She shook her head. “Sorry, but it would be a breach of confidence. No one wants to parade around theirfailures.”
I sank down on my bed next to my overflowing bag. “Am I crazy? I feelcrazy.”
Eve sat next to me and draped her arm around my shoulders. “You’re ambitious, notcrazy.”
I rested my cheek against her shoulder. “Don’t ascend before I get back, allright?”
“I’m missing thirteen—fourteen—feathers,” she said. “I’ll still be around awhile.”
“You’re so good at this you’ll get them before the week’s evenover.”
“Unlikely.” For a minute, neither of us spoke, then she said, “But if I do complete my wings before you get back, I promise to stop by the City of Lights beforeascending.”
“Or you could take on a French sinnernext?”
“Or I could dothat.”
I filled myself with the scent of neroli that had fragranced her skin since she’d discovered the perfume her first year out into the human world. “A Triple . . .” I whispered, because it still didn’t feelreal.
After a quiet moment, she said, “Whatever happens, remember that I love you,okay?”
Whatever happens?“You mean, if you beatme?”
Her body went a little rigid. “Yeah.”
Odds were, she would. I sent a tiny prayer to Elysium that Jarod would be cooperative. Or at the very least, not overlyuncouth.
“You should get going,” she said,standing.
Sucking in a lungful of courage, I speared my arm through my bag and rose. I’d changed into a purple dress that downplayed my curves. Outside the guilds, I felt normal, but within the celestial quartz walls, I felt like my body was too heavy, my breasts too large, my hips too wide, and my stomach toosoft.
“Here goes nothing,” I murmured as I trailed Eve out of our bedroom and back into the Atrium to find an Ophanim willing to take me through the Channel. Until my wings were complete, I couldn’t travel through the guild portals withoutassistance.
Fletchings were still swanning about the courtyard, feasting and drinking from the banquet laid out in Asher’s honor. Asher who was still conversing with the Ophanim. I’d assumed he wouldn’t have hung around after delivering hismessage.
Flanked by Eve, I walked over to our winged superiors. “Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I need transport to the guild inParis.”
“Greer?” Ophan Mira said. “Can you take Leigh through theChannel?”
“Of course.” My etiquette professor smoothed a hand over her form-fitting graydress.
Like me, she was on the heavier side of the angel spectrum. Eve once joked that she must pull muscles in her wings when she flies. Her remark had cost my friend a feather even though she insisted she hadn’t meant it as aninsult.
“I was just about to depart,” Asher said. “I can takeher.”
Color flooded my cheeks.Sweet cherubs, an archangel was going to escort me through theChannel?
Greer’s hands coasted off her frock. “Are you certain,Seraph?”
I shot my gaze to Eve whose wings seemed to take up a little more space. If only I could duck behindthem.
“Yes.” Asher’s turquoise gaze slinked over my bag. “All packed up, Isee.”
I squeezed my bag against me, hoping I’d stashed my undergarments at the bottom. If they were sticking out on top, I would die. Especially considering I had a great fondness for lace andsilk.
As Asher commended the Ophanim for their impressive work, Eve enfolded me in a bone-crushing hug. “Go get those hundredfeathers.”
I forgot all about my embarrassment then, my mind wholly focused on Jarod Adler and his Court of Demons. I reassured myself that no demons actually lurkedthere.
