The Chamber of Sins
Chapter 8.4 "What have you done?"

“My granddaughter had disappeared when she was three months old,” Lionette said, grieving, recollections of that rainy day coming back to her, her voice trembling.

“That it’s not possible. You are lying,” the angel thundered.

“I am not lying. It is true. My dead husband took her away, and he got killed that day. As much as we searched for her, we couldn’t replace her.”

“That cannot be. You hid her for Heavens not to replace her. You know the secret behind her birth, and you hid her.”

“I didn’t do such a thing,” the woman riposted. “I would give my life for a day with her,” Lionette said, the pain obstructing her throat.

“I need to replace her; otherwise, all of this would be in vain,” the angel said, his wings fluttering nervously.

“Please, let me take care of my friend. She is dying,” Lionette begged, her hands glossy with vivid-red colour. “Let me pech her wound,” she muttered and sprang towards Emily.

“Stop right there. Your answer wasn’t satisfactory. I don’t need you,” the angel said. A silver spear appeared in his hand, its spearhead spreading cold rays.

“Please,” Lionette whispered, her hands together in a pray. “Let me save her, please.” She heard the whizzing spear sound as it raced towards her. Her last thought was that she was going to meet her husband. There were so many questions that remained unanswered.

But the sound ceased, and she didn’t feel any pain. She opened her eyes and glared at her enemy. His eyes were gawking somewhere behind her. She lifted her eyes. An imposing silhouette was dominating the room, his face fiercely.

“Azrael,” the angel said, his voice throaty.

“Salatiel,” the new arrived said, his flamy eyes pointing his brother.

“I,” Salatiel sputtered.

“Is this woman dying?” Azrael asked.

“No,” he responded.

“Yes, she is. Let me help her, please,” Lionette intervened.

“It is her time to die?” Azrael asked Salatiel.

As the angel didn’t answer, Azrael made a lenient sign towards Lionette. Lionette covered Emily’s shoulder with her hands as looking at Azrael. “I need to call the ambulance.”

“Do what you have to,” he said and, grabbing Salatiel’s arm, disappeared.

Salatiel didn’t have the time to replace an excuse for all happening. Caught in the act, they will demote him from the angel of death to demon scout and fighter, the worst position inside the death squad. Unless...

Derek seated at his desk and stared down at his brother.

“Speak!” Derek said, glancing at Salatiel’s swallowed features.

“Azrael, I,” Salatiel said.

“Be extremely careful what you say. I am extremely pissed off right now, and I may damage that fake face of yours.”

“It is a long story,” he said.

“I have all the time in the world.”

Salatiel snorted and began relating the last month’s happenings.

15th of April 2020

Salatiel trotted to the Chamber of Sins as trying to meet Derek. His brother didn’t answer, so he thought about what to do next. His brother’s big promotion still upset him. He tried to look happy, but it hurt like hell. He had craved for that position for thousands of years, and he thought it would be his. Not that he had significant results, but because he finally was getting lucky.

As he strolled in the hallway, whispered words made their way to his ears. They came from an antechamber called the Distribution Room, the Heaven intercom, the database of humankind. Every time a human died, a message with personal data was sent to the angel of death allocated to bring the soul. The data angels lived in those chambers, going out only on special occasions.

The right decision at that moment would have been to continue his way, but as the mortal and immortal’s life is always intricate, he stopped.

He stopped and listened to that private conversation. That way, he found out that Archangel Gabriel had a daughter with a mortal. Gabriel hid on Earth, and nobody could replace him for fifteen years. What he found was an extraordinary piece of information, and he couldn’t let it go. Nobody here in Heaven knew about the romantic relation, not from his level anyway, and he met Gabriel only once.

Maybe he should have let it go, but at that moment, it seemed a great idea; a month later, it was a way without return.

He had to go inside and replace out some information, and with some luck, he was going to replace where Gabriel was. He would become a hero and receive a better position as a reward, maybe even brother’s place. His watch buzzed, and he had to leave Heaven to bring a soul.

A few days later, he was observing the chamber’s door. He prayed to be lucky, and one angel would leave the room. His prays were listened, and a gold silhouette left the room. Salatiel sneaked inside before the door sealed back. He found himself inside, staring at thousands of screens that showed fragments of human’s lives.

Salatiel examined the multitude of desks, trying to locate the empty one. The golden silhouettes turned towards him, their faces a dense blur. He hid his face under the hoody and advanced towards the middle of the room.

The screens flashed, and the crowd wailed. They received the data from a car crash, and Salatiel glared at his watch. He will have to leave soon.

Finally, the empty desk, Salatiel thought.

He started typing and read rapidly the data shown on the screen. Everything he needed was there, but the door opened again, and he knew he had to flee.