you, Phil?" Shelby whimpered, turning to Luce. "I didn't know ... Honestly, Luce, I didn't. I just thought he was a creep."
The boy's lips curled up in a smile. His horrible, depthless white eyes were straight out of a nightmare. "Give her to me without a ght, or none of you will be spared."
Then Cam burst out in a long, deep belly laugh. It shook the kitchen and made the boy in the doorway twitch uncomfortably.
"You and what army?" Cam said. "You know, I think you're the rst Outcast I've ever met with a sense of humor." He glanced around the cramped kitchen. "Why don't you and I take this outside? Get it over with, shall we?"
"Gladly," the boy replied, a at smile on his pale lips.
Cam rolled his shoulders back as if he were working out a knot--and there, right where his shoulder blades came together, an enormous pair of golden wings split through his gray cashmere sweater. They unfurled behind him, taking up most of the kitchen. Cam's wings were so bright they were almost blinding as they pulsed.
"Holy Hell," Callie whispered, blinking.
"More or less," Arriane said as Cam arched his wings backward and plowed past the Outcast boy, through the door and into the backyard. "Luce will explain, I'm sure!"
Roland's wings unfurled with a sound like a great ock of birds taking ight. The lamplight in the kitchen highlighted their dark gold and black marbling as he squeezed out the door after Cam. Molly and Arriane were right behind him, butting into each other, Arriane pressing her glowing iridescent wings ahead of Molly's cloudy bronze ones, sending o what looked like little electric sparks as they hustled out the door. Next was Gabbe, whose u y white wings spread open as gracefully as a butter y's, but with such speed they sent a rush of oral-scented wind through the kitchen.
Daniel took Luce's hands in his. He closed his eyes, inhaled, and let his massive white wings unfurl. Fully extended, they would have lled the entire kitchen, but Daniel reined them in, close to his body. They shimmered and glowed and looked altogether too beautiful. Luce reached out and touched them with both hands. Warm and satin smooth on the outside, but inside, full of power. She could feel it coursing through Daniel, into her. She felt so close to him, understood him completely. As if they'd become one.
Don't worry. Everything's going to be ne. I'll always take care of you.
But what he said aloud was "Stay safe. Stay here."
"No," she pleaded. "Daniel."
"I'll be right back." Then he arched his wings backward and ew out the door.
Left alone inside, the unangelic gathered together. Miles was pressed against the back door, gaping out the window. Shelby had her head in her hands. Callie's face looked as white as the refrigerator.
Luce slipped a hand into Callie's. "I guess I have a few things to explain."
"Who is that boy with the bow and arrow?" Callie whispered, inching but still holding tight to Luce's hand. "Who are you?"
"Me? I'm just ... me." Luce shrugged, feeling a chill spread through her. "I don't know."
"Luce," Shelby said, clearly trying not to cry. "I feel like such a chump. I swear I had no idea. The stu I told him, I was just venting. He was always asking about you, and he was a good listener, so I ... I mean, I had no idea what he really was ... I would never, never--"
"I believe you," Luce said. She moved to the window, next to Miles, looking out onto the small wooden deck her dad had built a few years ago. "What do you think he wants?"
In the yard, fallen oak leaves had been raked into neat piles. The air smelled like a bon re. Somewhere in the distance, a siren was going o . At the foot of the deck's three steps, Daniel, Cam, Arriane, Roland, and Gabbe stood side by side, facing the fence.
No, not the fence, Luce realized. They faced a dark crowd of Outcasts, standing at attention with their silver arrows aimed at the row of angels. The Outcast boy was not alone. He'd amassed an army. The Outcast boy was not alone. He'd amassed an army.
Luce had to steady herself against the counter. Aside from Cam, the angels were unarmed. And she'd already seen what those arrows could do.
"Luce, stop!" Miles called after her, but she was already rushing out the door.