I pursed my lips. “What if it’s a lie, Celeste? To dissuade us from staying in the mortalrealm.”
“Fine. Let’s say it is—which I don’t believe—you’ll still lose your immortality. Have you thought aboutthat?”
“I didn’t say I wouldneverascend. I said I wasn’t ready to leave right now.” I kept my eyes on Celeste, but then, curiosity got the better of me, and I darted a glance atJarod.
Tension raced along his shoulders and neck, sharpened every line on his face, tightened his eyes, which he lowered to the porcelain cup filled with a foamy expresso. He lifted it off its matching saucer and shot the contents back, then yanked the napkin from his plate, and shook it out before slapping it onto his lap. All of his gestures led me to think he was angry, but was it because he no longer considered me an ally in his battle against angels or because he didn’t want me to deserthim?
“No one’s holding her back,” he said, eyes locked on the croissant he’d plucked out of the bread basket. He ate it in three bites, guzzled his glass of orange juice, then pushed away from the table. “I have business to attendto.”
“Jarod?”
Although it looked painful, he turned toward me. “Yes?”
“I’m not goinganywhere.”
I waited for the harsh veneer to crack and peel off the man who’d spent the night holding me against him as though afraid I’d use my wings to flyaway.
“Don’t stay on my account,” he said curtly, before stalking out of the diningroom.
It wasn’t his veneer that cracked but myheart.
Chapter 41
Ileft shortly afterJarod.
I’d drunk my coffee but hadn’t managed to eat anything. In a daze, I’d walked out ofLa Cour des Démonswith Celeste. We ended up at the Louvre where we took in every exhibit. Besides its triangular-shaped glass dome, nothing about the museum stuck with me, not a single canvas or sculpture. All of it had just smeared into one endless strip of marble andpaint.
Even though I sensed Celeste wanted to bring up Jarod’s dismissal, she didn’t. At least, not until we’d left the famed museum and started meandering through the adjacentgardens.
“Leigh, are you going to sign off from him today? Now that you’ve accomplished yourmission. . .”
I bit the inside of my cheek, my heart feeling as scrambled as the eggs Celeste had eaten forbreakfast.
“You can’t earn more feathers if you stay signed on,” she continued. “Not even if you manage to knock another point off hisscore.”
Two ducks pecked each other on the octagonal pond but not out of love. Out of dominance. As one of them took flight, trailing glittery drops of water, I thought of my wings, how if I hadn’t ruined them, I would’ve also taken flight. A chill enveloped me even though it was in no waycold.
“It’s not too late,” Celestesaid.
I clutched my elbows, slowly rubbing the goose bumps away. “Toolate?”
“To earn your wings before Asher’s engagement period isover.”
The Tuileries Gardens turned gray and flat. “Just because Jarod doesn’t care if I stay or leave doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want to marry Asher. If I’m going to spend an eternity with someone, I want it to be with a person who makes my heartsoar.”
“S-O-A-R or S-O-R-E? If it’s the latter, you have two contenders all linedup.”
I side-eyedher.
“Crack a smile. Even a tiny one. I don’t like grumpyLeigh.”
I offered her a diminutive smile that stuck for all of a second. Then Jarod’s parting words came barreling right through my brain again like a subway train. I sensed he’d spoken them out of anger, but even if that was the case, they’d hurt. He was a grown man, and grown men shouldn’t conceal their wounded pride behind barbs. It was petty. He was better thanthat.
Celeste sighed. “What happened with Jarod yesterday? How come you ended up staying thenight?”
I closed my eyes. She was only fifteen, and even though she was mature, I wouldn’t corrupt her young ears with all I’d done. Besides, it was private. Last night belonged to Jarod and me. “I hadn’t planned on staying, but when I got there, Muriel insisted on teaching me how to make shortbread, and, well”—I shrugged—“I couldn’t say no. And it was fun. And then Jarod arrived, and I gave him back his money, but then, he suggested a game of chess, and one game turned into two, and before I knew it, it was night.” I raked my hand through my hair, realizing I hadn’t even brushed it when I’d gone upstairs to get my bag. “He invited me out to dinner, and it was really nice.” My voice faltered. It took me a couple of breaths to steady it again. “Since it was late, he offered me his guest bedroom.” The sun pricked myeyes.
“Are you in love withhim?”
