Of all the terrible things I’d done throughout my existence, I could say I’d never asked another God to use their gift to help me. I steered clear of that taboo, rather unwilling to be indebted to someone in that way.
“Ask me to give the rest of the council patience and I will do it, Grayson. It may give you more time,” he pressed.
“No!” I said, turning back around. “No.”
Malachi bowed his head. “If that’s what you want. In which case, I’ll do my best to convince the others, so there’s a strong majority behind you.” He lifted his head so his dark eyes met mine. “It would be nice to meet her properly once she’s healed.”
“Don’t push your luck.”
Fuck trying to get everyone on our side by playing nice. They all sat back and watched the spectacle unfold like some theatrical piece in the chambers. It had been a stupid idea for me to ask her to parade herself to the whim of people who wanted her dead.
“You are pushing yours. She’ll need to integrate herself if you have any hopes of swaying a vote. I include myself in that. Your bond is enough to pique my curiosity, but I still want assurance that she will not be an issue.” Malachi left no room for discussion, leaving in wisps of ivory.
“Why wouldn’t you use his gift?” Elva asked, ignoring the pointed look from Ignacio. “He gave you permission.”
I ground my teeth together so forcefully that a vague ache ran through my jaw.
“Because,” Ignacio said. I could feel his stare on my skin, but refused to meet his eyes. “Quentin knows it's taboo and she would never forgive him. Not even if it helps her. She wants her survival to be based on her own merit.”
“This is not the time for stubbornness and morals.”
“You need to leave,” I announced, straightening up. “All of you.”
“I haven’t seen Quentin,” Elva argued.
“Schedule an appointment with her when we’re back on Earth,” I snapped.
Frustration ran through her features. “You don’t get to monopolise her, Gray.”
“I do, when she can’t make a damn decision on her own.”
“We’ll see her tomorrow,” Sloan said and then faltered when she saw my expression. “Or whenever she’d like to see us.”
“We’ll see you soon, Gray. Give Quentin our love,” Erik said, whisking himself and Sloan away.
Ig’s orange aura grabbed Elva around the waist, drawing her into him. “Don’t be a prick,” he told me. “If you don’t invite us to see her, we’ll arrive unannounced.”
Any retort was useless as he left my home with Elva in tow.
With our home empty of threat, I recalled my aura. The floor slowly became lighter as the windows were revealed and dim sunlight shone through again. It dissipated from around the bed, bringing Quentin into sight. She was still pale, but as the light hit her, her eyelids fluttered. When she opened her eyes, I rushed to the bedside.
“There you are,” I whispered.
She looked at me, eyes unfocused and heavy from fatigue. A pain-induced haze. If she had her wits about her, I doubted she would have spoken to me with such softness and vulnerability.
“Did I do it?” she asked. “Did we win?”
“Round one to us, golden girl.”
Descending to Earth was meant to solve all my problems.
Not really, but I’d hoped it would lessen the heavy pressure that sat on my chest. Instead, everything was amplified. Without the imminent threat of Hunter ripping my life away, I was forced to address all the other issues that were plaguing me.
Once my body healed, the awkward iciness settled between me and Grayson again. There were so many questions I wanted to ask him, but I couldn’t trust myself to. Not yet. The sting of being lied to was still fresh, but I needed to understand his actions so I could find some peace again. A large part of me mourned our relationship. It felt unsalvageable after Archer’s revelation. And if that was the truth, then all of this, the last few weeks of stress in the heavens, had been for nothing.
I wasted no time in running to the lab and seeking sanctuary. Gray hadn’t followed me and I was grateful that my colleagues were only dipping in to get experiments up and running again before returning home.
It had been a shit show of a day from the moment I opened my eyes.
