one read “Angelus” and the right one read “Coadunatio.” Caius took the cuffs and put them in the opposite hands. Left: Coadunatio. Right: Angelus. A joining of angels. There was a pair of leather gloves and another pair of near-identical ones missing fingers; a pair of greaves, for my calves; a full metal battle dress like ones worn by ancient Greeks; and a chlamys. It was like fifth grade all over again. I just couldn’t see myself wearing any of it.
“No shoes in there?” Arcturus rushed the bag and searched frantically. “Ah-ha!” He turned and presented me with a pair of shoes that I was no way ever going to wear. Ever.
“Uh, thanks. But who are you guys again?”
Arcturus laughed. “Cherubim. Your cherubim. I’m here to train you in celestial matters and combat. Caius here will keep you in great physical shape and make sure you have everything you need to survive.”
“Cherubs. I thought you were supposed to have four faces. A lion, a man. Ugh. I can’t remember the other two. Anyway, I guess that’s not true either, huh?”
“We can look like whatever we want when we interact with humans. If you prefer we appear in our natural state, we will. Just say the word. Otherwise, I’ll stick to my cornrows.” Arcturus’s face blurred for seconds, and beneath it I saw him, as he really was. Lion, ox, man, and eagle. He smiled. “We do our best to show humans the face we think will be best received.”
“And you thought I’d best receive cornrows?” I kind of mumbled to myself.
“Speaking of humans, you need to keep your strength up.” Caius put a hand behind his back and then put it out in front me. In his hand were jumbo red strawberries, a brown liquid, and a loaf of bread.
What an odd gift, I thought and said, “Thanks.” I even tried to smile.
“Strawberries have anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are like antioxidants. Oxygen can damage your body’s organ systems, so you’ll need anthocyanins to protect your cell structures. This will come in handy since yours is still a human body despite its celestial capabilities. You need extra protection now, Grace, as your body will be expected to perform outside of its comfort zone.” He seemed to be searching for the right words to convince me I needed his yummy strawberries.
The more he talked them up, the hungrier I got. “Uh-huh.”
“You’ll be eating a lot of berries in the coming months. We’ll want to prevent the emergence of free radicals—which you are now more prone to due to the planned changes in your cellular structure,” he concluded in his perfect English schoolboy accent. “Oh, and that stuff? It’s manna and honey.”
Holy cow.
The last thing I needed was to be mutated into a total freak. I’d learned about free radicals in school and how they are created when the body metabolizes oxygen and some of the cells get damaged. Mr. Sleezack had said, “Free radicals become problematic when they seek out other molecules to pair with, robbing those molecules for what they lack—like the Robin Hoods of molecules. It’s like an evil molecule rampage.” Just like that, I would have eaten anything he gave me, including poisonous apples. I grabbed the food and ate.
My thoughts turned from poison apples to Gavin kissing me awake and asking me to live with him at Kheiron. I considered calling him, only to realize I didn’t have his number. According to Gavin, it was not safe for me to be alone. Now that I had Caius and Arcturus, I wasn’t. So maybe things were going to be OK. Maybe Mom and Gavin and Dead Dad were wrong.
Neither Arcturus nor Caius had said much of anything since I’d tried to kill them with my bag of eyeballs and short sword. They kind of gave me my “stuff” and seemed content to stay out of my way. They were huddled over, reading something that was partially obscured by Caius’s body.
“Form,” Caius said. “We do not have bodies. Humans have bodies; we have forms. What form we take depends on our Order, post, and talent. As light beings we can inhabit another being or take on its form. No other being can inhabit or take on the form of an angel.” He smiled and returned to his reading.
“I can inhabit stuff? And take on the form of anything I want?” I thought flying was going to be the best of what I was capable of.