Inception (The Reaping Chronicles, 1) (42 page)

“Yes, Nate. That’s exactly what He did.”

Nonie got up from her seat and made her way to her brother as if she intended to either support him or calm him down. Maybe both. As soon as his sister pulled herself up next to him, his demeanor relaxed.

Ben and Lizzie had adjusted their positions, leaning in closer to the table.

“Gabrielle,” Nonie held her voice in a calm tone, and Gabrielle was glad she was taking the reins of the conversation away from Nate. Gabrielle didn’t want this to become a heated argument because he doesn’t understand all that goes on in Heaven. “What kind of deal did He make? And … why?”

Lucas was more interested in the conversation now, too. Gabrielle realized this was information she still hadn’t shared with him.

“When Ramai defied Yahuwah, one of the reasons was because he didn’t understand why Yahuwah favored humans. In particular, he didn’t understand why He gave them free will. Ramai was bestowed with more favor than any other angel Yahuwah created. He gave Ramai tremendous power and beauty. One of the things He charged Ramai with was taking care of Earth. Only Yahuwah himself, and Ramai, know exactly what came about to cause him to rebel, but we do know he wanted to be exalted higher than Yahuwah. Ramai argued with Him about how humans weren’t worthy of His favor and forgiveness. Ramai is extremely prideful and arrogant, and that’s his downfall. He felt Yahuwah favored humans more than him—he couldn’t share Yahuwah’s love with people, and he didn’t feel they should be held in as high a regard as he was.

“While Ramai took care of his duties protecting Earth, his feelings for humans darkened as he spent more and more time among them. When he rebelled against Yahuwah, he gathered a third of His angels to attack with him. You already know Ramai and the other rebelling angels were defeated and cast from Heaven permanently. Before Yahuwah expelled them, though, Ramai asked for the ability to prove he was right and Yahuwah was wrong to hold humans in such high regard and favor. Yahuwah agreed to allow Ramai to keep his powers on Earth to try to sway humans toward the evil and sin that lives within them, while Yahuwah’s angels do what we can to keep love and righteousness growing inside you. Ramai is convinced he’ll win this battle because he believes humans, as a whole, will turn away from Yahuwah’s love.

“Since Yahuwah is all knowing, he also agreed to let Ramai and his legions operate with a certain amount of obscurity. In this way, He is allowing for humans to truly have free will with little interference from Him. Just as Ramai is sure humans will fail—Yahuwah is sure you won’t. But He won’t force anyone to follow Him, and since this was the way He felt before Ramai asked for His cooperation, He agreed.”

Gabrielle took in their expressions. They all looked deep in thought and tired.

“Does that make it any clearer?”

Nate shook his head. “I still don’t understand why God would make a deal with an angel who betrayed Him so thoroughly.”

“One of the first things that will help you to understand Yahuwah, and what He does and doesn’t do, is to try not to understand at all.”

“Huh?” Lucas said as he made an exasperated gesture.

Gabrielle knew it was difficult for humans to understand why Yahuwah lets what they considered bad things happen, but she was hoping Lucas would be more accepting of what she was saying, especially with what she knew about the decision he’d have to make in the future. His scowl showed the agitation that he wasn’t speaking with words, but Gabrielle was able to hear it anyway.

How am I going to keep Darkness from him?

The thought was not one she could dwell on, and she didn’t feel she had the mental energy even if she wanted to.

“Look. Yahuwah is all-knowing. There’s no other in the universe who is. There’s so much He sees that we don’t, and because of that, He allows certain things to happen and disallows others. That’s why
He’s
God. It’s not our job, whether angel or human, to understand Him. What He asks of us, what our job is, is to have faith. Faith that there are reasons why and that He always has our best interests in mind. Our
faith
in Him, and all He does, makes Him the most joyous.” She paused to look at all of them again. “Is that really so much to ask of the One who created you?”

Gabrielle was weary from the discussion, and she still had a lot to take care of. She needed a break from all of the talking—the explaining. If she were honest with herself, she’d admit she wasn’t only trying to convince
them
of Yahuwah’s good intentions—she was beginning to question them herself. She’d never doubted Him before. She didn’t know if the thoughts, the uncertainties, were a result of the information Amaziah had given her or if it was because of her human feelings and emotions interfering. Maybe it was a combination, but it was upsetting. She wanted to leave her human form and just be an angel again, at least for a little while—shed all the tethers that bound humans to their mental turmoil.

“We have enough to digest for one night,” Nate said as he hopped down from the counter. “It’s getting late, and I still have school stuff to do before I can go to bed—not that I’ll be able to concentrate. Or even sleep.”

“Yeah,” Nonie agreed with her brother. “I have things to do, too.”

Lucas got up from the table, and they started toward the door. Gabrielle nodded her goodbye to the Daniels family. She was spent and didn’t want to move.

She heard Lucas say good night and close the door, then his footfall, much slower than his normal pace, as he made his way back to her. He was as wiped out as she was. Probably even more so. He walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, then bent down to softly kiss her neck just below her ear and whispered into it.

“I have some things to get done, too. Do you mind if I get started? Or, would you like to talk some more?”

Gabrielle did need to talk to Lucas. But she didn’t even know where to begin. Things were so much worse, and far more complicated, than he knew right now. And he thought he knew everything he was facing. Her heart felt as if it was being squeezed in someone’s fist. He’d already seemed so upset about Yahuwah’s deal with the devil. She wasn’t sure he needed to hear it right now, anyway. There didn’t seem to be a need for him to know tonight.

“No. You go ahead and do what you need to, and I’ll get to my work. I still have a lot I have to take care of myself. Even more now that I know about the Gentry’s visits.”

Gabrielle stood up and faced Lucas, wrapping her arms around his neck, then pulled back enough to look in his eyes.

“We have plenty of time for more talking.”

She leaned toward him to meet his lips and closed her eyes, once again, aware that she wasn’t sure how much time they really did have together. No matter how much was theirs to enjoy, the clock was counting down. She thought she could hear the seconds relentlessly ticking, getting louder as the time given for her to accomplish her goals grew shorter. She tried to block it out, but it was still there. It didn’t make it go away—didn’t make it less real. It was just like her love for Javan—as much as she tried to ignore it, it remained. She couldn’t deny that she still loved him. And she couldn’t deny that her time with Lucas, who she also loved, was slipping away. When it did, she’d lose Lucas.

Just like I lost Javan.

Chapter Sixty-six

Gabrielle ~ Something to Consider

Gabrielle left Lucas as soon as she could. She’d never felt the need for space more. Not to get away from Lucas, she just needed time to herself to clear her mind. When she escaped her human form, it was much easier for her to think clearly.

She thought back to all she’d learned over the past several days, especially the evening’s conversation. It disturbed her that the Gentry were interested in Lucas, Nonie, and Nate, but knowing the decision facing Lucas, the reason for their interest would likely be traced back to Ramai—trying to find ways Lucas could be swayed toward him. Her instinct told her she was right. She needed to discover what they were trying to accomplish.

The devil is in the details.

The saying had never had more meaning to her than now. The devil seemed to be in every detail, behind the scenes of every obstacle Lucas faced. She felt a shiver trail down her spine thinking of Ramai being so interested in Lucas—so involved in his life.

There wasn’t much she could do to stop him from pushing Lucas toward what he desired, though. She was a powerful angel, but Ramai was more powerful. However, she did have a much larger arsenal now. She suspected her new powers would be needed when she faced the things coming for Lucas, things lurking in Shadows that had been around him his entire life, and it was only going to get worse.

As torn as she had been about falling for Lucas, she believed that Yahuwah wanted her in his life. She couldn’t have as big of an influence on him if they weren’t close.

He knew we’d fall in love … He must have wanted us to.

Anger crept in again. Having another she loved taken from her as she knew Lucas would be—as Yahuwah knew—was a crushing blow. She pushed the negative feelings down, wondering how long she’d be able to.

Not in a hurry to get to her Heavenly duties, enjoying her freedom—more mental than physical—she moved over the landscape, leaving the rolling hills of Tennessee and the flat fields of southern Georgia. There was somewhere she wanted to go, and before long, she began to see the outline of the coast.

She loved being near the ocean no matter what part of the world, but she was partial to the white sands and emerald or turquoise waters from the Florida panhandle down into the Caribbean. Something made her want to be near palm trees and the constant breeze that made them sway as if they were dancing for joy because of the beauty they lived among.

She sat at the water’s edge and allowed herself to get lost in thought as she appreciated the bright moon that hung low on the horizon. Capturing its light momentarily, the waves glistened as they crested and again as they reached the shore and pushed toward the thirsty grains of sand, pulling some back into their fold with every reach.

She looked toward Heaven, searching the night sky for any of her brethren, looking past the stars themselves, trying to see her eternal home. She knew it was impossible, even for an angel, to see into Heaven from Earth, but she could see it clearly in her mind.

As she was about to call Sheridan to bring her the day’s lot, she heard a familiar voice. It made her smile as soon as she heard it—Amaziah.

‘Gabrielle, I couldn’t help but feel you needed me. Are you okay?’

His voice soothed her worries. He made everything seem as if it was going to be all right.

Even when it wasn’t.

‘I’m okay. I just needed to clear my head for a while and think with the mind of an angel, instead of a human.’

She heard him chuckle.

‘I understand it can be difficult. But I can’t say that I have any real knowledge.’

‘You haven’t ever taken a human form other than recently, with me?’

‘I have never had a need, or desire, to be anything other than what I am. I may never want to again after seeing how much it affects you, my dear.’

‘It’s not all bad, Amaziah. The physical sensations we don’t get to experience as angels are interesting.’

He laughed again
, ‘I know you have enjoyed that part. But is it worth it, Gabrielle? Is it worth all the doubts? The temptations? It is a lot to risk, you know.’

Gabrielle was confused.
‘What do you mean—risk?’

‘Haven’t you realized, Gabrielle? The longer you are in your human body, the more you will think and feel as a human. It’s part of the reason you were limited to a six month stay on Earth.’

She had noticed it seemed harder for her to think as an angel, but she hadn’t realized it would get more difficult.

‘You weren’t supposed to be in that form nearly as much as you have been. It was only going to be while you were in school for the day and for social activities. You spend almost every second of the day, and night, as a human.’

She hadn’t considered how little time she chose to be in her true form. She hadn’t planned on Lucas, wanting to spend every moment possible experiencing what she felt when she was with him . And now, even knowing how much it was affecting her, she couldn’t imagine giving up time with him.

‘I hadn’t realized it would affect me so much. When I’m in my true form, I don’t feel its effects anymore.’

‘I wouldn’t expect you to. Not physically. It’s your mind that is of most concern to me … and should be to you. I don’t want your missteps to result in you falling.’

There was a long silence, and Gabrielle thought back to the momentary flux in faith if Lucas chose Darkness. She was thankful when Amaziah continued speaking, ending the troubling memory.

‘Gabrielle, I know you don’t want to, but you should try to find more time out of your human body so you are in better control of your thoughts and actions. It will help you to make the right decisions, at the right time, when you are with Lucas or your other human friends. Otherwise, you may find yourself doing things you would never consider while thinking as you are now—as an angel.’

‘I will consider it.’

Gabrielle meant what she said, and she knew he was right. It had already affected her judgment. If she continued to spend as much of her time as a human as she’d grown accustomed to, it would become an even bigger problem. It was too easy to get lost in the love and contentment she felt with Lucas.

‘I’m glad you knew I was thinking of you. I guess I needed to talk to you and didn’t realize it. Thank you for being my friend and confidant, Amaziah.’

‘You know I don’t need or desire your thanks, Gabrielle. I love you. I always will. It makes me happy to be able to be the one you turn to.’

‘I love you, too, Amaziah.’