Page 80 of These Deadly Dreams

Her gaze snaps to him. I can see the words building, the disbelief that he can think she’s beautiful, but she must see something in his expression. She looks to Cade, still sitting on the floor, then me. All of us staring at her with identical expressions of awe and adoration.

Her tears slow as she looks at us. Her breathing evens out. The tremble to her lips stops. “Wings?” she whispers.

“Beautiful wings,” I say. Reaching behind her, I run my finger over the downy soft feathers and she shivers. “Can you feel that?”

She nods and wipes her cheeks, her wings shifting with the movement.

“Are they heavy?” Kai asks, stepping forward.

“No. I can’t even feel them,” she says between little hiccups. Tears well in her eyes again. “I can’t walk around with wings.” Her voice is so small and terrified.

Cade gets to his feet and stands on my other side. With her three Shields before her, I see something shift in her gaze. A realization that she’s not alone.

“We’ll figure it out,” I say quietly. “We’ll always be here to help you figure things out. I promise. You’re not alone anymore, Ellis. We’ve got you.”

End.

For Now.

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