Circles and Wings

Chapter 35

*Jasper*

When she ran into her room with Lust and Wrath, Raph, Gabriel, and I had decided to give them time. We left a note on a table explaining how to find us, and left. Gabriel was taking us to his favorite library. I wasn't sure if Wrath and Lust would be allowed in the libraries, but Scarlett was. So they could meet us here.

We stopped, after walking for nearly five minutes, at a white door that blended into the walls. "This is my personal study." Gabriel said softly. "I want you to see what I've been working on."

Raph and I shared a look of concern, but followed Gabriel in anyways. The room was round, and made of grey walls and light wood book shelves full of colorful volumes of banned books. It wasn't the biggest study, but it wasn't small either. There were four dark-wood tables, with two dark-wood chairs each, and there were two couches and two plush chairs surrounding a fireplace.

"This is my space." Gabriel said as he closed the door. "God does not know what's in here, it's protected by a privacy spell placed by Emily herself."

"Emily?" I repeated.

He nodded. "This was her study before. It's the only place the compliancy spells wouldn't work."

"Compliancy spells?" Raph asked.

"Yes, she was spelled to be compliant in most matters." Gabriel said lowly, "I found one of her journals in a hidden compartment in Michaels library and it led me here."

"Why show us?" I asked.

"Because I think it's going to happen again, now that Scarlett is back." He muttered. "Emily was always watched, one of her watchers was Jenkins, the man from the sick bay." He looked down at the table, running his hand over a book, "Another was Benny."

"Who was the third?" Raph asked.

"My brother. Michael." Gabriel answered after a moment.

I took a step back, "Michael?"

He nodded. "Did you know that God wanted Emily and Michael to wed?" Raph and I shook out heads. "It was the one thing he couldn't spell her to do. Michael wanted Emily so bad. Too bad, so he tried to make sure no one else would have her." Gabriel took a breath looking up at us, holding a book in his hand now. "He... well he..." He held the book out to us, "Well, see for yourself."

The book he handed me was small and bound with brown leather. Embossed on the front, in gold, "~Emily~" was written in script. "Is this?"

"This is one of her journals, there are hundreds of them." Gabriel said, "Read." I nodded, opened up the book, with Raph over my shoulder, and began to read.

~Dear Diary,

I am finding it difficult to maintain the facade. He won't leave me alone, and I can't spend all day every day in my library. He'd find it. My brother would find it too, and that can't happen. Neither Michael or God could ever know about this place. My place. Jenkins comes every now and then from the passage connected to his room. It can only be opened with his blood and is set behind the moon. Benny visits too, bringing me texts I' not allowed to read, and showing me healing techniques.

Life in Heaven is too boring, day in and day out it's all the same. I am not free here. I will never be free here. Not with Michael pursuing me, not with my siblings watching me. I would like so desperately to live elsewhere. I would like so desperately to do anything other than simply look beautiful and smile while my brother decides my fate and the fate of out peoples. Heaven was not meant to be ruled by one man.

I tried to speak to Aurelia about it, but she brushed me aside, saying I was only nervous. She's right. I am nervous, and about more than simply ruling and marriage.