his arms and looking out the window of the greenhouse. “I was training to be a pilot, just like my father was. My mum was a gardener, but she died from cancer when I was fifteen, and so I took over her gardens. It’s where I got my love of gardening from. I died a week before my twentieth birthday when a plane exploded as I walked past it.” He stops, and I place my hand on his arm. “Coming to the academy was not what I expected, and I wanted to go home. Eventually I realised I couldn’t and found friends here, but they have all passed the academy or left. When it came to the end of my final year, I was already spending my spare time looking after the gardens, they were a weed-filled mess before, and Master Gabriel offered me the job of gardener. So here we are.”
“So you can’t go back to earth?”
He shakes his head. “I’m immortal and lost in a battle of choice. My place is here, and I feel that in my soul.”
“Thallon, what do you miss most about earth?”
He chuckles, leaning back. “Flying a plane, oddly enough.”
“I think you were always meant to be flying but not with a plane. With your wings,” I tell him, and he grins at me.
“You have me all figured out, Miss Lightson.”
I lower my hand as I chuckle, but he catches it, kissing the tips of my fingers. “I love your laugh.”
“Thallon…” I whisper.
“I know we practically just met, and I might not know what angel I want to be, but I know who I want, and that won’t change. We can take it slow, but give me a chance.”
“I’ve never dated anyone before,” I warn him. “And how Riley is acting, I don’t think I should right now. Plus, I’m practically on a knife’s edge at this academy.”
“Me neither, but I think we can have some kind of agreement with calling it a name if you want.” I can tell he is being honest, and I nod. He leans closer, brushing his lips against mine before pulling back. “Now I know why you always smell of something sweet. The Parma Violets.”
I pull a mocking sad face at him. “Don’t say their names, they are all gone.” We both laugh as we get back to gardening. We both have something new to be happy about this week after all.
Chapter 22
“I get that dark angels love to party, but how does that have to do with actually being a dark angel?” Vesnia questions a guy called Tuke who’s a friend of Henry’s, or at least I’ve seen them talking together, which accounts for some kind of friendship for Henry. I’ve watched him around the academy these past few weeks, and I know he doesn’t let anyone close, not even Jessica, who follows him like a puppy, yapping to get his attention.
“It’s not to give you information on dark angels, but to see who leaves the party and who figures out the truth behind the party,” Tuke comments before taking a deep inhale of his weed-filled roll-up. We aren’t going to get answers from the drunk or drugged angels, that’s for sure. I still keep looking around the room for Henry, but instead, I end up finding Jessica’s eyes staring right back at me.
“Riddles are for losers,” Vesnia mutters and rolls her eyes as Tuke wanders off to no doubt find more drugs or booze.
“Only losers who can’t figure them out think that,” Jessica drawls, and I tense up. Turning around, I almost scream as ice cold beer pours down my face, into my hair, and down my chest and dress. “Whoops. I’m so clumsy these days. You must forgive me.”
“Forgive this, bitch!” Vesnia shouts before tackling Jessica to the floor, and I can’t help but laugh. The angels form a circle around them as they fight, and I’m super impressed by how quick Vesnia pulls a chunk of Jessica’s hair out. I wonder if I should help or stop this as Tuke and Henry appear out of nowhere and split them up. Vesnia is still screaming at Jessica as Tuke drags her out of the party, and Henry leaves Jessica on the floor, crying over her cut lip and missing hair as he steps in front of me.
“Hey, trouble.” He sighs, and I grin. “I have a shower and answers, if you want them.”
“NO! Don’t tell her anything!” Jessica pleads, crawling up off the floor, and