epilogue
Agrat bat Mahlat
Iclose the slice in the air that I made to show Zephaniel exactly what can happen without our intervention, betrayal and treason be damned.
Zephaniel stares at the space where the vision was, even though everything is back to normal now. We are still in our secret tent in the desert, we are still naked and lying together on the soft bed. The fire just outside still crackles.
“Are you all right?” I ask softly.
“I cannot…” He shakes his head. His throat moves as he swallows. “I cannot blame either of them for their actions.”
I arch a brow.
“You did not tell me that it was Gaderel,” he continues in a clipped tone. “Gaderel is no demon. He is one of the Grigori. A Watcher.”
“Was, Zephaniel,” I correct. “He was one of the Grigori, just like he was a Sentinel of Eden. And because he failed both of those jobs, he was hurled into the pit. What is a fallen angel? A demon.”
He blinks at me, and I know it’s because my voice has gotten sharper with every word. I’m taking this a little personally because I, too, once began in the Garden of Eden. For all Zeph and the other sanctimonious pricks in Heaven like to call me “Daughter of Lilith,” I was actually created by God Himself, a human female presented to Adam alongside Eve and two others as possible wives. The idiot was so lovestruck he proposed to each of us, but Eve, equally moronic, was the only one who accepted.
Then my sisters and I were summarily shown the door.
Am I bitter? Yes. I didn’t ask to be created, especially not for such an unappealing reason. Be a wife? And to such an unworthy male? Absolutely not. And because of that, because I wanted to choose for myself, I was vilified. Cast down to Hell. As a demon.
“He violated the rules of the treaty,” I add heatedly. “He brought a dead human back to life, and then infused her with his unholy powers. Or do you angels often participate in ritual sex for blood magic? He planted the seed of revenge within her. He encouraged her to take human lives. Why do I know more about what’s acceptable in your realm than you do? Or is it because he was your friend once? That makes it acceptable?”
Zephaniel sighs heavily and rolls to his back. “It is not so simple, Agrat.”
“There is a list of humans that are marked as important to Heaven’s plans, who have predestined paths,” I say flatly, pouring myself a goblet of wine. “If we do not intervene, then these humans will go the route of that one. Though I’m not sure she can be counted as a human anymore. The entire order of things, the balance, will be thrown off course. This affects Hell as much as Heaven. And again, we must not forget the conspiracy.”
“Then give me the list, and I shall intervene,” Zephaniel replies.
“It’s too big a job for any one angel or demon. We need assistance.” I swirl the wine in my cup, frowning. “The Grigori you mentioned. The Watchers. They fell.”
“They did,” he agrees. “Two hundred of them. They taught humans forbidden skills. Fell in love and fornicated with them. As Gaderel said, their grave sins were teaching and love.”
“Spoken like a true rebel, Zeph,” I purr, casting a sideways glance at him. “Risque.”
He rolls onto his side again, head propped in his hand. “Why do you speak of them now, Agrat?”
“Perhaps they have not completely gone over to Hell’s side,” I muse. “Perhaps they would be willing to lend a hand if, say, the possibility of getting back into Heaven were on the table.”
Zephaniel gapes at me. “That…is not a possibility. One cannot earn their way back into Heaven once they have been cast out.”
“You know this for a fact? Where is it written?”
“I…” He shakes his head. “I don’t know that it’s written, but it’s an understanding. It’s never been done before.”
I shrug. “Why does it mean that it can’t be?”
“I don’t think we should be promising something we’re not sure we can deliver,” he insists.
I smile, flaring the flames in my eyes at him. “Lying and manipulation is sort of what we demons do, my sweet.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “You would recruit these fallen angels on false promises just to gain their compliance?”
I sigh impatiently. “Look, Zeph, we don’t have a great deal of time at our disposal. I’m sure we—you—can work something out when it’s revealed that you helped set things right. And if you recruited help from fallen angels who still hold allegiance to your realm, then I see no reason why a deal can’t be fashioned.” I wave my hand. “Either way, that’s semantics. I don’t think we have a lot of resources, do we?”
He folds his arms, and I pretend not to notice the way his impressive biceps bulge. “And where do we find these suckers, hm?”