“My brothers and sisters in Celestra arms,” Marshall calls out, “I wanted to extend a personal thank you on behalf of my kind. You fought valiantly and prevailed as I knew deep down you would.”
“Marshall.” His name streams from me like a poem. “It was an honor. Your kind—all of you are a part of the Celestra family—the Nephilim family. And greater things are still to be done between us. We are one, the Nephilim and the Sectors.”
Marshall bows my way. “I thank you indeed for the kind words, Ms. Messenger. And tonight, I have a gift for all you. A bit of fun, a bit of angelic mischief, if you will. I’ve placed a supervising spirit around this very cliff side. Your people may frolic freely here under the cover of night without recourse. Not a human eye can spy you, nor may a spiritual enemy attack.”
“Frolic?” Ezrina gives him the side-eye. “Sector.”
Nev lifts a finger. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Marshall’s cheek twitches on one side. “All shall be revealed once I give myself a gift.” He turns around and takes a step back as he looks to Logan and Gage. “Merry Christmas, Jock Strap. Merry Christmas, Pretty One. This is for all the turbulence the two of you have given me.” In one quick move, Marshall slams his hands into their chests and sends them flying backward right off the cliff and toward the rocky crags below.
A sharp scream evicts from me as I stumble forward and Marshall takes me by the hand, but he doesn’t steady me. Instead, he sends me flying in their direction.
“Marshall!” I scream as I plummet. I watch as Logan and Gage fall toward the ground at warp speeds beneath me, then, in a burst, wings sprout out from each of us, sending us soaring right back into the sky.
Laken and Wes take a flying leap, followed by Liam, Ezrina, and Nev. Ellis takes Bree and Giselle by their hands, and Brody takes Chloe. Soon enough, we’re all soaring into the stratosphere—each one of us with gorgeous feathered plumes, glossy and thick, strong enough to propel us around the Earth’s circumference if we wanted them to.
A blast of light ignites from above, and in an instant, Cooper Flanders shows up in all of his angelic glory.
“Room for one more?” His wingspan is far more impressive, far more resplendent than any of ours, and it seems fitting in every single way.
“Cooper!” Laken and I scream with delight as we all flock to him.
Laken and Wes have a field day with him. And I fly over to Marshall as I watch all of my friends, my family fly around uninhibited in this new daring sport.
“Cliff diving?” I float up next to the wily Sector as we rise higher than the rest. “Has anyone ever told you that you give the very best gifts?”
His expression softens as he looks into my eyes. “I have the best people to give them to.”
I take up his hand. “And Cooper?” I press my lips tightly because I’m not sure I want the answer to the question I’m about to ask. “Is this a one-off?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “He can be summoned at any time. I thought he deserved something special from all of this seeing that he was a key component in Celestra’s victory, and your mother agreed.”
Tears stream from me as I give a furtive nod. “That affirms it. You’re the best.”
“I am the best, aren’t I?”
Chloe zips past us, spiraling toward Heaven with her hair spinning like flames, her very being burning bright like the spitfire she is.
I shake my head at her. “You know, Marshall, you never made her pay for stealing that bedpan all those years ago, and I lost an entire arm for taking a few pieces of your haunted cutlery. Anarm, Marshall.” I hold up my Chloe arm, and yet he doesn’t look all that moved by my soliloquy.
“Yes.” That devilish grin returns to his lips as he watches her spin. “I have something special for her in mind.”
“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. I think I have a right to know.”
“Very well.” He gives a sharp whistle, and Chloe sinks until she’s eye-to-eye with us.
“You rang?” Her hair flows behind her freely as if she was underwater.
“Ms. Messenger is interested to know the details of what we spoke about this afternoon.”
Chloe rolls her eyes skyward. “Ah yes, yourrealChristmas gift, Skyla.” She scowls my way. “You’re looking at her.” She holds out her arms my way.
I look to Marshall, completely unamused. “Where can I get a refund?”
“Very funny.” Chloe takes up my hand and forces me more or less to look her in the eye. You’re looking at your new housekeeper—toilets, sheets, mopping the floors, vacuuming, the whole rotten housekeeping nine yards. And don’t worry,” she grunts. “Marshall made it clear none of you can be home while I’m breaking my back. So you don’t have to worry about me interacting with you or the kids—or Gage.” She sticks her finger down her throat when she says his name.
“Wow,” I marvel at the two of them. “Who says petty theft doesn’t pay? I lost an arm and you lose your pride.”
