Iniquity

One day, Reed,” I begin dabbing at his cheek again, “you and I will get in the car and just drive. We’ll wander from silver cities to golden coasts.” I use an alcohol swab to clean the blood from his cheek. “We’ll sleep when we’re tired. When we wake, I’ll find a way to make you laugh and I’ll live in the sound of it.” My throat gets tight because I long for that day to be now. “We’ll find somewhere you’ve never been and we’ll make it ours—fill it with memories of us. That’s what I want.” I finish with the alcohol swab. Leaning close, I gently blow on his healing wound to ease the sting. Reed takes my hand and brings it to his lips, kissing it tenderly. “And when we get that sleep, there will never be a your side or a my side of the bed—we’ll always meet in the middle. And when I hold you there, in our bed, you’ll let me rest my lips here.” Reed lets go of my hand to move his

I could no more leave you than the earth could leave the sun. You’ll always draw me back to you,

I raise Reed’s crushed, gray feather into the air. With my dying breath, I utter a single word in Angel, “Champion.

I’m the light to his darkness. There’s no escape; he’s a part of me.

You’re my air, Evie. Without you, I drown in breathless sky.

Brennus grins as well. “Och, ye have ta luv me brudder; he’s so cheeky. He was always da favourite.

Reed doesn’t back down. “She’s my mission. That couldn’t be more plain to me if it were written in the stars.

I recognize Brennus’ Faerie armor; it holds the long battle-axe that he gave to me. I walk to the armor and touch it. It feels cold and lonely—the most extraordinary things usually are. It’s the consequence of being timeless.

The debt to iniquity—to wickedness?” I murmur aloud.

What does he need?” “We don’t know. What we do know is he couldn’t kill you. The magic wouldn’t touch you. We believe it’s because of the ring you wear.” “Can this ring protect Evie if I give it to her?” I try to tug the ring from my finger. It won’t move; it’s as if it is bonded to my flesh and bone. “We attempted to cut it from you while you were unconscious. The Power who touched it ascended. Do you know why?” “Heaven wants my help.” “Yes. You’re not just Evie’s champion; you’re Heaven’s champion as well.