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.Tobias stared back solemnly.He was wearing his elite guard uniform, with the stripes on his shoulders and all, and Mal blinked at them before shutting the door again, taking a moment to breathe as he undid the chain and opened the door properly.Tobias' mouth curled up slightly at one side, a lopsided smirk that Tobias managed to wipe clean when he bowed formally."I humbly request an interview for your guard position.""You have your timing wrong," Mal replied blankly, still feeling a little shocked.He hadn't gone to look for Tobias, and he certainly hadn't expected Tobias to show up before he felt ready to deal with him."I don't qualify for a guard until I'm initiated properly.That’s two years away.""I realise that," Tobias replied and cocked his head."It'll take me two years to learn how to guard a healer, though.Apparently it's a whole lot of new things to learn about who I'm supposed to let through to you to see and—" he broke off as Mal wandered aimlessly back towards his kitchen.There was silence for a few seconds before Tobias spoke again, and Mal nearly couldn't stand the confused misery in his priest's voice when Tobias was supposed to be the calm and collected one always."Mal … what happened? Is this about what I said to Eli when he broke in—""No," Mal replied and turned to shoot a small smile over his shoulder at Tobias."I understood why you said that.I just didn't think to examine it until after everything else had happened." He was regretting it now.That time in the cell could have been spent in a lot nicer ways had he not felt wounded and defeated enough to refuse to listen to Tobias."Then why are you avoiding me?" Tobias asked, sounding implacably calm again."I expected to see you at the trial, but you weren't there.""I was told I wasn't needed," Mal explained and shrugged."That it would give other angels ideas to break into St.Paul's, which I suppose it might, but I—""Mal."Malachi sighed and turned to face Tobias."You were at the trial.You heard what she did.""Your mother?" Tobias asked, his brow furrowing.Mal nodded."Yeah.You heard them testify about what happened … two years ago."Tobias looked blank for a second before his expression shifted to anger so fast that it shocked Mal, and he backed up a step instinctively.Tobias advanced quickly, slamming his hands onto the kitchen counter on either side of Mal's hips."Are you serious? You've been avoiding me because of that?""It was her fault," Mal tried to explain, but the words got tangled in his throat, and he couldn't say anymore as he watched Tobias' face with wide eyes.Tobias seemed genuinely mad, and Mal licked his lips and his gaze darted away, biting his lip after a second."I just thought—""Mal," Tobias interrupted, and his voice sounded a little amused again.Mal dared to look back, and the corners of his mouth curved up a little because Tobias was watching him with such a look of exasperation on his face that it couldn't fail to be amusing."Stop being so noble.I don't give a damn that it was your mother who created the whole Loki situation.It happened two years ago; I'm over it.And furthermore," he went on before Mal could think of something to say, "if I hadn't been demoted, I would still be working for him, and I would never have met the best male healer in a generation.And if I hadn't met you, how could I have found out that I'd rather work for you than for anyone else?"Mal searched Tobias' face, his smile growing into a lopsided, happy grin.Tobias meant what he was saying.His dark eyes were steady on Mal's, and Mal tilted his head."You don't mind waiting two years for me to be initiated?""I think I can handle the wait.""And you don't mind being overshadowed by my sheer ability?"Tobias shrugged and somehow his hands found their way from the counter to Mal's hips."Somehow, I think I have talents to rival yours."Mal grinned."Your bruises are going down already.""Sheer natural healing," Tobias replied and arched an eyebrow."Unless you'd be willing to help with that.""Can you afford my services? Humans have to pay for angel healing, you know," Mal murmured as a final question, and Tobias just grinned, a boyishly happy grin that made him look younger."Shut up, Mal," he said and kissed him.Wise as ever, Malachi could only obey.The Book of JudgmentSasha L.MillerReza waited impatiently, drumming his fingers against the arm of the chair in which he was sitting.He was a little early for this meeting, but he'd expected the High Chairman and the leader of the mercenaries he'd hired to already be there.That neither was meant this meeting would take longer than Reza had anticipated.Stifling a sigh, Reza glanced disinterestedly around the High Chairman's office.It was neat and tidy, richly decorated in tones that would offend no one.It was a bureaucrat's office, and it showed in the sleek wood, the neatness, and the stately, unscarred desk that was planted dead center in front of the large windows.It was larger than Reza's office—workroom, really, since Reza did barely anything that could be considered "office work." His workroom was in the west wing, with the offices of the other mages who studied the more volatile arts.Understandable, but it meant a long walk whenever Reza had to meet with anyone in the administrative or teaching sections of the university.Debating the merits of skipping the meeting and returning to his workroom and his latest experiments, Reza scowled at the polished wood of the High Chairman's desk
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