Page 237 of Crimson Promises
Attached to one of the walls stood two rectangular tablets made of sapphire; engraved on each table were the ten edicts that God instructed the archangels to follow. It was the Council’s most prized possession and was protected with layers of magic from each archangel. It dictated how we governed; it was our constitution.
Here, within these sacred walls, we convened, discussed, and decreed. The Sapphire Edict bound us to our sworn duty: to uphold the divine balance of the universe and enact God’s will.
There was a war brewing, and none of them had a clue.
I rolled my shoulder back, “Well, if we have no further business to discuss today, I motion to close the meeting.” As I glanced up, I couldn’t help but stare at the vacant chair on the other side of the table. It had once been occupied by God’s most precious, Lucifer Morningstar.
Lucifer had once been my closest companion; all of my peers were considered to be my brothers and sisters, but Lucifer was the one who seemed to understand me best. We were both imbued with the same level of responsibility and were the most envied among the Originals. Because we were God’s favored, He gifted us with twin swords—two halves of a delicate balance.
His betrayal blindsided me—us—genuinely. We never thought Lucifer’s pride would drive him that far.
After the war, Lucifer's sword became known as 'Ineritus' (destruction) and mine 'Iustitia' (justice).
We kept his seat empty on the Council, at the stark reminder of his fall from grace, should any dare to go against the Creator again.
At that time, I could not conceive how Lucifer could perpetrate such a grievous betrayal against his own kin. Though he had made valid points, attempting to overthrow the Almighty was assuredly not the virtuous path.
“It was the only choice I had to invoke true change, Michael.”Those were the last words he had ever spoken to me.
I was ashamed to admit that I had been thinking about him much more frequently as of late.
I tore my eyes from his empty chair to look around at my brothers and sisters. Uriel looked like he couldn’t wait to get out of here by the way he kept glancing at the amethyst door every time he thought someone wasn’t watching him. Zerachiel wore a bland and bored expression.
Just as I lifted the gavel to close the meeting, Azrael raised his hand, as was our method of not talking over each other.
“Yes,” I said, trying to keep the frustration from leeching into my voice.
“I have one last item to add to the agenda.”
Uriel turned to face Azrael, his short, curly, bronzed hair shifting with the movement. Of all the archangels, those two most closely resembled each other. “Az, you can’t add something new at the last minute. You know the rules. We all have places to go, commitments that we made.”
Azrael’s eyebrows lifted gently in a gesture of understanding, eyes softening with empathy. The tight corners of his mouth relaxed, curving slightly upward in a subtle, reassuring smile. His gaze remained steady, exuding warmth and patience. “Of course, Uriel, you are correct, but I was only notified of this before the beginning of our session, and I didn’t want to interrupt the rest of our agenda with this item.”
Liar.
Azrael wanted to be the center of attention, as usual.
The Angel of Death had a flair for the dramatics. I mean, the angel did carry a caliph around, after all. If that was not a cry for external validation, I was unsure what you would consider.
“What would you like to present to the rest of the council?” I asked.
“It’s more of a who then a what.”
Cassiel leaned forward in her seat, her silver hair as luminescent as the moonlight. It fell in a curtain past her shoulders down her back. Her stare was sharp and assessing. Azrael had captured Cassiel’s curiosity.
“Feel free to elaborate. All of our interest is piqued.” The way he always wants it. “The floor is yours.”
“Thank you.” He preens at the undivided attention the rest are giving to him. He rose from his chair and walked to the head of the room.
“Many years ago, right after The Great War, we all attended a sentencing hearing at Heall Hall. There was an angel, an Ordinary, who had chosen Lucifer’s side. I had caught him running from the battle with his pathetic soldier friend—a Gifted,” he spat. “He became a prisoner of war. Ultimately, it was decided by the Council for this angel to become fallen so he could forever live with the treason he committed against Heaven and never be able to reenter its gates.”
Bennett Caelum.My stomach tightened in a knot.
This wasnotgood.
“I remember the fellow,” Chamuel exclaimed. His strawberry blonde hair and rosy cheeks made him resemble those cherubs mortals always covered their places of worship with.
“A few days ago, I was ferrying souls to the afterlife. A soul was haunting the boundary between life and death.”
