“Uh, Damien…”
He kissed the hollow of my neck. “Yes, my queen?”
I yanked his hair, pulling his head up to me. “What the fuck did you do now?”
Chapter 27
Zavariel
“You have failed,” the Head of Archangel Council said.
Shame coated my tongue as I acknowledged my failure and apologized. Indeed, I had failed, and I had sinned. And now I would lose my wings. But what caused my distraught the most was that I had lost Belle.
The wings they were about to take could not save her. Damien was stronger than I with his cobwebbed lies. Now she was drowning in Hell’s darkness that was altering her by the second. Soon, she would wear the crown of golden thorns and skulls, and neither Heaven nor her soul could be salvaged.
If only I had more time. If only I could have reminded her how I disobeyed orders for her, how I disclosed information forbidden to earthly beings, how I chose to save her instead of killing her.
How I would have fallen for her.
A mad determination, of that I was aware. It baffled me like she did. I could blame it on her power, but here I was, alone, in Heaven, where purity and virtue cleansed and erased the darkest of powers and sins, about to lose my wings, my purpose, and all that was in my mind and heart was my mad determination for Isabella Ferro.
Perhaps before she was taken right in front of my eyes, hesitation had crossed me. But after…
The queen of corruption had bewitched me with her lips and her eyes and her laughter and her constant profanity. With her delicious darkness that could bring angels to their knees.
“Archangel Zavariel, are you aware of your guilt and the punishment you have to receive?” he asked.
My jaws tightened. “Yes. The removal of my wings by fire.” Had I lost my wings to save her, I would not have batted an eye, but I was losing my wings for nothing at all.
“Correct. However, due to your impeccable record, the Council has decided to give you one more chance to redeem yourself.”
My head jolted up, and I stared at the Council members in astonishment. Did my ears fool me?
“Do you accept?”
I nodded. “Gladly.”
He rose from his seat. “You shall be sent back to Earth to find the fallen angel’s cursed passion in Hell,” he looked me in the eye, “to take her soul.”
My eyes widened, and my throat closed. How could they want me to kill her when they knew, after what I have been through with her, I could not. I would not. I swallowed the lump in my throat to speak, to beseech them to change their decision. “What if I could still save her soul? There is still light in her.”
“Not anymore,” he declared. “The decision has been made, Archangel. If you would like a chance at redemption, this is it.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Your wings shall be the price.”
I felt as if all the light in my veins rushed out of me, and I was left with nothing at all inside. “How do you propose I accomplish the mission? If I go down in Hell, my wings shall burn.”
“You shall be given the power to stand fire. Any more inquiries?”
“None.”
“You have one earthly day. Do not fail this time.”
“Fret not, High Archangel. This time, I know exactly what I must do.”
Chapter 28
