Sigillum ex Fatum [UNDER EDITING]

Chapter 19

Ulcinin. There are things we must discuss privately.

Metatron's eyes had appeared right above the ornate, wood carved archway that greeted people upon arriving. Auriel's desk sat a few feet behind the archway, meaning, anyone at or behind Auriel's large desk would not be able to see what I saw.

The voice had been inside my head. It was a voice I had never heard. I knew immediately who it was though. I was so surprised that I literally tripped and fell to my knees, my parchment, books, and quills for the days studies flying across the marble floor. I let out a grunt when my chin smacked against the floor, teeth clacking together roughly. Auriel picked his head up.

"Are you alright?" he asked me smoothly. They were the first words he had spoken to me since that day, and I could tell he was trying to void his voice of any concern.

I could feel my face turn bright red. I picked up my things, adjusted my hair that had started to need a haircut, and glared. As I walked past, Auriel sighed heavily, and mumbled,

"Graceful as ever..."

Ignore him, Metatron spoke again, and I gritted my teeth at the unfamiliar intrusive thoughts. Follow me. We need to speak in private.

I gave a nod, not knowing how else to acknowledge Metatron. I worried if I spoke out loud it would draw attention, and he wanted privacy. I also didn't want anyone to think I was talking to myself.

So, I wordlessly followed Metatron. His face appeared every so often against the wall, or against the bookshelves, so I knew where to go. By the time we stopped, he had led me into the deepest recesses of the library, where no sound penetrated. That first discussion with him was unnerving; silence punctuated with me speaking. It was strange, something that I thought I'd never get used to at the time.

May I see the book I gave to you, the one that called to you?

I pulled it out immediately.

I am going to take it from you temporarily, Metatron said, and I thought it was courteous of him to warn me before the book floated out of my hands and opened seemingly of it's own accord. The pages flipped, and I was momentarily startled when I saw the words glowing a faint blue-all of them. Whenever I spied the book, the words were mercurial, showing me only what I read, the rest of the pages blank.

What have you garnered from this thus far?

I swallowed. Trying to seem nonchalant, I leaned against the heart bookshelf and crossed my arms. "Secrets of the universe."

Such as, child?

I glared at the serene eyes. "Don't call me child."

I apologize, Metatron said, and it caught me off guard how sincerely he spoke. Please tell me what you have learned.

"A lot of ways to kill angels, how to hurt them. How to bleed their grace from them. How to trap them, entangle them magically."

And the tears?

I paused, an unsettling shiver raking over my body. "Angel tears are-dangerous. To have them gives absolute power over them. Most spells of binding won't even work without the tears."

And why, pray tell, do you think this book called to you, the Book of Undoing?

Ah, so it had a name. I shifted uncomfortably on my feet. "I..."

Yes?

I looked away, annoyed. "I don't know."

To be able to fulfill the path that which has been laid before you, you must understand how you can be hurt. You must understand that which might hurt you. With this knowledge you can guard against such things.