The path stretching north from the courtyard led to the angels’ homes, collectively known as The Dwellings. Further up this path, the partially finished Great Hall sat at the northernmost tip of Heaven. Then, out to the side of the Great Hall, lay the Library to the east and the instructional buildings further east. The last building, to the west of the Great Hall, was the warrior’s compound, known as The Fortress. But down south, at the East Edge, lay nothing of interest, and nothing was where Lila headed.
She touched down near the obelisk, and the Void met her presence with indifference. With silence. It did not care about her origin. It did not care about her desires. It did not care if she had no soul or five souls.
It would swallow her whole as easily as it would anyone, and for this, she respected it. She felt connected to it, even.
Stepping over to the thin, shimmering gold barrier that separated Heaven from the Void, she held her palm up to its translucent surface, stopping a mere thumb’s breadth from breaking through.
It would be so easy to tumble over the edge, to embrace oblivion, to wrap its tranquility around herself like a lover, to shred into a thousand ribbons and unfurl there forever. The Void did not care about the purpose of her existence. Rather, it would relieve her of its burden.
She could be free.
The Void demanded nothing but surrender, and Lila edged closer to it, the bell of her white skirt nearly drifting into the inky darkness. She wondered how it would feel to fling herself, arms outstretched, robes billowing, her body open, at peace. One moment there, one moment gone.
She closed her eyes and imagined it, let the whisperings of power mist over her skin. She could undo herself with a twist of her limbs. An outstretched hand. A step too far.
That, alone, was a power none could take from her.
Just a bit more. If she had the courage, she only needed to go a little further. Already, she felt the aether thinning, her breaths shallowing.
One more step. She could do it. She could leave this place and all its plans for her, like she’d dreamed of for so long.
Lila willed herself to move. But before she could do anything, a melodic whistle, far off in the distance, drew her attention. Glancing behind her, she saw the hazy image of another angel approaching.
It was enough to send her hurtling back to reality.
What had she been thinking? Ifsheno longer existed, then neither would Castor. And frustrated as she might be, she could not make that decision for him. She would not.
There was no way out.
A chill pricked Lila’s arms. Retreating from the Void, she scurried back to the obelisk and peeked around it at the incoming angel.
Luc.
Of course, it was him. Because nothing could sharpen her blow of disappointment like the appearance of the angel who was never denied anything. Behind the obelisk, Lila scowled. She dropped down to the base of it and stared into the Void, suddenlyviolentlyopposed to leaving. This washerVoid. He’d have to find another one.
A moment later, Luc’s voice came from above: “What areyoudoing here?” Even in his annoyance, his words poured out like rich wine into a silver goblet—a deep crimson wine, bejeweled and beguiling.
Lila winced at the sound.
“Thinking,” she said, crossing her arms. “What’s it to you?”
“You’re in my spot.”
At this, Lila turned her head. She could see why their classmates called him the brightest angel in all of Heaven, why some of them fell all over themselves to gain his attention. It had partly to do with his intellect, of course, but his appearance was even more beautiful, as if someone had carved him from the smoothest marble, expertly sculpting every bone and muscle. If he were a painting, Lila might have been compelled to cry, but he was only Luc, and he wore an arrogant scowl as he peered down at her. With him, he carried a large bundle of scrap paper, tied with twine, along with some Library scrolls. Clearly, he’d intended to be there for a while.
And now, he could not.
How sad for him.
“You have aspot?” Lila scoffed. “At the edge of the Void? Nice try.”
“If you must know, I do my best thinking staring into nothing.Alone.Incase you haven’t noticed, this is the only obelisk here.” Luc drew himself up, as if to lay claim on said obelisk.
“Then lean your back against nothing like we common angels do. Perhaps it will improve your spine.”
“Says the angel slouching.”
“Go on.” Lila slouched down further, leveling a cool stare at him. “Move me. I dare you.”
