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“All right. ” Therese sounded forlorn.
Shoving aside the realization that he too now felt better near other angels, Raziel shifted to his angelic form and flew straight up through the ceiling. A moment later he was out in the humid Texas afternoon, soaring against grey-tinged clouds.
The sight should have soothed him: another walled city made up of neat zones. Below, the residents of Austin Eden went about their business, life energies bobbing in contentment – even those that were grey and shrunken.
Hovering overhead, Raziel felt for the energy field of this world, thankful that he could still reach it. His muscles relaxed. Yes, exactly as it should be: a faintly chaotic sense of power, nothing like the energy field at home. Then, in a flash, he sensed it again: some strong force pulsing through the field and drawing everything else to it, like an unknowing black hole. As always, the moment he became aware of it, the sensation vanished.
Raziel stared down at the crowded city. The other angels didn’t seem aware of the mysterious force, though whether this was because they hadn’t checked or couldn’t sense it, he didn’t know. And he wasn’t about to ask: the last thing he needed was to give them another reason for unrest.
Something had shifted since the quakes, though: something subtle yet vital. He knew it; he felt it. He just had no idea what it was.
Feeling helpless and angry, Raziel gazed back at the hospital building as he hung in the air…and suddenly an idea came. He began to smile.
These past few days it had felt as if he were straining to hold things in his grasp – but here was something he could easily control. When it was time to transport their friend in room 428 to Salt Lake Eden next month, his plan would be the simplest thing in the world to engineer.
And the benefits if it worked would be…quite spectacular. If you are still out there, my daughter, I may have a surprise for you, he thought.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILLOW AND ALEX! read the banner that stretched across one wall.
The words seemed a mockery now. I took in the banner’s brightly coloured letters, remembering how Liz and I had helped make it – how much happier I’d been then.
“I can’t believe people still wanted to have the party,” Alex said in a low voice.
Half the sofas had been moved out of the rec room and the carpet rolled back, creating a dance floor. We’d thought it would be too big; instead it was packed with moving bodies. One was Meghan – and I almost smiled as I watched her. She was as upset over the news as anyone, but she was still teaching the other girls some kind of dance step: the Mashed Potato or something, their legs all shimmying in unison.
“I can believe it,” I said slowly. “Not having it would have seemed too much like giving up. People wanted something to feel good about. ”
Alex sighed. “Yeah, I guess. ”
The silence when Alex first broke the news to everyone six days ago had been the worst sound I’d ever heard. The clamour of panicked questions that immediately followed had been a close second.
“But – what now?” a girl had blurted out, her voice rising above the rest. And everyone had gone quiet…because this was the only question that mattered.
I’d watched as Alex stood at the front of the dining room, his bandage white against his dark T-shirt. “Personally, I’m going to keep fighting,” he said. “I can’t do anything else. I was raised an AK; I can’t sit back and do nothing while the angels are still here. ”
The dining room had been utterly silent as he went on: “But…the odds aren’t great now. To kill the angels one by one will take – hell, I don’t even know. A lifetime. Generations. And our supplies won’t last for ever. We’re talking hardship and constant danger – because once the angels know we’re still around, they’ll do their best to destroy us. ”
No one moved. Alex’s expression was hard, almost angry. “Anyway, that’s not what you signed up for. If any of you want to keep fighting, I’m in no position to talk you out of it. But if you want to try to make a new life for yourself someplace where the angels can’t find you…then I don’t blame you, and I wish you luck. ”
“So – what? You’re telling us to give up?” demanded a tear-choked voice from the back.
“No,” Alex had said levelly. “I’m being as honest as I can. I don’t want anyone to stay thinking we have a good chance at defeating them. We don’t. You could spend the rest of your life fighting without it making any difference. ”
Sam’s face had been a dark scowl. “Yeah, well if we don’t fight, there’s no chance at all!” he’d yelled out. “Listen, Kylar, you’re not the only one who gets to go down fighting. I signed up to keep going until the bastards are gone!”
And that had been the tide that turned it. The AKs had been stunned, some tearful – but almost unanimous in their agreement with Sam. Only seven had left. Seven, out of the ninety-four new recruits. And now… I swallowed, watching the dancers. Well, I didn’t blame those who were still here for wanting to forget about it for one night.
Around Alex’s wrist was tied the flat woven bracelet I’d made him for his birthday: lavender and silver threads for my aura, blue and gold for his. He ran a finger over it. “Thanks again,” he said. “This is just…” He shrugged and tried to smile. “Thank you,” he repeated.
There were dark circles under his eyes – these last few days he’d been working so hard, ignoring the pain of his wound, trying desperately to plan some way forward for us.
I linked my fingers tightly through his. “It’s going to be okay,” I said in an undertone. “Alex, I don’t know how, but somehow it will be. ”
He squeezed my hand. “Have I told you how incredible you look tonight?” he said after a pause.
“You’re changing the subject. And, yes, several times. ”
“It kind of bears repeating. ” He looked me up and down in my jeans and black-sequinned top as if he’d never seen me before. “God, Willow. I seriously don’t know what I ever did to deserve you. ”
I stretched up on tiptoes to kiss his lips. “Whatever it is, I’m glad you did it. ”
His tone brightened deliberately. “Hey, it’s after midnight. Happy birthday. ” He pulled a folded piece of paper from his jeans pocket. His mouth twisted as he looked down at it. “It’s not much. If things were normal I could – buy you something amazing, or take you out for a great meal—”
“I don’t want any of that,” I told him softly. “I just want you. ”
Alex rolled his eyes with a slight smile. “Some present; you’ve already got me. Anyway, happy birthday. ” He handed me the paper. “Don’t, um…don’t read it now,” he added. His cheeks were flushing, even in the dim light.
I was dying to know what it was, but I nodded. “Okay. ” I slipped the paper into my own back pocket.
The music shifted to a slow, romantic song. Alex looked at the dance floor. “Do you want to dance?”
I hesitated, taking in how tired he seemed. “Can you?”
“Well, I’m not the best dancer in the world, but…”
“No, I mean with your arm. ”
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