Wings of the Wicked - By Courtney Allison Moulton Page 0,133

pot to let it cool. “After what you’ve been through, child, you do.”

I stared at her in surprise and puzzlement. Why wasn’t she yelling at me, scolding me for running off and showing up after weeks of no contact? Why wasn’t she furious?

She came to the table and sat down next to me. She took my hand and held it in both of hers. “You’ve lost your parents and so much more. I was angry when you left, but I’ve done a lot of thinking, and I realize that much of this could have been avoided if I’d done better for you.”

I shook my head. “None of this is your fault. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Yes, I did,” she corrected me firmly. “I owe you an explanation. I’m angry with myself for making you go through this alone. I had the power to help you, but I was afraid and partially in denial. I was afraid of getting involved.”

I studied her eyes, searching for answers. “What are you talking about?”

She swallowed. “I knew, child. I knew everything. I know who you are.”

“Who I—?”

“I know you are the Preliator.”

She knew? How? I had never revealed who I was to a soul who wasn’t already in my world. “I don’t understand,” I squeaked, my voice quaking. “How can you know?”

“I am a psychic, Ellie,” she said simply. “I have always seen the reapers, but I had no idea that my granddaughter would ever be Gabriel’s vessel. I didn’t believe Frank when he told me until he showed me an old photograph of the two of you and your Guardian.”

“Frank,” I repeated, running names through my head. “Frank Meyer? My teacher?”

She nodded. “There aren’t many of us, and most of us know one another. I kept in contact with him for many years, and when he told me that you were the Preliator, I had a hard time believing him. And then these rumors began flying around about you actually being Gabriel….”

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?” I asked, and pulled my hand away from hers, unable to help the bitterness I felt.

“Frank told me it was best not to interfere.” She sounded genuinely penitent. “He promised that your Guardian would care for you. But I knew how hard it was for you, and I regret staying out of it all. And now the reapers have killed Frank, and they’ve killed my daughter and son-in-law. It’s my punishment, I suppose.”

“I spent all this time lying and hiding things from my family!” I said angrily. “And you knew the whole time. I was completely alone!”

Nana shook her head. “You were never alone. We’ve all looked out for you. Frank was killed hunting a reaper that had tracked you to your home. He died trying to keep it from telling its master where you lived, where your family lived. Not that it matters now. Bastian always knew where you lived, and he had your father killed so that beast could take his place and spy on you. We know that now. But you aren’t alone. Your Guardian protects you. I know about Will. I’m sorry you had to lie to your mother about him. She would have liked him more if she’d known what he truly was to you. You did what you had to do.”

I made a disgusted, choking sound. “What I had to do? You have no idea what I’ve had to do! What I’ve seen and been through!”

“I do, honey,” she said calmly. “I know where you’ve been. Lauren let me know that you were safe. I knew you were safer with the angelic reapers than here with me. I’m just an old woman. I would only have gotten in your way. Your soup is probably ready.” She got up from the table to pour me a bowl of soup and set it on the mat in front of me. “You need to eat.”

The steaming soup smelled delicious, but I was afraid that if I took a bite I wouldn’t be able to keep it down. I forced a spoonful, and the warmth filled up my whole body. “You said Frank gave you a photograph of us. Do you still have it?”

She turned to her purse on the counter and slipped something out of one of the pockets. She held the weathered photograph out to me, and I took it tentatively from her fingers. The black-and-white picture’s edges were torn and wrinkled, and right in the center of the image was