Grace watched the sky long after Azrael had disappeared, her heart still hammering in her chest.
That hand on her head—it felt so casual, almost friendly. But at the same time, there was almost a hint of "I could snap your neck in a second, you know" in it.
Still, not at all what she'd expected from the leader of the Veil.
[What the hell was that about?] she thought, rubbing the spot where Azrael's hand had been. It still tingled, weirdly enough.
"Angel?"
A soft voice pulled her from her thoughts.
She turned to see Ivy emerging from the tree, which had now returned to its normal state. The bark had lost its creepy purple-blue corruption, and the branches stretched toward the sky like trees were supposed to do. Ivy looked like shit, to be honest. Clearly exhausted. But, she was alive, her green wings drooping as she stumbled forward.
"You're okay," Grace breathed, relief washing over her like a cool shower.
Ivy nodded, looking both grateful and embarrassed.
