Justice For The Fallen ✓

7. Sannarah

The sun was already out, shedding light on rain-splattered cobblestones and dirty, dilapidated buildings. My pace was quick, and determined─I wanted to get rid of Golden Boy as soon as possible. He got onto my nerves already with his lofty attitude. He knew nothing about living in the slums, yet he dared to judge me.

Typical angel.

"Hey, wait!" Golden Boy's heavy footsteps finally caught up with me. "I apologise. I might have overstepped some boundaries back there."

"You think?" I growled, glaring at him. But to my surprise, he seemed sincere. His brows were furrowed, and he looked troubled. I sighed. He resembled a lost puppy, and I couldn't possibly stay angry with him for long. I didn't think he meant any harm. He was just so painfully naïve. "Look, I don't have time to educate you on how the world below Heaven works. There is no point. You're here to do the job, nothing more. Let's deal with this investigation swiftly, and then we can go our separate ways, all right?"

"I agree," he said after a pause, and his golden eyes rested on me. "Can I have one question? Will you answer truthfully?"

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, if it shuts you up, then yes." We have left the poorest part of the slums, making more crowded streets look slightly less depressing. 

"Why didn't you take the soul of the mortal who visited you?"

Yes, why didn't you? asked the voice in my head.

Ignoring it, I stopped in my tracks and turned to him, frowning. "How would you know?"

He shrugged and halted too. "I'm an angel. I can recognise mortals who sell their souls to the Fallen God."

I huffed, annoyed and ran my hand through my hair. "Mr Booth is a good man and a friend. I don't sell friends."

"Oh?" the archangel mused, and his golden eyes brightened. The way he was looking at me became softer. It was annoying.

"Stop staring at me like that!" I hissed. "Don't read more to it than it is. The truth is, most people don't want to sell their souls. They all get angry easily and want to seek revenge and such right away. Nothing wrong with that. But when they have time to think, they don't want to act on it."

"So, you ensure their convictions are strong before taking their souls?" Golden Boy asked with a smirk. "I didn't expect such kindness from the Fallen."

"No, I don't! It's just...." My tongue didn't want to cooperate and produce the right words. I let out a growl of frustration. "Stop doing that!"

"Doing what?" he asked innocently.

"Assuming I'm a good person! I'm not some goody two shoes you're taking me for. I'm a demon, don't forget that. I'm a vicious and cruel creature!"

"Of course you are. But then why refuse to take a human's soul? Isn't that your whole purpose being here in Human Realm? To gather the rotten souls for the Fallen God? "

The latest meeting with Zugrun flashed before my eyes, and the scratches on my neck throbbed painfully at the memory.

"Well, it is, but I can do that without sacrificing my frie... mortals useful for me. I'll have you know that Mr Booth makes the best pancakes in this hellhole called a city. I'm not going to risk messing that up."

"I see." Golden Boy nodded, rubbing his chin with a serious expression, but the mischief was glinting in his eyes. "I guess all those children back in the orphanage must be very useful to you, no?"

"Oh, just shut up," I growled and started walking again. He dared to mock me, stupid angel. "Follow me and stop talking. You are annoying."

He laughed but did as was told without complaining. The streets were crowded and loud, people shouted at each other, and rattling carts pushed their way, trying to get to their destination without trampling anyone. On any other day, I might be tempted to get right into this commotion─it would be so easy to snatch some purses without being seen. Alas, I needed to deal with other things first.