Again I don’t answer.
“It’s rare, a bond like that,” Tau continues. “We’re not made for such emotions—angels. But it’s different when one is around Evie, isn’t it? She changes us. We can’t help but feel everything.”
“Do you find a bond of brotherhood a weakness?”
“It could be,” he replies. “All emotional attachments are costly in their own way. It can sometimes blind one to the truth.”
“You speak as if you have some experience.”
“I’ve experienced it, only my bond of brotherhood is with Xavier. We grew close while taking care of Evie.”
“Has that relationship blinded you?”
“Perhaps. You didn’t kill Evie when you discovered her in your territory. By your very admission, you kill swiftly and decisively.”
“I kill fallen angels. She’s not one of them.”
“You kill a myriad of evil.”
“She’s not evil.”
“How many Power angels would’ve hesitated to find that out?”
I shrug. I know it’s not many. “You’re making a point. I’m just not clear what it is.”
Phaedrus retracts his wings and sits down. He looks expectantly at Tau. Tau gets the message. He retracts his blood-colored wings and sits as well in a high-backed chair. He offers me a seat with a gesture of his hand. I retract my wings, sinking into a similar chair. Tau continues, “I know Evie’s history with Xavier. I know she’s aware that he’s our most resourceful fighter; he’s extremely well-suited to be her champion.”
I want to kill him where he sits. “You’re saying that because he wasn’t here, she chose me in his absence?”
Tau holds up his palm. “No. I’m not saying that, but it could be true. What I’m suggesting is that she chose you before all this began.”
“You mean before she ever came here to this mission—she chose me as champion prior to this lifetime?” I clarify.
“It’s a theory.”
“Why would she do that? We didn’t know one another.”
“There could be several reasons for her to do so. The simplest one I can think of is she didn’t want to allow for the chance that she’d lose Xavier.”
It’s a logical theory, but that possibility has my stomach clenching again as if he has struck a blow there. “What makes you think this?”
“The attraction between you both is divinely made. You have to find out why she chose you as her champion.”
Champion, I think. Is that all I’m meant to be to her? “You want to know ‘why me’?”
“It could be that she chose you for your skill set. You nearly killed me. That’s no easy feat.” Tau rubs his neck where I’d slashed it. “But if there were another reason…” He stares at me as he contemplates the question, and then he asks, “Did you know her before this lifetime? Had you ever had the occasion to meet her? She would’ve looked different. She may not have been female.”
“It’s possible.”
“I’d say it’s probable.”
“I’m her aspire. I only need to know where her enemy is so that I may eliminate the threat to her life.”
“You met her enemy—in Crestwood. We believe we know the evil that attacked you. His name is Emil. He didn’t kill Evie then, not because he couldn’t, but because he needs something from her.”
“What does he need?”
“We don’t know. What we do know is he couldn’t kill you. The magic wouldn’t touch you. We believe it’s because of the ring you wear.”
“Can this ring protect Evie if I give it to her?” I try to tug the ring from my finger. It won’t move; it’s as if it is bonded to my flesh and bone.
“We attempted to cut it from you while you were unconscious. The Power who touched it ascended. Do you know why?”
“Heaven wants my help.”
“Yes. You’re not just Evie’s champion; you’re Heaven’s champion as well.”
“What do you know about the target?” I ask, leaning forward to hear every word he utters.
“He’s Evie’s inescapable and he’s more powerful than we ever imagined.”
“Do you know why he’s here?”
“It’s unclear, but I believe he’s here to confront Evie. The boatswain was given to us to protect—the key to Sheol. I didn’t anticipate that Evie had been preprogramed to use it. She’s meant to go there; for what purpose, I can only speculate.”
The thought of Evie in Sheol is a knife in my heart. “Heaven has been playing chess while you’ve been playing checkers, Tau.”
“Isn’t that always the way? We only ever get to know a piece of the puzzle—we’re left to discover how it fits. That way, no one can be forced to divulge the plan to Sheol.”
“What do you expect from me?”
“Evie needs to find a way to remember her past. We’d like you to convince her to try.”
“I want the boatswain.”
“I cannot give it to you. I am sworn to deliver it to an angel.”
“Who?”
“He’s Cherubim and goes by the name of Atwater.”