“I know. I remember,” Hadri remarked. “But I managed to get a look at those blueprints Michael took from you. It seems to me that Earth is an experiment for the Creator. He doesn’t know what will happen if these lesser beings get ahold of all that knowledge. That’s why we’re to keepaccounts of everything that happens. At least, that’s what I can make of it.”
“But why would He put His knowledge there in the first place? Isn’t He worried about someone stealing it?”
“If He was that worried about someone stealing it, I’m certain He wouldn’t have left it in plain sight. Perhaps it’s not so easy to acquire,” Hadri theorized.
Luc glanced down at the blueprints, then back up at Hadri. He couldn’t make sense of the older angel. Was he telling Luc this to get him further into trouble? To send him on a path to certain destruction? Or was he genuinely trying to help? Was anything about him genuine?
Luc could no longer tell.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“It’s your world. You have every right to know what’s going on with it.”
“It’s notmyworld.” Luc tugged on his collar. “It’s thehumans’world.”
“Don’t be so sure. Every maker leaves their mark. Whether they want to or not.”
“I’m not a maker.” Luc grimaced. “I’m an architect.”
“Are you?” Hadri asked. “I’m not so sure.” The glint in his eyes was cryptic as ever.
Luc understood nothing of him.
“Well, anyway”—Hadri returned the scroll to his pocket—“I should get back to my work. My timeline for completing the building has been moved up significantly.” He shuffled toward the door, then paused with his hand on the door frame and glanced back at Luc, a sudden sadness drawn on his face. “Take care, my friend,” he admonished, and then he was gone.
One and a Half Aeons Pre-Great War
The students’ forge in the Lessons Hall was empty at the end of a long term of lessons, and Lila found herself there, her final projects having been submitted, eager to be alone with her thoughts while Castor drank and celebrated.
She couldn’t be around him. Not him or any of their friends. She’d felt so awkward ever since…ever since…
She couldn’t even say it in her head.
Stupid, stupid.
She was sostupid.
But more than that, she was confused. Luc never glanced at someone twice if he didn’t deem them worthy of his attention, but he glanced at Lila often, and now, he’d kissed her instead of shoving her off. What didthatmean? She couldn’t imagine that helikedher, the least of his classmates, though the traitorous beat of her heart hoped he did.
She drowned out its rapid pulse with a series of hard strokes on the heated steel bar she should be turning into a hair pin for Eva but might just be beating into a thinner and thinner version of itself.
“Are you trying to shape that or shatter it?”
Lila jolted at the sound of Luc’s voice. He stood in the entrance, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, and she shot him a glare before returning to her work.
“Can younotsneak up on me like that?” She banged her hammer against the steel bar.
“I don’t think you can lecture me about sneaking up on someone.” A smirk wove through his tone. “Not after what?—”
“Why are you here, Luc?” Lila paused, her hammer hovering over the bar. Luc had raised his voice to be heard over the noise, and though she didn’t want to humor him, she definitely didn’t want him shouting for anyone down the corridor to hear.
“No reason. I thought we could hang out.”
Hang out? Luc neverhung outwith anyone.
Lila frowned.
“I don’t want company.”
