“Remiel,” Re said.
Jesus blinked. “He's the one doing this?”
“We don't know that.” I smacked Re's arm.
“What?” Re huffed.
“You can't just say a name like that. All dramatic. You have to explain.”
“Fine.” Re rolled his golden eyes. “Remiel was Jerry's general.”
“One of them,” Jesus said. “So?”
“So, he was a supporter. He may still be.”
Jesus scratched his head and pushed his purple, round glasses up higher on his long nose. “I dunno, man. Rem is cool now. I don't think he'd do this. He survived all that primo bullshit and came out a changed man.”
“Or that's just what he's telling you,” Thor said. “Either way, speaking to him won't hurt.”
“And there's nothing here,” Odin added.
“Except the scent of bleach,” Trevor said, his face wrinkling behind his mask.
“Bleach!” the unknown Angel screeched. “Someone used bleach in here? We can't have bleach around the scrolls!”
“Relax, Sachiel,” Jesus said, his hand automatically reaching for a joint. He jerked his hand out of his pocket when he noticed Sachiel's wide eyes and cleared his throat. “The bleach was used to mask a trail, not to clean the scrolls.”
Sachiel grimaced. “Still, it shouldn't be used near them.”
“They're protected by glass and enchantments,” Abaddon said. “The scrolls are fine.”
Sachiel's wings rustled, and he straightened his shoulders. “If there is nothing else, Your Majesty?”
“Huh?” Jesus frowned at the Angel.
“I have other duties to attend to. Unless I'm being replaced as ruler of this Heaven?”
“What? No, man. Why would you think that?”
He glanced at Abaddon. “Evidently you disagreed with the way I ran this school.”
“Sachiel, my friend.” Jesus laid a hand on the Angel, and Sachiel instantly relaxed. “I wanted to lessen the strain on you. I never thought you were lacking. Be at peace. You are a fine governor of this territory, and I need Angels like you to help me. I rely on you.”
Sachiel took a breath. Then he bowed. “Thank you, King Jesus.”
“It's all good, man.” Jesus grinned and dropped his hand. “All of it. Keep it up. And don't worry. I promise not to smoke in here.”
Sachiel cleared his throat. “Thank you, Sire.” He bowed, then left the room.
Jesus's smile vanished as the Angel did. He turned to his brother and asked, “What do you think I should do, Az?”
Jesus went from King to toddler in seconds, reminding me that Azrael was the older of the two. The King of King's older brother.
“Let's just have a chat with Remiel. Nothing menacing. Just talk. You can read a man's heart better than anyone, J. I don't think we'll need to resort to harsher measures to get the truth from Remiel.”
“Harsher measures!” Jesus's eyes went wide. “That never even occurred to me. No one is torturing my Angels, Az.”
Azrael grinned, his love for his brother clear. “We wouldn't dream of it, J.”
