The Enemy of Heaven

Chapter 3

Chapter 3Raphael

“He will survive,” the doctor said.

Raphael brought the wounded demon to the closest inn and paid the owner with the only golden ring he wore—enough to rent a room for a few nights and get two meals a day for two people. He didn’t risk bringing him to a physician in the capital, since he wasn’t certain the young man would survive the trip. Luckily, Raphael knew a doctor that lived close by.

Two years ago, Sienna introduced an incentive program for volunteer physicians who wished to offer their services in the ghetto. Raphael pushed her program into the royal council, and after some heated debates, it was approved. Some council members said no self-respecting doctor would voluntarily agree to work in these conditions, but, to their surprise, quite a few applied.

“He was stabbed by this knife,” Raphael said, holding the weapon.

“I’ve seen demons get stabbed like this every day,” the doctor said, while he closed the wound and bandaged it neatly. “They’re much tougher than angels.”

“Can demons fly?” asked Raphael.

The physician looked up at him, as though someone had just given him an impossible problem to solve. Raphael would have laughed at his hilariously befuddled face, but he stiffened the outburst in favor of the seriousness of this situation. Still, he couldn’t stop a smile from forming.

“No. Human beings cannot fly,” the doctor said.

Then he scowled and rose to his feet. Commoners rarely dared to look the royal family members in the eyes. The darkness of the night kept Raphael’s gaze hidden, but this room was lit by artificial light. And now that the doctor pulled his attention from the wounded demon, he finally noticed the obvious.

“Your Highness, are you under the influence of any substance?”

“Thank you for your help. I’ll call you when he wakes up,” Raphael said, and wrapped an arm around the young doctor, politely escorting him to the front door. “Don’t tell anyone I’m here.”

He shut the door and locked it securely. Now that they were alone and safe, Raphael took a better look at the peacefully sleeping demon.

He couldn’t be over twenty years of age. He had straight raven hair, partially held by a loose hair lace. His face would be stunning after a good wash. He wasn’t malnourished, but he would benefit from a good meal. His clothes and shoes were extremely worn off, giving the impression they were his only ones.

That scene was still playing in Raphael’s head over and over—the demon’s slender, agile form stopping in mid-air. The elegant twist and the grace of his landing were now engraved in the prince’s memory for the rest of his life.

There was only one bed in this room, and he let the wounded demon have it. On the bedside table was a lamp containing possibly the only Lumina crystal in the ghetto.

Lumina crystals were a transparent mineral that naturally emitted white light. During the day, the glow wasn’t noticeable, but in the dark, it could light up an entire room. Raphael pulled the black cloak around the lamp, effectively blocking the light.

Then he took a seat on the chair next to the bed and waited. He couldn’t sleep. His mind was wide-awake, playing out the numerous possibilities he could take advantage of once the demon awoke. His imagination was so vivid, he didn’t realize he was smiling at the empty air until morning.

By the time the sun shined through the dusty curtain, and the birds chirped, the pipe smoke had completely lost its effect on Raphael’s body, and now he was sleepy, hungry, thirsty, and impossibly grumpy. His back hurt, his neck was stiff, and the demon had not moved a muscle all night.

Raphael was nodding off, while wondering whether his personal guard noticed his absence by now. He used to spend days on end in the Seven Deadly Sins club, so it wasn’t unusual if he never came out. No one needed him at the palace the following few days either, so he might get away with this spontaneous vanishing act.

Someone shuffled.

Raphael opened his eyes and saw the demon, wide-awake, rising from the bed and holding a knife. Raphael sprung into full alertness and blocked the demon’s arm in mid-air. Vicious red eyes peered into him with animalistic focus. Then, as quickly as the fire exploded, so did it evaporate. The demon collapsed limply in Raphael’s arms, and the pocket knife dropped to their feet.

“Royal pig,” the demon spat through painfully gritted teeth. “I’m yours from now on, huh? I’ll never be your slave…never…”

Raphael carefully put him back in bed. “I told the guardians I’ll make you into my honorary servant, because otherwise they wouldn’t have let you go. The Crown has no authority over the police force. I’m not…I’m not enslaving you.”

He had heard that demons outside the system called the honorary angel program enslavement. Not that far-fetched. For the angels, the honorees were servants, lucky to live in a civilized society. Harmless, hard-working, and thankful for the privilege and generous opportunity.

Raphael had no intention of making this demon an honoree, but maybe now he could establish something more meaningful.

“But I want you to work for me,” he said. “I need your help.”

“f**k off!”

“Do you have a family? Loved ones? I’ll send them payment while you work for me.”

The demon froze, and his eyes opened wide. He must have remembered someone important, someone that might be in danger, judging from the mortified look on his face. He tried to get out of bed and Raphael caught him once again before he hit the hardwood floor.

“You’ll open your wound,” he warned. “I’m on your side. I want to help you.”

“Then, let me leave!”

Raphael sighed and pulled away, giving him space. The demon glared at him for a while, like a cornered animal, calculating its escape. Then, he took a step and painfully collapsed on the floor. Heart-wrenching sobs filled the room. The doctor had left a bottle of opium in case he awoke and was in pain, so Raphael handed it to him.

“Drink this for the pain,” he said.

The demon grabbed the bottle and gulped it all in one go. He mellowed almost immediately and this time he allowed Raphael to bring him back to bed. A moment later, his breathing evened, and he drifted to sleep.

Raphael exhaled deeply. This was quite the disappointing start. He didn’t expect to be trusted instantly, but this reaction exceeded his worst expectations. At his point, partnership felt impossible.

The doctor visited later in the morning. Fortunately, despite that intense outburst, the demon’s wound was healing well, and he was going to make a full recovery.

“Does he have anyone?” asked Raphael.

“He runs around with a group of children. They follow him like kittens follow a mother cat. But I don’t know their names, nor where to find them.”

That was a shame. If Raphael could bring them here by the time he awoke, then maybe they could establish some trust. He thought about using the day to go out and ask around, but this man probably had enemies. Raphael might end up bringing the wrong person.

The doctor left them again and told Raphael to call him whenever he needed anything. The prince spent the whole day inside, watching over the young man and patiently waiting for him to wake up so they could talk again.

He got his wish by sunset.

The demon’s eyes opened, and he stared at the ceiling, serene and disoriented. His head slowly turned to the chair next to the bed where Raphael was sitting. The prince was ready to defend himself once again, though deeply hoped the assault from this morning wouldn’t repeat.

He had found food in the kitchen. It wasn’t the quality of food he was used to, but it was good enough to keep him sated while he waited. And, of course, he brought a portion for the wounded man. He must be starving after sleeping for an entire day.

“Want some boiled potatoes?” asked Raphael.

The demon slowly sat up in bed, wincing from the pain, but it seemed more bearable than it was in the morning. Raphael placed the portion that was waiting for him on his lap and came back to his chair. The demon ate fast, in a hurry to get all his strength back. Raphael did not disturb him and spoke only after the meal was gone.

“What’s your name?” he asked.

The demon stared at the empty plate with a sour face. He looked like a cat who was forcefully brought to a house it didn’t want to be in. Right now, Raphael was glad he wasn’t attacking him again. But just in case, he had hidden the knife.

“Come on, we should make this simple exchange. My name is…”

“I know who you are,” the demon interrupted. “Everyone knows who you are.”

Raphael nodded slowly with respect. “And what should I call you?”

“Dante,” he muttered.

So, this was the name of his future accomplice. It was a familiar name that rang certain bells in Raphael’s memories. Ever since he saw this man from up close, there was a suspicion he had seen him before. The suspicion was gone now. Raphael never believed in fateful encounters, but this meeting was heavily testing his mindset.

Dante finally glanced at him, and then he scooted away, spooked. “What? Why are you smiling like that?”

Raphael was smiling? He didn’t realize. The prince cleared his throat and straightened his back. “Dante, I was told you’re taking care of a group of children. Will you tell me their names?”

“Why?”

“If they’re in danger, I’ll protect them. I’ll protect all of you.”

“No one needs you!”

Dante’s voice came out cold, but then he glanced away, regretting his rudeness. He was so easy to read. Every emotion appeared clearly on his intensely expressive face. He hated being here and being so weak. He hated being saved, yet still, there was an appreciation that someone had bothered to save his life.

“You’ll never find them. They know how to hide well,” he said. “They’re fine, I’m sure of it.”

It sounded like he was trying to convince himself. It’s been a full day since he was unconscious. Those orphans were alone all this time. There was no way they were fine. They needed their caretaker and Dante needed help, even if he didn’t want to admit it. Well, reminding him of his helplessness wasn’t a good conversation starter.

“Did you murder that guardian angel?” Raphael asked.

“Why does it matter?”

Dante glared at a random corner like a child used to getting blamed for everything. Raphael waited for an answer and after a short pause, the demon sighed.

“I didn’t murder that guardian. Someone framed me…this time.”

Raphael raised an eyebrow. “This time?”

“I’ve never murdered an officer of the law. But I have murdered before,” the demon smirked. “So, no, Your Highness, you did not save an innocent man.”

This wasn’t a deal breaker. Survival in the ghetto often required people to do cruel things. Actually, if Dante had never killed before, Raphael would have been disappointed.

“Work for me,” the prince said. “If you become my servant, all your crimes will be pardoned. I need you for a mission.”

“Don’t you have enough servants?”

“The servants we have are loyal to the entire royal family. I need someone outside of the palace, loyal only to me. Not my father, or my brother.”

Dante glared. “You want a slave.”

“An accomplice,” corrected Raphael. “And it’s only for the duration of the mission. Once it’s done, you’re free to go. You have my word.”

“Why me?”

Raphael leaned back in the chair. It was time to reveal it. This man was an explosion ready to happen and Raphael was the spark. Anything he said could prompt him to attack again, and this, he felt, was the most dangerous fuse.

“I saw you levitating.”

The silence that dropped over the room was not just suffocating, it was pressing down on them both. Raphael had instinctively stopped breathing. Dante didn’t react at first, just looked at him without saying a word. Then Raphael noticed he was examining him. He wouldn’t attack, but he wouldn’t agree either.

“Your mind’s playing tricks on you,” Dante said.

His gambling face was awful. Lying wasn’t his strong point at all. Then again, there wasn’t a force in the world that would convince Raphael what he saw wasn’t real. Well, even if his accomplice couldn’t lie well, Raphael could benefit from his honesty. This quality wasn’t a deterrent.

Raphael shook his head. “You were next to me. I know what I saw.”

“Well, no one will believe you.”

Dante crossed his arms in reluctant acceptance, and Raphael smiled. He knew this man’s biggest secret, and he wasn’t hated for it. This was progress. He must be still experiencing the slowly fading effects of the opium, but it was progress.

“How did you do it?” asked Raphael.

Dante shrugged. “I just can.”

“Can anyone else from the ghetto levitate?”

“No.”

“Can you train it?”

Dante scowled in confusion. “What?”

“Is it like a muscle?” Raphael’s arms started gesturing excitedly. “If you exercise it, does it become easier, or more potent? Do duration or speed play any role? Can you navigate yourself through the air? What part of yourself do you even use for levitating?”

“What’s wrong with you?”

Raphael couldn’t contain the unstoppable buzz of ideas. It didn’t help that he was forced to wait for this talk for over twenty-four hours. No one has ever made him wait for so long and forgiving this insolence would take time and answers. Lots and lots of answers.

“Dante, I want to make the world a better place for you and all demons. I can’t achieve it alone, but I can achieve it with you. So, be my partner in this mission. You can put your ability to good use and you’ll see the change we can make together.”

The demon stared at him in bewildered silence. He was smart, he should understand. That Raphael went to such lengths to save his life and was nursing him back to health should be proof enough. If not, he was ready to prove his resolve as many times as it was necessary, until this mysterious creature trusts him completely.

“You’re a privileged asshole,” Dante said. “Are you so bored with your wealth, you need a charity mission to make yourself into some savior? The entire world is your entertainment.”

“No,” Raphael shook his head. “No, Dante, there is this decree…”

“I’m not wasting my time on you!” the demon yelled in his face. “I have people who need me! Find your partner somewhere else!”

Raphael opened his mouth to argue, but nothing would make a difference. He made a big mistake. He assumed something without understanding this person’s mentality at all. Asserting his opinion would only convince him of what he just said. This plan was doomed from the beginning.

“I understand,” Raphael said. “At least stay here until you heal.”

The demon laid back on the pillow and turned his back to him. “Thank you for saving me,” he muttered. They did not establish eye contact again.

Raphael was never so disappointed. The moment he saw this demon, everything became clear. Every detail he knew about his family, the palace, the world population, Sienna’s place in the political environment, and his own role as a royal heir—everything came together into a plan. He had the vision and the motivation, but not the partner.

It wasn’t meant to be.

While watching over the sleeping demon, Raphael dozed off in the chair. He awoke in the middle of the night when he heard someone getting out of bed. Instinct told him to keep his eyes closed, pretend to be asleep.

It had been a little over a day since Dante was stabbed, and he was already standing firmly on his feet. Demons weren’t just tough, they were phenomenal. And this one was out of this world, surrounded by curiosities. Raphael wanted him so badly, he wanted to learn everything about him. He wanted to be a part of his life.

Dante stood silently before the chair, and Raphael stopped breathing. He was directly under the gaze of those wild red eyes. His heart pounded harshly against his chest, as though his body recognized he was in the presence of a natural predator.

Was Dante going in for the kill again?

A few uneventful moments later, the door made the barest sound upon closing, and Raphael was alone in the room. He opened his eyes and bit his bottom lip in frustrating dissatisfaction.

This was a cruel tease.