“What about her?” he countered.
“According to Ramsey, myhellhound, she was mostly demon. Whatever that means. Doesn’t that, I don’t know, cancel out the angel in some way?”
His eyebrows raised. “It’s been an age since I’ve seen a hellhound, how wonderful. I hope we’ll get to meet her soon. But to answer your question, no, not at all. Your father was a full-blooded angel?”
“Yes.”
“You simply take after him.”
Phin blinked, disarmed by his exaggerated gestures and charm. She looked around again, some of her energy clearly flagging. “And you’re all fine with me being here? You just gave me jewelry that will keep me safe. Jewelry that’s probably worth more than everything I own at the moment, except maybe my mother’s necklace. And you even made it match?” She frowned, gripping the pendant in her fist. She cleared her throat several times before continuing, the rasp fairly severe because of how much she was speaking. “Simply because angels are dangerous, and I’m hiding from them, even though I also am one.”
“Correct,” Rylan said. “That’s a very succinct explanation, well done. And I wouldn’t mind getting a closer look at that necklace sometime. If you don’t mind.”
She frowned, eyebrows pinched together. “Are you not at all suspicious? Do you not see me as the enemy at all? I’m one ofthem. At least, enough of one they’re hunting me.”
“Perhaps you are, but you came here with him.” Rylan gestured at me. “You’ve made no threats, nor have you asked us for anything at all. To be clear, we all know very well the danger involved with being the focus of an angel’s attention. Doesn’t even matter why. We know how eager they are to jump to violence. If we can prevent that from happening or protect you from ending up in their sights at all, we will.”
“That’s it? You just… believe that I’m not like the rest of them?” Her volume had risen, louder than I’d ever heard her speak, her throat clearly irritated. I began to spin my ring, nervousness over her agitation overriding my calm.
I stepped toward her, bond raging in my chest. “Phin, we can?—”
“Yes.” The answer came from everyone in the room at the same time, silencing us both.
“Should we not?” Vassago asked, tilting his head to the side and watching her in a way that was almost certainly how he stared at students when he felt they were close to coming to the correct conclusion and he wanted to encourage them along. “You did just argue that you’re part demon. Would you accept that as a reason?”
Phin stopped to process that for a moment. My heart swelled. This was the embodiment of everything I adored about my family. I was firmly reminded that I needed to spend more time with them, that I had likely missed quite a lot while cloistered away at the crossroads, buried under my responsibilities. That I’d pushed them away for the same, erroneous rationale—that I didn’t have time, when really, that time would have mattered more had I spent it differently. But it was not the moment to catalog my regrets.
“I… yes?” Phin finally answered.
Vassago looked pleased. He spread his hands in front of him, palm up. “Then that’s the reason, if it must be.”
She was silent for several beats as she considered this. “Please don’t misunderstand, I am grateful.” Phin took a deep breath and rolled the new bracelet around her wrist. “But I’m also struggling to understand. Things would absolutelynotbe the same the other way around.”
“We know,” Vassago chuckled.
“Oh, how we know.” This from Magnus, who stepped forward with a gentle smile on his mouth. “Hello to you, little Nephilim. My name is Magnus. I believe you met Coltor not long ago? He is my son.” His gaze drifted to me, and he inclined his head a bit in acknowledgment.
“Yes, I did. Pleased to meet you.” She stared up at the man who was mountainous even in his human form, her hand invisible as he shook it within his larger one.
Grace stepped up next to him. “I’m Grace. I do my best to keep this whole lot in order, school included. If you need anything while you’re here, you let me know.”
“Okay.” Her lips parted again as though she was going to ask something further but she abandoned the thought, instead reaching out for her cup of tea and scowling into it as she sipped. Her body relaxed, the act of greeting the pair of them a necessary and welcome distraction.
“Shall we adjourn to the observatory to talk?” Rylan asked. “I have some charts I need to show you, Tap.”
“And I have news from the council,” Magnus added. “No need to bore everyone else with the details.”
“Good idea,” Calla confirmed. “That way we can chat and get to know one another a little better before we head into the city. If you’re comfortable with that, Phin?”
A bit dazed but with confidence, Phin nodded.
Rylan turned back to his wife. “Be safe.”
“Always.”
Rylan and Vassago kissed their wives on the way out, and I met Phin’s eye again to be sure she was okay with me leaving her alone with my sisters-in-law. She nodded again, still looking as though she had a million thoughts happening at once.
“We’ll take good care of her,” Grace assured me, patting my shoulder.
