Shattering Halos

by Sunniva Dee

  “Well, you’re right. We happened.”

  “Yep, we did!” A bubble of joy snuck out of me in a nervous giggle.

  “And Kakabel. Did you hear Michael explain how he was the key?”

  “Not much of an explanation, but yes.” I inhaled too fast, the air quivering in my throat.

  “Sshh, you’re okay. When did Kakabel fall?”

  “I don’t remember, a while ago?”

  “Come here, my sun.”

  Arms looped around and held me. His warm breath tickled my skin as he eased my growing anxiety. I’d rather not learn the details he was about to reveal.

  “That too happened a little over two years ago, Gaia.”

  Gabriel brought his hand up to my neck, pulling me toward him. “I broke my first Celestial rule when I didn’t let you die in the accident. It made the Heavens realize how little persuasion I needed to become their bait for the Grigori.”

  He shook his head, an incredulous smile slowly spreading; “Why didn’t I guess this? My sudden ability to love the human way should have been a dead give-away!”

  Once, twice, I kissed his lips. “Baby…”

  “So Michael jumped at the chance. He gave you the power to see me, and ever since, I’ve had to force invisibility with you.”

  I broke into a grin as I recalled his stunned expression during our first encounters. Then, it hit me.

  “Hey, why would an archangel of God help the Grigori produce demons?”

  “He isn’t, really. If he controls the fishing spots, he can regulate the catch.”

  “Come again?”

  “The Grigori think they reeled me in, while in reality Michael offered me up as bait. With me already in their net, the need to tempt every angel they got their claws on faded. Michael has avoided absolute chaos by giving me to them. In the meantime, he could prepare, get ready for what’s coming.”

  “Why doesn’t he simply snag any sinning Celestial and punish them?”

  Despite myself, I had amused him.

  “Earthlings are easy to spot, Gaia. Angels purposely going incognito is a different story. If Ramiel had luck tempting Celestials, if the Heavens didn’t notice subtle infractions that added up, Michael’s chance of stopping this disaster would have been much smaller. See, Michael’s got me now; I’m in Glittertind, controlled. Ready to be disciplined if need be.”

  “He won’t erase you, right?” The question tumbled out unintentionally.

  “If I’m lucky, he’ll banish me. Or let me fall.”

  “Wow. Great way of saying ‘thank you.’”

  “Sun, his main concern is to protect all of you. I’m just the catalyst.” Gabriel’s lips pushed against my temple and moved down my cheek.

  “Well, guess what? I think it’s ridiculous, and I’m going to tell him! Plus, you can’t be the only one who’s done stuff like this. The devil tempts us all the time, doesn’t he?”

  A breathy chuckle escaped him. “The Grigori don’t spend energy on white angels. We’re not created with the capacity for sin, so it’s hard to turn us. Look at Kakabel. It took two thousand years of intense temptation for them to succeed.”

  “I’m sorry about your brother.”

  “Me too,” he whispered, swallowing against my neck.

  “So Michael chose you. He used you. Now, I’ve tricked you into breaking Heavenly Rule after Heavenly Rule. I’ve done their job for them, haven’t I?” A queasy sensation stirred in my stomach.

  “None of this is your fault, sunshine.”

  He opened his hand. Six gleaming pearls, identical to the ones covering the walls, appeared inside his palm.

  “This one—” His fingers turned over an imperfect morsel, letting it glint. “—is Kakabel, the Angel of the Stars. The orchestrator. Without him going evil and working for them, none of this could happen.”

  The pearl rolled to the couch. It rippled as if breathing. He slid the next pearl up between his thumb and index finger.

  “This is me falling in love with you. I’m making mistake after mistake.” He placed the beautiful little gem next to the first one on the seat.

  His fingertips exposed the third pearl. “Here’s Michael’s decision of not punishing me. He’s making me invaluable to the Grigori.” The pearls formed a half moon on the cushion next to him.

  Revealing a fourth jewel, he sighed. “This is time.” I twisted to read his expression.

  “What? I don’t understand.”

  “Time means everything for Ramiel. His one shot is now, when nature works for him without coercion.”

  “The volcano?” I asked.

  “The volcano and the lunar eclipse together. Ramiel expects the eruption to be so massive that the moon will glow red before it eclipses.”

  The fifth pearl slid to the seat as he continued. “This one is the Purest Ones.” He frowned. “Ramiel had to wait until the last minute to sequester them.”

  “Because Michael would notice?”

  “Yes, Ramiel is definitely aiming at a surprise attack. He can only win a battle with the support of the brand new demons.

  “But this last one—” Gabriel let out a heavy exhale. The little freshwater pearl shone between his fingers. I ran my hand over his cheek, trying to instill comfort.

  “—I don’t know what this one is. Even Ramiel can’t convert the purest souls on Earth into evil manifest within a few hours. Something spectacular has to happen. Whatever that is, it’s going to be monumental. This sixth one…is what can make Ramiel’s dream a reality.”

  We could do nothing but wait, and Gabriel patted his lap for me to rest. I crawled in against him. Gentle fingers moved at my scalp, calming my erratic pulse. In the end, he even made me doze off. Before my eyes slid shut, I followed the irregular course of a hummingbird. It disappeared into something akin to a banana tree.

  The sound of the sliding doors coming alive made me jump, and Gabriel steadied me before I fell off the cushions. The archangel towered in the doorway, gesturing for us to follow.

  “Children. It has begun.”

  He glided in front of us, enormous wings spread wide as if in battle. Everything about Glittertind defied logic. At the far end of the ballroom, an ivory staircase spiraled up and dissipated into the clouds.

  All of this can’t be inside a mountain!

  Michael turned briefly. “Don’t let it bother you, Gaia.”

  The steps wound upward beneath my feet, and I glanced through the banister as we ascended. Heavier chunks of clouds danced in slow motion below me. They snaked above the checkered floor like thick fog.

  “The Seamounts are erupting. Let’s enjoy the view from the cupola.”

  Really, Michael? Enjoy it?

  Michael ignored my blunt thoughts, and we walked on in taut silence. Gabriel’s glum reticence made my stomach drop.

  Yes, we were captives, but by the time we reached the clouds, I only longed for the tension between them to ease.

  On the first landing, the archangel stopped and faced us. He looked serene, compassionate. It didn’t surprise me that he knew our every worry and sorrow.

  “You’re concerned.”

  Duh.

  The clouds moved in a heavy mist, grazing my face and shoulders like wet caresses.

  “Gabriel, your actions by the car wreck sprouted from your will, and your will only.”

  Lips pressed together, Gabriel clasped my hand behind him and met his commander’s stare.

  “I also want you to understand that I would never sacrifice you. Your potential became clear to me when you changed Gaia’s destiny at the accident. Even then, you loved her in a different way than ours. What you didn’t own was the human facets of that love. All I had to do was leave them open for you to grasp.

  “And Gaia, you’re different,” Michael continued. “Still, all humans are special. You just don’t realize it yourselves.” He shrugged and sent Gabriel a glance. “Why do they eradicate their own self-esteem?”

  Gabriel’s expression darkene
d. He confirmed his lack of interest in Michael’s musings when he asked, “What did you do to her?”

  “Well, I detected her extraordinary capability for love. Then I altered your visibility to her. Since you were so infatuated, Gabriel, I probably would have compelled Gaia to reach my goal. But it doesn’t matter now.”

  Gabriel’s gaze steeled. “No-no—it matters, Michael.”

  “No, it doesn’t.” Michael chuckled. That look on his face: was he smug?

  “This is your biggest problem. Your self esteem is almost like a mortal’s these days. Can’t you see that she only needed one glimpse of you?”

  Gabriel didn’t answer, but the quiet sigh leaking from him lasted and lasted. Had he been worried about this? Even after I made his bruises disappear?

  “You didn’t dazzle me,” I said, wanting Michael to spell it out for my baby.

  “I did not. You humans…you fall in love easily.” The archangel fought a smile.

  Gabriel’s arms went limp around me as he relaxed into his relief. A flicker of compressed humidity floated around us, and with a wave, Michael disrupted it.

  “And Gabriel here?” His eyebrows lifted, reminding me of a surprised dad, “His needs became more and more apparent. He shifted deeper and deeper into the unknown territory of human love.”

  As we climbed on up the stairs, I noticed a new spring in my angel’s step. Soon, he moved me in front of him, and a hand on my hip kept me safe from the heights. Now and again, Gabriel leaned in to kiss the nape of my neck, causing pleasant shudders to run down my spine.

  “Are you cold, sunshine?”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  One step above us, Michael turned to lock our gazes with his. “Remember, you were not my decoys. Yes, I used you as bait, but never as decoys.”

  Gabriel remained quiet as we slid up the final steps. He exuded a tranquil joy that made me happier than I’d been in a long time.

  At the top of the stairs, I took in the enormous cupola welcoming us. Mesmerized, I scanned the majestic, windowless archways. They curved into a silver circle that vanished in the fog. Tiny powder-down feathers sifted in the air like dry snowflakes.

  My eyes were drawn to flocks of what appeared to be immense birds. They fluffed open iridescent, white wings, or shook them merrily into place over their backs.

  Soon, I realized that they weren’t birds. What I saw was hordes of those fabled beings I only recently had started thinking about. All around us, they leaned their elbows onto railings. They gazed serenely down at some scene below.

  Gabriel had kept his word to my parents. He had indeed taken me to his family. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of angels pivoted and curled glorious features into the loveliest of smiles when Gabriel exclaimed: “Brothers, sisters! Meet my Gaia!”

  Chapter 30 — Preparations

  Cassiel

  I clasped the bars of the gates and roared. Shaking the rods, I clenched my teeth shut in rage. Curious, the demon-boy hobbled over on his three legs, tilted his head, and broke into a mischievous grin. Then, he shrilled at the top of his lungs.

  “Lilith! Your boy toy is back!”

  Note to self: Don’t ever again let Earthlings or Celestials rule even a fraction of your existence; don’t for a minute strike a deal with or trust anybody but yourself.

  Weakness. I’d actually gone soft. And thanks to freaking Romeo and Juliet who’d vanished in thin air, I was reduced to a gopher of Ramiel’s.

  How the hell had an Earthling managed to disappear from my sight anyway? For the millionth time, I cursed every moment I’d spent with Gaia without pulverizing her.

  I’d been on Earth for too long. That much was crystal clear. In a disgustingly human turn of event, I was feeling let down.

  I needed to blow off steam before my wrath rearranged the surroundings. Today, seducing soft Earthlings wouldn’t do. The only one who could beat the wits back into me was Lilith. Yeah, her diabolic passion always did the trick.

  The devil knew how much I needed to shove her into a glum alcove. I’d rip her into shreds of smoldering desire.

  What if I had to watch her spectacle instead of possessing her? I prayed that I wouldn’t have to suffer through more chattering. Then again, how long could she last without some wicked love? She better not have stilled her hunger yet.

  After my first visit to Galdhopiggen, I’d dashed down to Gaia’s house to pass on the latest news. Since I didn’t spot her anywhere, I went to find her sister instead. The streetlight illuminated her bedroom.

  Luna jerked up, eyes wide in mild surprise until she recognized me. Her lack of self-preservation blew my mind. Not that I’d used it, but the door to her room wasn’t locked, and she never even questioned my sudden presence.

  “Hey, you should click that little button on the doorknob before you go to sleep. Anybody can waltz right in here,” I grumbled. The stern expression I put on didn’t intimidate her. Instead, she sank back onto her pillows, giggling like a sleepy grade-schooler.

  “Yes, Dad! Okay, Dad! You’re weird, Cassiel. Hot, but so weird, I swear.”

  I furrowed my brows malignantly, but her gaze just shone with hilarity as she emulated my expression.

  “Luna! You should listen—”

  “—to your elders?” She quipped, puckering candy lips at me. I rolled my eyes. Damn, how delectably sassy.

  I didn’t have to dazzle her to learn that Gaia had gone “up north with Gabriel.” Were they on some sort of honeymoon now? Nice goddamn timing.

  Taking flight or vanishing in plain view wasn’t an option. I left Luna’s chamber through the window like an idiot, and she cracked up behind me as I climbed out.

  “Omigod, my friend Vicky’s NOT gonna believe this!”

  Oh well. At least I’d managed to throw in a small hurdle for Gabriel and his female.

  At Galdhopiggen, Lilith ambled toward me, eyes semi closed.

  “Well, hello there. Somebody’s all hot today.”

  I wasn’t sure whether she was referring to my mood or my appearance. Probably both.

  “What’s up gorgeous? You want some of this?” Hissing at her through my teeth, I meant every word.

  She purred back at me, fearless as always. Her eyes sparkled as our glares locked. “There is a god. I almost had to settle for a minor demon.”

  Porcelain fingers dug into my hips with the promise of steel. She thrust me backwards into the shadows. Oh yes, Lilith got the effect she sought. My pleased snarl made the walls vibrate.

  Later, we reached the main hall where the lava sconces had swelled into impressive dimensions. Their orange simmer against the granite suited the steady glow of my temper.

  Ramiel’s black throne stood against a wall. I flopped down and groaned with discomfort. It was too rigid for my taste. I had a hard time stretching my legs out properly.

  The preparations ran amok around us. Lilith had dozens of demons in all colors and shapes bustling about. They were carrying, dragging, and pushing furniture and random, dramatic effects into place.

  “Hurry, underlings! He’ll be here any moment. It better be perfect or I’ll combust you!” she shrieked.

  I smirked, my spirits rising by the second. Maybe the whole staying-outside-of-the-Grigori plan had been overrated.

  Babies wailed furiously. I followed the sound and found seven of them suspended from the ceiling in a gilded cage. They shimmered in stark contrast to the gray workers below. Incessant flutter of little wings kept them off the gridiron floor.

  I had wondered about that. To change the Purest Ones into evil in mere hours would take some doing. I got the picture now. What could turn pure goodness to evil faster than the murder of innate goodness? Here they were—the cherubs.

  With kids across the board, the pinnacle of Lilith’s existence was in the making.

  Man, I hoped Michael got updates by other means than me. The reduced decibel level in Heaven should be a dead giveaway of the butt-load of missing babies, though. Come to think of i
t—would they even want them back?

  “Lookie here!” Lilith called cheerfully. Her mood fluctuated as fast as any feline’s. With the two-year-old on her arm and the seven-year-old latched on to the spikes of a hunchback demon, she sauntered over to where I slouched on the throne.

  The bright yellow silk of the robes did nothing to mask the state of their souls. I burst out laughing when I saw their faces. Both looked pretty damn mean already. It was sidesplitting how Lilith’s malice rubbed off on just about anything. The baby fondled a giant knife with enthusiasm.

  “What’s that for?” I inquired conversationally. Lilith shrugged. “At this point, she’s more interested in the dagger than the cherubs. She’ll learn how to use it once she’s evil.”

  “Hey, she looks practically turned already.”

  “Yes! Good times, good times. Sadly, the fun won’t last forever.” Her wistful nod almost touched my heart. Lilith was close enough to be hauled in. I grabbed her by the neck and wrenched her to me for a violent lip-crush.

  “Oh, that planet is full of kids. We’ll get you more.”

  “Aw, aren’t you a love bug, Cassiel. I might end up adding you to my permanent collection.”

  A searing pain shot through my lower arm. I winced, and Lilith giggled.

  “Oh, honey, it’s okay, you don’t have to kill Cassiel. He just smooched Auntie Lilith.”

  My confusion lasted until I spotted the minuscule brat on her arm. She glared at me all rosebud-lipped and supposedly charming.

  An enormous knife waived clumsily in front of her. The bloody tip pointed at my nose. Lilith cooed and drizzled kisses over her face.

  “Lilith,” I said, “she got me with the cherub dagger.”

  “Uh-huh,” she murmured. Eyes closed in delight, Lilith nuzzled her evil toddler. Not giving a crap about me. The gash burned, and the pain spread fast in toward my armpit.

  “We’ve got the minor inconvenience of me being an angel. So…if you cared to focus for a minute? The freaking dagger might not be good for me either, am I correct?”

  “Oh, right—hold on.”

  She hurried out of sight, but rushed back with a small box of ambrosia. Once she smeared some on my wound, the physical pain eased. It was still maddening how she snickered at the way I’d been stabbed by a goddamn baby.