Gabriel's wings gleamed pale blue in the starlight. He'd meant to join the host but had stopped mid-flight. He'd never encountered angels gathering outside of Heaven, but that wasn't why he'd hesitated.
He'd never spoken to the angel. His own higher rank had kept them apart, but that didn't mean he couldn't reach out. There was no reason to feel uncertain. The angel should feel – no, would feel – honored. But before Gabriel could approach, Lucifer flew forward. Flustered by the company the angel was keeping, Gabriel bowed low before God's second-in-command.
"Archangel, can we help you?" As all eyes turned on him, Gabriel felt vaguely unwelcome.
"Uh, just passing through. Saw you all gathered here."
Lucifer's gesture, a grand sweeping of feathers, highlighted a pair of stars. "We're here to view Crawley's great work. Beautiful, is it not?"
"Um, sure. Good use of color."
The laughter hit Gabriel like a blow. When harmonizing in the celestial choir, he'd always felt larger than himself, as if he could stretch out to encompass all of God's creation. Why then did this sniggering seem – he could barely even think it – deliberately harmful? He felt only slightly better when the angel didn't join in.