The Chamber of Sins

“It’s me, silly. You didn’t show up to say hello. I’ve missed you,” a voice whispered in Robert’s ear.

“You should knock before entering my room. I am almost eighteen, and it’s not appropriate.”

“But I am your mum,” Amelia said.

“My stepmother,” Robert said, rolling his eyes.

“Come on, let’s have breakfast together. I will ask Lionette to make your favourite - benedict eggs and meat roulade.”

He pointed at the door, “Tempting, but I need more sleep.” The woman opened her mouth to say something, but the boy had already turned his back to her. She hurried towards the door and slammed it close. Robert stretched his body and went back to slumber.

It was around five in the afternoon when Robert’s phone rang. It was his friend Noah. Robert had invited him to the grand opening of one of his father's acquaintance pubs.

It was time to get ready. Robert sighed and studied his shirt. Unpleased with its dark red, he took it off and tried another one with a dragon coiled around a skull. He smiled, satisfied. A tailor-made jacket on top, and he felt delighted with his outfit. Somebody knocked on the door, and Noah entered.

“You look nice,” Noah said and passed his hand through his light-brown hair.

“Yes, I do,” Robert smirked, admiring himself in the mirror. Finally, Noah reached the bed and started studying something on the nightstand.

“What is this?” Noah said while stretching his hand towards his companion. He pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose.

“Oh, that. It’s a pendant I found. Do you want it?”

“It is out of the ordinary. I have seen nothing like this; it’s an exquisite antique. Why don’t you wear it tonight? It goes well with your clothes.”

“Does it?” Robert asked distrustfully, his eyes on the piece of jewellery. “You can put it on!”

“If you say so,” Noah said, removing his chain and putting on the pendant. “How do I look?”

“Hmm, let me have it,” Robert replied, looking at his friend inquiringly.

Noah nodded and gave the jewel away regretfully.

Proud of his outfit, Robert admired himself in the mirror for the last time and left the room, closely followed by his friend.

Heaven was a busy place, yet Derek had his mind somewhere else. He was infuriated about all the scandal regarding the lost key and the time allocated to solve it. After discussing and explaining - which had been embarrassing- he returned to his office and, grabbing the supermarket blueprint, started studying it. Then, with bulging eyes and a clenched jaw, he goggled at the map before him.

“My key has to be somewhere there. It had been almost a week, and no sign of it,” Derek said.

“Probably, it is somewhere in the market,” Ramiel yawned.

“It is not! I went back multiple times; Amael and Cassiel too,” the angel responded with a half-hearted smile. “And only because of that lunatic girl. I knew from the start she was trouble. Did you locate her?”

“She is still at the orphanage,” Ramiel reported. “Do you think that maybe the key could be in someone else’s possession?”

“How come?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it flew in someone’s bag or something,” Ramiel said. “Maybe.”

“Stop saying maybe!”

Derek had to bring Margo back because not even one soul should wander on Earth, especially her. He didn’t even care about that spoiled brat. He had to find his heavenly key and do it immediately.

“Change that human face of yours and go meet the Elders,” Ramiel interrupted his thoughts.

Derek sighed. I better hurry, he thought.

The Chamber of Sins was full of energy, floating in the air. The hall seemed endless, with its round-shaped pillars stinging the cluster of clouds above. A golden harp was standing on a pedestal in the middle of the hall. Even if it looked of standard size in the eternal realm, the harp would be incommensurable in the human world; no human could ever carry it. Nevertheless, it spread diamond sparkles around, and invisible hands played divine tunes on its strings. Seven Archangels were protecting it - the last army against those who wished to steal the Book of Sins. The Elders were gathered around the harp with a stern expression. Dressed in bright robes and wearing long silvery hair, they looked like they had just descended from an icon.

They stopped talking the moment Derek and Ramiel entered the room. Ramiel, with his head bowed, gave the first Elder a pile of reports. Then, in total contrast with everything surrounding him, Derek stepped forward loftily, his black wings slightly brushing one of the Guardian Archangels.

He didn’t even reach his place when an Elder spoke, “We heard you had lost THE key,” his deep voice sent echoes in the room.

“It is true,” Derek confirmed. “We have teams on the ground searching for it as we speak.”

“And a vital soul disappeared,” another Elder completed.

“Yes, we think they are connected.”

“Too many mistakes,” the first Elder conceded, and the others nodded in approval while glaring at Derek with their protruding eyes.

“I will solve the problem. Ramiel gave you our proposition for protecting the Chamber of Sins and the Book. We propose-” he said, changing the topic.

After the meeting, Derek stormed into his office. Ramiel followed and placed a box full of chocolates on his desk.

“We need to find the pendant,” Derek said, opening the pack. The chocolate didn’t have the same effect on him as on humans, but it became a habit, and all his subordinates would return from Earth carrying boxes with delicious wonders. He was munching a sweet, creamy praline when his watch started beeping. His jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Ramiel, let’s go. I know where the pendant is.”