“Our names have been cleared of all suspicion,” Michael said, tone tight and almost defensive.
“It’s why the sitting councilmen honored my request to conduct this interview.” Uriel rested his arms on the table, his fingers itching to touch Riley. He didn’t. “I thought you’d be more comfortable with us. You don’t like strangers, and after everything—”
“How thoughtful of you.” Riley cut him off, and his jaw clenched.
Eyes darting between them, Raphael shifted in his seat. “Yes, well, we wanted to make this as easy as possible. For you.”
“Right. I mean, you’ve always had my best interests at heart.” Riley smiled, but there were too many teeth. It was an unkind curl of lips, and Uriel’s hands moved without thought. He reached across the table, but Riley sat back in his chair, ensuring Uriel couldn’t reach him.
Trying his best to hide how much the rejection hurt, Uriel straightened in his seat. “Riley—”
“Did you know?” the hybrid demanded.
“Did I know what?” Uriel asked cautiously.
“About me?”
He shook his head, treading carefully, carefully. “I don’t know what you mean.”
And oh, that didn’t sit right with Riley. His sallow cheeks splotched red with anger, and his eyes narrowed. “Lucifer had my genealogy record. He said you had it all along. He said you knew,” Riley accused, and Uriel tried but failed to hide the rush of guilt swamping him. Riley grimaced. “Yeah. Okay. I thought… right.”
“Riley—”
“I don’t want to hear your voice, if it’s all the same to you,” Riley snapped, and Uriel flinched.
Always the mediator, Michael spoke up. “The deception was not intended to harm you.”
Riley fisted his glowing hands on the table. “A lot of what you angels do isn’t intended to harm. Sometimes, I think Angels are just as bad as Fallen. You’re just not honest about it.” His eyes flashed red, then brown, then red again. “I wonder what’s worse: admitting your wickedness even as you indulge in it, or whitewashing the facade to make yourself feel holy while the inside rots?”
Raphael stiffened, and Michael scowled. Uriel watched the electricity buzz over Riley’s clenched fists. He shifted his weight to better balance on his feet in case he would need to physically subdue his apprentice. His worry was for naught.
Closing his eyes, Riley breathed deeply, exhaling through his nose. The crackling sparks died. His erratic power settled into a quiet hum. When he opened his eyes, his sclera were white. Uriel and his colleagues relaxed.
“Why?” Riley croaked, his bloodshot eyes meeting Uriel’s. “I just want to know why you didn’t tell me. I cooperated. I did what you wanted. I played by your rules. I never did anything to make you not trust me. But you kept me in the dark. You knew. The whole time. And I—”
“It was for your protection,” Uriel said, and he hated the way he was begging. He was pleading for Riley to understand.
Riley sneered. “And I’m supposed to believe that?”
“There had never been a being such as you, not one that survived.” Uriel jutted his chin. “There would always be those searching for you, trying to hurt you. We kept your identity a secret to give you the best chance at life.”
“And once I was here?” Riley waved around the small interrogation room. “Once I was a part of this?”
Silence. Raphael looked away. Michael ground his teeth. Uriel’s lungs twisted uncomfortably.
Riley nodded. Just once. “That’s what I thought.”
“Riley, I—”
Riley snarled at Uriel, an animalistic sound he didn’t realize Riley was capable of. “You were my mentor. My friend. I… I trusted you! And you lied.”
“We did not know you or where your loyalty lay,” Michael said in his rumbling bass. “We had to make difficult choices.”
Rearing back as if slapped, Riley gaped. “What did loyalty have to do with it? I just wanted to know where I came from.”
“Your sire was Fallen,” Uriel mumbled.
“You all seem very hung up on my DNA.” Riley crossed my arms over his chest. “I can’t control who created me or the genes I carry in my blood.”
Raphael ran a hand through his inky hair, brow furrowed. “We had to make sure we could trust you. We didn’t want to give you a reason to change allegiances.”
“What?”
“Your father was Fallen,” Uriel repeated, communicating so much with those words, and Riley’s eyes widened in understanding.
“So you thought I’d turn my back on my Guardians, the only people who cared about me, to join the man who abandoned me as a baby?” He laughed, but it was twisted and sharp. “Because he was related to me?”
Uriel splayed his hands. “Blood is important.”
“So is choice!” Riley cried, and Uriel barely held back a cringe. “And now? Do you trust me now?”
“Is there a reason we shouldn’t?” Michael asked, and Uriel made a strangled sound in his throat.
“Michael!” he chided before facing Riley again. “Yes, Riley, I trust you.”
From Riley’s cool expression, Uriel feared it was too little, too late. His fears were confirmed as Riley placed his hands flat on the table and leaned forward as far as he could without rising from his seat.
“Well, I don’t trust you,” he said slowly, enunciating every word. His eyes were wide and wet and half-crazed. “You were my friend. You were my—but you’re just like the rest of them, aren’t you? I thought maybe you…” His teeth clacked together as he clenched his jaw. His lower lip quivered as he fought tears.
Uriel’s eyes burned as Riley’s words mangled his heart. He tried to blink away the sting, but a tear trickled down his cheek. His mouth opened, but there were no words. The loathing in Riley’s eyes broke his heart. Against his better judgment, he reached for Riley’s hand, but Riley hissed and jerked away. Uriel’s chest hitched.
“Forget it.” Riley sniffed, regaining control. “Can we just—can we get on with it? I’m done with this. I just—can we just get this over with?”
“Of course,” Raphael said quietly. “We understand how difficult this is—”
“Do you?” Riley challenged.
Michael’s dark eyes flared. “Yes. I was held prisoner by Lucifer during the War. The only reason I’m alive is because Gideon saved my life. He smuggled me out.” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “But I was in Hell for three days. It was centuries ago, yet those days still haunt me. So yes, Riley, I understand how difficult this will be for you. But it’s necessary.”
Riley’s jaw dropped, like he didn’t know quite what to say to that. He said nothing. The silence was awkward again. Raphael broke it.
“If you’re ready, we’d like to ask about your time in Purgatory.”
Rolling his eyes, Riley said, “Anything specific you’d like to know? Or should I just start at the beginning?”
“The beginning is fine,” Michael said.
Riley pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes like he fought for control. He sighed heavily, and Uriel swiped at the wet trail the tear had left on his cheek. His Committed bonds pulsed.