Sigillum ex Fatum [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 17

"We shouldn't be doing this…"

"And yet you're here. No one is forcing you to participate, Auriel." 

Auriel gave a noncommental hum. 

We were in a room I had never been in. Honestly it was gaudy, with it's golden and white walls, overly intricate molding that held no purpose besides being intricate. Murals were splashed on the walls and ceilings, depicting various parts of Heaven. I was bemused when many of the archangels were depicted, with Mikha'el seeming to be the focal point. 

"Is it strange for you?" I asked, turning to them. 

Auriel crossed his arms and spoke flatly. "Is what?" 

Mikha'el chuckled. "Forgive my ward—he often speaks mid-thought, and then has to fill you in on the other half."

I felt myself blush. Even so, I looked at Auriel. "Seeing your likeness everywhere—as busts, statues—in paintings." 

Auriel raked his eyes around the room. "Hmmm. Yes, I do suppose we are sort of everywhere, aren't we?" 

Mikha'el shrugged. "Honestly I don't even notice it now." 

Auriel uncrossed his arms and took a step forward. "Lets begin this, shall we?" 

I suddenly became nervous. Both Auriel and Mikha'el began to walk around me in slow even circles. 

"Have you ever done this?" Auriel asked Mikha'el, putting his index finger to his chin. 

"No—never." 

Auriel snorted and rolled his eyes. "No, of course you haven't." 

"Does that really surprise you?" Mikha'el quipped cynically. 

Auriel sighed heavily. "No, I suppose it doesn't. I was just hoping for different." 

I was now rightly sweating. The pair stopped, Mikha'el at my back, Auriel at my front. 

"Is this going to hurt? Like my naming?" 

"It shouldn't," Auriel told me with a smile. He took a step forward, rubbing my arms up and down. "Relax." 

"Relax. Right. Relax."

Auriel smirked and then surprised me by placing a kiss to my forehead. Much like the electric sensation I felt whenever Mikha'el touched me, I felt something with Auriel. It was the same and different all at once. The same shudder came over me, but instead of a sort of tingle there was a near-uncomfortable warmth spreading throughout my body from where his lips had brushed my brow. He seemed just as startled as I was, for he pulled away, eyes wide. 

"Oh." 

I was thoroughly confused. 

"He's delightful, isn't he?" Mikha'el spoke behind me. 

"He's like water," Auriel breathed, seeming to be dazed. 

"What?" I asked, twisting around to face Mikha'el. I pressed my hand to my chest. "Me?" 

Auriel seemed to slam back into his body. "Mikha'el. That might help us, actually!" 

I turned back to Auriel, starting to get annoyed. "Help with what?" 

They began to circle me again. I was relieved when Mikha'el laughed. 

"Truthfully we have no idea what we're doing," he said. 

"Our abilities are so fundamental we never really thought on how to summon it all," Auriel said. 

"It just is there," Mikha'el explained.