also made great sacrifices for each other. It just seems like only half a victory to get my soul back but not be with the person who's affected it so much."
Roman surprised me by acknowledging the point. "Okay. I can see where you're coming from there."
"And," added Carter gently, "you need to replay your own words there. You and Seth have come back together, life after life. What makes you think you won't again?"
"Well, his recent actions for one," I remarked bitterly. "That and . . . I don't know. Just the look in his eyes."
"Seth had a lot thrown at him all at once. Whose idea was the hypnosis anyway?"
"Mine," said Roman. "And get that accusing tone out of your voice. It was the fastest and easiest way we had to get the information we needed."
"Perhaps," said Carter. "But there's a reason reborn mortals forget their past lives. It's a lot to process, and that kind of regression brings on too much, too fast."
"Hugh kind of said something like that too," I said.
Carter nodded, gray eyes kind. "Don't give up on Seth yet. I think he might surprise you once he's settled down. He loved you enough to always come back to you. He loved you enough to remember you, even when Hell tried to erase you from his mind. That's powerful stuff, Daughter of Lilith."
It was, and I suddenly questioned how fairly I'd been approaching this situation. My old fears had held me back from truly fighting for Seth. I also hadn't really tried to imagine what it must be like for him to have ten people in one mind.
"It could take a while," I said, unable to meet Carter's eyes. "For him to come around, I mean. And it could take a while for Hell to respond to my appeal too, right?" Both men nodded. "What do I do then? What do I do with all that time?"
"You live," said Carter. "You go on with the life you have, with the opportunities you have. You want your soul. You want Seth. If it's within your power to achieve those things, do it. If it's not, accept it and figure out what else you want."
I muddled over his words. "Part of my immediate life is dictated for me. I have to go to Las Vegas."
"What do you want to do there?" prompted Carter.
"Be happy . . . if it's possible." I knew I was being melodramatic but couldn't help it. "If I have to be there, I'd like some sort of chance at a happy life that I created. Not a fake one Hell fashioned for me." I thought about it some more. "I'd like to find out if Bastien is my friend first and Hell's servant second."
"There you go," said Carter. "Start there. Focus on what you can control."
"I'd like to help Seth's family too," I added, kind of on a roll now. "I'm already trying to do something for his mom, but before I leave them, I want to do whatever I can. Even if Hell leaves Andrea alone, we don't know how things will turn out. Even if Seth decides he never wants to see me again, I still care about them. And there are still things they need."
"Indeed. That pony collection isn't nearly complete," Carter mused. When I dared a look back at him, I saw that the angel was smiling at me. "You see? You aren't lost. No matter what happens to you, you have a plan. There's still hope."
"You told me that once . . . that no matter what happens, there's always hope. Do you really still believe that?" I asked.
Carter topped off all of our wineglasses. "I'm an angel, Georgina. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."
"And even though you're counseling contingency plans, you still think I can pull it all off, don't you?" I pushed. "What do you know that I don't?"
"At this point?" he admitted. "Nothing more than you do. The only difference is that I think I have more faith in you than you do."
"You're an angel," I pointed out, throwing his words back at him. "Don't you have to have faith in everyone?"
"You'd be surprised." He chuckled. "I have faith in some more than others. And you? I've always been one of your biggest fans. If you believe nothing else, believe that."
"Here, here," said Roman, raising his glass. "To faith and a new year."
I clinked glasses with them and caught Carter's eye. He winked. Was