Free Forgotten Self (Forgotten Self #1) by Rachel Carr Page A

me, that was really my memory?”
    “ Yes. They are all there.” He taps my forehead. “Just hidden.”
    “ Thanks for translating that Hebrew or whatever that was. But, Jonathan, what was that message about? I don't understand.”
    He looks down and talks to the li ving room's carpet. “Yeah, it wouldn't make sense until you got everything back.”
    “ So what does 'they are shifting the balance' mean. Who are they ?”
    That gets his attention. His head snaps up and, tightly, he answers, “Archangels.”
    I'm filled with surprise . “What? How many? Who? Why?”
    His teeth grind as he clenches his jaw. “Just two. Raguel and Remiel.”
    I think for a moment, trying to reach back into my scant memory of biblical knowledge. “Those must be some obscure archangels. I only remember Michael and Gabriel.”
    “ There are seven archangels,” he explains patiently.
    I announce my one bit of sure knowledge. “Archangels are protectors of heaven.”
    “ Exactly.”
    “ So what are these two doing?”
    “ Trying to give hell more power. They may or may not be working with L ucifer.”
    I'm shocked. Aren't these the good guys?
    Noticing my expression, he continues, “Angels aren't infallible. Lucifer was once in the same position as them, was just as beloved.”
    I stand up and start to pace the room. “Holy shit. This is all really c razy.” I wave a finger. “Not that I'm just realizing this, of course. This has all always been crazy. But good lord.” I pause for a moment before getting right into Jonathan's face. Our noses are inches apart. Our eyes lock on to each other's. With the gra vest voice I possess, I ask, “Are you sure I'm the right Abigail?”
    He nods, the tiniest smile on his lips.
    “ Fine.” I step back to a more polite distance. “So let's just get this straight here. The battle was going downhill. I find out that we're being betr ayed by our brothers. Then what, I tell you?” He nods again and I continue. “Okay. So I figure then we're trying to do something with that information, right? Without starting -”
    “ Another war in heaven,” he cuts in. “We knew we had to go slowly. So many of us would have rejected the very notion. Even after the glaring example of Lucifer's fall.”
    “ And how did we know that the demon, Aram, was telling the truth?”
    “ Demons cannot lie.”
    Now I am really floored.
    “ Demons can't lie? As in, the deceptors and tempter s of the world? That doesn't work, Jonathan.”
    Jonathan shrugs. “It does work. Demons are very compelling. That calming effect we have on people – which we pull from heaven – is similar to the demon's compulsion powers. They just pull their influence from h ell.”
    I blow out a breath of air in frustration. “And why did he tell us?”
    Jonathan runs a hand through his hair, re-mussing the curls. “That we never found out. Just as we don't know exactly what's behind Raguel and Remiel's backing of this...power disrup tion.”
    A thought pops into my head and I click my tongue. “So we've known this for two thousand years...” He nods. “And we still haven't figured this whole thing out? Even though we've had two thousand years?”
    “ Right. Well, I was going to explain that. Th at first memory? The one with you and me at the dining table? That wasn't the first time that has happened.”
    I wait. I wait for him to continue. This is a lot of information to process, but I feel like if I don't hear it all now, I'm going to go crazy befo re it settles in. Going crazy after it settles in – that's fair game.
    He goes on. “Raguel and Remiel know that we know. They have for centuries. Our activities weren't always, ah, stealthy. They -”
    Jonathan is abruptly cut off because it is at this moment that Lucas – of all people – appears in the room. I feel the blood rush from my face. Not only has he appeared out of nowhere, but he has appeared right in front of me. Before Jonathan can make a move, Lucas touches my arm,