“Lilith was showing me the reverend’s collection of books. Do you have any older books?”
Elder Nelson frowned in confusion. “Older…holy books? Are you inspecting our translations? We only have a few ancient texts.”
This was getting us nowhere. “Elder Nelson,” I began humbly. “I was trying to tell the Herald about a book I saw once—an older book with beautiful illuminations in it. But I couldn’t find it on the reverend’s shelf. Do you know where it could be?”
Elder Nelson’s bushy eyebrows rose. “Oh, that book?”
My pulse quickened. He knew it!
“I didn’t think it was helpful to Grimshaw in his search,” the elder continued. “I found it for him. An old friend of mine owns it. He collects rare books in his leisure time. He let me borrow it for a fortnight.”
“And…would he let you borrow it again?” I held my breath.
“Oh, Lilith.” Elder Nelson chuckled, beginning to walk toward me. I had to press myself flat against the wall for him to pass by. He patted my hand as he went. “You shouldn’t have to worry about such things.”
“Yes, Elder,” I murmured, casting my eyes downward again.
Castiel cleared his throat. “I would like to know more about it.”
Elder Nelson paused and glanced back. “But…why?”
“Lord Erlik sent me here to bestow blessings and honor to the Church of the Love of His Divine Saints,” Castiel said patiently. “I also need to know how Reverend Grimshaw found who we were and where we went when we Fell. It is my duty to witness what the faithful have done. I wish to see the reverend’s good work with my own eyes.”
Elder Nelson sighed. “Very well. Next time I see Lord Fallon I’ll ask him for the manuscript again.”
“A blessing on you,” Castiel intoned, and I bit the inside of my cheek to not laugh at the irreverent seraph trying his best to blend in.
Elder Nelson shuffled around a corner.
I pushed myself off the wall and turned the other direction, toward the nearest exit. “I have work to do.”
Castiel extended one wing, blocking over half the hallway. “Why did you do that?”
“Do what?” I blinked up at him.
His eyes narrowed. “Stop trying to distract me.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, genuinely baffled.
“Blinking those big blue eyes at me,” he huffed. “As if I’ll fall for some beautiful face.”
My lips twisted. “I thought I was passably pretty.”
He gave me a withering look. “You are too full of yourself, cirra.”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open in indignant surprise. “Are you quite serious?” I sputtered. “You are telling me I’m too full of myself? Ha! Who’s really the cirra here?”
Castiel’s eyes crinkled at the corners and his lips twitched, but he kept his frown on his face. “I can’t explain what it does to me when I hear you speak my own language, but it’s quite the experience.”
I rolled my eyes and stepped forward, stretching out my hand to push his wing out of my way. The bronze feathers glimmered in the low light.
“Oh, no.” Castiel’s wing pressed back against my hand.
Those feathers were so soft and silky. I hadn’t expected that. My fingers slid between the feathers in the middle of his wing, and I felt the thin skin beneath them. My heart jolted.
He sucked in a sudden breath and jerked, one hand going to his chest.
“Sorry,” I murmured, yanking my hand away. It was probably an intimate touch. My cheeks heated with embarrassment. “You take up a lot of space—like an overgrown chicken.”
