Remi nodded as he thoughtfully looked out at Blaze and the Guardians. “You are a most trusted servant, Blaze. I believe you. Zac also confirms your assessment. Yet we must be careful not to confuse our compassion for…other feelings. We will place the girls under watch. Zac, you shall watch over Lucy.”
“I can watch over her,” Blaze said.
Remi frowned. “I believe an angel of higher rank would be more suited for this task.”
“And what about…?” I paused, afraid merely saying her name would give away my feelings for her. “What about her sister?”
Remi studied me for a moment. If I had to throw myself at his feet and beg, I would. “Will you join the training?”
“Yes.” The word shot out of my mouth without a second thought.
“Do I have your word you’ll treat her like any other passenger on this ship?”
“You have my word.”
“Very well then. The sisters will stay, but we cannot leave open any chance for division. We must stay united. Ian…”
A sharp inhale.
A frantic heartbeat.
I braced for Remi’s command.
“I charge you to watch over Karenna…and Tristan.”
Ian smiled all too happily.
11
Tristan
“REMI Cruise Lines presents The Leviathan, the tallest water slide in the world!” the sign boasted.
I snorted. When Remi took on a project, he went all the way. He had to be the best.
The entrance to the slide was on the highest deck on the ship and had a fantastic view. Thankfully, it was closed with no passengers allowed. It was the one place I could escape Ian’s watchful eye, the one place he didn’t follow. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe he was afraid of the sculpted leviathan head at the mouth of the slide.
“Rawr!” I playfully growled, clawing at the mythical creature.
Chuckling, I turned and caught sight of a Power standing on the diving platform, gazing out into the horizon.
It’s Red! I’d recognize that mop of curly red hair anywhere. Of Zac’s friends from the House of Michael, Red was the friendliest and funny as hell.
I was about to call out to Red when he held up some type of gadget to his eyes. I squinted, stepping forward to get a better look.
Was that…? No. It couldn’t be.
Red turned, and I got a full view of the black object.
Binoculars!
Red couldn’t see. His angelic vision was so weak he needed binoculars.
Frantically, I rushed to the railing and gazed down at the deck below. Children splashed in the pool. Their mouths opened with smiles and laughter as parents watched from lounge chairs. Some leaned toward each other in pairs, lips moving.
At the surf simulator machine, Lucy waved her hands animatedly as Raffi wobbled on a surfboard. Zac cupped a hand over his mouth, yelling instructions to the young angel, but I could barely hear him. It sounded like a whisper in the distance.
How much more of our angelic gifts could we stand to lose before we’d be unable to defend anyone anymore?
“Karenna won’t be out for a couple of hours. She’s with Ms. Marmie and Mr. Nacho helping the Guardians on kitchen duty,” Calder’s voice said from behind me.
I pressed a palm against my stomach at the sudden flutter. Why did my body react the way it did at the mere mention of her name? Was this how Calder felt when he was with Jo?
“Tristan?” Calder joined me at the railing.
I looked into his concerned eyes. How could he stand seeing Jo with Dorian day after day? It was my fault for putting him in that position in the first place. It had been selfish of me to ask him to watch after Karenna, but I was desperate. I couldn’t risk having Ian see me with her. If I saw her, I’d break. Even now, the few peeks I’d managed to sneak in were unbearable. I wanted to be near her. Every hour of every day that passed, I couldn’t stop thinking of her, her touch, her laughter.
Her lips on mine.
Still, Karenna kept to Jo’s side. It was cruel to keep Calder watching over her.
“Thank you, Calder. You don’t have to look after Karenna anymore.”
“I want to. I worry about…” he paused, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck.
“You’re worried about Jo.”
“Well, yes, but also about Mr. McCoy.”
“Who?”
“The one who calls himself Hunter. When he’s not with Dorian, he’s with Karenna. They’re, uh…”
“Go ahead,” I prodded.
“They’re growing close.”
My eyes slammed shut at the sudden pain slamming against my chest. Of course, she’d like the charming cowboy. He was a reminder of her beloved state of Texas, and more importantly, a Gibbor.
Stupid, that’s what I was, stupid to think Karenna and I still had a chance after I found out she was Nephilim. I didn’t care that her kind had been loathed for centuries by my people. All I could think about was that she was half angel and that we could make it work.
I snorted. Yeah, right. I was torn between waiting for Karenna to appear and running to the bowels of the ship to keep from temptation. I was perfect relationship material.
“There’s something I need to tell you. Please forgive me for not telling you before. I wasn’t sure how.”
My eyes flashed open at the panic in Calder’s voice. “What’s wrong? Is it Karenna?”
“No, she’s fine. But…”
“What? What is it?”
“She knows about, uh…your mother…what she, I mean, what your family…uh, you know.” Calder’s face reddened as he looked away.
I sucked in a breath. Not again.
I remembered vividly the day the angel world found out about my mother. Afterward, when walking down the halls of the academy, I’ll never forget the stares, the hushed voices. No one dared approach me. The only ones who stayed by my side were Val, Zac, and Calder.
“What did she say?” I could barely get the words out. I gripped the railing, unsure if I wanted to hear the answer.
“She defended you. It was hard to see their table from where I was hidden, but I managed to catch her reaching for sharp utensils several times.”
“Really?” My heart lifted.
“Yes, she was upset with Dorian. He said you were a spy for Belial.”
Dorian. I gritted my teeth. He was an annoyance that would not go away.
“He’s a jerk. Where does he come up with this stuff?”
“Mr. McCoy shared the story all Gibbor are told about the, uh, Diniel situation. Dorian twisted it around. Do you want me to question him?”
“Don’t bother. I wouldn’t be surprised if he overheard Ian or the other Archangels talking. It’s no secret what they think about me.”
“Who thinks what about you?” Val suddenly appeared, climbing up the final steps onto the deck. “Wow, this is a great view.”
“Ian,” Calder replied.
“Oh, him. He’s all talk.” She hopped onto the railing and casually swung her legs over the side as she sat.
“That’s one thing you’re right about,” I barked, remembering what she’d said about Karenna. “Ian talks, no, questions me all the time. ‘Where are you going? What are you doing? Who else is with you?’”
“Uh, okay,” she said before turning to Calder. “Remi needs you to gather some of the Guardians to clean the crew galley.”
“I’m on my way.” Calder took a step then paused, turning to me. “Is there anything else you would like for me to do about the situation?”
About Karenna? Yes, make her an angel. Make the world disappear and suspend us in time so I can be with her forever.
“No. I’ve got it handled.” I gazed down at Lucy, envious of her. She got to see Karenna every day, hear her voice, her laughter. The closest I could get to Karenna was watching her.
“You’re angry with me,” Val said when Calder left.
“Nope,” I propped my arms on the railing, leaning forward
and keeping my eye on Lucy. She looked cute with her hair in a set of braids, making her look even younger. Despite her youth, she was doing well, keeping her balance on the surfboard. Raffi, on the other hand, couldn’t last even a minute before falling off.
Val chuckled. “Raffi thinks because he’s born a Throne he can do anything better than humans or Nephilim. He’s in for a big surprise.”
“At least he’s trying.”
There was a moment of silence before she slid across the railing, moving closer. Her voice was soft when she finally spoke. “I don’t want to fight.”
“You could’ve fooled me.”
“Come on, Tristan. Tell me what’s bothering you.”
I kept my eyes focused on Lucy. “You’re smart. Figure it out.”
“What I said about Karenna? I didn’t mean it.”
“Sure sounded like you did.” I gripped the railing for a moment, trying to hold back the rage bubbling beneath the surface. I needed Val to be on my side, and when I needed her the most, she wasn’t there.
Unable to hold back any longer, I spun to her and let her have it. “She deserves protection, Val! She’s worth fighting for. They all are! That’s why we—you—are fighting in the first place, isn’t it?”
The wind ruffled her hair, lifting it off her forehead, showing the circlet and the hurt in her amber eyes. I shouldn’t have snapped at her. I knew it was her way of protecting me.
“We’re fighting…I mean, I’m fighting for more than them.”
“What else is there?”
She paused, her eyes drifting down. Long lashes rested on her high cheekbones. Her lips moved quickly as she muttered something to herself before she lifted her eyes, looking straight at me.
“You.”
I blinked, stunned. What was she talking about, and why was she looking at me so strangely. “I don’t understand.”
She wiped the palm of her hands nervously against her thighs. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay.” My heart raced as I found myself inching away from her. “You’re freaking me out, Val. What is it? Remi? Is he making you kick me out? Because I’ll leave if you need me to.”
I owed her that much. It was only because of her Remi allowed me to live with the Watchers even though I was never technically one of them.
“I don’t know how to tell you this. I was hoping the situation would change, but now…” she paused, her eyes searching mine.
Hell! Remi was kicking me out.
“Karenna, over here!”
I froze at the sound of Lucy’s announcement. I waited with bated breath, straining to hear more.
Stay or go? Stay or go?
I couldn’t help myself. I turned.
My breath caught as I caught sight of her in a blue swimsuit. It hugged her curves to perfection. Sunlight kissed her bare shoulders. Her thick hair, pulled up high into a ponytail, revealed a graceful neck waiting to be kissed. I felt myself rolling my shoulders, itching to spread open my wings and fly down to join her.
She suddenly stopped and then laughed as she ran to the edge of the surf machine.
Raffi’s arms flailed as he grabbed onto one of Lucy’s braids to keep from falling. He fell face first, taking Lucy down with him.
I chuckled, turning back to Val. “Sorry, you were about to tell me about Remi giving me the boot.”
Val let out a heavy sigh. “He’s not kicking you out. I know Karenna’s important to you. Just be careful, okay. I didn’t mean to say she wasn’t worth it. I meant that sometimes…” her voice squeaked, and she started blinking fast, as if something was irritating her eyes. “Sometimes you have to let go of things you care about to save others. I’ll talk to you later. I have to get Raffi.”
12
Karenna
The deck was filled with women lounging by the pool and watching children play in the water. A few angels were posted along the railings. Some watched over the pool like lifeguards. Others gazed into the horizon with binoculars.
I sighed, relieved Ian wasn’t among them. Finally, one day without having to see his icy glare. He was starting to annoy me. Since the day he’d chased us away from the I-95, I couldn’t go anywhere without seeing him. He never said a word, though. He just watched me with accusatory eyes.
“You are so going down!” Lucy hollered as she ran to the surfing machine.
“Not this time!” Raffi cried back.
“Wait, Lucy! Raffi!” I grasped his thin arm, surprised by its strength. His cherub-like face gazed back at me with warm amber eyes, so like his sister’s. “Didn’t we just pull you out a few days ago with a broken nose?”
“I’ve been practicing. Besides, Val’s a healer.”
“A healer?” How did I not know that? That made sense. Her father, Raphael, was known as an angel of healing.
“Yeah, she’s good at it too. I can do a little, but I haven’t taken the advanced classes yet.”
“There are classes for that?” Tristan had mentioned attending an angel academy. I’d envisioned classes like history and music, cherubs learning to play the harp and stuff like that.
“Duh, how else are we gonna learn? The Thrones have specialized training according to the house they’re from.”
I chuckled, amazed by how much teen speak he’d picked up. He sounded like Lucy.
“I bet you flunked out and that’s why you’re down here,” Lucy taunted.
“Lucy! That’s not nice!”
Raffi’s cheeks pinked. “Yeah, well, Phanuel had it out for me, and the instructors didn’t’ want to get on his shit list…oh, crap! I mean, bad list. Don’t tell Val I cussed. She’ll take me back home herself for sure.”
“I won’t. I’ve heard worse.” My eyes darted to Lucy, who was giggling. “And you don’t have to explain. What’s wrong with you, Lucy?”
“Ugh, fine. Sorry. But I have a bald spot now because of him. See?” She lifted a braid that covered a small hairless gap.
“I’ll ask my sister if she could do something about it,” Raffi said, looking hopeful.
“I think she has better things to do than grow back Lucy’s hair. Here.” I handed him the surfboard. “Be careful.”
Lucy rolled her eyes. “We’re not babies.”
“Yeah, besides, Zac’s helping us.”
Zac stood by the surfing machine wearing nothing but swimming trunks. Waves of his damp golden hair rested on broad shoulders tanned by long days in the sun. You could literally see women drooling as they watched his every move. He waved Lucy and Raffi over.
“Okay, but don’t take too long. I’m sure Zac has better things to do. I’ll be with Hunter if you need me.”
Hunter sat near the pool with his guitar on his lap surrounded by children. Javi, Neto, Hali’s girls, and others sang along with him. He paused, singing the words, and then strummed the guitar as the children repeated the lyrics he was teaching them.
It was sweet. He was sweet. Over the past few days, Hunter had been kind and helpful, charming Gibbor, humans, and angels alike. He’d even managed to make Mrs. Carmichael smile.
After he had talked about Tristan and his family, I hadn’t wanted anything to do with him, especially since he was so friendly with Dorian. But when I overheard Hunter telling-off Dorian for making things up about Tristan and the other angels, I realized Hunter was trying to keep the peace. Hunter made sure everyone knew what he’d shared with us were only stories the Gibbor had heard about over the years, and he regretted ever mentioning them. When I asked Aunt Marmie, she looked embarrassed, saying the Gibbor did tend to enjoy their version of a soap opera. She said it was like Guiding Light: The Angel Edition.
I’d desperately wanted to talk to Tristan about it. But every time I even came close to the stairs leading to the I-95 corridor, Ian or one of his cronies in a black trench coat appeared.
There were times when I’d spotted Tristan in the distance, but before I could make my way over to him, he’d disappear.
I sigh
ed as I made my way to Hunter, wondering if Tristan was avoiding me. He’d promised friendship, and I desperately missed him.
Hunter glanced up, his handsome face lighting up. His face quickly dropped, his brow furrowing with concern.
“Are you okay?” he mouthed.
I nodded, giving him a half-hearted smile. I placed the towels and backpack filled with drinks and snacks down on the ground and sank onto a deck chair. With Dorian dominating Jo and Tristan practically avoiding me, Hunter was the only person who seemed to check in on me. It was as if he sensed the melancholy behind my fake smiles. He always managed to make me laugh by telling me stories about his time in Austin and being part of the student group who looked after a longhorn steer, the university’s mascot.
There was a shriek followed by Lucy yelling, “Dude, again?”
All eyes turned to the surfing machine. Raffi was face down at the edge, his feet kicking the air.
“Hold on, Raffi!” Zac quickly pulled up his hair into a man bun and jumped in to grab him.
Smart move. Zac had seen Lucy’s bald spot.
“Teen angel over there bites the big one. Seriously.” Lucy tossed her surfboard on the floor beside me. She snatched up a towel and dried herself off.
I chuckled as Zac did his best to keep Raffi from grabbing his man bun. “I guess angels aren’t perfect.”
She plunged her hand into the backpack and took out a handful of candy and a couple of sodas. She tossed a can to me. “You think?”
“I’m glad you’re having fun with Zac, but you shouldn’t be taking up all his time. I’m sure he has important work to do on the ship.”
Plopping down next to me, she unwrapped a Blow Pop and popped it into her mouth. “He’s the one who wanted to do it, practically begged Val to let him, at least that’s what Raffi told me.”
“Why would Zac do that?”
Lucy scowled. “Why not? I’m delightful. That’s what he said.”
I laughed. “Yes, you’re fun to be with. What I meant was he’s a Throne, a leader. Hanging out with you and Raffi, no matter how delightful you are, is not what I imagine a leader would be doing.” Opening the can, I took a swig.
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