Part 27 (1/2)

Suddenly she raised her head. Wiped her tears. Ramael would be in the council room tomorrow by midmorning, according to the note she had found. Perhaps her best course would be to simply wait. If she could avoid detection until Ramael arrived, then she might have a chance for a few words with him before she was hauled to the dungeon.

In the far corners of the portico, columns supported the roof. Behind either column, she would be hidden from those marching in the square as well as from anyone who ventured onto the portico. Adryel crept to the column on her left and sank behind it. She tucked into a ball, making herself as small as possible, and she soon fell asleep.

Adryel awoke with a startle as the first light shone in the sky. She was hungry, but she'd dropped her bag of fruit and her water flask on Earth when she had run from the guard. Good thing she was not out on the plain. Still, it was better to be hungry than to be a prisoner. She stretched to relieve her stiff muscles.

She had no mirror, but she could imagine how she must look, hair disheveled, face smudged from hiding in the tent during that last day on Earth. The hides piled in the tent had reeked, and she recoiled at her smell. She shook her head when she surveyed her dingy, stained robe, comparing it in her mind to the sparkling white ones that the others would be wearing.

Appearing as she did, it was quite possible she would not be immediately recognized. . .

But before long, she heard talking.

Lord Michael had arrived.

Other voices mingled with his, Gadriel's and two of the archangels. . .perhaps Gabriel and Jophiel. When she heard Dariel's raspy voice, it sent a s.h.i.+ver down her back. She sat for what seemed like an hour, hearing them speak but unable to make out their words. At one point, Michael and Gabriel strolled onto the portico and gazed down on the square.

”Dariel is quite intent on finding her,” Gabriel said. ”Any idea where she might be?”

A soldier walked out onto the portico and whispered something in Michael's ear.

Was that the messenger? Was Angi's news just now reaching Michael?

As the soldier saluted and strode away, Michael resumed his conversation with Gabriel. He shrugged. ”Dariel has no idea where she is, none at all, although he insists he has made a thorough search.”

”Is her capture worth the effort?”

Michael paused before answering, glancing around the portico. Adryel plastered herself against the column and watched through half-closed eyes. She caught her breath as Michael's gaze seemed to linger as it reached the column, but he turned back to Gabriel.

He must not have seen her. If he had, if he knew she was there, surely he would arrest her before she could do more harm.

”Yes and no,” Michael said. ”Another of Lucifer's angels will undoubtedly take up her mission to torment the humans, so arresting her will not save them.” He turned his head, briefly, in her direction again. ”As an example to the others, well, she could be quite useful.”

”How is Ramael handling it?”

The sound of his name captured her attention fully. If she could only speak to Ramael. . .

”How would you expect?”

”Not well.”

”Not well at all,” Michel said. ”I know he doesn't want her to be found, and I've tried to convince him he doesn't need to be involved. He attends meetings only when he feels he must, and he contributes little to our discussions.”

”Will he be coming this morning?” Gabriel asked.

Adryel clapped her hand to her mouth to cover her gasp. She had not considered Ramael might not attend the meeting. What would she do if he didn't appear?

”I'm not sure,” Michael said, ”but I sent him a message. I asked him to attend, and. . .” He turned to exit the portico and, reflected in the window, Adryel noticed a tiny smile cross Michael's face.

”. . .I hope he does.”

The two archangels walked back into the palace, and Adryel took a deep breath. Surely Michael hadn't seen her. Surely it had been nothing more than her imagination. He would have summoned Dariel if he'd seen her.

”Are we ready to begin? I've other work to do this morning.”

Adryel sighed in relief as Ramael's voice boomed through the council chamber and out onto the portico. Silent tears stung her eyes-love, hope, and fear mingling together.

”What could be more important than finding and extracting this thorn in Adonai's side?”

Dariel. Adryel despised him.

”You've had the use of an entire battalion for over two months, Dariel, and you've come up empty,” Ramael said. ”What more do you want?”

”The third legion. We must search every cave, every crevice, every tree on Earth if necessary.”

The babble of voices made it impossible for her to understand what was being said. Finally, Ramael's rose above the others.

”It's a waste, Dariel. You won't find her if you take the entire army of heaven and scour all of creation. . .She is dead. We all know it.” His voice broke, and Adryel wanted to go and comfort him. Michael truly must not know she was in the city. He certainly would have told Ramael, wouldn't he?

Twice she stepped forward to enter the room. Twice she stepped back. Her stomach was churning. She felt like das.h.i.+ng through the council chamber, pus.h.i.+ng past any guards, and sprinting down the steps to the bas.e.m.e.nt. She could be gone before anyone realized what had happened. Once she stepped through the portal she would run as fast and as far as she could and never look back.

She shook her head.

No. She wouldn't run. It was time. . .time to talk with Ramael.

Her hands were trembling, and her chest was so tight she doubted she could speak. Finally, she drew a deep breath, crossed the portico, and forced her legs to step into the room.

”I know nothing of the kind.” Dariel was shaking his finger in Ramael's face. ”She could be anywhere on Earth. Holed up in the darkest jungle perhaps, or hiding in a snow cave beside the sea of ice. . .” he turned his head as Adryel entered, ”or. . .or. . .”

A pin dropping to the floor would have sounded like a roll of thunder. Adryel felt lightheaded, as if she had left her body and now hovered above, gazing down on herself and the others. The angels she had admired, the one she had loved, those who were her enemies, all stared, speechless.

Only Lord Michael did not seem surprised.

Dariel dropped the scroll he was holding, and it clattered to the floor, unrolling as it fell.

Ramael stepped toward her.

She reached out to him.

”Ramael. . .Ramael, I love you. I. . .I'm sorry. . .I never meant. . .”

The words sounded so trite, so contrived.

”Arrest her.” Dariel pointed and then shouted, motioning to two guards who stood at the door. ”Now,” he screamed. ”Seize her. Bind her. Don't let her escape.”

The guards started to obey, but Michael held out a hand to stop them. Dariel opened his mouth to complain, but Michael turned his palm to him.

Adryel took the opportunity and continued pleading. ”Can you forgive me, Ramael?” She reached out to him again, willing him to take her in his arms, to make all of her problems disappear.

”Forgive her?” Dariel screeched. ”There can be no forgiveness for one like her. Eternal punishment. . .Guards, do as I say.”