not about angels - solangelo au

Chapter 2

I was sitting under a barren tree in the courtyard of Lord Hades' palace, and heard the flapping of wings. Glancing up, I watched as my friend Reyna landed beside me, looking harrowed.

"You okay?" I asked, as she folded her wings and sat down.

"Fine," she said, pushing her dark hair out of her face. "Just....there's been increased fights this month. Demon and angel fights."

"Deaths?" I asked.

"Only an few angels," she said, unconcernedly. "No one important, lot of work for me, though. Clearing things up with Apollo."

She snorted imperiously as she said "Apollo." I knew her disapproval of the frivolous lord of the angels. Most demons regarded him as a silly, irresponsible leader. Apollo and Lord Hades were as different as day and night.

I found myself irrationally thinking of the angel I met. "Do you know which angels?"

"Nope," Reyna said indifferently.

I felt the tension in my chest tighten, which confused me. He's just another angel; why do I care so much? I blinked to clear my mind and focused on what Reyna was telling me.

"-increased fights, at least twenty this month, there were only twelve last month. The deaths this month make five in total, instead of only three last month," Reyna was saying.

"Yeah," I said, the numbers jumbling together in my brain.

I probably should have been worried, but I was pretty experienced, and Reyna, as one of the highest ranking officers besides Lord Hades, was even more so. I pushed away thoughts of that angel, who I was completely unconcerned with, which I told myself.

"You okay?" Reyna asked, looking a me with a creased brow. "You're making a weird face."

"Am I?" I said, trying to assume a casual expression. "No, no, I'm not."

Reyna smirked. "Yes you are."

I laughed. "You can always tell, can't you?" I leaned back against the tree and straightened my black t-shirt. "I had this weird encounter with an angel yesterday."

She made a face. "Yeah?"

"I was going to take a soul, and he just flew up and smiled at me and said I couldn't take that it," I said, shrugging.

Reyna furrowed her brow again. "He didn't try to attack or anything? That's strange."

"Yeah," I echoed. "It is."

"What is?" A voice came from behind me and I knew who it was, as I saw Reyna make a face of suppressed disgust.

"What do you want, Octavian?" she said, rolling her eyes, and I turned around.

Octavian had landed behind me, looking as sickly and creepy as ever. He smiled at me leeringly. "I heard you talking about the demon and angel fights. I just wanted to join the conversation."

Reyna frowned at him. "Make your point and go away."

Octavian's grin grew wider. "That's a rude way to address a fellow senior officer. Lord Hades would not approve."

"Lord Hades would not care," Reyna said contemptuously. "He doesn't care about anything, really. You should know that; you were at the meeting."

"I was," Octavian replied. "He should care, though. The angels are getting violent. They all should be killed. Our troubles would be over."

"That is not how we do things," Reyna said. "Angels and demons have lived in coexistence for centuries. There's no reason to change now. Negotiation is the best thing to do."

"Killing them all is the best thing to do. For our kind, at least," Octavian replied sharply. "If it were up to me....but Lord Hades is being difficult."

"Be careful," I said, raising my eyebrows. "That's insubordinate talk. Lord Hades wouldn't like being called difficult, would he?"

"Shut up," Octavian sneered. "You may be Lord Hades' favorite, but I still have a higher ranking then you."

Reyna frowned again. "We're done with this discussion, Octavian. It is not your decision; you are not lord of the Underworld. And no angels will be killed."

Octavian smiled with his too-white teeth. "The decision is not yours either, Reyna." He spread his wings, casting a shadow over Reyna and I. "Mark my words, those angels will get what is coming for them."

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Sorry for the boring/short chapter, I just had to introduce Octavian's and Reyna's characters, and give some background information. Next chapter will be longer! Enjoy!