“Seraph Asher,” I said tonelessly, “please burn away mywings.”
Color leached out of Asher’sskin.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Claire said. “No one’s burning anyone’s wingsoff.”
I gripped my elbows tighter, my palms molding around the sharp bones. “They are mine to do as I wish, and I want themgone.”
Eve’s lids pulled up so high white surrounded her hazel irises. “Leigh,no!”
Asher pumped his great wings. A heartbeat later, he landed in front of me. “Jarod sent you away to protectyou.”
“It wasn’t his decision to make. Or yours. It wasmine!”
Claire flew down from her perch, her bright pink wings dappling the copper mosaic. “You are behaving like a petulantchild.”
My blood boiled in my veins as though angel-fire now irrigated my body. But it didn’t. Not yet. Not ever. I turned toward Asher. “Burn. Them.Away.”
Raking his hand through his long hair, Asher hissed, “He wouldn’t wantthis.”
“Again, they aremywings. Mine to keep or discard, and I choose to discardthem.”
I didn’t think Asher could grow any paler but his skin turned alabaster. “Leigh, please take some time to reflect onthis.”
I stretched them out so his fire could have unobstructed access to each silvery barb. “Now.”
“Fletching manners are deplorable,” Claire huffed. “If we’d talked like this to our predecessors, they would’ve burned more than ourwings.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I apologize for being such a terrible disappointment to our race.” I released my elbows. “On the upside, as soon as your fellow archangel removes my wings, you will be rid of me and my deplorablemanners.”
All of Claire’s features tautened. “If she doesn’t appreciate her gift, then by all means, remove them,Seraph.”
Eve’s arm stiffened around myshoulders.
“Leigh, please,” Asher murmured raucously. “It’ll break your parents’heart.”
“My parents? You mean those angels who gave birth to me but never visited because they were too worried I would fail? Excuse me if I sound ungrateful, but I favor my heart overtheirs.”
“Leigh.” My name fell from his lips, a hollowmurmur.
Eve’s wide eyes glistened. “Give yourself a few days to think about this. Please,” she added in a tremulouswhisper.
“Your heart may be broken,” Asher said, “but it’ll heal, and one day, you’ll thank Jarod for the gift he gaveyou.”
“I understand the consequences of my choice. I understand the pain will terminate my immortality and scar my mind, but my wish remains unchanged. I want to return to Earth and be with the man I love. Now, will you do it here, or must it be done in theShevaya?”
“Have you even used your wings?” Asherasked.
I clamped my molars. “Here, or in theShevaya?”
“Fly once, Leigh. Circle Elysium. Look our world in its face before you decide to forsake it.” Did he really think that a gravity-free stroll would miraculously alter my will? “Once. And if after that, you still desire to renounce your heritage, I will strip you ofit.”
“I’ll go with you,” Evevolunteered.
“No.” Claire eyed Asher. “Let them go alone.” She probably considered me a terrible influence and wanted to keep her daughter away fromme.
“You promise to burn them as soon as we’re done with our promenade,Seraph?”
Asher seemed to reach deep for patience. “Ipromise.”
