“No one knows why,” Sunny said. “Not that they cared. They said they were going to isolate her. To keep her smut from ‘contaminating the realm.’”
“Um, too late?” We both laughed nervously. Precious extended her wings, and I noted a tiny gap in one. “What happened there?”If anyone hurt her, I’ll…I peered down at the controls of my vibe, checking for a stun setting.
Sunny shook her head.No one pulled her feather out, or cut it off. It just dropped off as she came through the Great Gate.
“Huh.” I squinted at Precious’s wing again. She seemed fine. “They didn’t lock her up, though?”
Her lips tightened. “Just between us, they tried. She can’t be contained.” Sunny stopped talking as more Celestials emerged from the clouds. These ones looked taller, and sterner, and it was incredibly hard not to stare at their private parts with everything just hanging out there. But the balls of soulfire in their hands made it a little easier to ignore the other balls. They held the glowing golden orbs as if they were weapons of some sort, and stood in lines with their shoulders back, like soldiers. Mikhail and Righteous moved to stand between us and the soldiers, who were now bowing to Sabriel.
“Healer,” they all said in unison.
Sabriel’s mouth twitched as she acknowledged them. She peered down at me. “What do you think of the welcoming committee?”
I hummed noncommittally. They didn’t seem very welcoming to me.
“Where is the creature from the Abyss?” one of the soldiers demanded as he stepped forward. He was extra tall and shiny, and the Mother of All Sausages had blessed him, indeed. I shoved my head between Righteous and Mikhail to make sure I was seeing this correctly. Did every guy up here have a pocket anaconda?
“She is not from the Abyss,” Sunny shouted, stalking toward the guy. “She is a Novice, a refugee from Sanctuary. I am her soul-vowed caregiver?—”
“Tata!” Precious agreed from my arms. Her eyes were on Sunny, but the puppy Ry was still holding suddenly let out a plaintive howl, a sound filled with grief and pain. The whole area fell silent. Then all the Celestial soldiers dropped to their knees and began… praying?
“What’s happening?” I hissed, motioning for Ry to hand me the puppy. It was squirming away from him, making these pathetic little noises.
When he deposited it into my arms, Precious reached out and picked the little fellow up, squishing him against her bare chest. “My!” she mumbled, kissing his wrinkled neck. He yipped in obvious agreement and began slobbering all over her while she giggled.
Huh. Maybe he wasn’t my gift after all.
Did she get a gift when she entered?I thought to Sunny.
No, she replied, glaring at the soldiers. My chest swelled with righteous indignation.
Well, this puppy is hers, then.
Great strings of glitter-flecked drool dripped to the cloud floor and, when the puppy shook his head, went flying everywhere, landing on the kneeling, praying soldiers. The leader made a strangled noise as he wiped a long drool trail from his face, his eyes fixed on the Precious-colored glitter that remained on his hand.
More than one soldier murmured, “Shadow beast.” I was certain they weren’t talking about the dog, though.
“Take the small one to isolation and the puppy back to the temple,” the head guy gritted out.
“Thefuckyou will,” Sunny shouted, raising both fists.
Stepping toward the leader, Mikhail growled, “You can try.” Righteous just bounced on his heels in front of me, getting ready to fight the bad guys.
But these were the Celestials. This was Heaven.
“Arewethe bad guys?” I whispered.
Precious snuggled closer into me, muttering, “Dado, my Dado,” and I shivered.
Suddenly, the soldiers stood down. From the distance, Celestial music started up, thousands of harps and violins and cellos, and bells of every kind.
And then, someone powerful—as powerful as Rumple had always felt—landed right in front of me. Someone tall, glowing, and slightly terrifying.
And super fudging sexy, too.
Chapter 3
Feather
