“First of all, why did you lie to me?” I asked her. “If all you wanted was to watch us, you didn’t have to come down from the Satellite and put on that act. What was the point?”

“It wasn’t an act. And I didn’t lie,” Peal replied. “We really did think that the demon in the Font was the one we were looking for. And I did mean it when I said I would keep Knell a secret…I just wanted to do a moral thing; it wasn’t supposed to turn out like this…”

“Just tell us what happened,” said Knell.

“Um, so…Saint Toll ended up asking me about the two incomplete messages I’d sent back to the Satellite. Our technology doesn’t work like yours; we operate it with our minds, so…it’s like I had started to say things, but then stopped. And it made him suspicious.

“I tried to say they were just mistakes, but he didn’t believe me. He ordered to see the footage from my wings, and since he’s my superior and it was work-related, there was nothing I could do.

“He got to see and hear everything I saw and heard down there. That’s where that photo of Knell came from; the one where he was dismembered and dripping colors…my wings recorded that when I was standing there.”

“Why didn’t you tell us you were recording us the whole time?!” I exclaimed.

“I-I didn’t know it would bother you! On the Satellite and at Home; that’s just the way it is…and besides, it’s rare for someone to actually ask for footage. I couldn’t have known this would happen!”

“What I don’t get is how they knew I was a hybrid,” said Knell. “I only told Clarion the truth after that; the evidence you recorded couldn’t have proved that I was anything more than a demon.”

“They figured that out after,” Peal replied. “We went down to the site where you’d been attacked to look for the body parts you’d left behind, like the arm I found. We had to do a lot of digging, but we eventually recovered them. They were just puddles of colors by then, but…

“…When we brought them back to the Satellite for testing, we found something really striking. The demon’s cellular structure was somehow…reorganized. It was as if it was trying to mimic the tissues of the human body, right down to the DNA.

“It gets technical after that, and cellular biology isn’t really my field…basically, we figured out how the demon tissue had gotten that way, and it blew everyone’s minds. Fast-forward a few months, and…here we are.”

Everyone was silent. Peal cleared her throat.

“Um, anyway…about the invitation: Saint Toll wants both of you to come to the gala.”

“Gala…?”

“A lot of world leaders will be there, as well as all the human and angel scientists that are taking part in the new project. And, of course, everyone will be anxious to see you.” She pointed at Knell.

Knell looked astonished. It was probably the first time in a while that a large group of people had been non-violently interested in him. He turned to me. “Clarion, what’s a gala?”

“It’s like a big, fancy party.”

“So, they don’t want to dissect me right away? They want me to go to a party?” He smiled. “I like parties.”

“Knell, this isn’t like a birthday party,” I warned. “Everyone who goes to this gala will be looking for something to gain. People will be currying favor, making deals, trading secrets…”

“That’s even more reason for us to go! We have to stay on top of the situation. I’ll read minds the whole time, so we can know everything they know. We’ll be ready for anything.”

He hit me with his best sad-puppy eyes. “Pleeeeease, Clarion?”

I never could resist those eyes.

“…Alright, we’ll go,” I said finally. “But you have to promise to be on your very best behavior, and I mean ten times better than usual. We can discuss the details later.”

“Awesome!” Knell crowed. He then ran back to his corner to…do something. Maybe he was planning his gala outfit, I don’t know.

Peal flashed her wings. “I’m sending the event details to your device now,” she said. “I’ll be at the gala, too, but if you have any questions beforehand…or even afterward, you can call me at the number for the facility.”

“And what facility is that? Am I to assume that’s the next place you’ll be “inviting” Knell after you finish buttering him up at this party?”

Peal hung her head. “Clarion, please…I’m not trying to hurt Knell…”

“The people you work for probably are, and since we met you, all you’ve done is deliver him straight into their hands. It doesn’t matter anymore what your intentions are; we simply can’t trust you.”

In response, Peal slowly rubbed her arms. Her fingertips and elbows had turned from olive green to a dull blue, like some kind of anti-blush. I guessed it was an angel’s true expression of sadness.

“I wonder if this is how it feels to be a human,” she muttered. “It’s hard to forget morals when everyone makes you feel like you’ve done something wrong…”

She slowly floated out the door. “See you Saturday night,” she said solemnly. And with that, she was gone.

I closed the door. Maybe I had been too harsh with her…she seemed genuinely sorry for all the trouble she’d accidentally caused, and here I was, treating her like one of the villains.

However, it was true that we couldn’t really trust her. Anyone working for this ‘Saint Toll’ was a potential threat. I bet her wings had recorded our entire conversation…it was too risky to be involved with her or any angel.

I looked at Knell in his corner. He had gone back to coloring, without a care in the world.

I decided to go back to pacing.