POV AZAZEL
Good thing Aamon had taken a picture of the angel at midnight. You could see that someone had already tried to open the summoning circle.
"Another angel," we both understood the significance immediately.
If she or he succeeded, that meant she or he had considerable power.
A demon or a guardian could have opened it instantly. This only works on angels.
Well, that's one more piece of the puzzle.
We headed to Celestine's, Betty's friend. Of course, John was there too.
Naberius had stepped out to meet Selma, but he'd join later if we were still around.
Betty didn't seem too shaken by our supernatural existence. Or maybe she just hadn't had time to process it yet.
When John saw us walking in hand-in-hand, he nudged Celestine lightly. At the time, I didn't understand why.
Celestine and John… they were involved. And they hid it like a secret, even from "the higher-ups."
Admitting rule-breaking scores points in the eyes of "the higher-ups."
Of course, only when it concerns humans. Guardians aren't subject to that.
I, Azazel, had taught humans ten thousand years ago. I got too close to them… overstepped my bounds. That's why I was exiled for ten millennia.
So yes, Celestine and John are clearly involved, but it's not my place to judge.
We didn't talk about angels, guardians, or demons in front of them.
The conversation was so trivial… yet I enjoyed it.
It dissipated the tension the angel had caused.
Betty might not have been shaken by the angel appearing and fleeing, but I was.
Who had allied with her? Who could have sent her?
Naberius arrived later with Selma at Celestine's bar.
No need to introduce Betty—she'd known them for years.
"So you left the company because of Paula," Selma deduced after a brief explanation.
We moved past that easily. After all, the world doesn't revolve around that damn company.
I was happiest that Betty so quickly closed the chapter on Paula's years of sneaky scheming.
While Betty and Selma talked, I had time to observe Celestine and John—they even acted like a couple, though unaware of it.
Naberius was peering out the window. A beautiful afternoon. Even Lucifer couldn't have ruined it. He hadn't called either of us in days.
Now, I wasn't worried.
Betty already knows I'm a watcher, so Number One can't feed her new information.
If Gremory finds the Grimoire and brings Lucifer out of Pandemonium, at least he won't interfere with me through Betty.
Good.
Eventually, we left Celestine's in the evening. Being alone with Betty now was inevitable.
It bothered me how naturally she behaved, as if nothing strange had happened. As if meeting a watcher were the most ordinary thing in the world.
I expected questions.
I could wait.
Eventually, I asked openly:
"What happens now?"
"You can come play basketball with me tomorrow, as we planned."
Ah. So she'd let the supernatural aspect of our situation rest, letting things flow naturally.
Perhaps she was trying harder than necessary to act normal—but she succeeded.
I escorted her home. She carefully withdrew her hand from mine, looking me seriously in the eyes.
"See you tomorrow."
The angel still roamed free, as did her master. I needed to make the apartment angel-proof.
I suggested this to the others as well.
Betty wasn't in immediate danger. An angel wouldn't attack a mortal, even for the gravest rule-breaking.
Still, I was glad she had the symbol. If she'd come into contact with guardians and demons, who knows how "the higher-ups" might react?
Well, those ten watchers certainly would.
The simplest approach: question Samyaza as soon as possible. I was planning to talk to him anyway.
"Free the day after tomorrow?"
I didn't waste time. I wanted every detail about that old matter from Samyaza.
"If you're up for it, come now."
He gave me the address. Surprising—it was at Celestine's bar.
"Funny how the threads all intersect," I thought.
Perhaps it's God's hand at work.
Celestine and John seemed to be old, trusted acquaintances of Samyaza.
A meeting was coming up when I arrived.
Well, well!
I sat at Samyaza's table; the others discreetly moved away.
He greeted me and ordered a large bottle of spiced leather wine.
"Haven't had this in ten thousand years!" I remarked after the first sip.
I hadn't tasted any wine since returning to the mortal world.
"Only Celestine can mix it this way. I taught her," he boasted.
For a moment, I wondered if Celestine really wasn't involved with John.
The thought crossed my mind that Celestine and Samyaza's child—the one sent to Pandemonium by "the higher-ups"—might exist, but I didn't believe Samyaza would casually drink so cheerfully if Heaven had punished him recently.
After two glasses of spiced wine, I asked directly, loud enough that Celestine also looked up:
"Whose child of a watcher is it?"
Samyaza didn't hesitate:
"Stay among the guardians, and we'll reveal the secret."
Fine. I wasn't going to get it out of him.
I shook my head.
"Impossible."
"Surely Lucifer's affair interests you that much?"
"No, not that."
This was my matter, not Number One's.
Samyaza clearly misunderstood and began questioning me about what secrets I had this time.
I didn't even notice when we switched to the Enochian language until nearby tables started staring.
Then we stopped.
"I have no secrets. I like this mortal woman. That's all there is to it."
"Now you will understand everything."
I knew he meant "the higher-ups" and their rules.
"I understand everything now, and I accept it."
We listened to each other for a long time. Then I pressed for the reason I had contacted him.
Ultimately, I got what I wanted.
For now, Betty was safe.
But we both knew what came AFTER.