Faye felt the pain in her head grow worse. “Oh, shit. I should have kept following him. Maybe I could have saved him, or at least eased his pain when he passed.”
“But then you would not have been there to help Julie cross over.”
“You knew about that?”
“I sensed what was occurring.”
“You could have stopped it. You could have helped.”
“That was not what fate intended.”
“Fate? Is that your excuse this time? Are you sure you weren’t distracted again, caught up in the magic of the colors of a street lamp or something? No, that’s not it. You were probably staring at a candle in some seedy bar, entranced by the miracle of its little dancing flame. You’ve been around for thousands of years, Azal, and yet some things never change!”
“Faye, you know how our rules work.” Azal stood. “We can’t save people if their time has come, even if it comes about by what could be construed as unnatural means. Fate has written the cards for every person’s life the second they were born, and Julie’s moment had arrived. It’s unfortunate, and it was a terrible way to go, but at least she had you. You were fate’s gift to Julie.”
Fate’s gift? Faye shook her head. An old argument, one they’d had many times before, and Faye knew there was no way to win it. Her mind rebelled, feeling free will determined fate, but there was no point in saying that to Azal.
She watched him move to the window. The sunbeams swirled around him again, giving him the angelic glow artists so often tried to capture in paintings. “Curt is a different story. It wasn’t his time, but due to Nathan Ink’s interference, Curt’s life ended. I believe Nathan severed the connection on purpose, without regard to fate and the natural order.”
“Then why didn’t you stop that?”
“Because we couldn’t see it coming.”
“Are you saying God can’t tell what Nathan, one of his own special servants, is up to?”
Azal grew quiet, his face unreadable.
“Azal, you’re not telling me everything.”
“I’ve told you what you need to know for now.” Azal turned from the window. “I need your help. You see, Nathan is still relatively young to this way of life. He still finds certain aspects of being an angel…distasteful. He doesn’t play by the rules. The things his clients endure…”
“Like Curt? What really happened to him?”
“I want you to find out, but be careful.”
“He can’t read my mind. I’ve blocked him.”
“Nathan is powerful. Don’t forget that. I need to know more than ever where his loyalties are!”
The words echoed in the small room, and Azal crossed his arms, contrition on his face as if he’d given too much away.
“Why? Why is it so important? What are you not telling me?” Faye touched his arm causing a tiny spark. She knew Azal’s feelings manifested themselves in various ways. When he was happy, everyone got lucky–in one way or another. His anger could cause a room to go up in flames. But sparks, sparks were a sign of defensiveness. Or secrets he didn’t want to share. She stared down at the small scorch mark on her palm. “How worried should I be, Azal?”
“You can handle Nathan,” Azal stepped back. “And don’t worry. I’ll be close.”
“How do you know I can handle him? Have you seen my fate?”
“I don’t need to. You’ll be fine.”
He faded away, leaving a soft glow in the air. She breathed in the scent he left behind, reminded of her father.
Don’t go there, she cautioned herself. Focus on the here and now.
Faye wondered what would happen to Nathan if he turned out to be a rogue. What did God do to punish undesirable angels these days? Thoughts of her father pushed their way to the forefront of her mind again, and she remembered all too well how God had punished him. Would the same fate befall Nathan?
Would his soul be extinguished too?
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