Chapter 13: Confirmation

Hagar was alive. Zadkiel was still reeling at the news. He'd realized that and suddenly the cruel joke that was the Caretaker's punishment felt even crueler. In hindsight, Hagar—Azrael had always been beautiful in a way only Death could be: otherworldly and dangerous and cold.

He wasn't sure how he'd ever thought she was human before.

Zadkiel thought back on the mercury scars that went ragged down the soft of both of her forearms and his stomach twisted.

I gave up on the notion of mercy a very long time ago, the words made him wonder how many she'd buried and been left to grieve alone in all her eons. Then he shook free of the dark thoughts, shivering as he remembered the sensation of her fingers brushing his palm as he looked down at the address scrawled there in sharp script.

#

Lucifer's manor seemed oddly quiet, but then Zadkiel could only get so close to it before his presence would be given away. He remembered Lucifer's obsession with Azrael as he hung in the air high above the grounds, massive silver-white wings keeping him steady; Azrael in Lucifer's hands was a recipe for bad news regardless of his personal feelings.

He barely acknowledged the thought that he simply didn't want Lucifer touching her.

After a long time with no movement, he began to wonder if she was simply jumping at shadows, but then he saw someone step into the courtyard. They were too far away to really make out features but he watched pearlescent wings spread from their back and shivered as he realized Azrael had been right. Zadkiel watched for a moment longer as someone came to discuss something with Lucifer before he decided it was best to make his exit while he was unnoticed, his wings stretching out wider and carrying him toward Azrael's castle.

#

Azrael's little castle was empty when he arrived, Azrael having left without any sort of note to say how long she'd be or where. Zadkiel stepped back out the front door and debated his next step; enochian magic wasn't the best for tracking and waiting could take too long. He'd just started to turn, considering doing a fly over of the city, when he caught movement from the corner of his eyes.

"Hello?" He questioned and, after a moment of silent still, two Hellhounds stepped out of the shadows, lanky canine-like creatures with matching stripes down their backs. "Are you hers?" Hellhounds were incredibly dangerous creatures, but he doubted he would have any trouble with them if they turned out to be hostile. The two Hounds shared a look before settling on the wood floor content to wait. "Do you know where Azrael is?" He finally asked once he'd decided they were friendly—or at least not hostile at the moment. The Hellhounds cocked their heads to one side before they stood again, stretching rather languidly before one led the way out the door, glancing back for Zadkiel to follow. He did and the other Hellhounds followed behind him as if the two were guarding him from something. He didn't question it, content to follow them to Azrael wherever she may have gone.