“Before I sold my soul and ended up chained in Hell?”
“Yeah, that.”
“We had a place together in Heaven, but Sam and Nathaniel both live on Earth primarily. Nathaniel has a wife and daughter now, and last I saw Sam, he was in a complicated relationship with his mate. I’m hoping they’ve figured out their crap by now, so he’s probably living with her. And I’m here. So most likely Micah and Danielle are the only ones living in the manor house at this point. Unless Micah’s added to the secret order since I’ve been gone.”
“The secret order?”
Joriel sighed, letting his eyes fall closed. “Forget I said that. It’s just a label for our family.”
“But you said you were seventh order.”
“I was. For a long time. Then I messed up and was moved to the secret order.”
There was so much I didn’t understand about Joriel’s life, and I had so many questions I didn’t know where to start.
“What are you thinking?” Joriel asked without opening his eyes.
“You said Samuel has a mate.”
“Nathaniel does too,” he said like it wasn’t a big deal that two of his brothers had found the most pure and selfless kind of love an angel could have for another being, rivaled only by the love God had for his creations.
“Jonah, my best friend, doesn’t believe in the ‘mates legend.’ We were talking about it not long before I left Heaven. He asked me if I’d ever met a mated angel.”
“And because neither of you have ever met one, they can’t possibly exist?” Joriel asked dryly.
“That’s what I thought. Just because something’s rare doesn’t mean it isn’t real.”
“Your friend isn’t the only one who’s had doubts. People always have a hard time believing in what they don’t understand. Trust is hard enough. But blind trust? That’s even harder. Humans, angels, demons—we all want answers that make sense. We want ironclad proof, and instead we’re told to trust, have faith.”
“But even if it weren’t true, I’d rather believe there was a chance than not.”
“You’re hoping to find your mate someday?” Joriel asked.
“Isn’t everyone?”
He laughed. “No. Love like my brothers have comes at a price many would rather not pay.”
I thought about my parents, their shared commitment to each other and to their jobs. Most first-order angels showed love by being devoted to God, to their tasks, to their spouses, but they weren’t consumed with passion.
I remembered the way Jonah had looked at me when I told him I wanted to feel the connection humans had with their spouses. If given the choice, would he want a mate, or would he rather have commitment without all the intense feelings?
“Maybe you’re right.”
“So besides not believing in mates, what is your friend like?”
“Jonah’s insanely friendly. He’s super social and can make friends with just about anyone. We get each other most of the time, not so much when it comes to love and marriage, but we’re close.”
“But you don’t show him your artwork,” Joriel said.
“No, but I think that has more to do with my confidence than it has to do with Jonah. Even when we don’t see eye to eye on something, he’s never judged me for my opinions.”
“Do you miss him?”
“Yeah. Do you miss your family?”
“Every day. But it’s easier knowing that they’re safe, that I could give them that.”
“What do you mean?”
