I walk toward an empty table, expecting us to sit down and enjoy ourselves, except Dina shakes her head. “Let’s go somewhere a little less crowded and enjoy the sunshine before we hole up inside to study.”
“You’re brilliant, you know that?”
She links her arm through mine with a satisfied look on her face. “Oh, I know.”
We don’t have to walk too far before we reach an empty bench on the outskirts of the park. The same one I came to with Raphael and Theo, only this area is different. There’s a largepond in the center and a family of four are heading toward it with miniature boats in hand. Just how big is this place?
As we settle into our coffees, Dina breaks the silence. “What happened to you back there?”
I pick at the holes in my jeans, unsure how much I should tell her. “The stares got to me. I know they shouldn’t at this point. I’ve been dealing with them all my life, but it’s different now.I’mdifferent now.”
“I don’t believe that. You may have gold wings instead of gray, but that doesn’t change who you are on the inside. You’re still the kind, selfless, passionate angel I’ve known forever. Who you are isn’t defined by your wing color, Hayles. It never has and it never will. The angels who truly matter see it, too. And the ones who can’t see you for the incredible woman you are, well, they don’t matter. And let’s face it. They only focus on others because if they had to look inside themselves, they wouldn’t like what they find.”
Tears well in my eyes as her words fall on me like rain, soaking into my flesh and bones. My wings may have always made me different, an outcast, but it doesn’t change who I am on the inside. I could have turned sour and rotten, become the very freak everyone thought I was, but I didn’t. Even when it hurt. And that has to count for something, doesn’t it?
“Thank you,” I whisper, wiping the tears from my cheeks.
“Always. You’re one badass angel, and don’t you ever forget it.” She pulls me into a one-armed hug, placing a kiss on my temple before pulling away. We sit in silence, finishing our drinks and watching the families play in the park. It’s nice not being cooped up inside, surrounded by disappointing old books or study material. That thought makes me think of my men again, and the erotic night we’d had at this very park.
“What are you thinking about that has such a grin on your face, hmm?”
My cheeks heat and I laugh. “Just remembering when I came here with Raph and Theo. Do you remember what you said to me on the Tower, before all hell broke loose? That maybe they weren’t testing me at all and might even be willing to, uh, share?”
Fuck, it feels so weird saying this all out loud, even to Dina.
She stops mid sip, then turns her head to meet my gaze. “Yes. But if you tell me something happened, and you’ve kept it to yourself for days, I’m going to be pissed.” She pauses for a moment, and when I stay silent, she continues. “Alright, fine. I’ll forgive you, now spill.”
“We went to this café and I swear, Dina, they ordered the entire freaking menu. Then we explored this little art store before Raphael took us to this photo parlor, where we dressed up in old outfits and posed for what had to have been a million photos. I’ll show you them once we’re back on campus.”
“While I love everything you’ve said so far, nothing really screamsthey’re willing to share me. What are you leaving out?”
“Have a little patience, babe. I’m getting there.” I take a few moments to fidget with my empty coffee cup and find a more comfortable position on the bench, knowing full well that every passing second only fuels her desperation. The look she sends me is filled with annoyance, telling me she knows exactly what I’m doing.
“You’re cruel, you know that?”
“You love me for it.” I send her my most innocent look and continue my story. “Well, after we finished with the photos, we came here to this park. It was a different section, though, but they had food trucks and popcorn stands set up for a movie night. The three of us shared a blanket, and Raphael grabbed an extra one so we wouldn’t be cold.”
“Hayliel Gracelin! Please tell me you fucked both of them at an open park movie night.”
“No! Well, not exactly. Raph did some wonderful things to my body with Theo sitting close enough that I know he either felt it or heard. Hell, we even held hands while Raphael was getting me off. It was … everything.”
“You lucky bitch.” Dina rests her chin in her hand as she gazes off into the distance, lost in reverie. When she finally shifts her eyes back to mine, she says, “So when is part two?”
10
Bastards!
It’s the fourth time in a row that I’ve had an opening, a chance to escape unseen into the restricted section of the Guild, only for another intern to ruin my chances. Without sneaking into our file room, I’ll never know more about that second attack. We need that information.
The digital files are even harder to crack into without proper security clearance. There’s no chance I’ll sneak onto that server, but I should be able to handle a door. If only I could manage to disappear without raising suspicion.
I log a few more lines from the report Azrael gave me, my frustration rising as I enter the data from yet another investigation I hadn’t been part of.Look on the bright side, at least you have a better shot at the file room this way. Stop complaining.
The clock on my slate tells me I’m running out of time. Once my shift is over, I’ll be shit out of luck until my next one. The longer I go without that information, the more likely it is that someone will get hurt. Not to mention the fact that I have angels counting on me, and as much as I might pretend not to like a certain gold-winged angel and her Pure boyfriends, I don’t want to let Hayliel down.
I even made small talk with a few interns today, something I absolutely never do. Maybe I shouldn’t have, given the odd expressions on their faces, but I’m desperate.
I wonder who’s still hanging around. Only one intern is left in the room with me. His name evades me — Ananiel, I think. He sits a few desks away, his back to me and completely engrossed in whatever task he’s working on. I stand silently and take a few steps toward him. Unfortunately, the way to the file room is just past his desk, toward the Lieutenant wing.
