"Thank you, Skul," Gabe said with a radiant smile as the detective stepped out. The Archangel followed a little more slowly. The light seemed a little brighter, just on the edge of irritating, once he'd left the room, and it took exiting for Gabriel to remember the magic bound up in it. That had been a God-send. (Literally, Gabriel rather thought.)
Gabe squinted in the light, but then his attention was also drawn to Tanith and Valkyrie, his expression of mixed amusement and bemusement. "This time?" he asked Skul. "You make it sound like we've done something to begin with."
Because obviously his completely benign remarks didn't count. They were his, not 'theirs'. What had Skul done to make Tanith laugh like this?
~~~
For several long moments Solomon sipped his coffee and stared out the window. He could still see China out of the corner of his eye, but for the moment, he was contemplating not her, but the circumstances. And Saint Gabriel. As ever, as he had for the last nine hours, Saint Gabriel.
China, ever since she had left the Church of the Faceless Ones, had been irreverent. It was one of the things Solomon disliked about her. She had no faith. Even though the Faceless Ones were false gods, he still couldn't respect a person who betrayed their faith so callously. And now here he was, almost contemplating the same.
Yet, even China Sorrows would find disrespect hard if she had truly seen Saint Gabriel as he was truly. She had mentioned Saint Gabriel had grown angry at her. It didn't take much to imagine why; her talent must have seemed like blasphemy. Even after knowing what he was, she continued to be strangely ... unwary.
For someone with a purported survival instinct, she was being remarkably careless. Divine or no, a being strong enough to be called 'angel' was worthy of respect. And Saint Gabriel was divine. Of that, Solomon realised with a start, he had no doubt.
And for some reason, China's flippancy irritated him. Very well, then. Saint Gabriel might be divine, but Solomon still didn't have a measure of his true power. He could give China a carrot, and if she was so foolish as to test the Archangel for him, it would be her own fault.
His mug ran empty and Solomon lowered it to the table with a thunk, returning his gaze to China. "Yes, I did see the Faceless Ones," he agreed calmly. "And now I have seen an angel. Saint Gabriel, in fact. I find it curious that they're introducing him only as 'Gabe'. It hardly seems adequate protection as a taken name."
no subject
Gabe squinted in the light, but then his attention was also drawn to Tanith and Valkyrie, his expression of mixed amusement and bemusement. "This time?" he asked Skul. "You make it sound like we've done something to begin with."
Because obviously his completely benign remarks didn't count. They were his, not 'theirs'. What had Skul done to make Tanith laugh like this?
~~~
For several long moments Solomon sipped his coffee and stared out the window. He could still see China out of the corner of his eye, but for the moment, he was contemplating not her, but the circumstances. And Saint Gabriel. As ever, as he had for the last nine hours, Saint Gabriel.
China, ever since she had left the Church of the Faceless Ones, had been irreverent. It was one of the things Solomon disliked about her. She had no faith. Even though the Faceless Ones were false gods, he still couldn't respect a person who betrayed their faith so callously. And now here he was, almost contemplating the same.
Yet, even China Sorrows would find disrespect hard if she had truly seen Saint Gabriel as he was truly. She had mentioned Saint Gabriel had grown angry at her. It didn't take much to imagine why; her talent must have seemed like blasphemy. Even after knowing what he was, she continued to be strangely ... unwary.
For someone with a purported survival instinct, she was being remarkably careless. Divine or no, a being strong enough to be called 'angel' was worthy of respect. And Saint Gabriel was divine. Of that, Solomon realised with a start, he had no doubt.
And for some reason, China's flippancy irritated him. Very well, then. Saint Gabriel might be divine, but Solomon still didn't have a measure of his true power. He could give China a carrot, and if she was so foolish as to test the Archangel for him, it would be her own fault.
His mug ran empty and Solomon lowered it to the table with a thunk, returning his gaze to China. "Yes, I did see the Faceless Ones," he agreed calmly. "And now I have seen an angel. Saint Gabriel, in fact. I find it curious that they're introducing him only as 'Gabe'. It hardly seems adequate protection as a taken name."