“Of course you will.”
“I think I’m pregnant.”
I jumped as if someone had burned me. Eyes wide, I stood there, staring. Pretty brown eyes watched me expectantly, but I fell mute. I almost asked how. Almost.
She smiled. “What I would give to crawl into your head right now.”
I laughed, then picked her up and kissed her. “I’ll tell you what I’m thinking.”
She plucked at my feathers. Whenever she did that, she signaled discomfort. “Tell me.”
“Give me your heart, and I’ll give you my soul.” I cleared my throat. “With those words, I propose to you.”
It was her turn to look stunned. She paled even more. She was gonna go green on me. Was that a no? My feathers stood on end.
She brushed a hand over them.
“Answer me, Julia.”
“I spent all morning thinking about how I’m gonna broach the prego news to you, and you walk in with your mighty self and immediately go on the offensive. I’m… I’m…gonna be sick.”
“Are you joking? Is it sarcasm?” I put her down. The second her feet hit the floor, she bolted out of the room, across the hall, and into her chambers, where I heard her produce horrible sounds. Leaning against the window, I puffed out my chest. What a great runner Julia made.
Outside, the fleet above and the soldiers below trained. In the city, mortals busied themselves on the streets. I had returned the city to its previous state, apart from a few modifications, namely those involving the Marked and the memories of the Marked. While reconstructing the city, I didn’t use the sword’s power, but rather my own, so that people would remember the battle, Julia’s sacrifice, and what I was prepared to do should anyone try to hurt her again, especially now that she carried the future of this realm. I wanted the enemy to understand I would drown the realm and annihilate everyone. I would flood the land in the name of her and my unborn child.
Instead of modifying people’s reality yet again, I mandated they keep a sharp mind, and as soon as I saw results from mental exercises with my mortal army, I would extend the teaching to the civilians. Julia showed me that descending upon this realm wasn’t a mistake, and that mortals, if given a chance—and proper training—would work quite hard for a better future. But most importantly, she showed me mortals loved in ways I couldn’t have comprehended if she hadn’t tried to kill me the day I barged into her life.
What a sad, lonely existence I’d have led if she hadn’t made popcorn. The little things, little spaces of time, count the most, and Julia with her former short life span, really knew how to live and what to value. She risked everything for her family. I’d never have known what that meant if it wasn’t for her, and I regretted having to lock my brother in the keep. Nevertheless, in the keep he would stay. I was not all-forgiving.
Soft footsteps approached, and Julia stood behind me, threading her slender fingers through the feathers at the base of my wings. This aroused me, made my heart beat faster, and I realized I’d never felt more alive than when I spent time with her. Though, she still hadn’t answered my proposal. I must execute my plan and hit her hard. Hoorah. “You make me want to lock you up and tie you to the bed. Alas, if you’re well enough, we shall descend to town. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Chapter Thirty
Michael disliked visiting Raphael and seeing his brother confined inside a small cell, but he would show Raphael no mercy, although I had asked if he would consider it. Raphael had done what he did because he believed I would hurt Michael. Still, my pleas to ease up on Raphael fell upon deaf ears. At least after the prego news, his mood improved.
He walked out of the House with a bounce in his step, and I rushed down the stairs to catch up with him. He stopped at the entrance, shook out his golden wings, looked up at the same time as he extended his hand for me to take. I slid my palm into his. His hands were always warm, and as our palms connected, I swore my soul filled with peace.
In the sky, the Command Fleet paused their training and turned toward him, tucking their wings tightly to their bodies and simply hovering in the air, defying gravity. I expected them all to fall, but they stilled and hummed softly, barely audible to my ears. On the ground, the soldiers assembled, and everyone stared at Michael. I wondered, not for the first time, what it felt like to carry the responsibility of the realm on one’s shoulders. Because of Michael’s reserved emotions, I often misunderstood him, thought him heartless, and even called him a monster. I didn’t believe I’d ever fully know what Michael felt in moments like this one, when thousands of mortals and angels dropped everything they were doing for a chance to be touched by him as he swept the Court with his power.
His strength coursed through my body faster than an energy drink, and my soul soaked it up, hungry for more. Michael hummed along with the fleet, a beautiful, soothing tune. Since the day Lucifer visited, we’d trained hard and with little rest.
“Maybe you could give them a break today,” I whispered.
Bright golden eyes turned to me, and I looked up, smiling. “A day off in light of our private celebration.”
Golden eyes narrowed. “Who approached you and asked for rest?”
Gawd. Here we go. “Nobody, but I mentioned it last night, and you said yes, so…”
“Last night, I was busy eating you out, and anything you say gets a yes from me. Which is precisely why you asked at that time, isn’t it?”
I looked around, feeling heat crawl up my neck. The mortals couldn’t hear him, but angels clearing their throats as if they were
