I’d never seen anything like it, but they were magnificent, and the best part was I could still see Gage in those wings. He was like a beautiful piece of pottery that had been shattered but then put back together to form something new, something even more amazing, something stronger than the original.
Tearing my gaze from Gage’s new wings, I looked at his face, seeing a lightness in his winter-green eyes that hadn’t been there before. I caught my breath and just stared at him as angelic marks glowed over his skin—elegant swirls and symbols that ran up his arms and twisted around his neck, climbing up to his cheekbones and forehead and brightening his already sun-kissed skin.
My heart was bursting with love and joy. I was so overwhelmed I didn’t know what to say to him… but then his mouth quirked into a cocky half-smile that was all too familiar and any apprehension or shyness was swept away.
“Nice wings,” I said with a smirk of my own.
Without saying a word, Gage closed the distance between us in three long strides. Reaching one hand around the back of my neck and sliding the other around my waist, he tugged me close and crashed his lips into mine and I swear sparks flew as the fire between us ignited.
As I wrapped my arms around Gage’s shoulders, he dragged the hand that was anchored behind my neck slowly down my back and then secured me even closer to his body. There was a whoosh of air and I felt my feet leave the ground, but I was so caught up in kissing Gage that I barely noticed we were airborne.
It was only when I tasted something salty that I realized I was crying. My happy tears streamed down my cheeks and mixed with our mouths as they met again and again.
After a short eternity, Gage and I broke away from each other, and I sucked in a giant breath of air into my oxygen deprived lungs.
He slowed his flapping wings so that we hovered just below the height of the dorm’s roof rather than ascending any higher. I glanced over his shoulder at his midnight and gilded feathers, acknowledging to myself that it was hard not to be impressed with his wingspan. Gage’s were definitely still larger than Jacob’s.
“I’ve been waiting an eternity to do that,” Gage said, and then leaned forward to kiss some of the wetness off my cheeks.
“To do what? Kiss me?” I asked with a giggle, feeling a little drunk off the taste of his lips that lingered on mine. “We’ve kissed plenty of times.”
Gage shook his head. “No, not like this we haven’t. Not while I’m whole.”
Whole.
Gage finally felt whole. And what made him feel that way was becoming a Lumen and finding the place that he truly belonged… by my side, forever.
I lifted a hand and traced one of the angel marks on Gage’s neck that ran up the column of his throat and behind his ear. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch.
“What does this one do?” I asked.
He lazily blinked his eyes open. “I don’t know, but I’m looking forward to finding out.”
“Me too,” I said with a smile.
“You guys planning on coming down?” Jacob yelled from the ground.
I looked down and saw him standing a couple stories below us with the whole Angel Gang, minus Dash and Skye. Jacob’s eyes were trained on Gage’s new wings with a scowl, and I busted out laughing.
“He’s so jealous of your wings,” I said as Gage slowly let us drift toward the ground.
“He has reason to be,” he said with a chuckle.
“Are you ready?” I caught Drea asking Indigo as we touched down.
Indigo nodded back. “I’m more than ready.”
“Ready for what?” I asked as Gage’s arms loosened around me. I turned in his embrace, not ready to be physically separated from him just yet.
Indigo looked at Gage and me with a radiant smile and tears swimming in her gaze. “Cael told Gage that I could go through the portal to Avalon next and he’ll strip me of my Shade powers and make me a Lumen.”
I jerked my head around to look at Gage, and he nodded with a smile. Slapping a hand over my mouth, a fresh set of waterworks rushed to my eyes. I never had any doubts Cael would allow Indigo to be a Lumen. Her heart was good, and Avalon wasn’t in the business of turning away people who wanted to forsake the darkness. I was justso stinkin’happy for her it was like I couldn’t control my tear ducts. I knew this was what she wanted, and to see this finally happening for GageandIndigo was overwhelming, in the best way possible.
Wiggling out of Gage’s arms—somewhat reluctantly—I rushed forward and threw my arms around Indigo.
“You’re going to make the best Lumen,” I told her, squeezing her tight before letting her go.
“I’m excited to officially be part of the Angel Gang,” Indigo said with a laugh.
