Anthology.The.Mammoth.Book.of.Angels.And.Demons.2013.Paula.Guran (71 page)

“‘Very good.’ I turned to go. ‘Sir? Do you know if they will be assigning me another partner? For
Death
?’

“‘No,’ I told him. ‘I’m afraid I don’t.’

“In the center of the Silver City was a park – a place of recreation and rest. I found the Angel Lucifer there, beside a river. He was just standing, watching the water flow.

“‘Lucifer?’

“He inclined his head. ‘Raguel. Are you making progress?’

“‘I don’t know. Maybe. I need to ask you a few questions. Do you mind?’

“‘Not at all.’

“‘How did you come upon the body?’

“‘I didn’t. Not exactly. I saw Phanuel standing in the street. He looked distressed. I enquired whether there was something wrong, and he showed me the dead angel. And I fetched you.’

“‘I see.’

“He leaned down, let one hand enter the cold water of the river. The water splashed and rolled around it. ‘Is that all?’

“‘Not quite. What were you doing in that part of the city?’

“‘I don’t see what business that is of yours.’

“‘It is my business, Lucifer. What were you doing there?’

“‘I was . . . walking. I do that sometimes. Just walk and think. And try to understand.’ He shrugged.

“‘You walk on the edge of the City?’

“A beat, then ‘Yes.’

“‘That’s all I want to know. For now.’

“‘Who else have you talked to?’

“‘Carasel’s boss and his partner. They both feel that he killed himself – ended his own life.’

“‘Who else are you going to talk to?’

“I looked up. The spires of the City of the Angels towered above us. ‘Maybe everyone.’

“‘All of them?’

“‘If I need to. It’s my function. I cannot rest until I understand what happened, and until the Vengeance of the Name has been taken on whosoever was responsible. But I’ll tell you something I do know.’

“‘What would that be?’ Drops of water fell like diamonds from the Angel Lucifer’s perfect fingers.

“‘Carasel did not kill himself.’

“‘How do you know that?’

“‘I am Vengeance. If Carasel had died by his own hand,’ I explained to the Captain of the Heavenly Host, ‘there would have been no call for me. Would there?’

“He did not reply.

“I flew upward into the light of the eternal morning.

“You got another cigarette on you?”

I fumbled out the red and white packet, handed him a cigarette.

“Obliged.

“Zephkiel’s cell was larger than mine. It wasn’t a place for waiting. It was a place to live, and work, and be. It was lined with books, and scrolls, and papers, and there were images and representations on the walls: pictures. I’d never seen a picture before.

“In the center of the room was a large chair, and Zephkiel sat there, his eyes closed, his head back.

“As I approached him, he opened his eyes. They burned no brighter than the eyes of any of the other angels I had seen, but somehow they seemed to have seen more. It was something about the way he looked. I’m not sure I can explain it. And he had no wings.

“‘Welcome, Raguel,’ he said. He sounded tired.

“‘You are Zephkiel?’ I don’t know why I asked him that. I mean, I knew who people were. It’s part of my function, I guess. Recognition. I know who
you
are.

“‘Indeed. You are staring, Raguel. I have no wings, it is true, but then my function does not call for me to leave this cell. I remain here, and I ponder. Phanuel reports back to me, brings me the new things for my opinion. He brings me the problems, and I think about them, and occasionally I make myself useful by making some small suggestions. That is my function. As yours is vengeance.’

“‘Yes.’

“‘You are here about the death of the Angel Carasel?’

“‘Yes.’

“‘I did not kill him.’

“When he said it, I knew it was true. ‘Do you know who did?’

“‘That is
your
function, is it not? To discover who killed the poor thing and to take the Vengeance of the Name upon him.’

“‘Yes.’

“He nodded. ‘What do you want to know?’

“I paused, reflecting on what I had heard that day. ‘Do you know what Lucifer was doing in that part of the City before the body was found?’

“The old angel stared at me. ‘I can hazard a guess.’

“‘Yes?’

“‘He was walking in the Dark.’

“I nodded. I had a shape in my mind now. Something I could almost grasp. I asked the last question: ‘What can you tell me about
Love
?’

“And he told me. And I thought I had it all.

“I returned to the place where Carasel’s body had been. The remains had been removed, the blood had been cleaned away, the stray feathers collected and disposed of. There was nothing on the silver sidewalk to indicate it had ever been there. But I knew where it had been.

“I ascended on my wings, flew upward until I neared the top of the spire of the Hall of Being. There was a window there, and I entered.

“Saraquael was working there, putting a wingless mannequin into a small box. On one side of the box was a representation of a small brown creature with eight legs. On the other was a representation of a white blossom.

“‘Saraquael?’

“‘Hm? Oh, it’s you. Hello. Look at this. If you were to die and to be, let us say, put into the earth in a box, which would you want laid on top of you – a spider, here, or a lily, here?’

“‘The lily, I suppose.’

“‘Yes, that’s what I think, too. But
why
? I wish . . .” He raised a hand to his chin, stared down at the two models, put first one on top of the box, then the other, experimentally. ‘There’s so much to do, Raguel. So much to get right. And we only get one chance at it, you know. There’ll just be one universe – we can’t keep trying until we get it right. I wish I understood why all this was so important to Him . . .’

“‘Do you know where Zephkiel’s cell is?’ I asked him.

“‘Yes. I mean, I’ve never been there. But I know where it is.’

“‘Good. Go there. He’ll be expecting you. I will meet you there.’

“He shook his head. ‘I have work to do. I can’t just . . .’

“I felt my function come upon me. I looked down at him, and I said, ‘You will be there. Go now.’

“He said nothing. He backed away from me toward the window, staring at me; then he turned and flapped his wings, and I was alone.

“I walked to the central well of the Hall and let myself fall, tumbling down through the model of the universe: it glittered around me, unfamiliar colors and shapes seething and writhing without meaning.

“As I approached the bottom, I beat my wings, slowing my descent, and stepped lightly onto the silver floor. Phanuel stood between two angels who were both trying to claim his attention.

“‘I don’t care how aesthetically pleasing it would be,’ he was explaining to one of them. ‘We simply cannot put it in the center. Background radiation would prevent any possible life forms from even getting a foothold; and anyway, it’s too unstable.’

“He turned to the other. ‘Okay, let’s see it. Hmm. So that’s
Green
, is it? It’s . . . not exactly how I’d imagined it, but . . . Mm. Leave it with me. I’ll get back to you.’ He took a paper from the angel, folded it over decisively.

“He turned to me. His manner was brusque, and dismissive. ‘Yes?’

“‘I need to talk to you.’

“‘Mm? Well, make it quick. I have much to do. If this is about Carasel’s death, I have told you all I know.’

“‘It is about Carasel’s death. But I will not speak to you now. Not here. Go to Zephkiel’s cell: he is expecting you. I will meet you there.’

“He seemed about to say something, but he only nodded, walked toward the door.

“I turned to go when something occurred to me. I stopped the angel who had the
Green
. ‘Tell me something.’

“‘If I can, sir.’

“‘That thing.’ I pointed to the universe. ‘What’s it going to be
for
?’

“‘For? Why, it is the universe.’

“‘I know what it’s called. But what purpose will it serve?’

“He frowned. ‘It is part of the plan. The Name wishes it; He requires
such and such
, to
these
dimensions and having such and such properties and ingredients. It is our function to bring it into existence, according to His wishes. I am sure
He
knows its function, but He has not revealed it to me.’ His tone was one of gentle rebuke.

“I nodded, and left that place.

“High above the City a phalanx of angels wheeled and circled and dove. Each held a flaming sword that trailed a streak of burning brightness behind it, dazzling the eye. They moved in unison through the salmon pink sky. They were very beautiful. It was – you know on summer evenings when you get whole flocks of birds performing their dances in the sky? Weaving and circling and clustering and breaking apart again, so just as you think you understand the pattern, you realize you don’t, and you never will? It was like that, only better.

“Above me was the sky. Below me, the shining City. My home. And outside the City, the Dark.

“Lucifer hovered a little below the Host, watching their maneuvers.

“‘Lucifer?’

“‘Yes, Raguel? Have you discovered your malefactor?’

“‘I think so. Will you accompany me to Zephkiel’s cell? There are others waiting for us there, and I will explain everything.’

“He paused. Then, ‘Certainly.’

“He raised his perfect face to the angels, now performing a slow revolution in the sky, each moving through the air keeping perfect pace with the next, none of them ever touching. ‘Azazel!’

“An angel broke from the circle; the others adjusted almost imperceptibly to his disappearance, filling the space, so you could no longer see where he had been.

“‘I have to leave. You are in command, Azazel. Keep them drilling. They still have much to perfect.’

“‘Yes, sir.’

“Azazel hovered where Lucifer had been, staring up at the flock of angels, and Lucifer and I descended toward the City.

“‘He’s my second-in-command,’ said Lucifer. ‘Bright. Enthusiastic. Azazel would follow you anywhere.’

“‘What are you training them for?’

“‘War.’

“‘With whom?’

“‘How do you mean?’

“‘Who are they going to fight? Who else is there?’

“He looked at me; his eyes were clear, and honest. ‘I do not know. But He has Named us to be His army. So we will be perfect. For Him. The Name is infallible and all-just and all-wise, Raguel. It cannot be otherwise, no matter what—’ He broke off and looked away.

“‘You were going to say?’

“‘It is of no importance.’

“‘Ah.’

“We did not talk for the rest of the descent to Zephkiel’s cell.”

I looked at my watch; it was almost three. A chill breeze had begun to blow down the LA street, and I shivered. The man noticed, and he paused in his story. “You okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine. Please carry on. I’m fascinated.”

He nodded.

“They were waiting for us in Zephkiel’s cell: Phanuel, Saraquael and Zephkiel. Zephkiel was sitting in his chair. Lucifer took up a position beside the window.

“I walked to the center of the room, and I began.

“‘I thank you all for coming here. You know who I am; you know my function. I am the Vengeance of the Name, the arm of the Lord. I am Raguel.

“‘The Angel Carasel is dead. It was given to me to find out why he died, who killed him. This I have done. Now, the Angel Carasel was a designer in the Hall of Being. He was very good, or so I am told . . .

“‘Lucifer.
Tell me
what you were doing before you came upon Phanuel, and the body.’

“‘I have told you already. I was walking.’

“‘Where were you walking?’

“‘I do not see what business that is of yours.’

“‘Tell me.’

“He paused. He was taller than any of us, tall, and proud. ‘Very well. I was walking in the Dark. I have been walking in the Darkness for some time now. It helps me to gain a perspective on the City – being outside it. I see how fair it is, how perfect. There is nothing more enchanting than our home. Nothing more complete. Nowhere else that anyone would want to be.’

“‘And what do you do in the Dark, Lucifer?’

“He stared at me. ‘I walk. And . . . There are voices in the Dark. I listen to the voices. They promise me things, ask me questions, whisper and plead. And I ignore them. I steel myself and I gaze at the City. It is the only way I have of testing myself

– putting myself to a kind of trial. I am the Captain of the Host;

I am the first among the Angels, and I must prove myself.’

“I nodded. ‘Why did you not tell me this before?’

“He looked down. ‘Because I am the only angel who walks in the Dark. Because I do not want others to walk in the Dark: I am strong enough to challenge the voices to test myself. Others are not so strong. Others might stumble, or fall.’

“‘Thank you, Lucifer. That is all, for now.’ I turned to the next angel. ‘Phanuel. How long have you been taking credit for Carasel’s work?’

“His mouth opened, but no sound came out.

“‘Well?’

“‘I . . . I would not take credit for another’s work.’

“‘But you did take credit for
Love
?’

“He blinked. ‘Yes. I did.’

“‘Would you care to explain to us all what
Love
is?’ I asked.

“He glanced around uncomfortably. ‘It’s a feeling of deep affection and attraction for another being, often combined with passion or desire – a need to be with another.’ He spoke dryly, didactically, as if he were reciting a mathematical formula. ‘The feeling that we have for the Name, for our Creator – that is
Love
. . . amongst other things.
Love
will be an impulse that will inspire and ruin in equal measure. We are . . .’ He paused, then began once more. ‘We are very proud of it.’

“He was mouthing the words. He no longer seemed to hold any hope that we would believe them.

“‘Who did the majority of the work on
Love
? No, don’t answer. Let me ask the others first. Zephkiel? When Phanuel passed the details on
Love
to you for approval, who did he tell you was responsible for it?’