Above the Winter Skies [English Version]

15

"Are you sure you've thought this through?" Nova frowned at me over the rim of her wine glass. She had taken note of the collar—made of black velvet with a small silver pendant shaped like a wing—but hadn't commented further on it. We had retreated to a secluded corner of the Star Lounge, a tavern on one of the lower decks intended for both humans and Seraphim—though rarely did any Seraphim come down here, probably because it was far more shabby compared to the upper decks. Even this afternoon, no angels were present; we were almost alone. The lighting was dim, the tablecloths worn, and the dishes scratched and chipped. Blue cigarette smoke swirled through the air, and soft blues played from speakers, accompanied by a faint crackling and static. It was the perfect place if one wanted to be among themselves and exchange secrets. Besides us, there was only one other guest that afternoon, a young man in a corner, staring glumly into his mug and sitting too far away to overhear our conversation. I had never seen him before, but judging by his oil-stained clothes, he must be one of the ship's mechanics. They worked in shifts, so he was probably on night duty.

I knew Nova was only worried about me and wanted to protect me, but her open skepticism dampened my enthusiasm. She seemed to sense it and placed a hand on my arm.

"I don't mean to be harsh, Lumi," she said gently. "But I know how the Seraphim operate. I mean, I don't really know—I've never been close to one—but I've seen many people—women—who have come to ruin because of them. Avah is just one of them."

My gaze shot up. "Really?"

Nova nodded. "I just don't want the same thing to happen to you."

"Who else?" I knew it was irrelevant, but I needed to know.

Nova shook her head and whispered, "She's not here anymore. It was quite early in this journey; her name was Raelyn. She started something with Raphael. Honestly, I don't know exactly what happened there, but at the beginning, she looked like you, she radiated, she literally glowed from within. But in the days and weeks that followed, it changed rapidly, and not for the better. In no time, she was emaciated and haggard, with dark circles under her eyes, injuries, some even serious..." Nova paused and swallowed hard. "I'll spare you the details, but it was really hard to watch. I mean, Raphael isn't Cassiel, I know that. And still."

I reached for my glass, trying to dispel the uneasy feeling that Nova's warnings had spread within me. Was it a mistake to accept Cassiel's offer? Suddenly, I felt incredibly foolish for letting my emotions guide me without talking to Nova about it first. On the other hand, I also knew why I hadn't: I had known exactly this would happen, that she would try to talk me out of it, and that was exactly what I didn't want.

And I hadn't even managed to tell her the juicy details of my contract with Cassiel... But perhaps she could guess them.

"What happened to Raelyn?" I asked, unsure if I wanted to hear the answer.

Nova swallowed. "She dissolved the contract, and they threw her out. In a forest, in the middle of Skaldengard, two days before you boarded."

"What?" I stared at her in shock. "Then she froze to death!"

Nova shrugged helplessly. "It was near a small fishing village; maybe she made it, but..." Her sentence trailed off, and for a while, no one spoke. I sipped my wine. It was too thin and too sweet, but I, who had only discovered the enjoyment of wine on the Aetheria, was not very demanding.

"Raphael... He's the redhead, right?" I said then.

Nova nodded. "Michael's best friend. Yes. And yes, I know what you're thinking. That Michael and his people are different, that they are somehow rough, brutal, and ruthless, but..." She struggled for words, then shrugged. "Cassiel must have been aware of what happened with Raelyn. I can't imagine he didn't know; he must have at least condoned it. He may appear refined and civilized on the outside, but that doesn't change what he is. He's not human, Lumi. He will never think and feel like a human, and he will never see you as an equal being. You will never be safe with him. Never. If necessary, he would kill you without a second thought; I'm convinced of that."