Finding Heathcliff

Twenty-Five

"Azrael."

The fallen angel was so absorbed in observing the girl that it took all his self-control not to jump at hearing Ramiel's voice, which reached him from the crowns of the thickly-grown trees.

Ramiel landed in front of him, filling his entire field of vision the moment the small group Azrael had been following for days, entered the house.

"What?" Azrael growled, the tone of his voice, unlike the word it carried, not inviting questions.

Ramiel shook his head. "Your behaviour over the last weeks made everyone curious about the girl. We all know who she is..."

Azrael's hands closed around the hood of the other angel's black cloak before he could finish his sentence.

"No one will touch the girl. Is that clear?" Azrael glared at his friend, the tempestuous sea of his irises flooding Ramiel's mind, making him understand just how much he cared about her.

"Relax. I'm here to help you make sure of that," Ramiel said, his hands raised in mock surrender, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "But what about the queenie's fiancé?" he added the instant Azrael's hands left his neck.

"No." Azrael shook his head. He didn't care about the man, but as long as she did, Azrael wouldn't let anyone touch him. If the demon died tomorrow, it would break the girl's heart.

"Why is she here, so far from her untouchable castle...?" Ramiel mused, his eyes following Azrael's to the small cottage, its walls so white that they seemed to glow in the falling darkness.

"She's looking for us. On Arcturus' orders."

"What does she want?" Ramiel asked, his eyes snapping back to his friend's face.

"A new treaty."

"And we don't show ourselves to her because..." Ramiel prodded, sighing, eyebrows knitting in thought.

Azrael could understand his confusion. A new treaty with the demons ruling the world was something most of them, fallen angels, had been hoping for for a long time.

Echoing Ramiel's sigh, he explained, "That's what she believes, but the girl is naive and easily manipulated... A new treaty is not what Arcturus wants, nor her fiancé, the future demon king. This is just a ruse; they really want another war." A war they could blame on her... Azrael shook his head off that thought before he would start feeling sorry for her. "We won't show ourselves to her until we see how she reacts when she finds out," he added.

Ramiel gasped as Azrael spoke about the war but collected himself quickly now. "And in the meantime?"

"In the meantime, no one will touch her or the men accompanying her. Let's see if she can find us without our help." Azrael shrugged, sitting down on the grass under one of the trees, back propped against its trunk, eyes never leaving the cottage.

"Will you spend the night here?" Ramiel asked incredulously.

"This night, and the whole day tomorrow. You can tell the others, there's no need to come here."

"Is she worth it? Standing up against your friends?" Ramiel asked, taking a step back at seeing the look Azrael shot at him, then adding, before he vanished into the perfect darkness that had descended on the world around them while they spoke, "It's been too long since I saw you like this..." A soft chuckle reached Azrael's ears from the night, making his frown deepen.

He had lost his wings for a woman, an eternity ago. He had promised himself never to let another one touch his heart. He had been doing so well; he even got used to the idea of spending his long existence in Oblivis... Until he met this girl.