Seconds to Midnight: A Maiden of Midnight Prequel
Destiny- Day Four

Destiny- Day Four

The top floor of the Angel Oriental was decorated with swatches of rich silk cloth tonight, the windows painted with whorls of starry nights or city skylines, accentuated by the array of glittering lights from the hundreds of buildings visible down below, Cain’s arm warm around my shoulders as he escorted me into the room, the skirts of my dress clinging tightly to my body, swirling and shifting as smoothly as clouds in the sky, my hair left to tumble down my back, decorated with ruby pins. I was wearing the necklace and earrings Cain had bought me, and my nails were painted red. If I’d had blonde hair and was a little taller and curvier, you could have mistaken me for Lilith if you squinted, especially on Cain’s arm.

My cousin had worn a dark blue suit, his hair pulled back into its usual bun, and he had shaved, the smell of his aftershave washing over me every time he turned to speak with me.

Classical music played from a live band in a corner of the room, the diners often turning to catch glimpses of their skilled hands drifting over their instruments.

Tonight, the lights in the room had been dimmed, only candlelight allowed, softening the faces of the people around me. Even Cain, who was roughly-cut despite his kind personality, seemed gentler. I could only imagine what I must have looked like to these people. Disarmingly gorgeous? No kind of threat whatsoever? Idiots. The most dangerous people were the ones who never looked like a threat.

The tables were draped in white tablecloths, with blue and green peacock feathers and flowers in crystal-cut vases acting as centrepieces, tall white candles hidden amongst the piece, the wax dripping down into a pewter plate underneath it. Useful for burning someone, if I needed to. The pewter plates were an unusual addition, considering the Angel Oriental liked to boast its modern style.

Swan feathers were placed artistically across the room, and crystal and diamond stars hung from the ceiling amidst sculptures of plump-cheeked Angels with wings made from the same bird feathers.

I scoffed at the sight of them, even Cain huffing a laugh at the self-important statues.

Which reminded me…

Leaning in close as Cain and I joined the queue to receive a table, I whispered, “Did you know Alishan was hanging out with an Archangel?”

Cain side-eyed me curiously, more than a hint of disbelief in his eyes as he waited for me to explain.

“I called her when you were in Hell, and she was with someone. I didn’t think much of it until they spoke… It was Archangel Dinial.”

The Archangel of Death. Why Alishan would be hanging out with him, I wasn’t sure, but at least she had picked a fitting one. Not someone like Archangel Camial, or Sabrael.

“That doesn’t make sense. Alishan has no reason to be seeing an Archangel. There’s no missions or work for her that requires her to speak with them.”

“You had no reason to be seeing Estelle,” I countered coolly, “Yet you did. Maybe she has something else on her mind other than work?”

Cain’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second, before he schooled his surprise into neutrality, his nose wrinkling with disgust at the idea of Alishan getting it on with an Archangel.

“Agron would kill her.”

“Which is why we should stay away from her.” When Cain opened his mouth to argue, I added fervently, “Once they replace out what she’s doing, anyone near her will be investigated too! We can’t afford that kind of scrutiny right now!”

I didn’t think I could endure an interrogation session in the Dome right now, even if I would never admit it beyond my own mind. Cain seemed to realise what I was saying, but he didn’t back down.

“We’re not abandoning Alishan. She’s an ally.”

“If she’s hanging out with Archangels, she is a traitor!” I reminded angrily, Cain rolling his eyes, only for a waiter to approach, a friendly smile on his face, “Welcome to the Angel Oriental. Do you have a reservation tonight?”

Reaching for his wallet, Cain handed over his card, politely requesting, “Cain and Destiny Maladur, table for two, please. Keep a tab open for me on this card.”

As we were led toward a table three spots down from where NightShade sat with his wife- close enough that we would be able to overhear their conversation, but not so close that we would be noticed, I realised that Lional hadn’t just told us to come here as a hint for our mission, but as a way to flip the middle finger at Zeella.

Tonight, not only were we working, but we could enjoy ourselves, especially when Cain reached our table and plucked up a cream-coloured card with Lional’s crest stamped on the front of it, embossed in gold, reading under his breath to me, “Enjoy your night out. Heard about what Zeella said to the two of you. I have two Guardians at the table next to NightShade’s listening for you, so sit back and relax. Stay close to each other.”

Lional had done this deliberately. Lifting my eyebrows, I smiled when Cain tossed the card into the candles, burning the note, and then strode around the table to pull the chair out for me, tucking me in before taking his own seat.

We were seated barely ten seconds before a waiter was upon us with two menus, placing them down in front of us. I was given a ‘Women’s Menu’, the prices conveniently missing.

Pangorama customs were strange. More advanced than Earth and its long struggles of equality and harmony, yet they still assumed Cain would be paying for me.

He was, of course, but it was still unnerving to sit down and not see the price of what I was ordering.

When our orders were taken and a glass of gin and tonic placed down in front of Cain, my cousin turned to gaze out the window at the view. Skyscrapers stared back from down below, none of them as tall as the Angel Oriental. We were giants in a world of ants.

…In more ways than one…

“Does Pangorama ever remind you of Earth?”

Snorting as I lifted my own glass of wine to my lips, I muttered, “Never.” His gaze sliced inquisitively to mine, and I rattled off, “Too hot, too advanced, yet not advanced enough, and Korathians are too different to humans.” Even their smell was off.

Centuries here, and I still wasn’t used to it.

“Would you go back to Earth, if given the chance?”

“Why the morose topic?”

“Humour me.”

Huffing a laugh that was entirely devoid of humour, I muttered, “Of course I would. Would you?”

Cain pressed his lips together for a moment, eyeing that skyline again, before murmuring, “I’m not sure.” When I hummed curiously, he looked back at me, his lips twitching up in a smile as he added, “Wherever you go, I would follow, Des.”

*

Despite the knowledge that Lional’s Guardians were doing our jobs for us, I couldn’t stop myself from listening in on NightShade’s conversation with his wife. It was generic, mostly useless rubbish, but sometime between our empty appetiser plates being taken away, and dinner being served, something he said finally pricked my interest, my ears twitching.

“Had the Manor agreed to the terms of my alliance, I could have been King by now!” I paused, lowering my fork to my plate and tilting my head, Cain noticing the odd movement and falling silent, listening as well.

“Hush, love,” Taron Carten’s wife sighed, “You still have the upperground against them. When they realise they cannot get through without you, they will come crawling back, and then you can set the terms of the alliance.”

King? Taron Carten was trying to become a King? Of what? Or did he mean metaphorically?

NightShade’s voice was sullen as he replied, “I don’t understand why they were not willing to share power.”

Cain and I looked to each other, an amused smile on my cousin’s face. The Manor did not share. We were not children in a playground using the same toy.

There was nothing in this world that Lilith and Zeella would trade power for, not even Eden. If someone came to them with a way to unlock Eden, and the only condition was Lilith had to share her powerful position, she would turn them down and replace a way through herself- When they realise they cannot get through without you.

“Cain!” I hissed under my breath, “We need to go!”

We needed to decode that transcript, and fast! If Taron Carten had found a way through to Eden, then I could win more than just my father’s approval. I could solve a lifelong mission for the Manor, and for Lilith.

My cousin didn’t question it, standing and motioning for the waiter to bring the bill, paying it and hurrying me toward the door. When we were downstairs and standing at the car, I gripped his shoulders, hauling him toward the side of the building, where a single chef was smoking, and ordered, “I need you to go home and solve that transcript! Text me what it says!”

“Why? What are you doing?”

“I have somewhere I need to be!” NightShade was currently in the Angel Oriental, and only on the main course. If there was any moment to break into his workplace and home, it was now.

Cain nodded dutifully, tossing me the keys to his car when I demanded them. By the time I was pulling away from the Angel Oriental, I had already called Nym, Lydiav and Bal’gag, adding Cain into the call as I explained what I thought NightShade might have discovered.

It shocked all of them into silence, until Cain breathed my name ecstatically, recognising the same potential as I did. If Lilith went back to Eden, and that mission was finally complete, we stood a shot at freeing ourselves from her influence!