Page 32 of Conflicted

“Istanbul,” Benji said. “It’s Istanbul now.”

Theo snapped his fingers. “That’s right.”

“Are we finished?” I asked mildly before the meeting could get further off track. “We still need to discuss the latest orders regarding the upcoming climate change summit.”

“We’ve discussed them,” Breann said, tapping her nails on the table. “Not that there was any point. They’re the same as they always are. We can observe, but we can’t interfere.”

“Don’t see the point in us attending,” Nate grumbled. “We can’t influence it at all. It’s such a waste of time. Besides, all these fucking politicians are just doing it for show. They won’t agree to anything that’ll have a meaningful impact.”

A murmur of agreement went around the table, Ezekiel adding his thoughts. “At least we know they’ll get their just rewards when they go downstairs.”

“Don’t you think that’s odd?” Benji said suddenly, all our heads swivelling in his direction. “That demons can deliver justice but we can’t? Or that they make us go tothese events to make sure those demons don’t attend and influence them? It’s not happened up until now; humans are perfectly capable of fucking up the world without the help of demons. Still they make us attend, but we can’t do anything to stop them destroying the environment. And after it has been fucked up, we aren’t even the ones who dole out the punishments.”

There was a long moment of silence while we gaped at him. Not once, in thousands of years, had any of us questioned the way that things were done.

“I’m not sure I know what you’re getting at…” I said carefully. “Demons punish the sinners because they come from sin.”

Benji hummed. “Technically that’s only true for those born there. All the others are fallen, meaning they were once angels. Just like us.”

Grace rubbed at her arms uncertainly. “What are you getting at, Ben?”

“Just that it’s odd. We’re considered inherently good, but we can’t interfere or manipulate a situation that could possibly lead to the salvation of the human race. We’re expected to turn a blind eye. How is thatgood?”

“Because of free will,” I reminded him. “Heaven can’t interfere because then humans won’t have the free will to make the choices they otherwise would’ve.”

“What about the angels whochoseto fight alongside Lucifer? They were punished for that, yet wasn’t making that choice their free will?”

A bitter taste filled my mouth as the weight of responsibility threatened to crush me. “Angels aren’t humans. Free will doesn’t apply to us.”

We didn’t even get the option of choosing who to love.Well, we did. But if whoever you chose wasn’t your mate, then it was destined to end in heartbreak.

I knew that all too well.

“Exactly.” Benji’s gaze flicked up to meet mine briefly. “We can’t choose to interfere, even if it’s to help. Demons can though. Who’s to say they’re any better or worse than we are?”

“Where is this coming from?” Ezekiel demanded. “Why are you suddenly questioning everything?”

“Some things deserve to be questioned.” Benji put the completed cube on the table in front of him. “And after seeing everything unfold in Hell recently, I’ve come to realise that not all demons are inherently evil. Just like we aren’t all inherently good.”

“Speak for yourself,” Theo said breezily, back to swinging on his chair. “I’m fucking awesome through and through.”

“You all want to sit here and say you haven’t committed at least one of the deadly sins?”

Benji was more right than any of us would ever admit. I stayed silent, as did everyone else. Just this month alone, I’d experienced pride by believing I was better than Nox. Envy when I saw those men touching him earlier tonight. Wrath in how I wanted to end them just for beingnearhim.

And finally, it goes without saying, lust. I was starting to think it was impossible to be in Nox’s presence without falling foul of that one, and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was a demon. He wasn’t leading me into temptation or encouraging me to sin.

Apparently he only needed to exist. That was enough to make me want him.

“Exactly,” Benji said, picking up the cube again. “All of us commit sins on a daily basis, but we aren’t punished.”

I shifted in my seat as the skin on my back prickled. No, they weren’t punished for their transgressions. I’d made sure of that a very long time ago.

He was right though—there were many things we got away with, merely because of who we were and what we did. Namely, keeping all other supes in line and hiding our existence from humans.

Benji wasn’t done. “Angels are lauded above all others, yet demons are punished because of their very nature. And humans, well, they’re left to their own devices without knowing exactly what awaits them after death. Nothing in their holy books prepares them fully for the reality of Hell.”

I wasn’t the only one whose jaw was hanging open. What Benji was saying was tantamount to blasphemy.

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