“Yes, but I need you to braid my hair differently today. Have you seen the one where two braids start from the top and then down?” I try to explain what I saw in a magazine the other day, only for my sleepy Angel to blink at me strangely
“You mean French braids?”
“I don’t care where they invented it! Will you please make them for me?” I scratch his scalp to butter him up. When I think he is finally melting, Angel drops his head in the crook of my neck and snakes his hands under my top to grope my chest.
“Give me half an hour of cuddling, and we have a deal.” He doesn’t wait for an answer, and falls right back to sleep.
Running my fingers through his hair and down his back, I remember our last council meeting.
Angel was very clear about how we’d have no room for error or messes, and I didn’t appreciate how he kept glancing at me during that speech. I mean, why would he single me out when Seiji is the one bringing all kinds of snacks with him like we’re going on a picnic?
But of course, when I mentioned that Seiji, my dramatic princess, acted offended and even shed a few crocodile tears. He wept about how it wasn’t about his milkshakes but aboutrespect.
And then he sang, ‘his milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard’. I don’t think he realizes how tone-deaf he is.My ears are still ringing from the horrific performance.
Harvey was so close to tears and begged Seiji to stop singing—if you could even call it that, while Hazel almost threw her dagger, which Grace snatched away at the last second. I don’tusually condone violence, but maybe a warning stab wouldn’t have been the worst thing in the world.
Using this silent moment I let it sink in that going to The Forgotten Realm to capture Micah takes me one step closer to my revenge.
Angel understands my need to seek justice, but that doesn’t stop him from worrying about how a personal encounter with my tormentor would affect me. The fact that he is there for my emotional breakdowns from small triggers daily, makes him all the more wary and protective of me.
A little less than an hour later, I wake Angel with kisses all over his face. The soft smile aimed at me convinces me to only ever wake him up like this after today.
As promised, he quickly freshens up while I wait for him to braid my hair. I don’t have to wait long because he is quick and careful, like a professional at this point, and ten minutes later, he is close to finishing.
“Promise me you won’t let your emotions cloud your judgment today. You have to be vigilant at all times.” Angel says, putting an elastic on the ends of my braids.
“When am I not careful?” I immediately regret the slip-up because now I’ve handed him the ammo to shoot my ego down to Hell.
“You had stitches from trying to make asandwich, sweetheart.”I knew he was going to bring that up again!
“It was the knife’s fault!”
Of course, it was my fault.I’m an idiot in the kitchen.
Angel thinks my constant denial is funny and laughs it up before kissing my head and ushering me out of the room. I knew he only kissed my head like that to stop himself from calling me an idiot!
Everyone is already waiting, well, everyone except August, who is staying with Seiji’s parents for the day. The only thing Ihave to worry about leaving him with his pseudo-grandparents is how he will be in a food coma from authentic Japanese food by the time we come back.
The most mind-baffling thing to happen yesterday was how Kiara, Angel’s mother,orderedus to leave August with her while we were in The Forgotten Realm.
Before I could tell her where to shove her idea of being in the general vicinity of my son, Angel denied her and quickly dragged me away from the cunning woman.
I don’t know what she wants with my son, but I’ve warned the Nakayas about the visit, and they promise not to let Kiara or her husband anywhere near August.
Brushing my hand through my horse’s head, I admire the way his wings flap against the wind, making tiny particles of ash fall beneath him. Diamond’s one wing is the size of my whole body.
Imagine if someone got smacked by them. It would be like those cartoons; one smack and boom, they slide down like thin paper.
I’ve got to stop watching cartoons with August.
Fixing her black full-sleeved t-shirt like mine, Grace straps a crossbow on her back and caps the quiver. With one flick, I watch Seiji’s whips disassemble before they're wrapping around his arms, acting as extra armor.
Hazel is strapping on another dagger when Angel grabs it and hands it over to a warrior walking by. That’s not going to go over well with her. Hazel has a crazy obsession with having as many weapons on her as possible.
“But now I only haveninedaggers. I can’t leave with an odd number of weapons.”
“You needmore?” I utter in disbelief. “Where the fuck are you stashing them?”
