“The Great Hall.”
“Ah, the Great…I thought you said it should be anewstructure.”
“It will be when I’m done with it.” Luc smiled with pride. “The Great Hall like none have seen it.”
“Well…at least not until they’ve viewed your proposal.” Hadri’s tone turned wry, and Luc thought the architect might be mocking him, but then he added, with utter sincerity, “That sounds very intriguing. I’d like to see the draft once you’ve completed it.”
“Of course, sir.”
“That reminds me,” the architect continued, “I’ve been meaning to show you something in the Great Hall. Very few have seen it as it’s rather hidden, but I installed it myself, and I think it’s going to be one of its finest features. Not that I would boast.” He held up his palms. “But if you don’t have time, I understand.” Hadri waved the thought away.
Hefting up his scrolls, he started to retreat, and Luc should have let him go. It was what he had wanted.
However, the idea of seeing something few had seen sparked Luc’s unending curiosity. If it was in the Great Hall, even better. Perhaps he could gather more ideas for his proposal. He could consider it research.
He’d already spent ages entertaining the older angel. What was a little more time?
Present Aeon
The high-backed chairs had been removed from the round marble table in the Artisanal Chamber. Only Michael stood behind it, conversing in hushed tones with two of the elder warriors. A large map had been spread across the table’s surface, overflowing its bounds.
Earlier, Luc’s guards had tried to lead him in by force, but he would not be led. He strode into the chamber in a stately manner, with the two guards trailing after him.
His first words bit into the aether.
“What gives you the right to entermyhouse and abscond withmythings?” Luc leveled a severe gaze at Michael. He halted mid-chamber, certain that if he got close enough to Michael he would lose all control of his temper.
With a wave of his hand, Michael dismissed the guards and the other warriors. Soon, he and Luc were left alone in the Artisanal-Chamber-turned-Second-Fortress.
“Yourthings?” Michael didn’t look up from the map. He placed a wooden marker in the shape of a sword’s hilt on a section crowded with several others. “And who gave you the materials, I wonder? Who has been feeding your endless supply of foolish ideas with resources for the past aeon?”
“Why, you arrogant?—”
“Me?! Arrogant?!” Michael snapped his head up. “Youare fortunate I haven’t commanded your entire house to be ripped down and given away in parts!Whatwere you thinking?! Going against my explicit instructions and the will of the entire Council?!”
Luc creased his brow. Wait. Did this mean?—?
Moving closer to the table, he glanced down at the map. What he’d thought to be a map of Heaven now revealed itself to be a map of Earth.Hismap of Earth. Which could only mean…
“Earth…It’s been created,” he mumbled, disbelieving. The Creator had liked his idea. He’d implemented it. And here were his blueprints, returned to him.
No.
Returned toMichael.Stolen by him, more like.
Well, that explained the wreckage in his study, the missing prototypes.
“Yes.Ithas,” the older angel snapped.
“Thatmapis alsomine.You have no right to it.”
“Thismapis the reason we are able to formulate any sort of response to this wildly unprecedented event, and in this chamber, it willstay.”A new wave of fury lit Michael’s eyes. “You,on the other hand, are confined to your house until further notice. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!”
“I’ve some idea, yes,” Luc snidely replied, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Earlier, he’d been shocked by the Council’s betrayal; afterward, he’d been angry. But as he stood there, watching every shade of outrage color Michael’s face, he realized Michael must have known about his vision, and for some reason, he hadn’t been able to do anything about it. And Luc knew Michael, above everyone, would have tossed him into the Void without a second thought. In the vision, he’d run him through with a sword!
But still, he hadn’t stripped Luc of his position. He’d stolen the copies of Luc’s work, but it didn’t matter. Earth had been created. It was done.
