“And Lucifer attacked Eli today.”
Grandma’s eyes widened. “He … what?”
“Impaled him with a sword. Right through his chest,” I said, pointing to my own. “It would’ve been nasty if he wasn’t … you know. Immortal.”
“That was … ballsy. Excuse my French.”
I nearly spit out the water I’d been drinking. “Grandma!”
“What?” she said with a sweet giggle and an innocent shrug. “Can you think of a better word for it? Here.” She stepped into the kitchen, then returned with her signature sweet smile and a plate with a beautiful golden square of pineapple upside down cake.
“Oh, no way,” I said, already salivating.
“My apologies to your mother for serving this to you before breakfast.”
“This can be breakfast,” I said.
She handed me a fork, and I dove in, humming in delight. For a moment, I was a kid again; just a granddaughter. I closed my eyes, allowing everything else to fade away as I became more and more lost in my memories. Bex was chasing Claire around the house, Ryan was laughing, and Dad was standing in the corner with Mom, his arms around her middle. Mom was smiling, and Dad watched Ryan with disdain.
Before I knew it, the cake was gone, and so was the moment.
“Darling,” Grandma said, wiping a tear from my cheek.
“I didn’t realize I was crying,” I said, wiping my nose and breathing out an embarrassed laugh. “I just wish sometimes that,” I said, trailing off with a sigh. “It doesn’t matter. You’re all just borrowed. I was someone else before.”
She held a gentle hand to my jaw. “We belong to you, and you to us. You always have and always will. Nothing has changed.”
I leaned against her hand. “You think so?”
She breathed out a laugh. “Eden. Energy can be neither created nor destroyed. No matter where in time we connect physically, we’ve always been. And I’ve always loved you. No one could ever convince me otherwise.”
I threw my arms around her, and she squeezed me back. I could feel her smile even though I couldn’t see it.
“I hate to eat and run, but…”
“Of course,” she said, sitting back. “Go save the world, my darling.”
“I’m trying. Thank you for the snack, Grandma. It was so much more than that. Something I didn’t even know I needed. I love you.”
She kissed my cheek, and I concentrated on the dining room at home. Even though I’d done it before, for some reason I was nervous that I couldn’t do it again. But still, I focused on the chairs surrounding Grandmother’s wooden oval table and the large chandelier overhead, the prisms spreading the sunlight along the dark walls.
In a blink, I was standing in the exact place I’d imagined. I laughed out loud, in awe of my new trick.
“Are you back already, dear?” Grandmother called from the hall.
“Yes,” I responded, rounding the corner.
Levi stood in the middle of the hallway, and I wondered if that would be the last time I’d miss being surprised.
“Hi,” he said with a small smile. His hands were in the pockets of his dark pants, his blue eyes staring at me from under his thick, dark brows. “When did you start phasing?”
Grandmother was standing next to him, confused. “You’re phasing?”
I shrugged. “I … today. What you saw was my first time. I tried it again at the hospital and phased to Grandma Lillian’s, and then again to here.”
Grandmother, forever unimpressed, nodded once and left us alone for the drawing room.
Levi glanced behind him, then approached me. “You were right.”
“About?”
“The tag attached to my mother. I finally singled it out. Whatever it is, it’s old and strong. Really strong. And it’s really pissed that I’m aware of it now. She immediately began coughing and grew weak just by me focusing on it. We … can’t remove it.”
I looked up at him from under my brow, already hating what I was about to say. “Then… I’m so sorry, Levi, but you know she can’t stay here. This is home base. We can’t effectively plan our defense against your father and brothers in Heaven’s language. It takes a full minute to say a single sentence.”
His shoulders sagged. “They know she warned me. She’ll have a target on her back the second she steps out the door. Heaven won’t protect her because she helped my father try to conquer Heaven. Where else can she go?”
I shook my head slowly. I didn’t have an answer this time.
“No,” he said. He pointed at the floor. “No. We’re not just going to throw her to the wolves. She risked her life to come here.”
I reached for him, but he pulled away.
“I love you, Eden. I’ve loved you for most of my existence, over lifetimes, and I’ll love you for eternity. But…”
“But?” I said, my chest suddenly heavy.
He swallowed. “She’s my mother.”
I stared at him for a moment, waiting for the answer to come. My eyes filled with tears again. “I don’t want you to leave, and I shouldn’t ask you to stay … but I will. We have to stay together.”
“Eden,” he said, his voice breaking. “She can’t defend herself.”
“And I can,” I said, trailing off. The sinking feeling I’d had every time we’d been forced apart seeped in, filling me with panic. I touched my stomach with both hands, trying to control my breathing. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”
“Baby, calm down,” he said, reaching out to me. He wrapped his arms around me, the muscles in his arms tightening when he squeezed. My head fit perfectly under his chin, his throat vibrating with the deepness of his voice when he began to speak. “There has to be another way.”
“Maybe … maybe she can survive the extraction?”
“I could,” Petra said, stepping into the hallway. “It’s a possibility.” She began to cough.
Levi released me and shook his head. “You don’t know what you’re asking. It will be painful.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve endured pain. I’ve beat death. You’re not leaving this place, son. You have to stay together. You have to stay here.” When I didn’t respond, she spoke again, “Did you hear me? You’ve been separated so many times, and not once has it ended well. I won’t allow you to leave the safety you’ve found here. Not even for me. I would sacrifice all that I have for you, Levi. Even my life.”
“Sacrifice,” I whispered.
“What?” Levi asked.
“Levi, do you…” I trailed off, her words taking my thoughts down a new path—to an old memory. “I have a plan, but… I can’t explain it here.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Again?”
Petra kissed her son’s cheek. “I’ll be in my room.”