I sighed in relief. "I can handle hours. Not days."
"No, not days. We'll try not to leave you alone for that long again. We can take turns being here while Luc is at work. If we're lucky, this will all be over in a few hours."
I nodded and grabbed my shirt, staring at them as if I couldn’t remember how to dress. But I tried not to look as shaken as I felt. "Okay. Hurry back to me, then."
"See you soon,” Gabe said, then with a little wave, he was gone. Michael nodded at me, then disappeared too.
A few hours. I could handle it. What were a few more hours?
They were back before I could even finish dressing. As I pulled my jeans on, Gabe and Michael popped into my bedroom.
"What the heck?" I asked.
"It wasn't there." Gabriel flopped down onto my bed. "Gone."
"What do you mean gone? Who would've taken it? And you got in there that easily?”
Michael shrugged. "Only Archangels knew it was there at all. A short list."
I sat on the bed beside Gabe and pulled on my socks. "Anywhere else it could be?"
Gabriel grunted and Michael shook his head. "We're assuming with Raphael, wherever he is. He's officially on the most wanted list in Heaven."
I paused with my sock halfway to my foot. "Heaven has a most wanted list?"
Michael burst out laughing.
"No," Gabe said. "But we've got people looking for him."
"Think he used theCrucisto create the curse?" I asked.
Gabe sat up and stared at me, and Michael froze.
"What the what?" Gabriel smacked himself on the forehead like a cartoon character. "Of course, he did."
"So, now what?"
Michael moved out of my way as I walked over to my closet to get my house shoes. I needed to get dressed, maybe even do my hair, and slap on a little makeup. Feel human again.
Ironically, since I wasn't technically human.
"We need to go get one of the pieces the humans have. It's our only option at the moment. Hopefully, it'll be enough to do the job."
I sat down again and slipped on my house shoes, securing the elastic that ran around the ankle. "Maybe it'll at least unlock his memories."
Michael nodded. "We hope."
"Well, go on. He'll be home soon. I'm going to make dinner."
With a farewell kiss, they disappeared, and I moved to the kitchen to busy myself until Lucian came home.
What would happen next? We were truly running out of options.
Chapter 25
Constance-Lilith
Another two dayspassed before they appeared in my living room. I'd been thinking about changing into my night pajamas and watching TV again. "What happened to checking up on me?" I put my hands on my hips and glared at the two of them.
