“They surely didn’t believe that, did they?” Drewasked, aghast.
Zach shook his head. “No, they didn’t, not really. They announced that I’d be kept under watch and supervised until such time as they could determine with accuracy that I was trustworthy, but Oberon would suffer another fate. He was to be stripped of his wings and then he was to Fall.”
“Fall?”
Zach swallowed loudly. “The Fall was the worst punishment that could be meted out to an angel. It meant banishment from Heaven, to be exiled to Hell, to the Underworld, for all eternity. To no longer be an angel but become a demon instead. I was made to watch as Oberon’s wings were hacked off—a warning I suppose, for what would be in store for me if my heart was as black as his. Afterward, as he lay there shaking and bleeding, he begged to be able to speak with me one last time. He confessed I was innocent, that I’d had nothing to do with his schemes, and told them he wished to beg for my forgiveness. Compassion is one of an angel’s virtues, and so they granted his request. He gestured for me to come closer and I did, eager to hear the apology for his betrayal.” Zach fell silent for a moment, and his eyes closed as he relived the next moments once more in the privacy of his own mind. When he opened them again, Drew was watching him with kind eyes and linking their fingers together, feeding Zach the strength to continue. “Oberon had no intention of apologising. He grabbed me instead, locking my wings by my side with his arms so I was unable to fly, and then he jumped, taking me with him.”
Drew gasped but didn’t press for more, granting Zach the time he needed.
“What happened when we reached the bottom does not bear repeating. Suffice to say, an angel who finds himself in Hell is not in for a pleasant time.”
“The others,” Drew said, frowning. “They didn’t come to rescue you? They knew you were innocent.”
Zach shrugged. “If they tried, they did not succeed. I never saw any of them ever again. Oberon embedded this gem in my chest and it binds meto him and prevents me from escaping the confines of Hell. Only the most powerful magic users have ever been able to summon me, and none of them have ever been able to break its hold on me.” Zach took a deep breath and then met Drew’s eyes. “Until now, Drew. I truly believeyouhave that power. I think you’ll be able to free me from Oberon’s grasp.”
“Me?” Drew squeaked. “I don’t know anything about magic!”
“I know, but Kensington said you have immense power within you. I believe with some training from Kensington, who will be able to help you master that power, you’ll be able to break my bonds. I suppose the question remains . . . Do you want to?”
Drew looked at him in astonishment and shook his head. “Are you fucking insane?” he demanded. “Why the hellwouldn’tI want to help you, Zach? Of course I freaking will!”
Zach relaxed at the words. Being almost certain was very different from knowing for sure and he hadn’t realised how tense that had been making him. “Thank you,” he whispered and then leaned forward to capture Drew’s mouth in a soft kiss.
“You know this explains an awful lot, don’t you?” Drew said a little smugly, as he pulled back.
“What do you mean?” Zach asked.
“Well, to be brutally honest, you’re a really shitty demon,” Drew said, grinning. “Like, you arewaytoo nice. Nowhere near evil enough.”
Zach laughed and conceded the point. “I must admit, there are things I’ve done since the Fall that were not at all angelic, but one does what one needs to survive, I suppose. I had no way to escape and certain things were expected of me if I wanted to live, and so I did them. I never took pleasure in them, though, not the truly awful things anyway. Morals do get a little hazy after such a long time and I doubt I will ever be welcomed back up top, but my hope is to be able to stay here, in this place.” Thewith youhe left unsaid, unsure if Drew would even be interested in anything long term with him. As far as Drew had been aware, this was a limited-time-only deal, and maybe he preferred it that way. He would have to cross that bridge when he got to it.
“Can I ask a question?” Drew asked.
“Of course.”
“What happened to your wings?”
“Oh, those.”
Drew suddenly looked ill. “Oh, fuck, did they cut them off? When they did those horrible things to you?”
Zach shook his head. “No. Yes, they used them to hurt me, but they didn’t cut them off. Not to say they didn’t try, but for some reason, the only blade that has ever been able to sever wings from an angel is the one used by the most senior of the higher angels. No, they kind of just . . . faded. It took a long time as they became less and less substantial, until one day they were just gone. I don’t think they could survive in that sort of environment.”
“Will you ever get them back?” Drew asked.
He shrugged. “No idea.”
“Do you miss them?”
He smiled sadly. “Every single day.”
“They must have been beautiful,” Drew said wistfully.
Zach nodded. “They were. They were magnificent. Each angel’s wings are a different colour.They’re not all pure white like books and movies would have you believe. Mine were the deepest black you can imagine, but in the light, the feathers were tinged with a deep red.”
“They sound amazing. Maybe once I’ve worked out a way to free you, they’ll come back and I’ll get to see them for myself?”
Zach smiled, and he leaned in for another kiss. “Maybe.”
