Jocelyn Davies: A Radiant Sky

“Don’t talk to me about loyalty,” I said, my face growing hot with frustration. “I’m loyal to my family. To my friends. To my own blood.” I took a deep breath. “So, I guess that means we’re against each other now.”

“Maybe.” He looked thoughtful. “Maybe not. Looks can be deceiving. You of all people should know that.” He took a step back, and lifted my chin so he could look into my eyes. He raised an eyebrow.

“Do you believe in us, Skye? That there could be a happy ending for us if we wish for it hard enough?”

I swallowed. Did I believe? My life was fine before Asher and Devin came into the picture. I had Aunt Jo and my friends and won ski races and got straight As, and that was enough. It wasn’t exciting, it didn’t make me feel anything, but it was safe, and it was mine. Now, I felt too much. And all it did was make things confusing. All I felt was the pain I’d been trying so hard to escape since my parents died.

It was the kind of life the Rebellion believed in.

But forming this new group, stopping this collision of Chaos and Order—that was a fight I couldn’t afford to lose. No matter what I had to give up in order to win.

I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again I was crying.

“No,” I said. “I don’t.”

Asher let go of me. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again just as quickly.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“I don’t believe you.”

“You have to.”

He took my hands in his and gripped them tight. “Skye,” he said fiercely. “Listen to me. When this is all over, when we’ve found a way to end this, we will be together.”

I raised my eyes to meet his. “Then prove it.”

It was a challenge. It was the very thing he’d yelled to me above the wind, the first time we’d raced each other.

I’ll win!

Prove it.

He pulled me into him so fast I didn’t see it coming, and I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him. He held on to me, tightly, as the sun dipped quietly below the mountains and the darkness rose to meet us and the wind blew in through the open window, gusting up under my wings, which had unfurled in Asher’s arms, and lifting us both off the ground. It was the kind of kiss you read about in books, the kind they write songs about. A kiss that told the story of us. The whole messy, complicated story.

He let go of me, letting me fall, gently, to the ground.

“I will. And if you think I’m giving up on that ,” he said, brushing the hair out of my face, “you’re crazy.”

“That’s no good-bye,” I whispered, pushing down the lump welling in my throat.

“Nope. It’s a promise.”

Asher gave me one last look, a millennia of history contained within that one gaze. “See you on the other side,” he said.

In a rustle of black feathers, he moved to the window.

Then he was gone. And everything went still. The bottom of my life fell out from beneath me. Just like that.

On shaky legs, I walked to the window and leaned my hands against the weathered sill. The night unfolded before me, a dark expanse of stars.

What have I done?

The floor creaked, and soon Cassie had walked up beside me.

“You okay, babe?” she said softly, putting a reassuring hand on my back.

“No,” I said, wiping away a tear. “But I will be.” I let my head fall onto her shoulder, and she wrapped her arms around me.

“I think what you’re doing is incredibly brave,” she said.

“That’s not why I’m doing it.”

“I know.” She pulled away and looked at me, her green eyes sparkling. “You’re doing it because it’s right. And you won’t have to go through it alone. I know your secret now, and nothing could make me leave your side.”

“Not even Dan?” I asked hopefully.

“Not even Dan. Come on, he’s not as important as my best friend!”

“You know, you really need to start making sure I’m not in the room before you talk about me,” Dan said, coming up behind her. “I always hear you.”

“You need to stop sneaking up on us then,” Cassie replied blithely, waving him off.

“You guys have to get the bickering under control,” Ian cut in, clapping a hand on Dan’s back as he approached. “If we’re going to work as a team now.” His brown eyes found mine, searching. Ian, always comforting, always a friend, even when neither of us deserved it. “And Skye, Cassie’s right. We’re here for you. We’re going to help you, whatever you need. We’re in this together.”

For a moment, I couldn’t find the words to say what I was feeling. I looked around at my friends, my family, the only people I knew I could always count on. They were so loyal, dependable. As long as we were all together, I would never be alone. I’d questioned it once, but I knew I would never have to question it again.

“You guys are the best,” I said, standing up. “I can’t believe how far we’ve come since the night of my birthday. It seems like yesterday, but I feel like a different person now.”

“You kind of are,” said Cassie.

“But we still love you.” Dan smirked. “Weird silver wings and all.”

“Come on, Skye,” Ian said. “Pack up. Let’s go home.”

I looked around at my friends and nodded.

“I’m ready,” I said.

“For whatever’s coming,” said Dan.

“For the road ahead,” Ian added.

“For a nap!” Cassie laughed.

“For all those things,” I said. “And whatever else we’re about to face.”

Raven’s fork scraped against her plate.

I flinched involuntarily, and noticed I wasn’t the only one. Everyone around the table—Cassie, Dan, Ian, and Aunt Jo—was looking at her.

“Sor- ry ,” she snapped.

“It’s okay,” I said next to her, trying to convey both reassurance and thankfulness in my voice. She just glared at me. I’d been really nice to her since learning she had saved my life, but the nicer I was, the more it seemed to get on her nerves. Raven may have joined our group, but I had a feeling it was going to take a while before it really sank in. For all of us.

We’d returned from the camping trip on Friday. Now it was Sunday. It had better sink in soon , I thought, or one of us might not make it to Monday.

“Go ahead, continue talking,” she said. “By all means, don’t stop on my account.”

I cleared my throat.

“Thank you, guys, for coming over for dinner tonight. You’ve stuck by me throughout this whole journey, and I can’t tell you how much it means to me. Because it’s only going to get harder from here, and I just want to make sure you know that. If you want to leave, I understand. I’m not going to force anyone to help me. This is a battle I have to fight myself.” I paused, and looked around the table hopefully. “Not that I wouldn’t really, really love some company.”

I held my breath. No one moved.

“Can you pass the mashed potatoes?” Dan whispered to Cassie. She obliged.

“No one?” I asked.

“Oh, I thought you were being rhetorical,” Cassie said. “Are you insane? Of course we’re not leaving.”

“Seriously,” said Ian. “If I was going to bolt, it would have been in the woods with the vengeful angels staring us down.”

“They’re only going to get more vengeful,” I pointed out.

“But we can prepare for that, right?” said Dan.

“And I’m pretty sure I’m obligated by law to help you,” Aunt Jo grinned.