his own volition, and I’m sure he would love to come for tea one day,” I said with a grin. “But for now, let’s focus on the gift.”

I pulled the pet collar from a box on the table and nearly burst out laughing when Michael tilted his head in confusion, seeing how it would be too small for him.

“It’s for Bane,” I explained, putting the collar onto the excited fox. “I wanted to give you a way to take him with you to Heaven. I – we – worked hard to accomplish this.”

It made me a bit jealous to share the attention bought by my Grand Gesture, but credit was due in this case. This still counted as my Grand Gesture though! It’s the thought that counts!

“I can... I can bring him with me? To Heaven?” Michael asked, shock evident. “Can we do it now? I want to see!”

I made sure the hourglass was in the right position and handed the fox to my lover.

“You can teleport with him. Raphael will go with you to make sure everything works as intended.”

Michael’s smile dropped as if it had never been there.

“Oh... right... you are not coming with us...”

Raphael cleared his throat.

“Actually...” He thrust two bottles at me. Familiar bottles. “Just don’t think this will become a regular thing! This potion is incredibly hard to make! And has to be exactly tailored for the users! And takes months to brew!”

“Aww, that means you started brewing it before I reached out to you with my project,” I said, and he spluttered.

“You’re the best, Raphael,” Michael said, looking a little teary.

“Whatever,” Raphael deflected, his cheeks flushed. “Just go. You can go without me. I trust you remember the warning signs?”

“Yessir! If anything concerning happens we will pop right back,” I bounced on the backs of my feet. “Drink up, babe, and lessgo!”

I chugged my potion and draped myself over Michael, Bane giving me a welcoming boop with his nose. Power gathered around Michael as he drank his share and concentrated on teleporting three beings into the Heavenly Realm.

Bright light shone around us and when I opened my eyes, I was in my old home for a second time in months. The last time I didn’t have the luxury to explore and see what changed; we rushed to the inner chambers and the only one who had seen us was Metatron. This time, after we checked Bane over, Michael led me out of the Palace.

I clenched my hand around my lover’s as it became obvious we were going to be seen by the crowds of angels always milling around the palace. It was a sort of a hub for the community and, at least in my times, when you didn’t have anything better to do you went to the Plaza for some conversation or entertainment. So, when we walked down the steps hand in hand, with a pure white fox walking beside us, I felt everyone’s eyes snap to us, some angels even trying to crowd closer, as if they were moths tempted by a flame.

I tilted my chin up, but I felt small, vulnerable. They could tear me apart if they wanted.

A whoosh of spreading wings made me loosen my death grip on Michael’s hand. Beautiful white feathers, which seemed to be so white they shone with their own light, pushed to the sides in a gesture I remembered from eons past. One I have watched countless of times. A gesture of a leader wordlessly ordering to make way.

And just like in the beginning of Heaven, the angels listened. A mix of admiration, respect, fear, and a trained response meant angels scrambled out of the way of the huge wingspan. Seeing how protective Michael was let me breathe easier, and I dared to be myself.

My black wings snapped open to the gasps of the crowd, my feathers brushing against Michael’s. This was the first time since I fell we compared our wings like this, side by side, out in the open, and the contrast between us couldn’t be starker. While Michael’s wings seemed to produce light, mine seemed to devour it. A void to my lover’s sun.

Maybe together we were like the endless space, the black firmament of sky at night, dotted with bright stars.

My profound musings were cut short as I nearly tripped over Bane, who pawed at my leg. With a snort, I hoisted him up into my arms like he wanted.

“How about we fly from here?” my angel asked with a brilliant smile.

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