Devil's Toy

Chapter 8

Days passed without word of Damien. His arrival kept getting pushed back, without a single reason offered. Not that we would have gotten one under any other circumstance. We just do. That’s what we were designed for. That was our only purpose in this realm: to do.

“Gaby?” A soft knock at my door pulled me out of my clouded thoughts.

“What?”

A small angel, one I hadn’t met and didn’t care to ask much about, poked her head in. She didn’t hide the worry on her face, the immediate realization of what she was feeling, and the flimsy attempt at masking it. These new angels needed a crash course in controlling their emotions. It seemed God was getting sloppy.

“Can I help you?” I tapped my fingers on the desk impatiently.

“Let me handle this.”

His voice made my skin ache. Weeks had passed since the incident, and I had taken extreme precautions to avoid him.

“Michael, are you getting the new angels to do your dirty work now?” It was my turn to mask. I forced my voice into a chipper tone. I straightened my posture. I stuffed the golden letter into my desk drawer.

Michael pushed the door wider, moving around the angel before signaling for her to leave.

“That wasn’t very angelic of you.” He raised a brow.

“Apologies for my slip in decorum, Michael. You’ll understand I’m under an immense amount of pressure.” I bit my tongue to keep from releasing every ounce of annoyance I truly felt.

Michael’s eyes raked over me, or at least what he could see from behind my desk. He shook his head softly, that lazy smile he reserved for me making its damning appearance.

“I thought you might’ve been going rogue on me for a second there, Gabs.” His smile deepened into a grin. My heart twisted.

“What a ridiculous thing to even say!” I stood abruptly. Outrage licking flames at my heels.

“How dare you question my—”

He moved to me in a moment, his body wrapping around mine in a hug that would’ve been innocent hours ago, before he spoke the words that made me burn from the inside out.

His palm cradled the back of my head while the other held me tightly, extinguishing the fire before it could grow.

“It’s going to be okay, Gaby. You know it is. Damien’s release has been pushed back because Lucifer has been trying to negotiate with God.”

I ripped myself away from him. “How do you know this? How long have you known this? Negotiate what?”

I paced the room, my mind leaping from possibility to possibility. Panic clawed at my chest. If I didn’t get myself under control, God would sniff me out.

“Take a breath, my lo—Gaby.”

I nodded, ignoring the slip.

“Tell me everything you know. Now.”

“Gaby, there are things greater than us, greater than what we feel, at play right now.”

“If Damien’s purpose here was guidance, why is Lucifer negotiating? Why is God allowing this? Why not just deny him entrance and end it all?”

“You need to take another breath before you jeopardize us both.” His voice hardened, his hand gripping my jaw and holding my gaze still.

I nodded, taking a deep breath, my eyes glued to his.

“Thank you. Now, God is allowing this because of His love for His creations. He believes Damien’s intentions are pure. The Devil using that for his own gain shouldn’t surprise us.”

It made sense. Of course it made sense. I was a fool to think there was anything else Lucifer wanted besides leverage.

Before I could respond, the door creaked open again. The same young angel peeked inside, her nervousness evident, the mask completely unraveled.

“Archangel Michael, I am so sorry to interrupt but, the council is waiting. We’re already behind schedule.”

Michael’s brow furrowed as he looked back at me, his expression tightening with a seriousness that replaced his grin.

“Gaby,” he said quietly, “that’s the reason I came. The Elder Council were in charge of the negotiations and they’ve made a decision. We’ve been summoned. They will be advising how we’ll move forward with Damien’s entry.”

My stomach dropped. My hands trembled as I tried to gather myself. A council meeting meant all-seeing eyes. If they caught even a shred of my unraveling…

Michael noticed. Of course he noticed. Without asking, he offered his arm. For a heartbeat, I considered refusing. But my wings felt weak, and the weight of panic pressed so hard into my chest I thought I might break apart.

So I allowed myself the smallest indulgence. I leaned into him.

The young angel watched us, her face finally unreadable. I forced my expression into the creation I was designed to be; neutral, disciplined, worthy of Heaven’s ranks. But inside, every step I took toward the council chamber felt like a step towards damnation.

“This meeting will be swift. We will be informed of the councils decisions. They will provide us with a guide.” Michael’s words were even and soothing. His intentions clear.

I squeezed him softly in thanks.

“Yes, my apologies Gabrielle. I was meant to inform you, but I do admit I was stunned to have in your presence. You are so highly regarded by our creator.”

“I am an angel the same as you. Created just as you were. No apologies are needed.” I gave the angel a small smile, feeling myself fall back into place as we moved through levels of clouds.

“I am grateful for your kindness, Gabrielle.”