- Mira -
Mira passed out soon after being healed. Her blood loss had been so severe that getting her body to a stable state took a large chunk of her mana. She would normally be fine, but all the flying she had been doing prior reduced her mana reserves to a point that after the healing she was almost fully depleted.
She woke up at night by the supply cart, unsure of how long she had been out.
Mira's outfit had been ruined by the blood. Yvere changed her clothes when she was asleep, giving her a black shirt and black pants.
"Sorry about the size." Yvere was sorting through a crate.
The clothes were a little tight on Mira but her mind was elsewhere.
"Huh? It's fine. Thank you."
Mira didn't feel secure simply because she had been spared. Death and Lucifer would be watching her, and any movements she made against them would surely get her killed on the spot.
Mira tugged at her shirt and gave quick-shifting glances to Lucifer and Death who were talking to each other.
'I don't know what you expect me to do Azriel. Even if I fight them that would barely stall for time.'
Mira felt sick. In what felt like an instant her world had gone from careful planning to being a prisoner, and her captors were far stronger than her.
'I should thank her properly.'
"I really appreciate everything. The healing, and th-"
"Basic courtesy. I support Peter's statement." Yvere's words were cold. She didn't look at Mira when she spoke.
Mira's thoughts were racing. Moments in her life flashed before her. As she was staring blankly Lucifer walked up to her.
"I hope the stare is you reflecting on your mistakes."
Mira barely heard Lucifer. She responded with a simple look, but no words.
"Now that you're healed and freshly clothed, I want to further discuss this issue."
Mira couldn't tell if Lucifer had other intentions.
'If he wants me dead he would have just killed me.'
Mira nodded. She followed Lucifer to a stone table with two stone seats across from each other.
Death and the rest were closely watching.
"Have a seat." Lucifer pointed. "I'm doing this for Michael, not you."
Mira took her seat and Lucifer followed.
'Doing this for Michael? Why?'
Before Mira could open her mouth to ask a question, Lucifer put his hand up.
"I'm going first. If you earn the chance I'll answer whatever questions you have."
Mira looked at the table.
"Eyes forward," Lucifer ordered.
Mira brought her gaze up. She could barely bring herself to maintain eye contact.
'How you convince any human to work for you with those eyes I'll never know.'
"Now." Lucifer placed a dagger onto the table. "This Azriel issue. I need to know how you knew it was him? He had his face covered. I've known Azriel far longer than you, and given the circumstances, I was able to make an educated guess. You, however, shouldn't be able to do the same."
Mira didn't speak for a moment. She was searching her mind for any reasonable excuse she could make that would work.
"He wasn't veiled initially. When I saw him again I was surprised to see his face hidden."
Mira felt like the lie was believable.
Lucifer's eyes narrowed.
"Why were you and Azriel fighting? If you had intended to help me you should have flown up next to me. Yet you chose to go right for him? Why?"
Mira dug her hand into her thigh to stop herself from shaking more. She felt like she was digging her own grave.
'I should just tell him the truth. He might still kill me though. Azriel...no, you trusted me, and I need to overcome this fear.'
Azriel had always been an inspiration to Mira. All of the archangels, except for one, had been. She steeled herself, and gave the best excuse she could think of.
"I wanted to talk to him. I knew he had attacked you, but that didn't stop me. I respect, or respected, Azriel. I thought maybe it was a misunderstanding."
Lucifer's face made him look unconvinced.
"Final question. Does Michael know anything about this? Your want to kill me, and Azriel's betrayal?"
Thankfully this was easy to answer.
"No."
It was the truth. A truth that made Mira feel worse after the temporary relief of not having to lie.
"Death is going to speak with Michael about this to confirm your statement. I believe you, but once again, that's only because I actually trust Michael."
The statement led to Mira asking a question without thinking.
"You trust Michael? I thought you hated him?"
"I have actual problems to hate." Lucifer sighed. "Michael is straightforward. Any fights we've had recently have been scuffles, nothing more."
Mira couldn't believe what she was hearing. She decided to keep asking questions, against her better judgment.
"You slammed his head into a wall though. You call that a scuffle?"
"He needs to remember to watch his mouth, and yes I do. If we were actual enemies we would walk away from each other missing limbs."
'Does Michael feel the same way? I thought he hated you. I guess I don't know him as well as I thought.'
Lucifer picked up the dagger and sheathed it to his side.
"Here's what happens next. You call Michael. You tell him that you're leaving this mission, and he's not to send another angel. When he argues you will do everything you can to assure him that this is the best option. I will be monitoring this conversation, obviously."
"Okay."
Mira didn't bother saying anything else for fear of ruining this chance.
Lucifer handed Mira her echo.
"Go ahead."
Mira called Michael.
"Mira? Another late report. Is everything okay?"
Lucifer's face shifted to a small glare.
"Yes, sorry about that. There's been an incident. I need to return to Heaven."
"Incident, huh?" Lucifer said loudly enough so Michael could easily hear.
"Why is Lucifer joining our call? And what's this incident."
Lucifer was quick to respond.
"Were you aware of Mira's severe hatred for me when you allowed her on this mission? Because, as it turns out, she was hoping to kill me while traveling with us."
Michael's sigh was loud and extended.
"Mira...I know your feelings about Lucifer, but I had hoped when you volunteered that it was in an attempt to reconcile."
"Fucking fool," Lucifer said under his breath.
"I've failed you and Heaven sir. I think given the circumstances, you shouldn't send another angel to replace me."
Michael hit what sounded like wood.
"I'm guessing Lucifer convinced you to say that? Well your failings aside, the presence of an angel on that mission is necessary."
"I think you lost the privilege of requiring that when you unknowingly sent an assassin to join us." Lucifer retorted.
The sound of cracking wood came through the call.
"I understand the situation brother, but I don't rightly care what YOUR feelings are on this matter."
"If he's calling me brother he must be furious," Lucifer said to Mira.
"Death! Michael problem!" Lucifer shouted at Death.
Death rolled his eyes and walked over.
Mira suddenly felt relieved. The focus wasn't on her, and there was a good chance she would get out of this.
'Please keep fighting them on this Michael.'
Death hunched over Mira's shoulder.
"I want to make one thing clear to you. I did you a favor by allowing Mira to join us. She, and by association, you, have spat on that favor. She will be returning to Heaven, and no angels will be replacing her, and if you have any problems with that I want you to remember how little patience I currently have left."
Death's close proximity and his words chilled Mira. She was in two minds about the current conversation. She wanted Michael to argue to keep the focus off of her, but also didn't want him potentially dragging Death and the angels into conflict.
"You and I will have a long conversation about this once you get back from your mission." Micheal was saying through his teeth.
"Which of us were you talking to?" Death asked.
"BOTH!" Michael yelled before ending the call.
"We didn't get to tell him about Azriel," Lucifer said.
"And now we won't be able to. Chances are he won't respond to another call until he's cooled off." Death added.
"What do I do now? I can't leave through Vázoluna, and I probably won't be able to fly for a little while given my depletion."
Death lifted up from Mira's shoulder.
"How many delays are we going to encounter?" Death rubbed his head. "We'll wait until Ezekiel catches up with us. You can leave with him."
Mira didn't know how to respond to the kind offer. Unfortunately for her, Lucifer did.
"We are not waiting for them. She can walk. The fact that we spared her life is the last kindness she deserved."
Mira agreed with what Lucifer had to say, but the thought of having to walk through lycan territory with little magic, along with betraying Azriel, terrified her, even more than Lucifer and Death.
"What if she runs into Cytus or Azriel? Then Michael will blame us for her death." Death asked Lucifer.
"He should blame himself. The only reason I haven't killed her is because of him. I know he's immune to being grateful, but even he should acknowledge the favor I've done for him."
Lucifer's anger with Mira had clearly not faded.
"I'll try to call Michael. When he eventually picks up I'll ask how close Ezekiel is. If he's still far then we'll go with your plan."
"Fine." Lucifer agreed, standing up.
Mira was left at the table. She was stunned by what had just happened.
'Now what? I can't make any calls to Azriel. Maybe I should just rest and get ready to walk.'
Thinking that, Mira decided to be bold and ask Lucifer for a favor.
"Can I at least have a sword? Not now, obviously, but when I leave. I don't think I'll be able to afford conjuring mine."
Lucifer looked back and flashed from disgust to interest.
"You know what? Sure. If you can beat Peter in a match I'll give you one."