It took her a few seconds to digest that bit of information. He had obviously put a lot of thought into his decision. It was surprising he let go of such venomous hatred so easily. It also told her he wasn't exactly the monster she had first thought him to be. God, that she'd been willing to kill in cold blood to save her own ass. Her eyes began to burn, her vision blurring as she tried to sit up. She was forced to lie back down, her strength slowly coming back.
He helped her recline against the pillows. "If you tell me what is going on I may be in a position to help. If it involves Kelly we can figure out what to do together. You are the only person, other than Naberius and Raum, that I know who are in close vicinity. I feel an obligation to you, but I can't help you if you don't apprise me of the situation. Answer me honestly—what transpired last night at the park?"
She tried blinking away the gathering tears, only to cause them to fall down her cheeks. That he said they could work through this together, after her sneaky resolve to kill him, made her feel awful.
He put his hand under her chin, using his free hand to wipe away her tears. "Brianna, what is it? Were you aware of what Kelly was doing?"
She shook her head. "It's not something I can share with you. I wish I could." If she told him what had happened, she was afraid the angels would come.
He didn't say anything as he studied her face.
His examination left her uncomfortable. She couldn't hold up to his scrutiny, so she completely changed the topic. "Can I have something to eat?"
The defeat in his eyes was evident. The isolation. Naberius had his own life, which he shared with his beautiful girlfriend. Asmodeus and Raum seemed to get along, but what was the companionship of one old acquaintance? He probably felt just as alone as she now did. How could she ever have considered killing him? What kind of person did that make her?
He stood. "I will return shortly."
She waited until he shut the door and then let the tears fall. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that this wasn't fair. She'd made a simple mistake. How could she be punished for a millennium for one simple mistake? And her best friend wasn't the person Brianna had come to know and love. Kelly carried something dark within her. Brianna didn't even know if Kelly could be saved.
She wiped at her eyes, not wanting Asmodeus to walk in and see her bawling. She'd felt his disappointment that she wouldn't share with him what she knew about the angels, but how could she? There wasn't anything either of them could do anyway. They were going to the Abyss, and that was that.
She controlled her emotions as best she could before he came back. Fate was having a ball with her, but she was still in control of some things, such as her reaction to the problems she faced.
When Asmodeus opened the door she was able to sit up a bit more, and she had quit blubbering. He carried a plate of spaghetti and had a can of Coke under his arm.
"Valencia said you might like this. It's leftovers from last night."
The tomato and garlic aroma did nothing for her, but she'd asked for the food so she would attempt to eat some of it. He set the plate on her lap and handed her a fork. "If you don't like it she said she'll make you something else."
"This is more than fine. Thank you."
She took a few bites as he settled himself on the edge of the bed, facing her. He seemed content to watch her eat.
She pushed thoughts of Kelly aside to concentrate on her own immediate future. What would the next few days bring? If she didn't kill Asmodeus the angels were going to deliver their punishment. What would it be like to be subject to the horrors of the Abyss?
She opened the Coke. "What's the Abyss like?"
Outwardly he displayed no change in emotion, but she was beginning to notice the small things about him. A slight variation in his breathing pattern let her know her question had taken him off guard.
"It depends on which level you are on."
She put the Coke back on the nightstand. "Levels?" They hadn't mentioned anything about levels.
From the look on his face she could tell he didn't care much for the subject, but he answered her.
"There are three levels. The first level is reserved for angels who have been disobedient within their own realm or those who would benefit from philosophical teachings. The second is for angels who have fallen, and the third level is for those who have incited falls and started rebellions. I guess you could call it rehabilitation, with the overall purpose being to reinstate the angels back into the ranks."
"What happens in the levels? Why are they separated?"
"The first tier isn't very bad at all. It's more like a learning experience, where one is taught the principles in which we exist. The second is much the same way, and the third is more punishment than anything."