Justice for the Fallen

The sun was already out, shedding light on rain-splattered cobblestones and dirty, ramshackle buildings. My pace was quick, and determined─I wanted to get rid of Golden Boy as soon as possible. He got onto my nerves already with his lofty attitude. He knew nothing about living in the slums, yet he dared to judge me.

Typical angel.

“Hey, wait!” Golden Boy’s heavy footsteps finally caught up with me. “I apologise. I might have overstepped some boundaries back there.”

“You think?” I growled, glaring at him. But to my surprise, he seemed sincere. His brows were furrowed, and he looked troubled. I sighed. He resembled a lost puppy, and I couldn’t possibly stay angry with him for long. I didn’t think he meant any harm. He was just so painfully naïve. “Look, I don’t have time to educate you on how the world below Heaven works. There is no point. You’re here to do the job, nothing more. Let’s deal with this investigation swiftly, and then we can go our separate ways, all right?”

“I agree,” he said after a pause, and his golden eyes rested on me. “Can I have one question? Will you answer truthfully?”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, if it shuts you up, then yes.” We have left the poorest part of the slums, making more crowded streets look slightly less depressing.

“Why didn’t you take the soul of the mortal who visited you?”

Yes, why didn’t you? asked the voice in my head.

Ignoring it, I stopped in my tracks and turned to him, frowning. “How would you know?”

He shrugged and halted too. “I’m an angel. I can recognise mortals who sell their souls to the Fallen God.”

I huffed, annoyed and ran my hand through my hair. “Mr Booth is a good man and a friend. I don’t sell friends.”

“Oh?” the archangel mused, and his golden eyes brightened. The way he was looking at me became softer. It was annoying.

“Stop staring at me like that!” I hissed. “Don’t read more to it than it is. The truth is, most people don’t want to sell their souls. They all get angry easily and want to seek revenge and such right away. Nothing wrong with that. But when they have time to think, they don’t want to act on it.”

“So, you ensure their convictions are strong before taking their souls?” Golden Boy asked with a smirk. “I didn’t expect such kindness from the Fallen.”

“No, I don’t! It’s just….” My tongue didn’t want to cooperate and produce the right words. I let out a growl of frustration. “Stop doing that!”

“Doing what?” he asked innocently.

“Assuming I’m a good person! I’m not some goody two shoes you’re taking me for. I’m a demon, don’t forget that. I’m a vicious and cruel creature!”

“Of course you are. But then why refuse to take a human’s soul? Isn’t that your whole purpose being here in Human Realm? To gather the rotten souls for the Fallen God? ”

The latest meeting with Zugrun flashed before my eyes, and the scratches on my neck throbbed painfully at the memory.

“Well, it is, but I can do that without sacrificing my frie… mortals useful for me. I’ll have you know that Mr Booth makes the best pancakes in this hellhole called a city. I’m not going to risk messing that up.”

“I see.” Golden Boy nodded, rubbing his chin with a serious expression, but the mischief was glinting in his eyes. “I guess all those children back in the orphanage must be very useful to you, no?”

“Oh, just shut up,” I growled and started walking again. He dared to mock me, stupid angel. “Follow me and stop talking. You are annoying.”

He laughed but did as was told without complaining. The streets were crowded and loud, people shouted at each other, and rattling carts pushed their way, trying to get to their destination without trampling anyone. On any other day, I might be tempted to get right into this commotion─it would be so easy to snatch some purses without being seen. Alas, I needed to deal with other things first. Mainly getting a prattling archangel off my back.

I chose the more minor pathways parallel to the main city arteries to move faster and without unnecessary obstructions. When we reached our destination, I raised my hand, signalling Golden Boy to stop. You could say that we were now in a pretty decent district by the usual stench being barely noticeable here. The buildings looked sturdy, and the gutters were not clogged with rubbish and other unidentified things. Probably designated people cleaned the streets, making sure it looked decent.

Unthinkable luxury in my part of the city.

I turned to the archangel, lowering my voice so that people passing by on the main street could not hear. “Now listen to me, Golden Boy, because it’s important. Where we are about to go is not remotely safe for you. I don’t think any angel ever put their foot there. You must keep close to me, don’t draw attention to yourself and don’t talk to anyone.”

He eyed the building in front of us. It was two floors high with red roof tiles and a facade of pale grey stone. A wooden door was left slightly ajar, letting out a myriad of sounds─people shouting and laughing, glass clinking and chairs scraping on the floor. A huge sign hung over the door with elegant golden lettering Parlour of Dreams.

“Your Greed Demon is inside, I assume?” the archangel asked.

“Yes. That’s where the scumbag usually is when he’s not working. And demons rarely work at this time of the day. Far too bright.” I squinted at the sun that was already high in the sky. “If he tries to run, stop him. I’m not going to chase him all over the city again. Shall we?”

He gestured with his hand. “Lead the way.”

The pleasant aroma of food and ale assaulted my senses when we entered the building. The spacious main room was filled with tables and chairs that could easily host forty people at once, but hardly one-third was occupied. The guests looked up at us and scrunched their noses. Most people here were either wealthy merchants or lower nobility, so unlike regular people, they could hang out in taverns at this hour and waste their time as they wished. We were slightly underdressed for this district.

I was not bothered by their derisive glares, as I was used to them. I went straight to a solid wooden bar, where a burly man with an elegantly curved moustache was wiping the glasses. I smiled, and he glanced at me from under his bushy red brows.

“What can I do for you, folks?” he asked in a gruff voice, clearly torn between an instinct to be nice to the customer and personal revulsion to the likes of me.

“We are here for….” I reached into my pocket and put a small silver coin on the bar, “special entertainment.” At first glance, it looked like regular silver, but it was thicker, and the stamping was slightly off.

The bartender picked the coin up for a closer look and then nodded and rolled it back to me. “What about your friend?” he asked, frowning.

“He’s with me.”

“Fine,” the man huffed and wiped the glass. “You can go, but it’s on you if your friend makes trouble.”

“Sure thing, chief!” I gave him a grin and walked toward the room at the back, making sure Golden Boy was following me. We crossed a narrow hallway that ended with a door closed and two men standing there casually with their arms crossed. One of them perked up when he saw us.

“I’ll be damned if it’s not Sannarah!” He grinned, showing slightly pointy teeth. “It’s been ages since I saw you here, girl!”

I shrugged. “I’ve been busy, Traz. You know how it is. Too many souls to reap, too little time.”

He laughed. “Sure thing, sister. I’ve heard the most entertaining rumour lately about some wrath demon going rampant and murdering random humans in the slums. It wasn’t you by any chance, was it?”

I scoffed. “Do I look like an idiot to you? Why would I expose myself like that?”

Traz raised his hands placatingly. “Fair point. And for the record, I didn’t believe that for a second. Anyway, I’d love to catch up, but I’m on duty today, so you go and have some fun, all right?”

“Wait,” grumbled his companion joining the conversation for the first time. His big arms crossed as he glared at Golden Boy suspiciously. “Who’s the guy? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him here.”

I smiled charmingly and fluttered my lashes, casually taking the archangel’s elbow. “Oh, he’s new in town. I’m just showing him around. He wanted to meet with the local sorcerers’ branch to discuss some business.”

“Huh, sorcerer, you say?” The bouncer gave Golden Boy a once over and shrugged. “Fine, but make sure he stays out of trouble.” He opened the door and stepped aside, making way for us.

I saluted him. “Thanks, boss!”

The small room had nothing but spiral stairs leading down.

“So, the establishment upstairs is just a cover?” Golden Boy asked, looking down with curiosity.

“Yep, you guessed it. Remember, stay close to me if you value your life,” I said and walked down the stairs.