I pulled up outside the four-story townhouse and turned off the engine. At this time of day, it was easy enough to park outside, though I could imagine that when the regular humans returned from their workplaces, the street would be crammed with vehicles. I reached over and picked up the manila file that lay on the tan leather passenger seat, flicking through until I found a particular page. Double-checking the street name and house number, I also glanced at the name of the person I was seeking just to make sure. It wouldn’t do any good to show up at the door of someone ignorant of divine matters.
Confident I was in the right place, I climbed out of the car and slipped the keys into my jacket pocket. I straightened the collar of my blue shirt and climbed the well-kept steps to the front door. It only took a few moments for someone to answer the door, and I smiled at the petite brunette woman who stood before me.
“Mrs. Hargreaves?” Her knuckles tightened on the edge of the door, but her face gave no hint of discomfort.
“It’s Mrs. Rawlings now. May I help you with something?”
Hmm, interesting. “I do beg your pardon, Mrs. Rawlings. I am an old work colleague of your ex-husband’s, and I was hoping I could talk to you for a few minutes?”
She hesitated for a moment, but I flashed her a winning smile and let a little of my divine countenance shine through. She blinked and then stepped back, holding the door open. “Of course, come on in.”
“Thank you, I’m most obliged.” I followed her through the high entrance hall and into an elegant sitting room, and then I took a seat on one of the cream sofas.
“Can I get you a drink? A cup of tea?”
“I am fine, thank you. I just wanted to ask you a couple of things about Mr. Hargreaves.”
She took a seat opposite me, one hand rising to tuck a strand of salt and pepper hair behind her ear. “Phillip? Why? I haven’t heard from him in a very long time, I’m afraid.”
“Has no one told you the sad news?” I inquired, realising she might not know of his death.
“No, has something happened to him?” There was concern in her voice. Whatever had happened to end their marriage, she clearly still cared for the man.
“I am afraid Mr. Hargreaves…” I paused, wondering how to word it. I’d seen Hargreaves throw himself onto his own angelic blade and combust in front of my eyes, but it hadn’t been Phillip, it had been the angel Phanuel possessing him. “I’m afraid Phillip was killed in the line of duty. I’m so sorry.”
Mrs. Rawlings paled a little, then she swallowed and glanced up, meeting my eyes briefly before looking away. Few could look at me directly for long. The only human I’d ever known who was capable of doing so was Faith. A strange warmth blossomed in my chest at the thought of her, and I wondered for a moment how she and Alex were getting on in Manchester.
“Was it…?” Mrs. Rawlings spoke, her voice scratchy.
“It was quick and clean, that’s all I can tell you, I’m afraid.” I was lying, of course. Phanuel had taken possession of Hargreaves long ago, and there had been nothing left of him when his body had died that night. His soul would have burnt away slowly, and it would have been excruciatingly painful, but I didn’t want her to know that. Firstly, it would have distracted her from the conversation I needed to have, and secondly… I paused at the thought that I didn’t want to cause her any more pain. I frowned. I wasn’t usually one for letting human emotion get in the way of something infinitely more significant than their tiny lives, but the thought of Faith had me feeling guilty at the possibility of upsetting Mrs. Rawlings any more than I had to. I would be gentle.
She gave me a sad smile and nodded. “Thank you for coming to tell me, I appreciate the gesture.”
“I’m sorry to have to bring you such sad news. You and H—Phillip were close?”
She shook her head. “We were once madly in love and undefeatable. Phillip was going to save the world.”
“Do you mind me asking what happened?” I questioned gently.
“His work, the real world… I don’t really know. He’d been working a lot on a particular case, and he became obsessed. I think he was searching for someone, a missing person maybe? Anyway, it went on for months. He spent more and more time at the office, and we… Well, we said we were going to try for a baby, but he was rarely interested, and the few times he was, he was…” She blushed. “Well, his preferences had changed, and he wanted to do things…”
“What kind of things?” I pressed, almost wishing I didn’t have to.
“He wasn’t my Phillip anymore. He became rough, demanding, and sometimes violent in the bedroom.”
“Did he hurt you?” I asked, feeling strangely protective.
“Sometimes, yes. Not… badly. Just… Anyway, I couldn’t take it much longer. We had been trying for several months, but it became clear it wasn’t going to happen, and by that point, I didn’t want it to. When I told him I was leaving, he… he said he didn’t care, that I meant nothing to him.”
Her voice thickened, and I saw her eyes glisten as she stared down at the rug under her feet. I pulled out a fresh handkerchief and passed it to her. She gave me a small smile as she dabbed at her eyes.
“Thank you. Anyway, the only other time I saw him after that was when I went to ask him to sign the divorce papers. He signed them, handed them to me, and then went on working as if I wasn’t even there.” Fresh tears appeared, and I took a deep breath as I felt the sin of wrath boiling inside me. How I hated those who caused pain to innocent people, but I needed to remain calm.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rawlings, for bringing all this up again, but can you tell me when this was?”
“About twenty-five… no, twenty-four years ago. I asked him for the divorce the year after, when I met Richard.” She glanced up and smiled at the wedding photograph in a silver frame sat on the mantelpiece.
“I’m happy for you,” I said, smiling at her. And I was, even though part of me protested that she had left her marriage and was technically committing adultery.
“Mrs. Rawlings, did you know about what your… about what Phillip did for a living?” I queried, wondering how to broach the next subject.
She sniffed a little. “Oh, yes, well, I had an idea. My sister is a witch, you see, so I know about those kinds of things, and Phillip told me he was one too, and he explained about the organisation he worked for.”
“Good, that makes this easier. The case he became obsessed with? Did he tell you much about it?”
“No… no, not really. I knew it was a missing person, because I remember him shouting at someone down the phone, saying he needed to find her. And once, when I went into his study to clean, there were some photographs on the desk. Blown up ones, taken from a distance, you know the type? Like in spy films.”
I shifted in my seat, my fingers tingling at the thought of being able to get my hands on those photographs. “I don’t suppose you have any of them, do you?” She shook her head. “Or remember who or what was in them?”
She took a breath and looked down for a moment. “There was a woman, a blonde woman, quite young I think. She was in most of them. Scruffy-looking, like maybe she was homeless, or possibly a druggie.”
“Anyone else?”
“An older woman. Grey hair, quite small. Well-to-do looking, if you know what I mean. They were an odd pair.”
I stared at her, my heart speeding up. “The two women, were they in the same picture?”
She nodded. “Oh yes, that’s what stuck in my head, because they seemed so odd. I wondered if the older woman was her grandmother, maybe trying to get her to come home or something.”
My heart sank as I took out the smartphone I had been given on my arrival, and I flicked through to where the images were stored. Selecting one, I held it up. “Is this the older woman?”
Mrs. Rawlings peered at it. “Yes, I think so. It looks very close. Just something about her… I’m afraid I don’t know more than that. Phillip never talked much about work, even before he…”
Sadness spread across her face again, and I couldn’t bear it. I put my phone away and leaned forward, laying my hand on hers. “Mrs. Rawlings, may I tell you something, and will you promise not to ask me how I know and just trust me?”
She looked up into my gaze and nodded before her eyes veered off to my ear.
I swallowed. “I think someone else was searching for the same young woman your husband was looking for. Someone who meant her harm. I don’t know for certain, but I believe your husband may have been trying to find her to protect her, and he got in the way. I think that was why he was killed.”
She stared at me. “It sounds like something Phillip would do, but… this was twenty odd years ago. Are you telling me he died back then and you’re only now coming to tell me?”
“No, I… I think Phillip was, well, possessed by… something—the being that was looking for her. I think that’s who came home to you, who… mistreated you.”
“That wasn’t Phillip?” Her eyes were wide as she looked up at me, this time holding my gaze longer.
“No, I don’t think it was. I’m sorry, but I think Phillip did die back then and something may have been using his body to pursue its own interests.”
“Then he didn’t… He still…” Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she didn’t even try to wipe them away.
I stood up to leave and slipped my hand into my inside pocket. Bending down, I took her hand into mine. “I met your husband a few times before he became involved in this case. I worked with him, and he spoke of you often. He adored you, Amanda. I believe he would have fought as hard as he could to come back to you.”
She nodded, unable to speak, so I moved towards the door and let myself out of the house, leaving her tightly clutching the small gold wedding ring I had found when searching Hargreaves’ desk after he’d died. I hoped it would bring her closure and comfort, and I sent a small prayer heavenward for it.
I had just laid my hand on the door handle of the car when her front door opened again and she hurried down the steps.
“I remembered something!”
“You did? What?”
Her eyes sparkled. “The blonde girl in the photographs. She was pregnant.”
*
“So the rumours were true. There is a nephilim on Earth.”
“It would appear so, my lord.” I remained on one knee, my head bowed, not daring to move until I was bid.
“You have done well, Lord Euriel. Please, stand. Walk with me.”
I straightened and looked into Michael’s face. “What are we going to do, my lord?”
Michael turned from me and began to stroll along the rocky path that cut through the hillside, and I hurried to walk by his side.
“We need to establish what happened to the child. It may be entirely possible that the creature died at birth, and we have no task before us but to conceal the investigation.” His voice was like thunder, even to my ears, and a flock of birds burst from the bushes nearby, taking to the air in fright.
“Is it likely that the child died?” I asked, hoping against hope that it was so.
Michael nodded. “It may be likely. During the time of the watchers, when the first nephilim were born, many of them tore their mothers apart as they fought their way into the world. Even medicine such as mankind has developed today might not be enough to save the mother.”
“But, my lord, this time it would appear the mother was the angel, not the father. I have not heard of that occurring before, due to our…”
“But it appears to have happened this time. The angel in question was Lailah.”
I stopped and looked at him in surprise. “Lailah? I knew her a long time ago. I thought she was given a most honourable position?”
Michael nodded sadly. “She was. She was appointed the Guardian of Souls, meant to watch over the souls of the unborn before their descent into human flesh. She was the one who women petitioned to become mothers. She would travel the Earth, blessing those she found who were desperate for a child. Of course, her blessing was only effective if God permitted it to be so.”
“Of course.” I bowed my head. “Our power comes from the Lord Almighty, and only through He shall our tasks be permitted to manifest.”
Michael nodded approvingly. “So it is. As far as I can determine, Lailah was sent to Earth for some reason I have not yet been able to discover. It would appear that on Earth, she was tempted irreversibly into sin, and then she had to live with the consequences.”
We continued along the trail, the stars lighting our path. “I believe she was hunted by another angel, one called Phanuel.”
Michael nodded. “Phanuel is known to me. Is he the one you informed us had been possessing the Hargreaves man?”
“Indeed. I believe he took possession of Hargreaves in order to exploit his position to track Lailah down,” I said, glancing at Michael.
“You believe Phanuel left Heaven of his own accord to come to Earth and track down an errant angel? Why would he do such a thing?”
I took a breath, knowing he wasn’t going to like my opinion. “I think he was in love with her.”
I was right. Michael stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. “Euriel, you are young. You were created in the third wave of angelic beings. Tell me your time here on Earth has not swayed you to the romantic notion of humans?”
“No, my lord, it’s just—”
“Lord Euriel, we are divine beings of light and of our father’s creation. We were created to love all, to spread that love, and to stop those who would corrupt it for their own gain. We do not ‘fall’ in love. We may fall to lust and other sins, but romantic love is just a concept humans invented to explain away their tendency for sins of the flesh or to describe a Godly respect for their spouse. Love is love. It does not change depending on who you love, you must love all.” He took a breath. “Do you understand me?”
“I… Yes, of course, my lord. I beg your forgiveness for my confusion. I believe what I had meant to say was that Phanuel seemed to have developed a lustful obsession with Lailah. I believe that to be the reason he pursued and ultimately murdered her.”
“I see your reasoning. But do you then suggest that Phanuel was perhaps the father of the child in question?” He looked aghast at the thought.
“I…” I paused, thinking back to my fight with Phanuel at the cathedral. “No, my lord, I don’t believe so. Something tells me… The way he spoke of her, it was like he had held her in high regard, and then something happened to change that.”
“He found out she was pregnant and had fallen so low as to lie with a mortal?”
I pulled a face. “No, I think it was more than that. He was a proud, spiteful being, and his hatred for her was as intense as his obsession. I think she spurned him, and when he found out she had chosen another, he went mad and killed her.”
Michael shook his head, closing his eyes and lifting his face to the night sky. “Blessed Father, deliver us from temptation and protect us from all evil.” He sighed and looked back at me. “And the other matter? The Concordia is convinced that it is indeed Shemyaza that has escaped?”
“They are, my lord.”
“There’s no possibility that it could simply be some powerful demon that has taken on his name in order to create terror and subservience?” he questioned, searching my gaze.
I frowned. “Well, I suppose there could be a—”
Michael beamed. “I thought so. The notion of a watcher escaping Tartarus… well, it isn’t worth thinking about. A powerful demon, on the other hand, they are perfectly well-equipped to deal with.”
“My lord, I think they are convinced it is Shemyaza. Mrs. Trowbridge has informed me she is merely keeping the investigation to a couple of teams in case the information gets out and causes panic amongst the supernatural communities.” A fair assessment, I’d thought, knowing the terror and fear the presence of a watcher might evoke, even amongst the most evil of demons.
“I think if the gates of Tartarus had failed, we would know about it. His own son sealed those gates two thousand years ago, and I believe if an enemy that powerful were to escape, He would have made His will known to us, don’t you?”
“I…er…” The answer was yes, and the question of why God hadn’t made any kind of declaration or issued any commands had been playing on my mind. I was trying not to doubt Him, but I was having trouble. “Has anyone actually told Him?”
Michael’s eyes darkened, and I bowed my head. “The interaction between the Lord Most High and His servants of the throne room are none of our concern. He is everything, and He knows all. He does not need lesser beings to tell him about what goes on in the world.”
“Of course not, forgive me, my lord. I meant no offence, and I beg your and His pardon. I believe spending so much time on Earth amongst sinners is weakening my mind. I welcome the time when I may return home.”
“God has given you this task, Euriel. You are being tested as the Son was tested in the desert. But you are strong, and I believe you shall hold firmly to your faith and conquer your own demons.”
I nodded, filled with shame at my shortcomings.
Michael sighed and placed his hand on my shoulder. “I am glad it was you I appointed to this task, Lord Euriel. You have done well so far, and I believe once your task is complete, you shall receive your reward in Heaven.”
I bowed my head, secretly relishing the praise of my superior. “I thank you, my lord, but I need no reward. I merely do our father’s will.” I tried to pray to free myself from my pride, offering up my achievement in the honour of God only, but my mind kept returning to the questions that still remained unanswered.
When Michael released me, I stood up straight and rolled my shoulders. “I will return and continue my investigation.”
Michael nodded. “Yes, go. We need to ascertain whether the child survived now that we know the mother didn’t and, if possible, the identity of the father. Did your queries determine if Lailah confided in anyone while she was on Earth? When she was carrying the child perhaps?”
An image of photographs bearing the visage of two women came to mind, one young and blonde, the other older and small with grey hair. My chest tightened, and I felt like my stomach was filled with lead. “I may have an idea, my lord, but I won’t say until I can be sure.”
Michael nodded. “That is fair. Should the contact be non-human, their awareness of the situation would mean they would have committed a grievous crime indeed by sheltering the sinner, Lailah, and concealing her from justice.” He stepped back and spread his golden wings, soaring up silently into the sky like some kind of giant eagle.
I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the silence around me. With a heavy heart, I spread my own wings and took to the sky, turning south and heading towards the lights of the city.
