The grand veiled sanctum rarely welcomed outsiders beyond its lower halls, especially wealthy mysterious wealthy outsiders.
Which was precisely why the entire sanctum had fallen into quiet chaos the moment Anaqielle arrived.
Laliya knew something was wrong before she even entered the western audience chamber.
Novice attendants hurried through the corridors carrying scrolls and tea trays.
Wardens stood unusually alert near every entrance while younger maidens whispered excitedly amongst themselves.
“A benefactor has arrived?”
“I heard she donated one thousand crowns already.”
“No, ten thousand.”
“They said she wants to renovate the eastern prayer halls.”
Laliya slowed down.
A strange unease crawled into her chest.
Then one of the younger attendants noticed her.
“Lady Laliya! The Elder Luminars requested your presence.”
The unease inside her worsened instantly.
She followed the attendant through the sanctum halls, silver sunlight pouring through the crystal windows around them and every step she took felt heavier than the last.
The moment she entered the audience chamber, she understood why.
Anaqielle stood near the center of the room surrounded by Elder Luminars.
She was smiling brightly.
Radiance help her, she was smiling politely.
Laliya nearly stopped breathing.
Her feet stopped in their tracks.
The fallen angel wore dark formal clothing today, elegant enough to pass among nobility without question.
Her silver hair had been tied loosely behind her back while black gloves concealed the glowing fractures along her hands.
She looked refined, composed and dangerous.
Worst of all, she looked perfectly believable for the alias she was portraying.
The Elder Luminars seemed completely charmed by her.
“This craftsmanship is remarkable,” one of them was saying while examining several architectural sketches spread across the table.
Anaqielle inclined her head modestly.
“I merely wished to help preserve such a sacred place.”
Laliya almost choked.
The scriptures said the devil had horns and she like most people believed it until she met Anaqielle.
Then she realized, the devil was beautiful and she came as everything one desires, never in an ugly skin with horns and a tail.
Anaqielle noticed her immediately.
Her golden eyes shifted toward the doorway and she smiled.
Her smile wasn’t polite this time, it was slow and knowing like passing a secret only known between her and Laliya.
Laliya felt actual fear settle into her stomach, because that woman, that fallen Seren, had somehow walked directly into the holiest sanctum in city surrounded by Wardens specifically trained to detect corruption and none of them realized what she was.
The Elder Luminar brightened upon seeing Laliya.
“Ah, there you are.”
Laliya forced herself forward.
Every instinct screamed at her to run.
The devil had entered her home as though taking a walk in the park and the thought of how powerful Anaqielle had to be not to be affected by the wards around the sanctum made her blood ran cold.
“Lady Anaqielle was just explaining her proposal to us.”
‘Proposal?’ The word sounded like a threat.
Anaqielle folded her hands gracefully.
“The prayer gardens require restoration. Several of the lower districts also mentioned food shortages.”
One of the Elder Luminars sighed heavily.
“Unfortunately, the sanctum lacks sufficient crowns for such extensive repairs.”
Anaqielle smiled faintly.
“I would be willing to provide them.”
Silence filled the chamber.
Several attendants visibly gasped and even the wardens looked surprised.
Laliya stared at her in horror.
She knew the seren’s kindness came a prize not yet known to them.
Anaqielle continued calmly.
“As well as additional funding for orphan relief, temple kitchens, and restoration of the lantern temples, I intend to provide all of them.”
The Elder Luminars looked moments away from ascending.
One of them clasped both hands together emotionally.
“Radiance bless you.”
Laliya wanted to scream.
She was the only one who knew the truth about Anaqielle and what she truly was beneath her alias and she feared her elders were making a terrible mistake by letting her in.
Anaqielle lowered her gaze with infuriating humility.
“I simply wish to do something meaningful for the sanctum.”
‘Liar,’ Laliya thought.
The Elder Luminar gestured warmly toward a chair.
“Please, sit. Don’t tire yourself standing, dear,”
Anaqielle obeyed elegantly.
Laliya remained standing.
Frozen and watching the scene play out, trying to understand what game the seren was playing.
One of the senior wardens finally spoke.
“You are remarkably generous, Lady Anaqielle.”
The fallen angel sighed softly.
Her reaction was perfectly timed and measured so it came out exactly as she wanted them to see it.
“I can’t take all the credit. It’s just that I have recently…” She paused delicately.
“Developed a need for doing good deeds.”
The room quieted sympathetically.
Anaqielle looked downward.
“I’ve been haunted with nightmares and restlessness for some time now.”
Laliya nearly laughed from disbelief.
Haunted?
Her?
She was sure Anaqielle was the one doing the haunting and not the other way around.
And even though that might be technically true, perhaps, it was still outrageous to comprehend.
Anaqielle continued in a quieter voice.
“I rarely sleep peacefully anymore. Nightmares come for me every time I close my eyes. Restlessness embrace me like a second skin.” She smiled faintly, almost sadly.
“I thought perhaps helping others might ease it.”
Compassion practically radiated through the chamber.
Every soul around felt sorry for her.
Laliya, meanwhile, felt her soul leaving her body.
“She’s manipulating all of you,” she wanted to say.
“She’s a Fallen Seren!”
“She broke through your wards like it was made of paper!”
“She sends sinful letters!”
“She sneaks into to young maidens bedrooms!”
“She whispers corruption into people’s ears!” Were all the things she wanted to scream in warning.
Instead, she stood there silently while the Elder Luminar approached Anaqielle with gentle concern.
“My child, suffering should not be carried alone.”
Anaqielle looked up slowly.
She blinked her eyes, her face softening as though touched by the Luminars words.
Laliya almost admired the performance.
She had never met a bad person who was so good at pretending to be nice nor a powerful person who majored in deceiving people into thinking they were weak.
The Elder Luminar smiled kindly.
“If the sanctum brings you peace, then stay with us awhile.”
Laliya’s heart dropped instantly.
She couldn’t believe her ears.
Another Luminar nodded eagerly.
“Yes, yes. The guest wing remains empty this season.”
“We would be honored to host such a generous benefactor,” the deputy elder luminar added.
“You may participate in prayer gatherings if you wish,” another contributed.
“Perhaps the Light guided you here for healing,” the eldest one spoke again.
Laliya stared at them in disbelief.
They had no idea the one they were invited into their home wasn’t an angel but the devil in disguise.
Anaqielle glanced toward her.
The smile hidden behind her calm expression was devastating.
It expressed victory and extreme happiness.
“Oh, I couldn’t possibly impose,” the fallen angel said smoothly.
“You would not impose at all,” the Elder Luminar insisted quickly.
“The sanctum welcomes all seeking peace beneath the Radiance.”
Anaqielle hesitated just long enough to appear polite.
Then she said, “If you’re certain then I’ll have to trouble you.”
Laliya felt genuine panic for the first time in years because nobody else understood what this meant.
They thought they had invited a lonely noblewoman into the sanctum but Laliya knew better.
They had welcomed a predator directly into the heart of the Radiance.
And for reasons still unknown to her that predator’s eyes never left her.
Like she was it’s target.
‘Oh, heavens.
What nightmare is this that you’ve brought my way?’ she thought.
‘Heaven can’t help you now!’ Anaqielle thought hearing her prayer.
‘You are stuck with me.
Are you ready holy maiden?’