“Are you the Fates?” she asked.
A pleased smile formed on each of their faces, their iridescent silver eyes shining brightly.
“I’m Nevaeh,” the one who had greeted her first said. “And these are my sisters. Adorah and Karma.”
“You’re a very brave female,” Adorah said softly.
Suddenly panic set in. “Wait. If I’m… I can’t be in Heaven. I can’t. I need to be with Obsidian.”
Nevaeh’s soft fingers settled reassuringly over her hand. “ThisisHeaven, sweet child, but don’t worry, you’re only here temporarily. I assure you, Obsidian’s waiting for your return. Trust us.”
Penelope nodded, somewhat relieved. If you couldn’t trust an angel, who could you trust?
“Come, Penelope. Let’s have some tea.”
When they moved away, almost as one, Penelope followed, climbing down from the bed, her bare feet securely planted on the white marble floor. Though absent of all color, the room was serene and beautiful. Exactly what one would imagine being in Heaven would be like.
Nevaeh opened a set of French doors before stepping out into a courtyard. Overhead was a crystal-clear blue sky, fluffy white clouds moving by, far closer than they should’ve been.
The structure built up around the serene space resembled something out of Greek mythology. Marble columns loomed high above, disappearing into the clouds. In the center was a beautiful fountain, water cascading over the thick-edged bowl it was contained in. Penelope was urged toward a small white bistro table while two more women—or rather, angels—came over, one carrying a teapot, the other a plate with what appeared to be cookies.
For whatever reason, that delighted her. The thought of the angels sharing tea and cookies made Penelope smile.
Nevaeh chuckled, a lyrical sound that was like the softest of lullabies, so sweet and gentle it made her wonder if she’d actually heard it.
“I can certainly see why Obsidian’s so enthralled with you.”
“You can?”
The angel nodded, then lifted the delicate teacup to her lips, blew on the liquid before sipping.
“Well, the feeling’s quite mutual,” Penelope assured her. “I love him.”
Nevaeh smiled warmly. “There’s no need to convince us. It’s in your eyes, Penelope. Your strength is your most powerful feature.”
Penelope dropped her gaze to the table. “I’ve never considered myself strong.”
“Oh, but you are,” Karma said, the soft intonation of her voice soothing. “Think about the things you’ve endured. Your mother leaving, your father’s denial. You supported the men in your life without receiving their kindness in return. Yet they’ve always known you were their rock, their strongest support. And you’ve persevered, shown Obsidian a love beyond all expectation.”
“It all seemed to happen so fast,” Penelope admitted.
“In the grand scheme of things, time is irrelevant, Penelope,” Adorah said. “Humans have irresponsibly learned to measure the depth of their emotions based on the passing of time. In truth, love knows no bounds. Not time, not distance. It merely is. You knew you loved Obsidian the moment you set your eyes on him, and he you. That’s true love. The kind not steeped in measurement of any kind.”
“It’s true,” Penelope admitted, perhaps finally accepting it. “The moment I saw him, I knew he was important to me.” She studied each of their faces. “But I thought that was your doing. You selected me for him.”
Nevaeh smiled, set her cup down. “That’s a misconception, sweet child. We have no say in the matter. We don’t select one’s mate. Your soul connects with the one meant to make you the strongest. And when it does, we simply seal your fate, guide you toward one another. From there, we guard your souls.”
“But I’m human,” she countered. “How did my soul seek Obsidian’s?”
“Because you’re special, as are all mortals who’ll mate with a warrior.”
“I miss him,” she admitted.
“As you should. He misses you, as well.”
“Is he all right?” Penelope asked, needing to know.
Adorah lifted her hand. A vision appeared. Obsidian kneeling over her body, his head resting on her chest as though listening for her heartbeat, wings covering her like a blanket. He wasn’t moving, but she could sense the pain in him.
