It gets worse
While it was getting harder to resist going to look for him, Gloriana held her impulses in check. Though she would never tell Gabriel, his continued absence, especially after his pronouncement about revolution, had made her rather jumpy. However, any ideas she had were cut short when Gabriel made a rather noisy entrance into her quarters.
One does not often see an Archangel appear in one’s quarters in full regalia. It’s an impressive sight. Wings visible and shining, golden armor gleaming, sword stained and bloodied.
Wait... what was that last part? She asked her self that in the split second it took him to will himself into more normal clothing. “Master? What happened?”
The big being shuddered and passed a hand over his face, still marked, a small cut above his eye. “Trouble. Worse than I thought.”
“Worse than another revolt in heaven?”
He nodded, sitting down on the edge of the couch. “Much. Someone on the Council has made a deal with the Dark.”
Now Glory sank down into her chair, looking stricken. “Do you know who?”
“No. Nothing I can prove. Worse, the entire Council looked frightened and disoriented during and after the attack. I came right here to make sure they hadn’t moved against you.” He paused, then added, too quickly, “Or any of the other Guardians.”
Glory was too distraught to notice, for which her mentor was grateful. “How bad was the attack?”
“Bad enough, Little One. No one discorporate aside from the Hounds that were set upon us. I have a suspicion that this was but a feint, to test what we can do. We sent some of the Guardians and angels to scout, but,” he sighed very heavily, “But we found no point of entry for them.”
“Hounds. It is really going to happen.”
Gabriel caught the note of almost panic in her voice, and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Be easy, Little One. It won’t happen if I have anything to say about it. One of the reasons I came here was to provide what little help and assurance I can give to you.”
“How? You need to be close to the Light. It cannot be corrupted!”
“I’m going to release the bonds on House. You will have full power.”
This caught her. She looked directly into his eyes, which had bled to a very dark blue of concern. “Gabriel,” she said sharply, “we put those bonds up for a reason all those years ago. You told me that Phanuel would see me as a direct threat to his influence and *really* try and censure me.”
“Never mind that old fool. This is larger then him. You need to be able to keep your charges safe, Gloriana. That is more important than Phanuel’s ambitions.”
She opened her mouth to ask why it was, other than the obvious pledge they took as Guardians. Instead, she looked in his eyes, saw the urgency and instead, said simply, “I understand. What would you have me do?’
He smiled in gratitude. ”Just do what you always do, Little One, with one difference.“
”What would that be?“
”Don’t hold back.“
One does not often see an Archangel appear in one’s quarters in full regalia. It’s an impressive sight. Wings visible and shining, golden armor gleaming, sword stained and bloodied.
Wait... what was that last part? She asked her self that in the split second it took him to will himself into more normal clothing. “Master? What happened?”
The big being shuddered and passed a hand over his face, still marked, a small cut above his eye. “Trouble. Worse than I thought.”
“Worse than another revolt in heaven?”
He nodded, sitting down on the edge of the couch. “Much. Someone on the Council has made a deal with the Dark.”
Now Glory sank down into her chair, looking stricken. “Do you know who?”
“No. Nothing I can prove. Worse, the entire Council looked frightened and disoriented during and after the attack. I came right here to make sure they hadn’t moved against you.” He paused, then added, too quickly, “Or any of the other Guardians.”
Glory was too distraught to notice, for which her mentor was grateful. “How bad was the attack?”
“Bad enough, Little One. No one discorporate aside from the Hounds that were set upon us. I have a suspicion that this was but a feint, to test what we can do. We sent some of the Guardians and angels to scout, but,” he sighed very heavily, “But we found no point of entry for them.”
“Hounds. It is really going to happen.”
Gabriel caught the note of almost panic in her voice, and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Be easy, Little One. It won’t happen if I have anything to say about it. One of the reasons I came here was to provide what little help and assurance I can give to you.”
“How? You need to be close to the Light. It cannot be corrupted!”
“I’m going to release the bonds on House. You will have full power.”
This caught her. She looked directly into his eyes, which had bled to a very dark blue of concern. “Gabriel,” she said sharply, “we put those bonds up for a reason all those years ago. You told me that Phanuel would see me as a direct threat to his influence and *really* try and censure me.”
“Never mind that old fool. This is larger then him. You need to be able to keep your charges safe, Gloriana. That is more important than Phanuel’s ambitions.”
She opened her mouth to ask why it was, other than the obvious pledge they took as Guardians. Instead, she looked in his eyes, saw the urgency and instead, said simply, “I understand. What would you have me do?’
He smiled in gratitude. ”Just do what you always do, Little One, with one difference.“
”What would that be?“
”Don’t hold back.“
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