* * *
I was covered in sweat when I woke up. The question still lingered in my head: why would a fallen angel hack off a pure angel’s wings? I knew now that my dreams were not merely dreams but bits and pieces of real life—in this case, from the distant past. I just couldn’t make sense of what this one meant. I felt behind me in the bed, and Avan was gone. I pushed the covers off of me with my feet, and to my utter disbelief, there beside me lay Shemer’s sword.
“What the hell?” I muttered to myself. Definitely more than a dream. I picked up the sword. It felt much heavier now than it had in the dream. It was actually hard for me to maneuver it.
I could hear laughter outside. I went over to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. It took a while for the water to warm up, so while I waited I manifested some comfy but still attractive clothes.
I headed out into the living room, but no one was around. The laughter came again, and I looked out the picture window. They were all outside, throwing the football like a bunch of kids. Avan looked glorious as he tossed it high and long to Nate, who, with his angelic powers, had no problem catching it.
After gently laying the sword on the dining room table, I grabbed my coat from the hanger by the front door and ran outside, petting both eagles before bounding down the steps. The scenery had changed drastically since last night’s eerie darkness and white fog. As I stepped onto the ground, a twig broke under my foot, making a strangely loud snap that seemed to reverberate across the clearing. I looked down, picking up my foot, and thought, all that noise for a little twig?
The laughter was gone, and as I looked up, so did everyone else. “Guys?” I called after them, but I couldn’t hear a thing. Suddenly, I wished I had the sword with me. Someone was out there, and yet, I didn’t feel threatened by the presence. Still, it paid to be cautious.
I moved slowly and carefully, making as little noise as the forest floor would allow. It was challenging, but I made it all the way around to the back of the stone cabin. There, from the trees behind me, a rustle in the fallen leaves caught my attention. I turned just as a dark figure leaped on top of me.
22. PAST LIVES