“Rumors have circulated that the balanced pair made you kill the demon and put him at the Gate of Hell. How did you get in and out without being discovered?” Gabriel asked.
“Don’t answer their questions, Nakir. Go to my home and wait for me,” Uriel demanded, putting his hand on my back, and ushering me toward the exit.
Suddenly, Gabriel grabbed my arm and picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder. “You’ve been hiding him at your abode, Uriel. No wonder you wouldn’t let me in when I dropped by to walk with you to the Council meeting.”
Uriel stared at me before he turned to Remiel. “I don’t—didn’t have Nakir staying at my abode. He disappeared. I’ve been looking for him everywhere. When I couldn’t find him, I assumed he was eliminated and reported him as such. Someone murdered his lover, but it wasn’t me.”
Gabriel cleared his throat. “It had to be the cherub, of course. He then ran to keep from facing the wrath of Lucifer. We know they’d love to get their hands on one of the Celestials. We should turn him over and satisfy their taste for retribution.”
I decided it was now or never. “What if I tell them you killed my lover and put him at the Gate of Hell. That means you went down to the underworld on an unsanctioned visit. I saw you put his head on a spike.”
“Nakir, what do you mean you saw him?” Uriel asked.
“He’s a liar! Damn him to Hell!” I expected a protest from Gabriel—not from Remiel. Was it possible it was a conspiracy?
I gasped. “You helped him!”
Remiel grabbed me while Gabriel reached for Uriel. “We found you with the cherub and you were killing him.”
My head was twisted, so I closed my eyes and released the vision of Nakir, returning to my normal state—except I was naked because the robe was shredded. Eh, it wasn’t perfect.
I disregarded the order to never touch an Archangel unless invited and grabbed Remiel’s hand, twisting his arm behind his back. “You weren’t what I expected, Remiel. I knew Gabriel was guilty, but I can’t believe you worked with him to frame Uriel.”
Gabriel and Remiel both lunged at Uriel, but I stepped between them. “You will answer for your crimes.” Both laughed as Gabriel drew a sword and swung it toward my head.
I dodged to the right, and the sword came down on my shoulder, but I had Uriel behind me. I would die defending him, even though I didn’t like him. We defended the innocent, or so Jo had taught me.
Suddenly, the sky lit up and it began to rain—which was quite unusual for the Celestial Realm. I turned to Uriel and grabbed him with my left arm which I could still use. “What’s happening?”
“The Creator is crying for the deception by two of his trusted Archangels. And, Uriel, you know you broke the rules, so you will atone, but you two will admit your guilt to the Ruler of Hell.” It was Michael, and I was relieved.
“Took you long enough.”
Michael’s booming laugh broke the tension in my body. Four Celestial guards filed into the room and escorted Gabriel and Remiel from the hallway.
Michael turned to Uriel. “You need to go to the Creator and confess your actions. Do we know what happened to Nakir?”
“Only the Creator knows,” Uriel answered.
I was sad that perhaps Nakir had met his demise, but the fact that neither Gabriel nor Remiel had been surprised to see the cherub gave me a little hope that perhaps he still existed somewhere. As I studied Uriel, I could see he had hope, too.
Uriel left us alone, presumedly headed to meet with the Creator, so I took the robe Michael offered and covered myself. “You did an amazing job, Scotty.”
“How is Jay?” That was all I cared about. I understood that Heaven and Hell stood in the balance, but I was selfish.
“Let’s go to Limbo. Jo is meeting with them, but I got a message from a frantic cherub named Chasan that his friend was in trouble, so I came as quickly as I could. Who knew Gabriel and Remiel would collude? Well, it just goes to show you that we all have free will, and they wanted Uriel out as the Council leader. We are accountable for our decisions. Let’s get you some clothes.”
I nodded and started to follow Michael when something sunk in. “Wait! Are we going to Limbo? Will I get to see Jay?”
Michael nodded, and my heart began to gallop. I couldn’t ask for anything more than to see my mate. Maybe there was light at the end of the tunnel?
I sure as hell hoped so!
Chapter Seventeen
Jay
We searched for Nyx’s followers near the portals to no avail, finally sending sets of demons and hellhounds through the other three portals to continue looking wherever they led. There was no way a million or more of anything could go unnoticed, right?
