at least level the playing field, was born (pun intended) with me. The idea was to make the kids of the players fall head over heels in love and marry—Romeo and Juliet style—only this time, they couldn’t die. Wait until the humans got a load of this.
So basically, I had the power to blow the entire thing out of the water. That’s why people wanted me dead, or they were walking on eggshells so as not to upset me, or they were catering to me, bowing to me, breaking into my room and trying to kill my friends and family. Claro.
With Remi a Fallen, my loyalty was even further compromised. Gavin, the son of not just any seraphim but the Seraphim—the first Fallen Angel, adored above others by God.
The more I considered all of the possible scenarios, the worse I felt. “A-ha” moments and smacks upside the head along with feelings of betrayal, empowerment, and disgust made for one messed up me. I nearly forgot where I was and what I was supposed to be doing.
“Grace, control this Fallen before I’m forced to end his life!” Zane shouted, his voice echoing in the walls.
Gavin? Oh God, not again.
I snapped back to the reality of what was going on to find Remi choking Zane and screaming, “I’ll kill you. Bring her back, you bastard. She’s not responsible for what I did. Bring her back. You can bring her back. You didn’t have to take her. Bring her back!”
I flew into the air and grabbed Remi, pulled him off Zane, and caught Zane’s arm by accident. In that moment, I sensed the restraint he had exercised for Remi’s sake and sent a very heartfelt thank you to his mind. Had he responded by trying to push Remi off of him, Remi, in his weakened state, would likely have been killed by that simple act.
As Remi and I landed in the corner next to Jenny’s bed, I bowed his head between his legs so he wouldn’t have to witness Zane removing Jenny. “Stay here and don’t move.” It was then that I saw the shackles Remi had complained about earlier. They were open, but I closed them as I kissed his head and then moved to stop Zane before he left with Jenny.
“Grace, what will you have me do? I am not the one who can make that decision or perform this particular miracle,” he offered as kindly as he could under the circumstances.
I didn’t need to think too long. I’d known what I would do if this moment came since the stables. “What if I had an Angel in desperate need of a body to inhabit? How would that work?” I asked in a low voice so Remi wouldn’t hear.
“Absolutely not!” Remi shouted as he stood up, stumbling, then bracing himself against the wall as he caught sight of Zane carrying Jenny’s limp body. Her spirit had not yet awakened in his arms. Taking a deep breath he continued, “Grace, please.” Remi was crying again as he struggled to remain standing. “It would be too much for me, Emeria in Jenny’s body. Please, don’t do this,” Remi pleaded, collapsing into a fetal position on the floor.
My heart was breaking. I cleared the air between Zane and me, making my decision as I went.
“Zane,” I offered as I took a deep breath, placed my hand on his arm, and looked Jenny over as he held her. “I want my sister to have Jenny’s body.”
Silence except for Remi’s sniffles.
“If no one knew that Jenny’s spirit was actually freed, we could convince people—her parents—that Jenny was still alive. They wouldn’t have to suffer.” I was doing this for the Larsons as much as I was for Emeria. It was the least I could do considering what Remi and I had done to them. And Remi, he would come to appreciate it in the long run. He just couldn’t see it at the time.
“Yes,” was all Zane said, and I could tell he wanted to say more, to disapprove. It was not his place.
“Then it’s settled,” I decided, and added, “Emeria will have to bind to the body before it turns, though; you know she was bitten.”
Zane looked suspiciously over toward Remi, then back at me. “No, I wasn’t aware of that. I don’t get much info about the circumstances. Just a name, location, and a general description—oh, and a scent,” he added at the last minute.
“I can’t go into details, but the only reason she