Page 240 of Crimson Promises
“And I think this information is vital enough to leverage any advantage we can. Bennett would be the perfect source.”
“Right, this has nothing to do with this vendetta the two of you seem to have against each other. Having him under your thumb brings you no pleasure, I’m sure of it. Torturing him for information didn’t work last time.” Cassiel tucked her hair behind her ears and rested her chin on her hand.
“It doesn’t. I’m proactively working to protect our Creator. Resurrecting Bennett’s soul is our best chance to find out what Lucifer is planning.”
The atmosphere in the room was heavy with tension. Every gaze was fixed intently on Azrael.
"Perhaps," I began, my voice echoing across the vast marble chamber, "we should consider Azrael’s suggestion. He does raise some excellent points.” Every face turned my way. I was often a voice of reason within the council, but my suggestion was sure to ruffle some feathers.
"We could resurrect Bennett…" I paused to allow the idea to sink in. "As a guardian angel."
Whispers erupted around the table. Azrael's eyes widened in surprise. "That's a... unique suggestion, Michael," he commented, trying to find the right words. He knew very well the influence I held within the council. With my backing, the plan had a real chance.
"We keep our enemies closer, Azrael. With Bennett under our watch, we can monitor his actions, gauge his intentions," I argued, all the while suppressing the true depth of my motive—to reconnect Aurora with the man she so deeply cared for. “And to assume that Lucifer may have the Vision Relic if Bennett’s soul is lingering along the periphery of life and death.”
Aurora was the spitting image of her mother, Alice. When she revealed her wings to me, it was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. A mix of pride and devastation swelled within me. I was heartbroken, knowing she'd never get to live the ordinary life her mother so desperately wished for her. Yet, selfishly, I felt a glimmer of happiness. With her wings, my little girl was an angel now. We had an eternity to work on rebuilding our fractured relationship.
She was never meant for a mortal life. She's a fighter, just like Alice. And me.My heart ached at the memory of Alice. She would have loved to see our daughter grow into the formidable angel she was becoming. Aurora deserved more than to be hidden away. And I was determined to give her that. I wanted to provide her with everything she had lived without.
She was precisely like Alice and, in many ways, like me. She was stubborn and strong. Brilliant and beautiful. One day, I hoped she could learn to love me.
Getting Bennett back was the first step to reconstruct a bond with her.
Azrael chuckled, his smirk taking up most of his face. "Michael, you never cease to amaze. Here, I thought you were just a goody-two-shoes. But this? This is diabolical."
I met his gaze, my face stoic. "It's strategic." Turning to the council, I explained, "If Bennett serves as a guardian angel, it gives us a two-fold advantage. Not only do we keep a close eye on him and Lucifer. See what their connection truly is. But we can also use him as a representative for other Ordinaries to reestablish bonds with their community. The Ordinaries supported Lucifer because they felt like they weren’t heard. If there is to be a war, let’s try to rectify those issues and tear into Lucifer’s base of support. Plus, we can determine if and at what capacity Lucifer is using Bennett.”
The nods around the table indicated that many agreed with my proposition. Even Azrael, for all his outward bravado, recognized the benefits.
Cassiel leaned forward, her eyes probing mine. “Are you sure about this, Michael? Resurrecting a soul is no easy feat and goes against the natural order.”
“I’m sure,” I said to her before rising to my feet. “Shall we put it to a vote?”
Azrael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Chamuel, Zerachiel, and Sachiel all agreed. Cassiel was the only one who opposed the plan.
“By a vote of eight to one, the plan to resurrect Bennett Caelum’s soul and designate him as a Guardian Angel will move forward.”
A loud echo pierced the room as I hit the gavel on the sound block.
ChapterThirty-One
Bennett
There was an indescribable serenity in the vast void of peace that surrounded me. I felt like I was floating in a gentle ocean, the world muffled and distant—a state of pure, undiluted bliss. Nothing mattered. No memories, no regrets, no desires.
Death was tranquil.
Time moved differently. It was not accounted for. Instead, there was just existence that stretched on indefinitely.
Until it didn’t.
Suddenly, there was a violent tug. It felt like I was being yanked backward through a tunnel. It was disorienting. Every fiber of my being resisted the pull, yearning to return to that calm abyss.
Amidst the storm, a familiar voice pierced the chaos. "Hold on," it whispered, a lifeline amidst the torrent.Michael. His voice, tinged with urgency and concern, beckoned me to follow.
I hesitated, not willing to leave wherever this was.
Many things flitted through my mind; they felt like whisps, and as I tried to grab them, like the wind, I couldn’t capture them. One thing I did know was that I had left a lifetime of pain and heartache behind. Michael was familiar to me, but he was not my family. I had peoplehereon the other side.
