Page 42 of Fated Angel
Gabby sniffles, but her shoulders straighten and she stands a bit taller. “You’re right, they won’t do anything to make me angrier right now, but I still worry.”
“It’s nothing we can’t handle, angel,” he says, his bravery meant to bolster her confidence. “You have the Spear under control now. The Grigori don’t know what they’ve done.”
“Let’s go to Veritas,” Gabby says, hurrying away from him and down the steps of the building. “The others will want to know and help.”
Their wings spread, internally conscious of each other and not jostling as they take to the sky. Colt brushes the tips of his wings against Gabby’s as they soar above the trees and level off. The spell to hide them from the unassuming humans is like second nature to him now.
Below them, everything goes on as it should. The humans move about, going to their mundane jobs or heading home. It’s clear they don’t see the cosmic battle about to unfold, and Colt envies that peace. His eyes pull back to Gabby as his heart squeezes. Maybe, after this, they’ll get a little taste of that peace and get to live as a couple.
“Looks like they’re expecting us,” Gabby says, breaking his internal thoughts.
Colt looks ahead, and on the roof of the library are their friends and people gathered to support the cause. Blaise, her hair red and up in braids like a Viking, storms around the roof shouting orders to people like a general.
In unison, Colt and Gabby land on their roof with barely a sound. Lydia sees them and runs up to meet them with a flustered look on her face. “I’m so glad you’re here, we were about to call but—” She gives them a nervous smile and shrug, signaling that the pair of them are here before they could summon them.
“What do we know?” Gabby asks, putting the woman back on track.
“Right, straight to business! I like that about you!” Lydia grins and turns to face the people milling about. “This is where we set up headquarters, so we can see the school and know what's happening. Also, so Blaise doesn’t burn any of the books with her…anger issues?” Lydia points at a scorch mark on the ground.
“I do not have anger issues!” Blaise shouts, coming over to our side and blowing a loose strand of red hair from her eyes. “I have insubordination issues, which is rightful for someone with authority to correct.”
“Blaise, he was asking if we wanted coffee…”
“And we did not, in fact, want coffee.”
“That’s obvious!” Lydia smirks and shakes her head at the woman. “She’s been like this since the school lit up. Captain of the Veritas strike force!” Lydia wiggles her fingers at Blaise as if she’s casting spells.
“I’m just making sure everyone survives this, whatever it will be. If I have to take leadership to do that, then?—”
“Then roasting the leather of a pixie’s shoes when he’s trying to be nice it is!” Lydia laughs, and walks away shaking her head. Over her shoulder she says jovially, “I’ll make sure no one slacks off, ma’am!”
“She’s not taking this seriously,” Blaise grouses, turning to face the angel and demon.
“That’s because she knows they won't win,” Gabby says, her voice so sure it seems undeniable.
Smirking, Colt puts his arm over Gabby’s shoulder and tucks her to his side. “That’s right, they won’t win. We’ll defeat them and they won’t ever be a threat to us again.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself!” Gabby agrees, placing her hand on Colt’s chest and smiling up at him.
“That’s all well and good, lovebirds, but what about them?” Blaise waives her hands away from the building, signaling all the innocent humans facing extinction unbeknownst to them.
“If we do this right, they will never know they were in danger,” Gabby says bravely.
“And we will do this right. Has anyone heard from the school? Do we know what their plan is?” Colt asks.
Blaise nods, taking a deep breath and trying to ride on their confidence and not be so worried. “They sent a message,” she looks around, and when her eyes land on Sierra, she smiles and waves her forward.
“You guys made it! We weren’t sure if you’d go to the school first or what,” Sierra says as she runs up to meet them.
“Do you still have the message?” Blaise asks.
Sierra nods, digging in her pocket for a piece of tattered parchment with burned edges. She hands it to Colt, who shifts it closer to Gabby so each of them can hold one side.
“This is Maya’s handwriting,” Gabby says, a whoosh of breath leaving her lips as they start to tremble.
“They want to make sure you know what's at stake,” Sierra says, a sad, knowing look in her eyes.
“It’s at stake either way, especially if they win.” Colt says grimly, scanning the message with his jaw working in irritation.