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That was a reach, wasn’t it? I thought of our breakfast and dinner together. We collided like clanging cymbals, but all the same, he and I fit one another like the stars blanketed against the sky. While the Domenent had devastated the Sky Watchers, he’d been the perfect gentleman with me. His mouth could use some work but I couldn’t deny the truth. The Condemned of the tower, in his own twisted way, cared for me.
My heart slowed to a steady beat. Rising from bed, I washed myself quickly. Choosing to skip breakfast, I went to the library instead. When I got there, I waltzed in without preamble. I knew the Domenent would be at breakfast where he was probably waiting for me, and the Vèrtu would attend to him. This meant I could dig for information in peace. I should’ve felt bad for blowing the angel off when having breakfast together was my idea in the first place.
I didn’t.
Anticipation tingled through my body as I made my way to the nook upstairs. I looked out over the cloudy billows outdoors and sighed. Being here was a balm. Serene, with its own magic, it was already becoming a familiar place for me.
From where I stood, I noticed a garden. The glade looked ethereal. A little way away was a stable. Beyond was a misty trail that snaked through the clouds going up, with several terraces littered throughout. I thought of my luck. Everything here was perfect. If it wasn’t being used as a prison, I’d almost consider staying here. The tower was magical. I decided, for the rest of my time with the Domenent, I was going to make the most of it.
I walked to the table and filled a small plate with hors d’oeuvres. They were piping hot. I wondered which Vèrtu handled this spread. I really should’ve done a better job of learning their names. Becoming familiar with them would build rapport between us… and get me the information I needed to conquer the Domenent and get out of here.
Nibbling on treats, I made my way through the majestic columns. Every once in a while, my hand danced across the stone shelves, feeling the parchment of the scrolls. The majority had floating script. As I began reading, the words shifted and moved, either scrolling down to let me read more, or becoming images that played out the tale in real time. I searched with diligence until I found what I was looking for. An entire shelf was solely dedicated to the origins of Domenents.
Those, as the Condemned said, who carried Transcendent blood in their veins.
I knew enough about angelic ranks and hierarchy to know that Transcendents were superior to Domenents. So if he was their descendant…
I thought of the power he possessed and shivered. Not out of fear, but something else I refused to acknowledge. There was a gnawing in my spirit working to make me think there was more there. I shook away the feeling, grabbed several scrolls from the shelves, and made my way back to the couch. With a treat in hand, I laid the scrolls on the table. Tucking both my feet beneath me, I picked one up at random and began reading.
This scroll was a boring encyclopedia of sorts. It was chock full of angelic genealogies, emigrations, and societal placements. I didn’t give a rot about any of that. I wanted to know about the judges like the Domenent I lived with.
“Curious little thing, aren’t you?”
Mid-chew, I yelped, whirling around to find the Domenent seated beside me, a bemused look on his face. There were no traces of arrogance. Even his posture had been vacated of its usual pride. He looked relaxed. Comfortable.
Something dislodged in my chest. I couldn’t help but fold beneath the weight of his molten stare. That thing inside of me pricked again. I wrestled with it, unwilling to break so easily at a ravishing face.
A sudden desire to straddle him suffocated me. I choked down a cough. Lewd thoughts flooded my mind. It didn’t help that he wouldn’t look away. When I caught the rise and fall of his chest, I knew he was fighting to restrain himself, too.
We sat there, staring at one another, an electrifying heat charging the air. I licked my lips, which had gone dry. His eyes snagged on the movement. Dark embers burned inside of them.
“I… I wanted to learn more about… about your kind,” I stammered. Rot. I could hardly breathe. My stomach clenched, wetness building at the center of my core. I wrenched my eyes away before I did something utterly stupid. “You know, judges and all that.”
“Mm,” was all he managed.
He coughed more than once. Clearing his throat, he spoke.
“If you want to know about Domenent angels, you only need to ask.”
His voice was hoarse. The baritone sent me into a craze. I took a deep breath, desperately trying to keep my mind clear.
“I figured you wouldn’t want to talk to me since…” I bit my lip in guilt. How was he so cordial when only the night before I’d tried getting him captured?
He laughed, scooting closer.
“Ah. You expected me to be angry. What, with you letting Kiranon in my tower and all.”
I chewed my lip, looking down at my hands. The guilt I’d previously ignored now overwhelmed my senses. Shame creeped into my bones. I deserved the reckoning coming. I just hoped it wouldn’t be unsurvivable.
The Domenent poked my side until I turned to look up at him through my lashes. His eyes fell to my lips, and lingered, before lifting again.
“Temptress, we talked about this. You’re not the first. Handing their ràsses to them has been a sport for me.”
“Is that why you lied to me?”
He gave me a proud, brilliant smile that made my chest squeeze.
“You didn’t really think I’d trust a fae who’d been dropped off here by Sky Watchers to sabotage me, did you?”
