Prologue
“Please, have a seat.” Michael motioned to the lone chair on the other side of the table.
The setup was cold, clearly conveying the imbalance of power at work. Three Archangels on one side. One broken hybrid on the other. Had Uriel believed Riley would allow it, he would have sat next to him. But Riley would not welcome such a gesture. Not anymore.
The Riley sitting across from Uriel wasn’t the same boy who had teased his curls into a poofy mess on his head, dressed in a ridiculous ’70s Halloween costume. He wasn’t the same Riley who had played checkers with Obediah or colored pictures with Delilah. He wasn’t the same Riley who had trained under Uriel’s guidance.
No, this Riley was distant, aloof. This Riley was a shell, his insides scooped out. Hollow. And angry. Maker, his rage rolled off of him, almost a physical wave of energy. It vibrated through the air. Ozone stung Uriel’s nose as the hairs on his arms stood on end. It was like standing outside in a thunderstorm moments before lightning struck.
Raphael smiled encouragingly. Michael eyed Riley warily. Uriel watched his apprentice, heart cracking down the middle.
“What happened to you?” Uriel wanted to demand. “Who did this?” But he kept his mouth closed. It wasn’t the time. They were here on official business, and Uriel didn’t want to tempt Fate. It was a miracle they’d been allowed to interview Riley at all, given the happenings of the past few weeks.
“Can we get you anything?” Raphael asked, and Riley shook his head. “Are you sure? If you’re thirsty or hungry—”
“I’m fine,” Riley said, his voice hoarse.
Raphael deflated with a nod as Michael placed a recording device on the table, then waved at the empty chair again. “Sit, please. Make yourself comfortable.”
With a cock of his eyebrow, Riley studied the metal folding chair incredulously. It took an extra second, but he eventually sat, clasping his hands in his lap.
“This will be recorded,” Michael said. “Is that all right?”
“Do I have a choice?” Riley asked.
With a shake of his head, Raphael said, “It’s procedure.”
Riley turned to Michael. “Then I guess it’s okay.”
“Thank you.” Michael pushed a button on the side of the device to begin recording. “This is the interview of Riley Shepard, son born of the Seraphim, Adalaide, and the Fallen Archangel, Abram. It is November twentieth at approximately one o’clock in the afternoon. Interviewers are Michael, Raphael, and Uriel, former sitting councilmen on the Archangel Council. Shall we begin?”
He looked at Riley as if asking for permission. The kid shrugged. “It’s your party.”
Uriel frowned, hating this apathetic ghost of the boy he’d known. He wanted to reach across the table and take Riley’s hand. He wanted to run his fingers through those mahogany curls, tightening his grip until it teased the threshold of pain. He wanted to hold Riley to his breast and make promises he knew he couldn’t keep.
The Archangel did none of those things. Uriel sat in his chair, hands folded on the table. He was poised. He was in control. But inside, his heart roiled.
“Let me begin by apologizing,” Michael said.
Riley quirked his head. “For?”
“Many things,” Michael said. “For how long it took us to find you. For misplaced trust that ended in your abduction and… mistreatment. We’re very sorry for what you’ve gone through, Riley.”
Unsurprisingly, Riley didn’t deign to respond. After everything he had endured, the apology was almost insulting. His silence was thick and uncomfortable. Raphael cleared his throat, always the soft one.
“We’ll try and make this as quick and painless as possible so you can return to your Guard—uh, your partners. Gideon warned…” Uriel’s mentor drifted off, looking sheepish.
At Gideon’s name, something sparked to life in Riley’s big, brown eyes. He didn’t speak. He didn’t move. But there was a flicker of life in those chocolate depths.
“Gideon warned?” he prompted after another awkward stretch.
Uriel finally broke his silence. “We know it’s difficult for you to be away from them right now. Especially Jai.”
The circumstances of Riley and Jai’s Committed bond still astounded Uriel. There had never been a bond creation quite like it, and if he hadn’t seen Jai’s side effects for himself, he wouldn’t have believed it possible. But witnessing Jai’s deterioration had cemented Uriel’s faith.
Riley was an enigma. From the first moment Uriel had seen the hybrid, he’d been fascinated. His existence alone was incredible, but there was more to him than his unbelievable heritage. Like many of the people in Riley’s life, Uriel had been instantly enamored—platonically, of course.
Not that Riley wasn’t desirable. He was a gorgeous man, made even more attractive by his naturally submissive, sweet nature. If not for Riley’s Guardians, Uriel would have swooped in and seduced the fuck out of him at the first opportunity. He would have looked so perfect on his knees, a collar clasped around his slender throat. He would have sobbed so beautifully under Uriel’s particular brand of sadism.
But such a relationship was not their Fate. Uriel had known from the start that Riley belonged to his Guardians. The way he clung to them. How he’d stepped in front of Gideon to unnecessarily protect him from Gabriel’s temper tantrum. Yes, he’d belonged to his Guardians from the very beginning, and the four of them were a good match. Riley required a gentler hand than Uriel usually offered.
The possibility of attraction aside, Uriel had grown to love the kid. Not the way he loved his Committeds, but love had many sides and facets. Riley might have belonged to his Guardians, but he was Uriel’s too, in a way. His friend. His apprentice. At least, he had been. The past few weeks had changed Riley. Uriel wasn’t sure what they were to each other anymore.
Changing the subject, Riley said, “Where’s Gabriel?”
Uriel turned to Michael as he said, “We thought it best he not preside over this interview. When it comes to Gideon and those closest to him, Gabriel is blinded by his bitterness. You’ve been through enough. We don’t want to subject you to more hardship.”
“And given the evidence unearthed against Malachi,” Raphael added, “the sitting councilmen are… keeping an eye on Gabriel.”
“Because Malachi was his apprentice,” Riley said.
Michael nodded. “Gabriel is the mentor, and as such, he is, in a way, responsible. An internal investigation is underway to verify his innocence in this unfortunate situation. And to hopefully discover any other moles we have in our midst.”
With barely a hint of hesitation, Riley said, “And you all got fired.”
Michael’s right eye twitched. Raphael flinched. Uriel scowled. Riley kept his expression blank, even as the corners of his mouth threatened to lift. Like he was… amused. Brat.
“We were asked to step down early,” Raphael said diplomatically. “I think it’s clear we haven’t handled things the way we should have.”
Which was stating it lightly.
Riley must have agreed with Uriel’s unspoken thought because he scoffed. “That’s an understatement.”