“Why not?” she insisted, baffled.
“Because we traveled through the Veil to come here.”
Her eyes widened, and she peered outside the window at the stunning view of the valley below and the surrounding mountains.
“Where are we?” she asked, pulling her gaze reluctantly away from the view to peer back at me.
“We are in Nephilim Valley.”
“What?! You’re an angel?!” she exclaimed while examining me from head to toe in search of any sign that would substantiate that possibility.
I snorted with self-derision. “Hardly.”
“You’re a demigod then, right?” she insisted.
I shrugged in a non-committal fashion. She gave me an unimpressed look laced with a hint of annoyance.
“What exactly are you?” she demanded.
“A doppelganger,” I deadpanned.
She huffed. “We both know you’re way more than that.”
I smiled and held her gaze unwaveringly, making it clear I would not expand any further. The determined glimmer that lit up her beautiful green eyes intrigued me. She took on a mulish expression before whispering an incantation. It was bold of her to cast a spell on me without knowing exactly what I was, or how I might react. But I knew this revelation spell well, and it didn’t represent any threat.
Her frown deepened, and she chewed her bottom lip as she stared at me, failing to solve the mystery of my true nature.
“You’re not an Angel, but you definitely possess divine light in you,” she mused aloud.
I shrugged. “A gift from my mother.”
“Who’s your mother?”
It was my turn to frown. “You ask too many questions, Inquisitor. I’m not one of the heretics you hunt.”
“My name is Eleni,” she replied dismissively. “And we don’t hunt heretics anymore. Only those who abuse arcane powers to cause harm. Nice attempt at deflecting, though. Do you have something to hide?”
“No. But personal information isn’t owed. It must be earned,” I retorted.
To my surprise, she didn’t argue but merely nodded in concession.
“Fair enough. However, sharing your name shouldn’t be a State secret. I’ve given you mine. Courtesy demands you reciprocate.”
I chuckled, genuinely loving her boldness and cockiness. There was something sexy about a strong woman with a sharp tongue.
“What would make you think I give a shit about courtesy and societal norms?”
“Nothing, but I also think you’re proud of your name and would prefer I address you by it rather than as ‘Doppelganger’ or ‘Strange Demigod.’”
I snorted. “Neither would bother me. But you’re correct that I would prefer you call me by my name, Lyall.”
“See?! That wasn’t so hard! And it’s a pretty name that suits you well.”
“Flattery doesn’t work on me,” I mocked.
To my surprise, instead of looking offended or acting defensive, Eleni held my gaze unwaveringly, all teasing and flirting gone.
“Like Doppelgangers, I do not lie. And flattery is for fools. I have no time for people with uncontrollable egos. I say what I mean and mean what I say.”
