Page 43 of Semi-Fallen

“Archangel,” Lucien answered absently. “Michael and Raphael’s little brother, basically. What I want to know is if Cassiel fell, how was Lane born a Nephilim?”

Lane was glad Lucien had asked that, because the question had certainly popped into her mind. But she was still reeling too much from information overload to form words.

Evangelyn’s mouth tightened. “He denied her.”

Lucien reared back as if she’d slapped him. “He denied her? I…I mean…can he do that?”

She looked him right in the eye and said, “In all my years, I’ve never known anyone—other than soldiers, of course—who wasn’t allowed to fall. But she was given the option of reassignment, or death. No appeal to go over Rion’s head to Michael or Raphael was allowed.”

Lane swallowed the lump in her throat. She chose death.

“No,” Evangelyn said. “She lied. She said she’d accept reassignment, then took Zhao and ran. They managed to run from dimension to dimension for years before you were born. Zhao died of natural causes—ninety years old and in Cassiel’s arms. When she was caught, you were nowhere to be found, and she refused to give up your location. Rion destroyed her.” A single tear that Evangelyn couldn’t contain rolled down her cheek. “I ferried her soul into the deep.”

Lane looked up at Lucien. What’s the deep?

He was debating whether or not to tell her. She could see it in his eyes. He wanted to tell her the truth, but didn’t want to hurt her. She hated having him think she was too fragile for the truth…but on the other hand, she was feeling a little fragile.

And angry. Fiery, hot anger that was currently turning her blood to lava.

She wanted Rion dead.

“The deep is the unknown,” Lucien told her. “No one is certain what awaits angels who die before completing their missions. It’s been theorized that the deep is a vast nothingness. As if you…merely cease to exist.” He shrugged. “But no one truly knows.”

So, her mother, who’d been a truly kind, generous soul, simply ceased to exist because Rion deemed it? What about my father?

Evangelyn must’ve seen the fire in her eyes, because she held up her hands in supplication. “He’s in Heaven. I swear it. I ferried him over myself. Not even Michael can deny a genuinely good human entrance into Heaven.”

Well, that was something, at least.

Lucien held her gaze for a moment before turning back to Evangelyn. “What do you know about why Nephilim have been considered enemies of Heaven? Was it God’s will to destroy them?”

She gave him a very pointed look. “Nephilim were never targeted before that day. Many had been born before Cassiel chose Zhao over Heaven, and they were allowed to live out their lives in peace with only a guardian angel to ensure they weren’t a threat.”

His eyes narrowed. “So, it wasn’t God’s proclamation that sentenced Nephilim to death. It was Rion’s.”

She nodded slowly. “It was. Everyone assumed the order came from Michael…but I don’t think that was the case.”

“And who else knows this?”

“Only me,” Evangelyn answered. “It’s why I ran. If Rion wanted to make sure everyone thought the order came from God or Michael or Raphael, I was the only one who could ruin that for him. I never trusted that power-hungry asshole. And Michael would’ve been none the wiser. He was always as removed from human affairs as he could get. So was Raphael, really. It was the perfect crime.”

“We need all of Heaven to know what he did,” Lucien said. “He ordered the deaths of hundreds, maybe thousands of innocents. He needs to be held accountable.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “But how the fuck are we supposed to do that? He outranks us. No one will believe us—a soldier who refuses to obey his orders and a reaper on the run. We’re not exactly reliable witnesses.”

Evangelyn’s troubled expression morphed into a slight, lopsided grin that should’ve made Lane nervous.

It didn’t.

“I’m glad you asked,” Evangelyn said. “I think I have an idea.”

CHAPTER 22

It had been the kind of long day that other long days aspired to be when they grew up.

Technically, Lucien could stay awake for days, weeks, months on end and survive. But that didn’t mean he wanted to. If he could, he’d pull Lane into his bed, yank the covers over both of them, and sleep for a year—far away from her world and his.

He imagined he’d have to settle for this one night. If Evangelyn’s plan was to succeed, they needed to get everything in place as soon as possible.

And since tonight might be their last (literally), Lucien had no intention of wasting what time they had left on sleep.

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