Battenberg lace cutouts over her shoulders while holding a pair of pruning shears.
“I’m traveling.” Logan goes over and offers a solid embrace. “Grandma, there’s someone I’m dying for you to meet.” He extends a hand in my direction. “This is the love of my life, Skyla. Skyla, this is my grandmother, Jean.” Logan beams when he says it. His entire face scopes me out with wonder.
“So nice to meet you.” I walk over and offer a quick shake.
“Likewise.” She gives a gentle nod. “So this is the young lady you gave the pendant to.” Her entire person glows with delight.
I take a breath and dart a glance over at Logan. I had no idea we were going to burst her bubble today.
“Not exactly.” Logan returns to my side. “I gave it to someone else, someone who I thought I loved but didn’t. She’s a Celestra, and I assumed that was the girl I was meant to protect. It’s been something I’ve regretted ever since.”
“Oh, Logan.” Her face crumbles.
He heads into a long, drawn out story that involves Chloe and her wickedness, how she came back to life with the purchase of my blood and has been wreaking unholy hell in our lives ever since.
“This is disastrous.” She pulls off her wide-brimmed hat, revealing a full head of auburn curls. “Come, let’s have a seat.” She leads us over to a picnic bench situated under a row of towering eucalyptus trees. “First, how is the rest of the family?”
Logan draws me into him before relaxing his arm over my waist. “The family is great, and Skyla knows about Liam, about me taking his place in the future.”
“Logan is special,” she directs it to me with a nod. “The Decision Council has amazing things planned for him. Liam wanted to sacrifice for his baby brother. I’ve petitioned a higher court to revisit his case and offer him a treble if possible. It would mean everything to me if he could taste the fruit of life just once more. I’d love to see all of my grandchildren happy, and great grandchildren as well.” She freezes her gaze over me with the slight look of a threat. I’m pretty sure she’s referring to Gage.
“What higher court?” Logan presses her for answers.
“The Decision Council.”
“Oh, I know all about the Decision Council,” I volunteer. “My mother’s on it. And I agree”—I give Logan’s waist a squeeze—“Logan is most definitely special.”
“Your mother?” She squints, sprouting a dozen different crow’s feet around her eyes.
“Her name is Candace. She’s a Caelestis. I’m her only spawn—her favorite pawn .” I’ve never spoken truer words.
“Interesting.” Her brows narrow as she examines me under these new circumstances. “I have a supervising spirit,” she announces. “A man I once considered the love of my life, but I chose another path,” she says it dry as if she were speaking between the lines. “His name is Rothello.” She tilts her head.
I take in a giant breath.
“Rothello?” I glance over at Logan who seems slower to digest this bit of explosive news. “He’s a Sector isn’t he?”
“You do know him.” Her lips curve as if she were happy I finally caught on.
“Yes, I know him,” I say it incredulous. “He’s the one who started the faction war in my name.”
“Your name.” She pulls her shoulders back. “Then it is you.”
“What’s me?” I’m panicked over this.
“You’re the one Celestra has been waiting for. It was long prophesied that desperation would breed resolution. Were you able to prevail? Did you win the war?”
“We don’t know.” Logan goes on to explain the details. “Skyla says that her mother let her touch the sword, but she was returned to Earth, and now it’s a waiting game.”
What’s this “Skyla says” business? It’s as if he wasn’t even present. Maybe seeing his grandmother has thrown him for a loop. He never was a big fan of light driving.
His grandmother reaches from across the table and picks up his
“I’m traveling.” Logan goes over and offers a solid embrace. “Grandma, there’s someone I’m dying for you to meet.” He extends a hand in my direction. “This is the love of my life, Skyla. Skyla, this is my grandmother, Jean.” Logan beams when he says it. His entire face scopes me out with wonder.
“So nice to meet you.” I walk over and offer a quick shake.
“Likewise.” She gives a gentle nod. “So this is the young lady you gave the pendant to.” Her entire person glows with delight.
I take a breath and dart a glance over at Logan. I had no idea we were going to burst her bubble today.
“Not exactly.” Logan returns to my side. “I gave it to someone else, someone who I thought I loved but didn’t. She’s a Celestra, and I assumed that was the girl I was meant to protect. It’s been something I’ve regretted ever since.”
“Oh, Logan.” Her face crumbles.
He heads into a long, drawn out story that involves Chloe and her wickedness, how she came back to life with the purchase of my blood and has been wreaking unholy hell in our lives ever since.
“This is disastrous.” She pulls off her wide-brimmed hat, revealing a full head of auburn curls. “Come, let’s have a seat.” She leads us over to a picnic bench situated under a row of towering eucalyptus trees. “First, how is the rest of the family?”
Logan draws me into him before relaxing his arm over my waist. “The family is great, and Skyla knows about Liam, about me taking his place in the future.”
“Logan is special,” she directs it to me with a nod. “The Decision Council has amazing things planned for him. Liam wanted to sacrifice for his baby brother. I’ve petitioned a higher court to revisit his case and offer him a treble if possible. It would mean everything to me if he could taste the fruit of life just once more. I’d love to see all of my grandchildren happy, and great grandchildren as well.” She freezes her gaze over me with the slight look of a threat. I’m pretty sure she’s referring to Gage.
“What higher court?” Logan presses her for answers.
“The Decision Council.”
“Oh, I know all about the Decision Council,” I volunteer. “My mother’s on it. And I agree”—I give Logan’s waist a squeeze—“Logan is most definitely special.”
“Your mother?” She squints, sprouting a dozen different crow’s feet around her eyes.
“Her name is Candace. She’s a Caelestis. I’m her only spawn—her favorite pawn .” I’ve never spoken truer words.
“Interesting.” Her brows narrow as she examines me under these new circumstances. “I have a supervising spirit,” she announces. “A man I once considered the love of my life, but I chose another path,” she says it dry as if she were speaking between the lines. “His name is Rothello.” She tilts her head.
I take in a giant breath.
“Rothello?” I glance over at Logan who seems slower to digest this bit of explosive news. “He’s a Sector isn’t he?”
“You do know him.” Her lips curve as if she were happy I finally caught on.
“Yes, I know him,” I say it incredulous. “He’s the one who started the faction war in my name.”
“Your name.” She pulls her shoulders back. “Then it is you.”
“What’s me?” I’m panicked over this.
“You’re the one Celestra has been waiting for. It was long prophesied that desperation would breed resolution. Were you able to prevail? Did you win the war?”
“We don’t know.” Logan goes on to explain the details. “Skyla says that her mother let her touch the sword, but she was returned to Earth, and now it’s a waiting game.”
What’s this “Skyla says” business? It’s as if he wasn’t even present. Maybe seeing his grandmother has thrown him for a loop. He never was a big fan of light driving.
His grandmother reaches from across the table and picks up his
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