Page 50 of Seraph's Tears
The tips of his ears pinkened. “Oh, I don’t know if it’s ready.”
“Ready?” Azrael’s body tightened, like a bow ready to loose or a hunting dog waiting to run.
“They’ll want to see it,” I assured. “I’ll bring lunch to you there.” I paused and glanced at Azrael. “Will you eat human food? I have lentil stew and fresh bread.”
A pained expression crossed his face, but he nodded after a brief look at Gabriel. “If Gabriel’s…housekeeper cooks something, I will eat it.”
Hmm. Intent on loyalty, if not humans or talking in general. I smiled. “I’ll join you all soon.”
Gabriel led them up through the air and onto the gallery.
I hurried to the kitchen to prepare food, nerves rattling. I hadn’t expected Gabriel to…claim me like that. I thought I would be his little secret. Sleeping with the help, so to speak. Perhaps this was normal in his world? I doubted it. Not if their social hierarchy was even more rigid than ours.
As the bread toasted and butter melted, though, I couldn’t hold back my smile. He liked me. He liked me enough to show his friends.
I carried a large tray full of food up to the gallery.
“Once it’s complete, it will be almost like the sparring sphere we practiced in by that river garrison.” Gabriel’s voice echoed through the gallery and out the open door.
“It looks good,” Castiel said.
Azrael grunted, which must’ve been a compliment for him.
“Is that your sword over there? Captain, why on earth is it wrapped in that awful cloth? Have you polished it lately?”
Now it was Gabriel’s turn to grunt.
“Captain, I didn’t just drag Azrael along to catch up.” Castiel’s voice turned more serious than I’d heard before. “Azrael has been hearing things.”
“Even under that rock of yours?” Gabriel teased.
I paused in the doorway. I shouldn’t eavesdrop. But I was curious what the sedge had been like as a military unit.
“There have been more strangers in the area than normal.” Castiel sounded serious for a change. “The villagers have been keeping their mouths shut—you know they’re frightened of you and certainly don’t want to lose the free rent.”
“Strangers? What for? This place is far removed from any city or even a trade route.”
Rustling sounded, as if Castiel did the wing equivalent of shrugging.
“Have you seen them yourself?” Gabriel asked.
“He has.” Castiel must’ve been referring to Azrael.
Azrael cleared his throat. “As I was flying in. The fog was thick, so no one saw me. There were two or three men and two women, I think. They were arguing over angels and where to find the winged ones.”
My heart dropped. All my pretty fantasies about life with Gabriel collapsed, disintegrating like ash. Guilt and shame returned, sliding through the remnants of a dream that seemed more and more impossible by the second.
They promised me six weeks! I seethed, my eyes burning with unshed tears. It had been a month. Why were they back so soon? Did something happen, or did Zor get tired of letting me take charge of the mission?
If Zor grew more desperate, he’d grow more dangerous. Even Gabriel might not be able to keep him away.
I shivered as a knot formed in the back of my throat. My eyes squeezed shut. I could practically hear the sound the leather whip made as it whistled through the air. I needed to flee after all.
The silence in the room was deafening.
“Why is anyone searching for us?” Gabriel finally asked. “We stay low and far from anyone's attention. How does anyone even know I might be here?”
“Let them come!” Castiel’s voice echoed, harsh and demanding. “We are warriors of a race far more powerful than their own.”
