Page 158 of Grave Revelations

A laugh burst from Sophia. “Are you an archangel? Can I call you Archangel Rebecca?”

“Actually… They do this thing where you get a new name.”

Sophia bit her lip to hold in her grin, trying to imagine what Rebecca’s new name would be.

“I’m Leah.”

“Leah.” Sophia tried out the name.

“It’s the last letter of all my previous names. To remind me that we all matter regardless of who came first.”

Gabriel appeared beside them, smiling fondly at his soulmate. Sophia couldn’t remember ever seeing a smile on his face, but it suited him. He was almost handsome when he smiled. Almost.

The angel who had transported them to Alaska landed. “It’s time, brother.”

Gabriel searched Leah’s face. She nodded, and he lifted into the sky, flapping massive wings that glinted silver against the sunlight.

“What was that about?” Sophia asked, watching him disappear.

“The souls are coming.”

Sophia gave her friend a quizzical look, but Leah didn’t notice as she stared after her soulmate disappearing into the distance.

Sophia craned her head up, mouth falling open as Gabriel and several other angels swept across the sky in an arch, and behind them, a glittering rainbow followed. It curved and bent until they landed, bringing it with them.

Angeliki came to stand next to Sophia, looping her arm through her daughter’s. Together, they watched as shapes appeared far above, moving toward them until Sophia could finally make out faces.

“Pythia!” someone called, and she released her mother, racing forward and catching Nita in her arms, swinging her around in a circle.

“You’re here!”

More arms came around them, and soon, Phoebe and Iris, Maria, and Vassi wrapped themselves in a tight embrace. A beautiful woman with hazel eyes rushed into their group, throwing her arms wide.

“Yai-Yai?” Angeliki’s voice was breathless as she untangled herself from her group and wrapped her mother in her arms. “Yai-Yai!” Tears streamed down her face as she squeezed her now much younger mother, and soon, the other witches tugged them back into their circle.

All around them, Sophia saw humans connecting as they met in bone-crushing hugs.

More and more arrived until it seemed there wasn’t space to stand, but many looked confused or lost, as though this Earth was unfamiliar to them. Sophia knew these souls would need a hand to guide them.

She glanced out over the crowd, spying angels dotting the landscape, and saw Rebecca—Leah—hugging a woman with cinnamon hair cut in a bob. Another woman with straight dark hair and blue eyes stopped beside them. Two men who must have been twins crashed into her, knocking her backward as they hugged her fiercely.

Gabriel landed beside them and threw his arms around Leah and the two men, and Sophia could have sworn they looked a little like him.

General Vaughn cleared his throat, and Sophia and several of her coven members turned to face him.

“Excuse me,” he said, his cheeks flushing pink. “I wonder if I could speak with Angelica.”

Sophia smiled at his mispronunciation of her mother’s name, and her smile stretched wide as several of her sisters gave him disapproving scowls. Only a brave man could approach their fearsome group, and it was exactly what her mother needed in a partner.

Angeliki stepped back from the group, going to stand beside him. He whispered in her ear, and her eyes widened.

Sophia heard, but she let them have their moment. Soon enough, this joyous reunion would be over, and the work would begin.

THE END

Epilogue

Aniel stepped out of his gleaming courtyard and loosed a breath into the world. It had been an age since he set foot in the mortal plane—if standing on the gilded patio of Heaven’s fortress could be considered such.

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