Justinian gestured to a stone shaped like an ottoman. “Madame?”
“Call me Raya, please.” She lowered herself to sit on the stone.
“Raya.” He made a short bow in her direction.
Phoenix scowled. The showoff. He chose his next words carefully, aiming for sincerity—or at least the semblance of it. “What can I do, Justinian, to make up for my error in judgment over two hundred years ago?” Angels, the world champion grudge-holders.
The light of the sword flickered in Justinian’s eyes. “How much does she know?”
“Who, Raya?” Phoenix allowed himself a small smile. “Some. Not everything. But you can speak freely.”
“What do you mean, I don’t know everything?”
“I should think that was obvious.”
She stuck her tongue out at him.
Justinian observed the exchange. “Are you two finished with—whatever that was?”
“Quite,” said Phoenix. He glared at Raya, who smiled and made a rude gesture at him out of Justinian’s line of sight.
“There is something you can do for me.” Justinian picked up a book, riffled the pages absently, and replaced it. “I want you to find God.”
Raya leaned over so far she nearly fell off her seat. “What?”
“That’s impossible.” Phoenix ran his hand through his hair. “No one knows where they are.”
“They?” Raya looked utterly baffled. “They who?”
Phoenix gave Justinian a shall-I-tell-her-or-shall-you look.
Justinian shrugged.
Phoenix sighed. “Our respective bosses. God. Lucifer. We don’t know where they are.”
Raya pointed up with one hand and down with the other. “Heaven? Hell?”
“That’s the problem.” Justinian gestured with one powerful hand. “We don’t know where those are, either.”
“Are you kidding me?” Raya’s voice veered into high-pitched disbelief.
“It is not well-known among mortals,” Justinian said.
Raya shook her head as if clearing it. “Wait—how do you not know where heaven and hell are?”
“Ask any angel, or demon, what they remember before coming to awareness on this mortal earth. Unless they’re lying, they’ll tell you they remember nothing.”
Raya looked to Justinian for confirmation.
He nodded.
“Nothing? Really?” said Raya.
“Nothing,” said Phoenix.
“How did you know what to do?”
“I knew my name, my rank, and my mission. Nothing more.”
