Lapidary

“You’ll have to come down to the station,” Asilo, Ace’s second-in-command, said to me. There was no mercy in his voice, and I assumed he disliked me because I was human.

“Leave her alone,” Ace growled. He understood me well enough to know that my heart was shattered, just like Ryker’s body. He’d hung out with us many times and knew we loved each other deeply. He was a dear friend, and I appreciated him sticking up for me.

“Don’t let your personal feelings interfere with this investigation.” The dominance in Asilo’s voice made me think he wanted to take Ace’s place as captain of the Sky Watch.

Investigation? What exactly had happened?

“Careful.” Ace met his gaze.

“I’ll go.” I found the words, wrapped my arms around myself, and stared at the blood on the pavement. The stain would fade or be washed away by the rain, but the picture of it was burnt into my mind and would remain there for the rest of my mortal lifespan. So high. He’d fallen so high…

Ace hesitated before slowly nodding. He motioned to one of the cars, and I got in. I used to laugh at him whenever he was in a car – he looked comical with his wings tucked in tightly while he drove something as mundane as a car. The police vehicles were, of course, built to accommodate angels’ wings. But still.

Now, I couldn’t even look at Ace. I stared ahead with tears flowing unchecked down my cheeks. Ace might have been speaking, but I didn’t hear a single word. When we reached the police station, I climbed out of the car and followed him to a room with a table and chair, no windows, or decorations.

Was this an interrogation room? They couldn’t seriously think I had something to do with this. I couldn’t find the strength to ask Ace why he had brought me here, but he seemed to read it on my face.

“We have to ask you a few questions – it’s protocol,” he said. “I’ll be back.”

I didn’t even nod and sank down on the cold iron chair like a corpse then lay down on my arms. I closed my eyes, welcoming the blackness. Was this what Ryker saw? A never-ending blackness?

The door opened, and I looked up slowly, expecting to see Ace return. But it was not Ace – it was Asilo. He closed the door behind him, as if I were a criminal who would run away. I almost sank down into my arms, into the darkness again.

“Ace?” It was an effort to even get one word out.

“This matter is too personal.” Asilo sat down across from me, his face hard as stone. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Save me the bullshit, and get to the point,” I snapped. There was no sympathy in his tone, and he didn’t care about what I, another weak human, felt. Hearing him say “I’m sorry” sounded patronizing instead of empathetic.

Asilo cocked his head slightly before he interlaced his fingers on the table in front of him. “Did you experience any strange behavior from Ryker these past few days?”

Asilo hadn’t liked Ryker joining the Sky Watch. He believed the Sky Watch and protection of New Peace should be the sole responsibility of angels. He didn’t approve of my relationship with Ryker, either. Fae-human relationships were frowned upon, as were most mixed-race relationships.

“No.” I couldn’t get more words out, couldn’t find the energy to tell him that Ryker had asked me to marry him and that we should soon be leaving for our honeymoon at The Edge.

“Are you sure? Did he seem depressed?”

“No.”

“Can you tell me about his actions these last few days?”

Well, as always, he poured a lot of energy into his work – and me. He was traveling a lot but came home to me every night. I wasn’t sure where he’d gone – I hadn’t asked. We were never a couple who constantly needed to know what the other was doing. I wanted to tell Asilo that Ryker had behaved normally, maybe a bit stressed because of work, during his last days, but I hadn’t the words. Couldn’t summon them. “No.”

Asilo arched an eyebrow. “Fae don’t just kill themselves for no reason, Natka.”

I couldn’t help it. I sank down onto my arms and wailed. He had killed himself. He had taken his own life.

“Who had Ryker had contact with during his last days?” Asilo asked.

During his last days. Oh, Ayana.

I couldn’t think anymore, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t handle the pain in my chest. A whimper escaped my lips, and my throat was so tight I could hardly swallow. Asilo was talking, but I blocked him out like a bad memory.

I wanted someone to blame. Needed someone to blame for this.

Asilo left the room, and I wasn’t sure how long I cried there before Ace came to get me. He lifted me from my chair and pulled me into a strong hug. I let him hold me. Time seemed to freeze, and when he let me go, I didn’t feel one bit better.

“I’ll take you home,” he said.

I felt like a walking dead human as I left the interrogation room behind. Ace stayed close, as if his angelic presence could chase away my demons. I kept my eyes downcast as I walked, and Ace often steered my shoulders so that I wouldn’t bump into things. I only looked up once we were outside, and someone with a shrill voice screamed my name. I’d recognize that voice anywhere.

“Natka Roqueze!”

Bellevue Featherswallow, head of New Peace, pushed past her bodyguards and stormed over to me. Her long black hair had a supernatural glow to it, and her dark eyes were spitting flames at me. Eyes just as dark and deep as Ryker’s.

“I knew you’d drive my son crazy!” she cried.

Ace stepped in front of me, his wings slightly flared to make him look more intimidating. The last thing I wanted was to see Ace and Bellevue get into a fight.

It took a moment for her words to register. I knew you’d drive my son crazy. Had I? Was I somehow responsible for his suicide?

“Human filth!” Bellevue cried. Starlight curled in her hands that she could use to blind or burn me. Maybe that was what I deserved.

“She is not responsible for this,” Ace said. “Now go. Asilo has a few questions for you.”

“Do not forget your place.” Below me.

Bellevue would have been my mother-in-law. Had Ryker even told her he had asked me to marry him? I touched my ring. The female would hate that he had observed human traditions. She was ashamed enough that her son was not following in her footsteps and had abandoned his place as her second to join the Sky Watch.

Ace stepped away from her and dragged me to the nearest car. I was disappointed when Bellevue only cursed after me instead of murdering me. If I died, surely I wouldn’t feel this pain anymore.

“Don’t take it personally,” Ace said as he opened my door. “She hates everyone who isn’t fae.”

That meant she also hated Ace – an angel who had befriended her disgrace of a son. As I got into the car, Bellevue yelled, “This is your fault!”

All I wanted was to disappear. Ace drove, in silence, to the skyscraper where I lived. He parked, and my gaze was drawn unerringly to the spot where Ryker had died, still stained with blood. A small sound escaped my lips.

“I’ll walk with you,” Ace offered.

“No,” I replied. “Leave me alone.”

I didn’t want to be around anyone anymore. I wanted to escape people, escape pain, escape this world. I got out of the car and forced myself to enter the building. I hardly recognized myself in the elevator mirror. My eyes and nose were red and puffy, and blood soaked my white night gown. Ryker’s blood.

I stared at my reflection, and lifeless eyes started back. Was Bellevue right? Had I somehow been the reason for Ryker’s suicide? Was I a murderer?

I got out of the elevator to discover the apartment door open so that I could catch a glimpse of the chaos inside – chaos that hadn’t been there when I left. I swallowed my tears as I entered what remained of our apartment. Ryker had been a lapidary, and now every gem, jewel, and rock had been taken. The stones in their glass cases were missing, the ones built into the table, ripped out, and even the kitchen counters were gone. Ryker’s life collections, gone.

I found my violin, broken on the floor. It seemed as if the thieves had stepped on it when they ripped the jewels from the table. Another piece of my soul died with its destruction. Even my jewelry box in our bedroom was wide open and empty.

I went to the couch where I sank down with my hands in my hair. Someone had robbed us on the night of Ryker’s murder. Was it a coincidence?

I used to think Ryker and I had a strong connection so that we could tell each other anything. But maybe he couldn’t. Maybe he had been depressed or in trouble, and he couldn’t open up to me. What had I done wrong?

I took in our trashed apartment and knew I should call Ace. For Ryker’s sake, I found the energy and called the angel.

“Nat…”

“Someone trashed the apartment,” I said.

“I’ll be there in five.”

I dropped the phone on the ground. I didn’t care about the precious things that were stolen, I only cared about Ryker. Ace would find whoever was behind Ryker’s death – if someone was behind it. Maybe I just really needed someone to blame.

But the next day, Ryker Featherswallow’s death was announced on live TV, officially a suicide. And the only person I could blame was myself.