I could hardly believe what had become of the perfect heaven my Father and I planned. Father’s spirit tried to calm me from within, but I still felt awful. Beryl, my lost love, was falling faster still and the plan to restore her back to angelhood was not working. Moreover, Selena had never learned who I was until recently and had fallen in love with me. Not to mention that she was devasted and embarrassed now that she knew what “the archangel” meant. Moreover, Selena was not far from learning that she was created for the sole purpose of saving Beryl from becoming a full-fledged demon, thanks to Zomerald and Beryl’s outbursts about replacement theory. Father had said she would obey, but I had no idea how she would take it emotionally. She was extremely intelligent. It wouldn’t be long before she realized that she would not have existed if Beryl had never fallen.

Beryl was vain. Though she was falling, there was no doubt in my mind that it bothered her that she was looking a little less…angelic, every day. Beryl had once been the most beautiful angel in all of heaven. Her brilliance outshone everyone but God himself and she was the original sparkling angel. Selena’s mere existence was supposed to be able to bring her back to her senses. Not only did Selena look like a unicorn version of Beryl in her former glory, but her wide, childlike eyes were supposed to remind Beryl that innocence and trust, not ambition and climbing for power, was the way to God’s heart.

But it wasn’t working. I knew Beryl was smart enough to get the message, but she was ignoring my pleas. So, the next thing was to tell Selena the truth about what she was meant to do.

I took a deep breath as I approached Selena’s bedroom door. For the past three days, she hadn’t come out at all. I frequently sent Swarovsky to check on her and to send food to her room, but he told me she didn’t respond or eat anything.

I felt sick with regret. Why didn’t I anticipate her feelings sooner? I took it for granted that she was happy with her betrothal to Sapphire and wouldn’t have romantic feelings for anyone else. She seemed to really love him, yet she was growing fonder of me all this time? Why didn’t I see it before?

I knocked on her door three times. There was no answer, so I knocked again.

“Go away, Lucifer! I don’t want to talk right now,” Selena yelled from inside. Her voice broke as if she was still crying.

I didn’t expect her to respond like that. “It’s not Lucifer, Selena,” I answered. “It’s me, Michael. Please let me in.”

There was a short pause. “Please, I can’t,” she pleaded. “Please don’t tell me to face you right now. I’m sorry.”

“Open the door, please, Selena,” I pleaded back. “I need to make sure your alright.”

“I’ll be okay,” she responded.

“It’s about time you finally said something,” Lucifer’s voice suddenly whispered behind me. “What did you do to my sister?”

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m glad you finally care about your younger sister, Lucifer,” I said as I resisted the urge to respond through gritted teeth. “I only wish you had been more responsible about her feelings when she was growing up.”

“Don’t make this about me,” Lucifer’s voice rose in anger. “No one ever likes you, but my sister dotes on you all day! What did you use? A love potion? Just because she looks like Beryl doesn’t mean you should claim her.”

His words stung, but I tried to reason with him. “Don’t be ridiculous, Lucifer,” I whispered so Selena would not hear our discussion. “Why would I help Selena with her betrothal to Sapphire if I felt the way you think I did?”

Lucifer snorted. “Yeah right. I’m not falling for that. Oldest trick in the book. Let her fall in love with someone flighty and be the one to pick up the pieces when he breaks her heart.”

“You’ve been reading some strange books for an angel,” I said. “Can I speak to you privately, like somewhere more private than outside your sister’s door?”

“Whatever you have to say to me, you can say right here!” Lucifer’s voice swelled with multiple haughty tones.

“Fine,” I breathed in exasperation. “Like I said, soulmate theory is based on a person’s best match at the time of betrothal. Lots of factors are taken into account by the Father such as attraction and looks, personality, compatibility, and the types of things people want and need from a relationship. That being said, Father prefers not to over-examine whether an angel will adhere to their promise. He hopes to trust them as family and chooses to believe that there is a strong chance they will be faithful. I understand your concerns for your sister, but if Sapphire proves so much as emotionally unfaithful to her, she will be advised to give him few chances to change. If he does not change, then she will be given a new soulmate and strongly cautioned to leave Sapphire.”

“I don’t believe this!” he said. “You mean to tell me that you didn’t even check to see what kind of person he is.” I raised an eyebrow at him, but he continued. “No! That’s ridiculous. Sapphire isn’t committed to Selena at all. I know it. I read his mind!”

I flinched. “Intentionally reading people’s minds when it's not needed is invasive! Not to mention that Sapphire has only seen Selena in person twice.”

At that moment, the door opened and Selena emerged. The energetic air she usually had was missing. She had grown weak and thin from not eating for the past few days. Her clothes, which usually fit her already slim frame with perfection, now hung loose around her undernourished form. She dragged her feet as she walked between us. “Sapphire isn’t really in love with me?”