Angelology(120)

could see the faintest glistening of sweat forming upon his forehead. “She will endure their questions,

although we all know that their methods can be horribly cruel.”

The atmosphere turned grim. We all understood how brutal the Nephilim could be to our agents,

especially if they wanted something. I had heard tales of the methods of torture they used, and I could

only imagine what they would do to my colleagues to extract information. Closing my eyes, I

whispered a prayer. I could not foresee what would happen, but I understood how important the

evening had become: If we lost what we had recovered from the cavern, our work would have been

for nothing. The discoveries were precious, but would we willingly sacrifice an entire team of

angelologists for them?

“One thing is certain,” the nun said, looking at her wristwatch. “They are still alive. We received

the call approximately twenty minutes ago. I myself spoke with Seraphina.”

“Could she speak freely?” Dr. Raphael said.

“She urged us to make the trade,” the nun said. “She specifically asked Dr. Raphael to go

forward.”

Dr. Raphael folded his hands before him. He seemed to be examining something minute on the

surface of the table. “What are your thoughts about such a trade?” he asked, addressing the council.

“We don’t have much choice in the matter,” Dr. Lévi-Franche said. “Such a trade is against our

protocol. We have never made such trades in the past, and I believe we should not make an exception,

no matter how we value Dr. Seraphina. We cannot possibly give them the materials recovered from

the gorge. Retrieving them has been hundreds of years in the planning.”

I was horrified to hear Gabriella’s uncle speak of my teacher in such cold terms. My indignation

was assuaged slightly as I caught Gabriella glaring at him with annoyance, the very look she had once

reserved for me.

“And yet,” said the nun, “Dr. Seraphina’s expertise has brought us the treasure. If we lose her, how

will we progress?”

“It is impossible to make the trade,” Dr. Lévi-Franche insisted. “We have not had the opportunity

to examine the field notes or develop the photographs. The expedition would be an utter waste.”

Vladimir said, “And the lyre—I cannot possibly imagine what the consequences of their possession

of it would hold for all of us. For all the world, for that matter.”

“I agree,” Dr. Raphael said. “The instrument must be kept away from them at all costs. Surely there

must be some alternative.”

“I am aware that my views are not popular among you,” the nun said. “But this instrument is not

worth the cost of human life. We must certainly make the trade.”

“But the treasure we have found today is the culmination of great efforts,” Vladimir objected, his

Russian accent thick. The cut over his eye had been sutured and cleaned and had the appearance of

raw and gruesome embroidery. “Surely you do not mean that we destroy something we have worked

so hard to recover?”

“It is exactly what I mean,” the nun said. “There is a point when we must realize that we have no

power in these matters. It is out of our hands. We must leave it to God.”

“Ridiculous,” Vladimir said.

As the arguments erupted between the members of the council, I studied Dr. Raphael, who sat so

close by that I could smell the sour-sweet aroma of the champagne we’d been drinking only hours

before. I could see that he was quietly formulating his thoughts, waiting for the others to exhaust their

arguments. Finally he rose, gestured for the group to be silent. “Quiet!” he said, with more force than I

had ever heard him use before.

The council members turned to him, surprised at the sudden authority in his voice. Although he was

the head of the council and our most prestigious scholar, he rarely displayed his power.

Dr. Raphael said, “Earlier this evening I took this young angelologist to a gathering. It was a ball,

thrown by our enemies. I think that I can say it was quite a brilliant affair, wouldn’t you agree,

Celestine?”

At a loss for words, I simply nodded.

Dr. Raphael continued, “My reasons for doing this were practical. I wanted to show her the enemy

up close. I wanted her to understand that the forces we are fighting against are here, living next to us

in our cities, stealing and killing and pillaging as we watch, helpless. I think the lesson made an

impression upon her. Yet I see now that many of you might have benefited from such an educational

episode. It is obvious to me that we have forgotten what we are doing here.”