Prologue
The Empyrean Library was the largest collection of knowledge in creation. Humans couldn’t hope to preserve accurate records, too misguided by wars and cultural bias, and most demons had no care for such things.
So it was Heaven that took on the duty.
To a guardian angel, the Third Sphere’s lowest rank, parts of the library were restricted, but Sunshine still had access to more information than a human could absorb in one lifetime.
Once, she had been a Principality, the highest rank of the Third Sphere, with a seat upon the Tribunal, the heavenly court of justice.
Her name had been Shamsiel then, and to this day, humans still looked to her for strength and guidance. They had no idea she’d been stripped of her title as punishment for her failings.
They had no idea she was a liar.
But I only told necessary lies, Sunshine reminded herself as she closed the cover of the hefty tome on her lap. Shafts of light poured through steepled lancet windows above, the library’s ancient air sparkling like gold dust.
Necessary or not, the lies weighed heavily on her conscience. She’d begun questioning her motives, second-guessing her decisions. It was the reason she was here now, surrounded by these texts.
The book in her lap recounted the history of the Grigori—angels who’d fallen from Heaven to mate with humans, spawning a forbidden race of angel-human hybrids called the Nephilim.
Many angels thought the Grigori were hypocrites. They considered themselves protectors of humanity, but they rejected the ascetic lifestyle of angels in Heaven. They exterminated unlawful supernatural creatures, but they tried to protect their warped offspring.
Sunshine had compassion for all beings and believed in forgiveness, but first and foremost, she was loyal to the Realm.
Yet, here she sat behind a pile of books, tangled in a web of lies. Plagued with indecision.
At that moment, a summons appeared in her mind, a shaft of light penetrating the dark clouds of her thoughts. She stiffened in surprise.
Her mentor was requesting her presence.
Nerves quickening her heart, she stood, smoothing out her robe. The books she’d borrowed returned themselves to their shelves, and she took a breath and flashed to Adriel’s study.
He sat in one of the armchairs by the window, his usual place for their meetings, and rose fluidly when she appeared. “Greetings, Sunshine.”
“Greetings, sir.” She bowed her head.
“Please, sit.”
She sat on the other armchair and folded her hands in her lap, and Adriel did the same.
“Tea?”
“Please.”
Adriel waved a hand, and a steaming pot and two cups appeared on the table between them. He leaned forward to pour. Not a single drop spilled.
Sunshine’s mentor appeared as a man whose age was impossible to determine. His face was matured beyond youth yet untouched by any mortal sign of decline. His hair was a pale curtain that fell to his chest, his skin the color of desert sand, and his eyes… Appearing at first glance to be dark blue, when one looked closer, they were full of stars, spiraling around his pupils like tiny galaxies.
Second Sphere angels were never involved in affairs of Earth, but a few offered guidance to those of the Third Sphere. Sunshine was grateful her former rank had granted her access to a mentor and that their relationship had continued after her demotion.
Adriel passed her a cup and then took one for himself. He sat with perfect poise, his starry eyes fixed out the window at the gardens. They sipped the tea in silence for several minutes.
Sunshine forced herself to be calm, waiting for him to speak when he was ready. One did not show impatience around a being such as Adriel.
“I have news for you,” he said eventually.
She blinked in question.
A human would be half blinded by Adriel’s physical perfection, but an angel knew better than to see only his beauty. As one of the Powers, the Second Sphere’s third rank, he had the ability to restrain forces of evil with his will alone.
